I'm glad you contacted them, Zenkitty. I find that the phrasing that might be useful in a situation like that is, "I would like to be evaluated for ADD". You might mention some of the symptoms you perceive as prominent. The doctors I have been to don't respond well to me telling them I have bronchitis, when I had bronchitis every winter of my life for the first eighteen years. It goes better for me to say, "I feel just like I did when I was a kid and had bronchitis."

ETA, one of the features of ADD/ADHD is that many of the symptoms overlap wiith other disorders, including depression. That makes diagnosis a challenge. To rule out depression as the source of those symptoms, one thing you can do is mention the ones that have been present throughout your lifespan, even when depression was not present.

Timelies all!

Quiet weekend here. Gary's running errands, while I try to keep the little guy from pulling all the books off the shelves.

ETA, one of the features of ADD/ADHD is that many of the symptoms overlap wiith other disorders, including depression.

Also ASD -- apparently issues with executive function aren't limited to people with ADD/ADHD; it's common in people with ASD as well.

I've been away for a bit, so let me add my congratulations to Dana and DH! Yay!

I'm sorry about the bad day, Zen

I just got lazy for a little too long, so I am listing to get my mojo back:

gym
breakfast
load of laundry
get coffee going for the week (brew and cold brew to fridge for daily iced coffee)
wash dishes
vacuum backroom
get busted up piece of furniture out of backroom
clean area where furniture was
dust backroom ceiling fans
partially dust backroom ceiling beam ledges
put clothes out to dry
finish dusting
address 3 things to mail
figure out plan for backroom furniture
lunch
fill 2 bags of things to toss in some way
set up sewing
do some sewing
steam dress for tomorrow
look for a birthday card in stash
menu plan for next week
cook something using something from pantry

To rule out depression as the source of those symptoms, one thing you can do is mention the ones that have been present throughout your lifespan, even when depression was not present.

Excellent advice, Andi, thanks. But I can't even remember a time in my life when I wasn't depressed. I don't want to come off to a doctor like, "ADD! ASD! Anxiety! Depression! PTSD! I read WebMD and omg I have everything!!1" I doubt I do, I'd just like an accurate diagnosis.

It's tough to find the line between advocating for yourself and pushing in a way that doctors push back. Leading off with "I can't remember a time when I wasn't struggling with depression, and it makes me wonder if there is more to it than that," might be a productive way to start the conversation. When I was first diagnosed with ADD, I took in a completed self-evaluation form from Sari Solden's book on women with ADD. This checklist was based on her work [link] .

I think we have Sari Solden's "Journeys Through ADDulthood."

Zen, there was something on Tumblr about language to use for a chronic illness to get doctors to take you seriously, and I believe the magic phrase was something like "It's affecting my ability to work/concentrate/enjoy my life/interact with my family", or whatever.

Did I mention I'd stopped taking the topamax because of brain fog and vertigo and peripheral neuropathy in my feet? Well, I did.

Was the topomax supposed to help depression? I didn't know they were using it for that! I used to be on it for migraines, and hated the fog. Though liked the not-eating-constantly effect. I hear they're prescribing for weight loss these days which...seems not worth it.

The drama was mostly that I love both of my two friends and think they are awesome but I am starting to think they are not awesome together (mainly just when drunk, but still). Which is sad, but sadder if they break up and don't want to hang out together anymore! Am hoping they can stay friends but...especially unlikely if they fuck it up and get hateful while drunk. :(

Today my plan is to fix my hair, make some cookies, go to Sephora (and possibly Sally's, if hair-fixing needs), and chill.