New ADHD Diagnosis

[Wicksy01]

Hi all. I have recently been diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 58. I am now taking elvanse. I can't find any support in my area. Birmingham Uk. an anyone point me in the right direction please? Thanks.

[Siciliana]

I was recently diagnosed at 61 so I understand what you’re going through. I wanted to find support and finding none, I just started my own group. We haven’t had our first meeting yet but I’m looking forward to it. I hope you find something. If not, start your own!

[Wicksy01 in reply to Siciliana]

Thanks. I don’t feel capable of starting a group but I will continue looking

[Siciliana in reply to Wicksy01]

Yeah, I don't really feel capable of it either, but I am desperate to find others like me, so I'm going to try and hope that some of the people who come can help with it. Good luck in your journey. It is hard, especially finding out at this age. It explains so much, but, at least for me, it's a bit overwhelming learning about all this stuff and trying to change my mindset from "I'm a failure" to "I have an actual, real disability." Take care!

[Lovinit in reply to Siciliana]

Have you tried meet up.com or Chadd ?

[Siciliana in reply to Lovinit]

We used to have a CHADD chapter in my town but for some reason don't any more. There were no MeetUp groups like that, so I started one through them.

[Lovinit in reply to Siciliana]

I don’t know what else to think of. I know when I do attend Chadd meetings, i need to start going again, their weren’t a lot who attended and only one person who I saw repeatedly

[Wicksy01 in reply to Lovinit]

I looked there but there was nothing in my area

[Hidden]

Is it possible to get diagnosed at 50-60 s,how were u living life easily before that. Quite strange

[Wicksy01 in reply to Hidden]

I have struggled all my life. I was previously diagnosed with depression and anxiety

[Wicksy01 in reply to Hidden]

Why strange?

[Hidden in reply to Wicksy01]

Were u not showing signs of ADHD earlier ? I guess it should start in childhood .

[Wicksy01 in reply to Hidden]

The tests were mainly all about my childhood. The headmistress at infant and junior school told my mom I should go to a 'special school' but my mother couldn't see it. My mother was having problems of her own but that's another story. I wish life were black and white and that every child with every type of ADHD always gets diagnosed and given the right medication and treatment. How can you say it's strange or suspect when you have an incomplete picture ?

[RaphaeliteGirl in reply to Hidden]

Not strange at all. I am newly diagnosed myself as an adult. Especially here in the UK, ADHD wasn't even heard of until relatively recently.

It would just have been passed off by teachers as undisciplined, or forgetful, or lazy - a failure of character if you will...

People are being diagnosed in their 50s, 60s, 70s and so on now, primarily because their (much younger) relatives are now being diagnosed, and suddenly 'everything makes sense'.

[Creighton]

Hi I also live in Birmingham uk, diagnosed at 55 now 59. When I did get a service from mental health trust(waited over 2years) felt such relief. But because I have a heart condition and the one stimulant drug didn’t work I was told nothing else they could do for me and discharged me! This site helps as it does reassure me,there is hope. It is so hard living with it but it can be such an amazing journey. I will try to follow you and your life story,you are not alone.God bless

[Hidden in reply to Creighton]

God bless you 2

[RaphaeliteGirl in reply to Creighton]

Have you been offered the non-stimulant drug Strattera? Also, things like Bupropion (Wellbutrin) can be prescribed in the UK, though you might need to find an imaginative psychiatrist to do so...

[Hidden]

Hi I'm on same I'm 62 been on it 2 days so far

[Wicksy01]

I asked the adhd team to try me on something else but they don't have time to support me.

They are oversubscribed. Also I can't get them to send of my a referral for a local support group. I've been waiting a year now.