Is it just me? (ADD in Melbourne)

[doctordog]

Sometimes I'm forced to question if I'm delusional, given the massive resistance here to ADD diagnosis/treatment .. but I was wondering if anyone else here has faced similar obstacles?

I immigrated here 3 years ago and have been diagnosed with ADD and a comorbid anxiety disorder. The ADD wasn't picked up until late in life because I was intelligent, but the signs are all there looking back. The problem is, my anxiety disorder is quite bad, but only *began* at age 19 and doesn't explain all the deficits in concetration and executive function that came beforehand.

Some practitioners will just completely deny the existence of my complaints .. i.e. nod along politely as I explain how SSRIs and anxiolytics destroy my attention span, how my anxiety didn't emerge until later in life, then deny I have ADD anyway.

One read the referral from my doctor, then ten minutes into the session (without asking a single question) was like, "you don't have ADD" (why, because I don't fidget like a 3 year old?).

Another was like "your social isolation is to blame", even though I had friends consistently throughout school and never once alluded to isolation, other than during depressive episodes.

GPs are often the worst and look at me like I just told them I banged their wife when I so much as utter those three magic letters.

It's ridiculous. I realize there's (widespread?) illicit drug use here, but I doubt it's worse than anywhere else in the developed world, and hardly seems like license to treat inhabitants like schoolchildren. I don't even care about stimulants at this point -- OTC nicotine lozenges work fine; it's more about making sense of my life.

 

[doctordog]

By the way, I don't know if this is allowed here -- and if it isn't, I apologize and will delete this post -- but if anyone with a comorbidity that includes ADD knows of a GP/psychiatrist who isn't a douchebag, I would be endlessly appreciative (you can PM me).

 

[Crankinit]

Just have to keep looking man, I found a great doctor, but I went through a ton of shitty ones before I did.

 

[doctordog]

Thanks, I will .. just easy to get discouraged, I guess.

 

[Captain Brewster]

It seems impossible at times.

I have been trying to find a doc that listens to (and believes) me for years. Living rurally doesn't help either.

I feel my daily issues could be solved with a decent doctor who cared more about me than money. Working full-time whilst doing this is hard, especially after 5-6 years of trying.

Sometimes I think it would be worth moving overseas to live. But at other times that seems a bit dramatic.

EDIT: Doctordog, like Crankinit mentioned, you just have to keep looking. It's like every job, there's people who are good at what they do, and there's plenty that are shit. Goodluck, hope you find one that cares.

 

[Halif]

GPs are often the worst and look at me like I just told them I banged their wife

Hahahah! I know that look all too well.

It's not just you. As people above say, there are good doctors but they're hard to find.

I'm happy enough with my current GP as he's tough but fair. One thing though - although he's very professional, I can't help but feel he has some contempt for me when I don't/can't/won't follow his advice. I mean, obviously not drinking or smoking, doing exercise ya ya ya is better for the body and mind. But I wouldn't be in his office if I were able to do those things like I used to.

I keep telling him I'm in the pits and have been for years, and then he still looks shocked when he finds out that I didn't stop drinking last I said I would TRY to do last consultation. He gives a small shake of the head and says "You realise what happens when you drink to excess over long periods, don't you?"

"Yes" I say. "You die, like my father did at 53 years old from liver failure".

And then I want to add 'So don't condescend me, you fucker. Maybe shit is black and white for you, but it's not that simple for me'.

Of course I don't say that, but I want to. Oh, did I mention that I LIKE this doctor? He's the best I've found in over ten years.

The bad ones.... hoooooeeeee!! I could write some anecdotes and publish a bitterly funny little book called:

"Sir, the doctor will see, but not hear, you now"

 

[Christ!]

Some practitioners will just completely deny the existence of my complaints .. i.e. nod along politely as I explain how SSRIs and anxiolytics destroy my attention span, how my anxiety didn't emerge until later in life, then deny I have ADD anyway.

There's a huge stigma and reluctance to treat ADHD in adults in Australia (even more so if we're talking stimulant treatment with someone with an anxiety disorder). Some of it is probably deserved, since over prescribing does happen in the states...but it's pretty horrible that people who need it can't get the help.

It's all about finding the right Psychiatrist. I suggest searching for a ADHD association (non-profit) - talk to them, they'll be able to refer you to a psychiatrist who will do proper assessment and at least be reasonable about possible treatment. Good doctors are out there - who will actually listen to what you're saying. The assessment would likely be through (multiple appointments and testing but mainly a look at your history. School report cards or getting a parent to talk to the doctor over the phone to help fill in the picture helps - although that's sometimes difficult if you're older.

ADHD can be heaps complex, and it can take a while to unravel it all to see what's lying underneath. Most doctors CBF'd. I almost cried when I found a good doc who listened to me thoughtfully and empathized with how much I had been fucked around by other docs.

GPs are often the worst and look at me like I just told them I banged their wife

Haha that's so on point.

I reckon GPs shouldnt even deal with mental illness. Nothing above basic stuff. Jack of all trades, master of none. Waiting lists for good psychiatrists are the only problem


I'm the same as you. Textbook inattentive ADD from childhood, but my intelligence stopped it from ever becoming blaringly obvious. Anxiety disorder manifested slowly over time until it was crippling. I was treated with dexamp and it helped heaps, now I'm off it - in a job I enjoy and life is actually pretty great. The main thing that helped was probably just getting the support and making sense of it all, stims can be part of the treatment but don't need to be.

I might have had an easier time getting treatment since I had a messed up birth (came out backwards, forcip delivery with umbilical around my neck ) lack of oxygen during this time apparently is linked to ADD type problems, also still had my school reports which made it so obvious something was going on.

 

[Captain Brewster]

"Sir, the doctor will see, but not hear, you now"

Haha, thanks, first smile of the day for me.

I thought I was on to a good one, things were progressing. But when the shit really hit the fan, my doc turned ignorant.

Its like my anxiety episode while seeing her scared her away. The last look on her face said to me 'your going to have a lot of trouble in life, you struggle to be ignorant, therefor you will suffer, heh, goodluck with that'. Thanks doc! You've really helped /s.

EDIT: eh, I'm staying away from this thread, I could rant for years.

 

[Halif]

^same. I'd better not get started, but I have add that I have also seen that reaction far too many times - as if they've never across worse than a bad case of influenza (which may be the case). It dawn on them that you may have some real issues and their whole demeanor changes. It seems that they want you off their hands ASAP.

Maybe thy've had bad experiences with agitated people who got aggressive and demanded meds or something. Always two sides to the story. But yea, it doesn't leave you with a good feeling, leaving the doc's office feeling like you're a lost case. Even worse when you leave the psychologists office feeling the same... and the counsellors...

 

[doctordog]

Thanks for your replies guys. It's at least nice to know I'm not alone; I think that being an immigrant here often leaves me feeling slightly alienated, so this whole ordeal just adds to the sense of frustration and rejection .. plus, I'm more on the shy/reticent side and can sometimes struggle with the alpha-male BS I encounter in a lot of Australian clinicians.

I did have one great GP who had ADD himself, but has unfortunately stopped practicing for the time being. There's actually very little evidence in my report cards; a lot of it is simply dependent on clinicians trusting my version of the events. My GP said that there are other personality and environmental factors (your teachers liking you; being raised in a strict household, etc.) that can cloud your history, but most doctors won't bother with that level of nuance.

I am seeing a new GP who specializes in ADD next week. I just hope we don't have to extensively go down the whole report card route again. Was there a lot of evidence in yours, Christ?

 

[oldirtybizza]

Yeh buddy you're not alone. visited a locum Dr the other day bitch went on and on about every rationale for not re-filling my script from little old ladies crashing their cars on valium, hot air balloons and cannabis, Teenagers breaking into houses and making Homebake Heroin. I'm like what the fuck am I paying you $$$ for , then I slipped granny a 10mg drove to the ol air balloon chuffed a spliff , hooked up with a teen gang and broke into houses and made homebake................ long story short Dr's know everything and everyone is a drug addict so here have a paracetamol and be thankful.

 

[Halif]

Hahahaha!!!

Coincidence!!! Exact same things that I did yesterday after my visit to the doctor. You're right, we've got it all wrong.

So, if I recall most of the advice I've been given, I should make sure I'm taking paracetamol everyday, for everything.

Panadol - 500mg of paracetamol

Panadol Extra - 500mg of paracetamol and some caffeine

Panadol Osteo - 650mg (or thereabouts)!! of paracetamol

Panadol Rapid - same shit again with faster dissolving binders.

It's scary how many people don't look at the active ingredients on the box and really believe there's a different between these things. Particular older folk. It's outrageous how much paracetamol gets thrown at us despite the damage it can do, and yet pharmacists get mental if you whisper the words 'codeine' or 'pseudoephedrine' - actually, don't even whisper that second one, you'll be shot on sight.

Paracetamol, though.... here, buy a massive box of Panamax with like 50 tablets. No, take two because they're only two bucks each.

 

[doctordog]

You're right about that; I had ongoing nausea, for which a pharmacist recommended some migraine product that contained paracetemol. They didn't warn me that I needed to limit my use, so I stayed on it for about 10 days and ended up with a liver infection. I know I should've been careful, but I was going back to the same place and being served by the same pharmacist, who finally recommended I see a doctor instead of selling me a third box.

After that, my psychiatrist at the time (who I'd only seen 3 times) called me up at home and asked me if I was abusing paracetemol (WTF? Is it even abusable?). He was such a douche about it, I never went back.

 

[Captain Brewster]

^ deffinetly a worthwhile phone call 8)


Oh man, I will seriously have no hair left after this thread runs it's course.

 

[Halif]

After that, my psychiatrist at the time (who I'd only seen 3 times) called me up at home and asked me if I was abusing paracetemol (WTF? Is it even abusable?). He was such a douche about it, I never went back.

That's the craziest shit I've ever heard!! Paracetamol abuses you, not the other way round, and it's bloody hard to get away from it. HOW the fuck would you abuse paracetamol? Say dirty words to it?

I reckon paracetamol does all the abusing. If I follow the insructions on the pack, I feel like shit within a day or two. Why do they put half a gram into every tablet? Then tell you to take two at a time? Then tell you to repeat every four hours? Are they trying to kill us?



I have a stomach ulcer and aspirin or ibuprofen cause pain that tops any headache I've ever had, so those no-goes.

Then there's paracetamol, which doesn't do much and definitely makes me feel weird and not right if I take the recommend amounts - which are generally end up running to three or four grams of paracetamol.

codeine works ok but requires the CWE process which is a hassle when you have a migraine.

All up, I think the best pain relief I've found for strong pain is dissociatives. Some K or MXE does absolute wonders for body and mind. Doesn't have to be a large amount at all. Even a threshold dose helps immensely.

I will say one thing in paracetamol's favour though: it suddenly becomes pure magic in tablet form when I have a high fever - THAT'S when it works wonderfully for me. And even then, half of one tablet is enough - 250mg.

 

[Captain Brewster]

^ +1 for dissociatives for pain. Their amazing in that regard, I've been surprised a few times using them for mild to severe pain.

Sometimes topping opiates, just depends on what pain really.

 

[opi8]

My name is opi8 and I'm a paracetamol addict. Because doctors won't give me anything else for my debilitating pain.

 

[doctordog]

That's the craziest shit I've ever heard!! Paracetamol abuses you, not the other way round, and it's bloody hard to get away from it. HOW the fuck would you abuse paracetamol? Say dirty words to it?

I know. He got my liver results, pulled me off the AD I had just started, then calls me at home a few days later and starts asking me if I've been pharmacy shopping etc. Respected guy in the field too. I'm generally so nervous and fucking weird around doctors anyway that I probably sounded like I was lying, but whatever.

I started this thread in a ranting fashion, but it does actually make me feel less awful about myself; I'm used to blaming myself when relationships go awry and was starting to think that it must be me, rather than the medical field. But the fact that I did meet one awesome psychiatrist while living here also confirms that most are douchebags.

 

[oldirtybizza]

^ This doesn't change anything , it's still all your fault.

didn't you know medicines aren't for using, they're for being kept slightly out of reach.

Like a homeless child looking through the glass at all the happy diners in a fancy restaurant. You think to yourself; that could be me eating confit de canard and veloute de poisson.
my advice is get used to stale mc nuggets

 

[Halif]

But the fact that I did meet one awesome psychiatrist while living here also confirms that most are douchebags.

Very important to know there are good psychs out there, even if rare... all too rare.

I think it'd be good if anyone who has or has had a positive experience with a medial professional - be it GP, counsellor, psychologist, or psychiatrist - just post a quick line to confirm that they are out there. No details necessary. Just to let others know there are caring professionals out there.

Now that I read back that line, I realise how sad it is. I think of all the medical 'pros' I've had some interaction and there are a few good memories that are outweighed, well and truly, by some shocking experiences. ugh.