ADHD and Bi-polar

HHHHmmmmmmmm…. Adult ADHD was just recognized in the DSM IV in 1994. Were you diagnosed bipolar before then? Most adults with ADHD were misdiagnosed as bipolar. The wide mood swings of ADHD look very similar. Do you use medication? Does it help?
A few of us have positive attitudes and there are a lot of very helpful friendly folks here… but lots of the posts are very sad. You sound very positive and you are very lucky to have a supportive husband. Nice to meet you.
Georgia

dear linda, good to find someone that can relate. attending lpn shool and having a severe time with math calculations. having a phobia with math isnt helping. looking on site for any techniques i can possibly aquire that can help me absorb, the rapid thought process invades my ability to absorb. also very interested in getting a cat scan myself, my significant other dosnt have a clue about adhd and accuses me of being quick tempered and says im just not trying hard enough which dosnt help, reguardless of the lack of understanding, i do take 10 mg of adderal which does seem to help. I know I can become a nurse, my obstacle in obtaining this degree is more challenging for me than the average bear. at this point i feel i stand very much alone, and am grabbing for straws. may be a hypnotist, may a labotomy?-im jesting, please write back, i am beside myself,overwhelmed, upset, misunderstood, and beating myself up mentally attemping to absorb material that is rediculously abstract for me––-calgon take me away, if you have tips please write or call-kelly cone in NY 607 625 2373

dear linda, good to find someone that can relate. attending lpn shool and having a severe time with math calculations. having a phobia with math isnt helping. looking on site for any techniques i can possibly aquire that can help me absorb, the rapid thought process invades my ability to absorb. also very interested in getting a cat scan myself, my significant other dosnt have a clue about adhd and accuses me of being quick tempered and says im just not trying hard enough which dosnt help, reguardless of the lack of understanding, i do take 10 mg of adderal which does seem to help. I know I can become a nurse, my obstacle in obtaining this degree is more challenging for me than the average bear. at this point i feel i stand very much alone, and am grabbing for straws. may be a hypnotist, may a labotomy?-im jesting, please write back, i am beside myself,overwhelmed, upset, misunderstood, and beating myself up mentally attemping to absorb material that is rediculously abstract for me––-calgon take me away, if you have tips please write or call-kelly cone in NY 607 625 2373

dear linda, good to find someone that can relate. attending lpn shool and having a severe time with math calculations. having a phobia with math isnt helping. looking on site for any techniques i can possibly aquire that can help me absorb, the rapid thought process invades my ability to absorb. also very interested in getting a cat scan myself, my significant other dosnt have a clue about adhd and accuses me of being quick tempered and says im just not trying hard enough which dosnt help, reguardless of the lack of understanding, i do take 10 mg of adderal which does seem to help. I know I can become a nurse, my obstacle in obtaining this degree is more challenging for me than the average bear. at this point i feel i stand very much alone, and am grabbing for straws. may be a hypnotist, may a labotomy?-im jesting, please write back, i am beside myself,overwhelmed, upset, misunderstood, and beating myself up mentally attemping to absorb material that is rediculously abstract for me––-calgon take me away, if you have tips please write or call-kelly cone in NY 607 625 2373

I too am bipolar and was just diagnosed with ADHD two years ago. I had a middle school class in 2000 that was literally climbing the wall, and I was doing this intense research on ADHD. As I was studying the symptoms, I called my husband downstairs and in a state of shock said, “honey this is me.” I’m glad to know that I’m not alone in the dual diagnosed world. It’s not that bad for me. My students are pretty hyper, so I know that if I’m getting bored for sure they are. If I take my meds I’m okay, and am a believer that a little can go a long way. I am on dexedrine sr 10 mg for the adhd. By the end of the school day it has worn off, and I am all over the place with my inability to focus. It’s a good thing the kids want to help me at the end of the day or I would be in real trouble. I hope that all is going well with you. Bipolar has not been fun this month,but is getting better.
Laura

My father was diagnosed as bipolar in the late 60s. I always had a fear that I may end up the same way. After losing my job a few years ago and turning to alcahol to cope, I experience a slew of ups and downs. I finally decided to see a doctor and deal with the situation. After a thorough analisys, the doctor told me he was fairly certain that my problem was not bipolar disorder but ADHD. As it turns out, many people with ADHD experience symptoms that can easily mimic bipolar disorder. Our 150 mile an hour brains can at times make us seem manic to those around us. On the flip side of that, when we experience a minor catastrophe in life caused by our inability to control this, we sometimes experience a situational depression. The thing I realized from a lot of self examination is that the depression was “normal”, that is, it was a typical reaction to events in my life and was not caused because of a chemical imbalance. It is quite likely that my father was not bipolar and had sever ADD, but because of what was known at the time, he couldn’t be properly diagnosed and treated. Unfortunately he passed away before I discovered my ADD and I cannot find out for sure. I recommend seeing a doctor experienced with both disorders. It is possible to have both at the same time but it is best to examine all possibilites. Just ask yourself, am I depressed because of what’s happening in my life or am I depressed for know reason at all. That went along way to helping me.

You know by reading about you all today have just convince me of what I thought was wrong with my husband is probably true. My husband and myself have now been together for about 6 years and ever sence I met him he has been impatient, hyper ( always going 100 miles per hour making him a work aholic) he has extreme ups and downs. He turns to alcohol to make him feel better only then leaving him feeling guilty and not worthy. He is not even capable of taking a day off with out feeling that he is a looser because he is not at work. His extreme mood swings leaves him feeling like he is not an adiquate husband or father because he just simply does not have any patience at all. His favorite statement is that he only has a half of nerve and your on it. He knows that he is the way that he is and feels that it is the biggest fault that he has . And in all reallity it is truely his only fault. We have taken him to the doctor several times they just keep putting him on antidepressents and they just dont seem to truely work they work for a short time then its as if he is back to square one. Then he is again discouraged. I have mentioned several times to his doctor that he was diagnosed with ADHD as a child but his mother stated that the medication had made him ill and so she never tried anything else. (leaving him to live a very unjustified delinquent juvinille life) They just keep trying differant antidepressents. I had just reciently mentioned to my husband that I had seen a commercial for Bi polar and that they had a test on line to do and if you had enough of the symptoms that you could take it in to the doctor. I found it and read it, it just doesnt seem like him only the mood swings. If someone could help direct me in the right direction in helping my husband recieve the proper help and the proper way of directing it to him with out making him feel that in order for us to be together that he has to be on some type of medication. I only want him to be happy and to enjoy the wonderful family that he has to realize that he himself is a wonderful person too.
I would be forever greatful. We live in Salt Lake City, UT
I am so glad I found you all.
Donna

I am 32 and a single mom with two children 4 and 7 yrs old. My oldest is exactly like me—ADHD. I just want you to know that I just graduated school for LPN and I’m waiting to take the NCLEX. No one understood why I studied EVERY waking moment for 2 years. I was on Adderal which helped emensly but I still had to give it my all—always, all ways! But I just wanted you to know that as hard as it was, I knew I could do it. I AM SMART…I CAN MAKE SOMETHING OF MY LIFE! If you are like me and no one truely supports your decision to better yourself, get close with your classmates, go to study groups. Hang around with people who are also trying their best to get through school. But most of all, believe in your self and trust that God knows what is best for you. He never would have lead you to believe that you can get through this if He knew you couldn’t! Find positive literature and prayers and tape them in your notebooks, use them as bookmarks, put them on the fridge, the mirror, the steering wheel…any place and everyplace! Believe me you can do it. I barely passed high school. It took me 14 years to convience myself that I could go back to school, especially NURSING! But I did it. It was the hardest thing that I’ve ever done; but that just makes it my greatest accomplishment. Don’t give up…you can do it!!!!!!!!!!!