Later Life Diagnosis

[longtallsally74]

Hello! I am a 46 year old woman who was diagnosed with ADHD last year. It's worth mentioning I lost my mom in 2019. I think that with depression, anxiety and grief, my symptoms are getting worse! And as a woman of a certain age, menopause is somehow tangled up not making things any better. I haven't been prescribed any meds for adhd yet but perhaps I should? Have any other folks who got a late life diagnosis had a good experience with meds/therapy/etc?

[75ADHDgal]

Yes , I was not diagnosed until my 50's . I was on Adderall XR but Wellbutrin which is used for Depression / Anxiety and also known as Zyban used to help folks quit tobacco- it has off label use for treatment of ADHD - has few side effects - most of the stimulants - can cause increase in Heart rate - Cardiac rate /rhythm irregularities and insomnia if taken too late in the day. But they work !. Make sure you have had a complete Physical exam from your primary care MD including an EKG and discuss with him/her that you are considering starting on drug ( stimulant) for ADHD . Then see Psychiatrist to get meds and follow up. you did not say what type of ADHD you have - in attentive or hyperactive? that is why you need Psychiatrist to prescribe any drugs. Primary Care MD's do not have in depth understanding of ADHD

[MrsGrohl in reply to 75ADHDgal]

Did the Wellbutrin add anything different? Did it help you feel more motivated or positive?

[Clayfox]

My partner was diagnosed within the last year, and here are the things that have felt like steps forward, not just spinning our wheels:

1) Learning about ADHD: the How To ADHD youtube channel was extremely useful for understanding which parts are ADHD. The book Women with ADHD was useful for understanding and challenging the negative self-image that goes along with ADHD.

2) Medication: ADHD puts you at a nuerochemical disadvantage. The attention benefits of the meds are often talked about, but the mood and energy benefits are what have been most useful for us.

3) Therapy: you've lived a lifetime with an undiagnosed condition. Therapy can help you sort through how to make sense of that and deal with trauma.

If you're thinking "I'm going through a lot and could use some help", then you're probably right. There are loads of barriers we can put in the way of seeking help, but in the end, help is helpful.

[PAcrastinate]

I am a 55 yo male and My diagnosis was a long process of struggling with life and trying to understand why I kept getting on a self destructive path with procrastination, anxiety and depression in control of my direction. Funny that I was married to a psychologist and she couldn’t figure me out. You get very clever at hiding your out of control life. I got on meds about 2 years ago and they definitely make a huge difference, but they don’t work without counseling or having someone in your life that understands you and is there to keep you accountable. That’s the part that I haven’t been able to find yet. Maybe a group or even another adder would help.

[sillybuns]

I'm new here. Been wondering what is wrong with me for 51 years. Still not sure. We are all on this journey together, right? Hopefully I can afford therapy and some sort of medication. It is nice to know I am not alone. Let's lift each other up. God knows so many peoplewant to tear us down.

[MrBlack42]

I am 42 and have been recently diagnosed. I came to find out I was actually diagnosed in the first grade but never got the treatment I needed. Been struggling with ADHD my whole life, just never fully realized what it was. It just felt like I kept running into invisible barriers that I didn't understand, especially with social interactions.

Before I was able to see a Psychologist my General Practitioner put me on Wellbutrin. It helped a bit, but Adderall XR is what I am prescribed now and it does make things easier to handle. I am new to taking medication, and between health insurance, finding someone who was accepting patients, and even managing the medication once I got the prescription has been challenging and incredibly frustrating at times.

For me the medication is making a huge difference, but I have also found I needed to be talking to a therapist doing the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I find that having someone to talk to is far more important than just having the medication.