How old was everyone when they found out they had ADD/ADHD?

[Mssphoto]

I was 48 and wish I had been tested earlier in life...I feel like I have missed out on so much.

[Vicki]

I was technically diagnosed when I was 10 years old. (I'm 28 now) There were suspicions before that though. I was the kid that was like the Tasmanian Devil. See that blur? That was me. I was rambunctious, loud with a history of temper tantrums and being disruptive.

The catalyst that brought me to a diagnosis was when I started school at 5 yrs. I was a kid that threw desks, jumped out of windows and ran away to do whatever I pleased because I didn't want to do what the teacher told me to do because I "didn't feel like it". I was found one day in the big kid playground (where I wasn't supposed to be) by one of the special ed. teachers who specialized in Behavior Modification. I ended up in her class and there I stayed until I was ready to try and integrate into a regular classroom in grade 4.

It was due to this teacher's reading of a book on children with ADHD during this time that alerted her of me and other kids in her class. She gave a copy to my mom and she read it and the ball started rolling from there. I was diagnosed and I reported to a pediatrician every few months or so with my progress with ritalin. What bugs me is when I was 16 they were like 'sorry we can't see you anymore' and I was taken off the meds because it was a monitored drug.

They didn't even have the decency to refer me to someone who could help. Though when my own family doctor told me that he didn't know anyone to send me to in the last few years - I am starting to understand why they didn't back when I was 16. I know now that if I had of been properly treated my life probably would have been a bit different between when I was 16 and now. All I can do now is move forward and know that things happen for a reason.

I moved across the country (I'm from Halifax NS) so that I could seek help, plus be with my sister. (I feel at this point that I can't be on my own). Things are looking better than they have been but I still have a long way to go.

[Cathrynn]

I was 65 - having been diagnosed when I was 32 with spatial dyslexia....seems to go together. Now makes sense of my whole life, which in fact, hasnt been uninteresting...in fact, I think it has been made more intriguing by ADD - I dreamed my way through school, was either expelled or removed, not sure which, dreamed my way through life in an erratic way, but with the typical passions of add'ers, developed my own method of massage which is now used in an international school and somehow or other learned to read astrological charts...now photography. All have been/still are complete passions, but I have no idea how I have learned them!!!

My husband died six years ago and my present partner, just three months partially living with me, is going rather crazy, saying WHY cant you remember this, that or the other. Maybe we wont survive.....! we will see, but I wouldnt have changed any of my life. Though - one of my sons says, Mum we wont know when you get dementia because you have had it all your life!!!! (((hugs))) Cathrynn

[Chanchiluv]

I was 36 when I was diagnosed. I started reading up on ADHD after my son's kindergarten teacher mentioned that she thought he might have ADHD. A lot of the stuff I read sounded VERY familiar, and after he was diagnosed I started looking at getting myself tested as well as my older daughter. We both turned out to have it, and I KNOW dh has it from talking to his Mom in the past. So we are the typical ADHD family! ALL of us have it and struggle with it on a daily basis. My biggest issue is being responsible for "organizing" everyone. I put organizing in quotes because I am terrible at it! I have an appt. with my meds doc On Oct. 20 to discuss how I'm doing with my meds - I take Adderal XR - (not that great - they help some, but not nearly enough) and see if we can't find some other combination to help me better. The older I get, the more hormones seem to be affecting my ADHD symptoms too. I will also discuss that with him as well.

[Daphne]

I was 39, It happen the same day as my birthday of this year.

[Mssphoto]

You received a good present..If you need some help this network is great!

[Diane Con]

Being diagnosed 2 years ago ( age 46) with ADHD was such a relief to be able to move on with pursing my college education. I've hungered to finished my college degree but the fear of failure stood in the way. My son was diagnosed in (2002) 2nd grade and that was when I realized I should get an evaluation too. I would not want him to beat me up emotionally when he is grown like I did to my parents, since all his reports from his teachers reveal the same information mine did when I was his age. It was though I knew that he was ADHD but did not want to face the truth. Knowing how painful it would be to explain to a psychologist what I went through growing up was not something I was ready to grieve again. I am happy to say that I have been attending college for a little over a year and could not be any happier. Taking Anatomy & Physiology 1 and Chemistry and the same time. Who knowsI just might become a professional student. I am very challenged but loving every minute of it. I have met several young (18yr. old) college students who exhibit ADHD behaviors and encourage them to be evaluated by a doctor.

[Mssphoto]

Well, good for you...I too felt on the top of the world when all of a sudden at age 48 I could understand what I was reading about. Too bad had already gone thru school. I agree with 18 years old getting checked... think half the world should be checked...It is hard somethimes because they just do not have the money or their Dr says no you do not have that because they realy have no knowledge of ADD..It is a catch 22...All they are advertising now is that autism is on the rise....t has always been there but no one has ever checked...It makes me want to shake some people.

Good Luck with the schooling.

[spacecatpj]

Hi! I'm 43 year's old and I just found out that I likely have ADHD. I was recently placed on Adderall XR 20 mg and my doctor just titrated it up to 30 mg. I freely admit that I feel the same way you do....like I have missed out on so much in my life. I 've been so angry, irritated, depressed, and anxious that I think what is happening is I'm just now grieving the loss of the life I could have had (if I'd been diagnosed earlier). Almost every day of having lived with having undiagnosed ADHD has felt like such an epic - sometimes even hellish- struggle (at least it has been that way lately for me...certainly since I've passed the 40 year mark in life). I love your cool cat picture! I have dogs and cats (all rescue) and they are the loves of my life. Thank God for pets! - Penni

[Mssphoto]

I know and you will go through times like that, but try and think positive and really do some research on things you would have to like to have done earlier and did not think you could do and you will see a big change....We cannot change the past and things we did and people that did things to us....I do not even talk to my family anymore...they think I do not have ADD, they still think I am that crazy person. Start looking at the good things..I would stay up night researching everything you can think of. I was consumed and fricked out that my head wanted to learn something....This is the time to take and enjoy...The pain somes back and disapears but nothing we can change..I love animals and they know when I am happy, there when I am said or sick....:) Keep in touch and let me know how it goes....Are you seeing someone to talk to or did your Dr just give you pills

[spacecatpj]

Hi Mssphoto! Thanks for responding to me! It sounds like you've experienced a lot of hardships with having ADD and I appreciate your candor! While I'm still very new to all of this (trying to come to terms with having ADD, etc.,) I've already encountered on several occasions people (some of who are professional people) who do not think adults can have ADD/ADHD. It just blows my mind! I don't think my elderly parents really understand ADD/ADHD either. It's strange because my parents can seem to come to terms with me being diagnosed with depression and anxiety but I think they are struggling with my recent diagnoses of ADHD. As far as other family members go, I don't have any siblings so my elderly parents are basically it.

In regard to your situation, I can't even come close to imagining how painful that must have been for you to not have anybody in your immediate family to talk to or believe in you that you have ADD. How long ago did this family fallout occur (if you don't mind me asking)?

Right now I'm being treated by a Psychiatrist who is managing my medications and at the latter part of next week I begin my first session with a Cognitive Behavioral Psychologist who reportedly has a lot of experience working with people who who have ADD/ADHD. I really don't know what to expect from her (Psychologist) as I've never been to a Cognitive Behavioral Psychologist. When I asked if I needed to see a therapist in addition to the Psychologist, I was told that the Psychologist will likely provide me therapy as well. I guess I will have to wait until next week to find out for sure. I also have to see my Primary Care Physician early next week (she's in Internal Medicine) to check on some female problems I've been experiencing, as I wonder if I'm experiencing peri-menopause. The Adderall XR 30 mgs seems to have calmed me down considerably as I no longer feel a strong desire to rip people's heads off on a daily basis, but I'm still struggling with being able to focus and remember things. I'm always losing things and I'm still very disorganized. What kinds of things do you struggle with the most?

I wanted to say I love your positive outlook on life and I'm glad you pointed out to me that I need to start looking at the good things. Similar to you, I also think it's a blast to research nearly everything interesting that I can think of. Sometimes I have to be careful, though, because I can get "lost" in my own little research projects and before I know it, POOF, great big chunks of time have seemingly disappeared. Do you struggle with time management issues at all? And I love my pets and animals in general. Well I know this is getting to be a long "comment" so I better sign off for now. I look forward to hearing back from you, Mss Photo, as I enjoy (and greatly benefit from) your words of wisdom and engaging personality (or should I say purrrrsonality since we both like cats)? Hahaha -Penni

[tim ashmore]

hello,i am new here so i will give it a whirl. i was prescribed adderall 8-9 years ago in hopes i could correct some deficiency and save my marriage. of course this was not a remedy and marriage failed anyway. i stopped taking it soon after. well last year my son started having trouble in school and his mother had him diagnosed and he is taking straterra. he is doing much better this year and i decided to re-visit the issue with myself. i have a reputable psych dr and when i took adderall again the difference was profound and sobering.being in a better place to start with seems to have made the difference in the efficacy of adderall. now i am going through the whole process for my son and myself.

[Michelle MacGregor]

Tim, for me with Adderall XR, there are a couple of things I have to take into account. First is sleep and second is stress. There are also foods that interfere with the absorption or make the absorption faster so it wears off more quickly. I think that citric acid is one of those things.

Anyway, so it may be that the stress of a failing marriage was not fixable with adderall. I know now that when I am stressed, I am extremely snippy and short fused....the adderall helps, but if I am super stressed, I notice when it wears off BIG TIME! That is other thing I am struggling to figure out - when to take the 10 mg - I take 20 in the morning, and was thinking that by taking 10 mg in the late afternoon that I wouldn't have that same drop off. We will see.

Good luck. It may be that the marriage was not a good fit regardless of rather or not you were taking Adderall. Sometimes a marriage is just not a good fit.