Hello all,
My name is Lacy and I’m a future physician with ADD, I think. I say “I think,” because in my session with my psychologist I scored a 76 on the Brown ADD questionnaire for adults. My first question is, did many of you score around this area or were many of you higher than this score? I’m wondering because in my final assessment my psychologist told me, that my higher cluster point more towards emotional and memory difficulties rather than attention and focusing.
This puzzles me because I’ve known all my life my attention span is not what it should be. For example I have trouble watching movies that not action packed, e.g. explosions, shoot out scenes, graphic special effects. I constantly switch channels watching three to four stations at once, I have trouble in relationships because I get bored, well maybe bored is the wrong word, I guess I just lose interest after a month. I have had two jobs spanning two years in which I feel I just lost interest after the first six months or so. During conversations with friends my mind wonders and I constantly get that “are you listening to me” question. Does any of my symptoms point toward ADD or am I just a product of the fast paced Generation X mode of living and thinking?
To the contrary when it comes to medicine I tend to “hyper focus.” I spend entire days studying physics, Organic Chemistry, biology, Human Anatomy and so forth. Is this common or am I just crazy? I mean by no means am I a genius when it comes to these subjects but they are the only tasks I can really devote my mind to concentrating on.
I think of myself as a serious person. I’ve graduated from college with my B.S. in Biology. I’m a great athlete, and basically a good guy but when it comes to focusing on menial tasks, or jobs I lose it. A prime example of this “losing it” comes when I’m in the middle of any test. I took my MCAT about two weeks ago and I feel that I did well but not my best because I was distracted by the slightest ruffle of paper, the cough and the always present clicking of pencils and pens. As a result of these little announces I ran out of time, I ALWAYS run out of time.
Do you guys understand where I’m coming from? Do these distractions hinder you as well? Do you think I was misdiagnosed? How do you cope? Where can I get some help? Am I alone in this?
I need to find some answers quick because I have a burning passion to become a physician but when any admission committee looks at my scores they’ll think I’m a bum. I’m really not a bum, I’m just me.
Thanks guys,
-Lacy
med school
Lacy,
I am a psychologist in my 50s. For the past couple of years, I have been looking into the ADHD and LD field with greater interest. Although I have not been formally assessed for ADHD, I am now fairly confident I have had it all my life, and I think it has been something of a handicap, cumulatively speaking, but of course, it has also shaped who I am. Therefore, my attitude toward it is not like it would be if it were, say, appendicitis or some odd neuroendocrine anomaly. I would encourage you to continue to pursue your search. Many of the things you said I can identify with, except that, at your age, I could never have concentrated on a single subject for an entire day.
steve
Re: Upcoming physician needs help
Hi Lacy,
I would first like to say Hang in there. I work for an Internal Medicine Residency Program. I happen to know two very Great Physicians, that have graduated from our Program, that were Extreme ADHD. I remember a time one was telling me that his doesages for Dexadrine were so high, the pharmacist was either scared to fill it or didn’t have that much in stock. He was our chief Resident two years ago. He is now a Hopsitalist and an Assitance Professor of Medicine with our Program. The other has a successful practice and specializes in Geriatrics as well as being an Attending Physician for our program. Good Luck to you!
Lacy could have adhd???
HI Lacy,
Have you looked at the DSM IV ?
Have you read Driven to Distraction by Drs. Hollawell and Ratey? They also have AD/HD. There are several other books as well. Check out the recommended reading giving at some of the web sites too.
There are several web sites too.
www.add.about.com
www.adda.org ( or com )
and links that you can find to other sites from those sites.
You may want to get second and third opinions from other psychologists or psychiatrists who treat a lot of addult add.
Every one with ADHD is different, has a diff. set of sympt.s and is effected more or less in various areas. Another good book is by Dr. Amen. His videos are good too. Check your local library in the LD dept.
Good Luck,
Ann B.
keep it up
As a student with ADHD I know where you are coming from. I just finished my second year of medical school, And would like to offer encouragement and the advice to speak to some one in the department of disability services there are lots of accomodations offered by schools and it is in yur best intrest s to look into which ones will hep you out with your educational carreer… Keep working its hard but trust me it will pay off
Hi Lacy,
You might want to attend a local CHADD meeting and see if anyone can recommend someone for a second opinion regarding an evaluation. I don’t know anything about the Brown Questionaire but it sure sounds like ADHD is a strong possibility for you. Of course, I am just a lowly amateur so take what I say with a grain of salt.
But memory difficulties, particulary in the working verbal memory area, can be part of ADHD. What did the psychologist say when you asked for clarification?
What I am also noticing is the people who are definitely not ADHD are getting the diagnosis and the ones like you who have all the symptoms aren’t getting it. What is up with that?
Good luck in getting it sorted out as I am sure that is frustrating.
PT