first off.. i have ADHD, but not OCD, however, a few people in my family have ADD and OCD, so i can (maybe?!) understand how you feel. i hate when people say they know what it's like when they don't actually have ADHD, so i'm not saying i totally get it (the OCD) because i know i don't actually HAVE it, so it's hard to understand.. but still, i sympathize with you, and i've lived with people who do have both ADD/OCD so at least i've seen their struggles..

anyways, after all that rambling.. i always find the psychiatrist frustrating.. first off, i have a hard time believing they really CARE about my problems and feelings, if they don't know me, why do they care (except that they get paid to) i, personally, feel much more comfortable venting my frustrations to my friends, or on forums like these, where other people can relate to my struggles. Somehow, it makes me feel so much better to know that other people have gone through something similar, even if they don't have much advice to offer. it's comforting to know i'm not alone. probably because most of the time i feel like i'm different from everyone, almost excluded (even though no one excludes me) i just feel like no one REALLY gets it.. except here, where people actually DO get it. hopefully, responses to this forum, and reading other forum posts (try www.addforums.com too, they have a lot of forums with different topics) you will feel at least a little better about no one REALLY UNDERSTANDING

my other problems with going to hte psych are similar to yours. they don't really remember you, they don't know what they gave you.. etc. basically, they're busy. they see tons of people every day.. i guess i understand, but for me (and it sounds like your complaint too) is that i want someone who knows me (like maybe someone with a small practice.. seeing me weekly) is ideal.. but of course, for me it comes down to the $$.

just recently i went to a different psych at my college for my ADHD (looking for class accomodations, needed a consult for paperwork reasons) and when i described my problems and concerns he said.. wel, why don't you try adjusting your dosage of ritalin, try working your way up, you sound like you need more.. so i tried it.. and once i got to double my normal dose i was like WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME THIS YEARS AGO?!?!? i felt so much better. but still, it's frustrating, especailly becuase diff psychs say diff things, and you kind of get lost in the shuffle.

i'd say keep trying diff psychs or ask them to try diff meds, until you find the ones that really work for you. don't settle for ok, as i learned, a different combo of meds could make you feel GREAT!!

sorry this is so long (i always ramble) but just don't give up!! it's frustrating, but there's a lot of people that understand your day-to-day struggle, and are feeling the same way. keep trying! if you need to vent, or be comforted that others are going through the same thing post here.. it's great stress relief just to get it out.. and often, i'm pleasantly surprised by the replies.

Quote

I ramble to, and everyone says that they can not understnad what I write, or say. It is nice to know I am not the only one. Like right now I was so ready to just cry. I am reading up on how to organize ur life. I would have to carry a buzzer with me everywhere. I am going to TRY to put myself on this imaginary schedule, but buzzer or not if im stuck in a zone forget it. I will try though. I have new insurance and have to wait for my perscriptions to be okayed, so I do not even want to talk to anyone for the next week. I think I am really ADHD just pro. def., but what do I no. I just live in this body. I talk and one sentence comes out of ten, and then I am somewhere else. I really am not stupid, but come accross that way unless it is written.

Bfore I came down to the computer I was just telling my son, how I hate how people just do not understand. He said mom I understand!!! LOL He made me smile, he told me it will get better give it a day or two. THat is what I tell him?!?!?! Are Psych. really doing anybody anygood anymore, if they are asking their clients who they are and what meds they are on? Plus with these disorders, since they don't know you and you tell them that it isn't working they think ur trying to abuse whatever. I will say this, I have seen two child psych's for my sons and they are really committed to getting to know the kids, no matter the time it takes. I ask the one child psych what I should be on, and how much, and he calculates my weight into kg to mg for me in two seconds. I dont no anymore, 15 min is not enough time to work with mental illnesses. Plus they need to know about all the illnesses, and if they dont reaserch it and then work with the patient. O and about the rambling, me too, all the time. Like I want to come and give u a hug, and believe me I dont hug. I see what you mean, this does help. I have to start therapy agn, I guess 21 yrs was not enough!!! My OCD is not really bad, its more the ADD that i think is ADHD because I cant sit long, and have to be moving..............o wait u already know. Im rambling agn and thanks for the other site.

Quote

I was 40 when my mother said "she couldn't understand me " but she got my brothers. I always marched to a different drum. Saying that it wasn't easy to get myself and have others understand my thinking. so you aren't the only one. I recently had a psychatrist who paid her bills while I was talking to her about my ADD and difficulties being married . Needless to say I just quit going.

The best psychiatrist I found was int he back of Driven By Distraction " I just looked about the psychaitrist list in the back of this book and found her there. I made an appointment with her and she diagnosed me in less than an hour ; and said I was of the most severe cases of ADD she had ever seen. However she really listened and I think she knew the most about ADD/ADHD because most of her clients were children. The biggest problem was needing someone to drive a hour away so I could get there. She had advised me to see someone close and if it was a psychologist she would continue to prescribe my meds.

Many psychiatrist who don't deal with children really understand ADD/ADHD so it understandable why you re frustrated . Try looking in the back of the book and see if you can someone who really understands.

Quote

Thank you, I was not sure if Psychiatrists worked both with adults and children both. I would love to see my sons doc but that is not possible. I found a male with the same last name that is an adult Psych., and I am hoping it is her husband or something.

Quote

Just a thought but have you asked your sons psych for a referral to someone good? I found my psych this way and it has worked brilliantly. Since having kids myself, I really feel that suicide is not an option when you're a Mom. Accepting and overcoming your issues will provide a very positive role model for your kids. Keep strong for your kids and be their hero.

Quote

Please just stay strong! When I get those feelings I try to remind my self that my thoughts are the result of my emotions, and that it WILL pass. It always does. Just take it one day at a time, hour by hour, moment by moment if you have to. I was recently dx with ADHD after 7 years of being on meds for depression and bipolar. So I discussed last week with my doc that I don't think I ever had bipolar disorder, just depression, anxiety, and ADHD. I had taken myself off of the mood stabilizer 4 months ago without telling him, and he could see that I had not become manic. So now we are doing a wait and see. I am now starting to recognize symptoms of OCD, I've discussed them with him years ago, but at the time he believed it was just early motherhood hypervigilance! I'm going to start documenting symptoms...but since I take Effexor, I do believe that they aren't all that bad if I really do have OCD. SO - I can really relate to your story! Anyway, I would like to suggest that you seek out a psychopharmacologist. My doc has an M.D. and a Phd., and I believe that people like us need psychiatrists who have additional education in the area of meds and additional training perhaps in neurpsychiatry (like mine!). Communication is the key with our docs, unfortunately because of all the shame and denial I had, I only told him ALL of my symptoms recently (because I hit rock bottom!). I hope this didn't sound preachy, I just wanted to help since I am acutely aware of how much better my healthcare has been managed compared to some of my friends who see other psychiatrists.

Quote

wow! I am so glad to find somone else out there that was diagnosed with bi-polar when it was ocd. I've known 4ever that i was add but the depression and sleepless nights and the obsessiveness i go through - man i could just scream or cry most days. I've seen a dozen pschs and nothing ever seems to help. I'm 42 with a career and 2 sons just like me. I thought we were just crazy. I take more meds than an 80 year old with heart trouble!!!! I just wanted to let you know I understand how you feel and I'm very glad to know I'm not alone!!!!

Quote

I have the ADD but not the OCD. I have a friend who has both however, and she is able to use medication for both conditions without any problems. The main problem from what I have seen, seems to be a lack of understanding of medications and dealing with multiple problems. My husband and daughter both have complicated situations with several disorders and our doctor has done a wonderful job. I have sent several friends to him who have not been able to get the right help even though they have seen numerous psychiatrists. Our doctor has helped many individuals who were even told their situation was hopeless by their psychiatrist.

I agree with Swfl Grrl, in that, if at all possible, find someone who deals with neuropsychiatry or psychopharmacology. Our doctor is a general practitioner but his knowledge and understanding of the brain and psychopharmacology is extensive and better than the vast majority of psychiatrists. He recently saw a patient whose psychiatrist had informed her that there was nothing more he could do for her. That he didn't know what else to do. If I could clone this doctor, I would. There's a reason that patients come to see him from all over the country (more than 40 different states) and he even had a patient who came from Australia to see him.

If you'd like to learn more about him, his website is www.biologicalunhappiness.com I would also suggest his book, "Biological Unhappiness" by Dr. Leland Heller. You should be able to get it at Amazon.com or directly from his website. And you can request any book at your library and they are able to get the book through another library in the state or another state. I do that occasionally. I just got a book on loan through the library here in Florida where I live, from a university library in Virginia. The book I got is called, "Essential Psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific Basis and Practical Application" It was just published in 2008. I am learning a lot from it. I would love to be a neuropsychiatrist but I only recently found out about my ADHD and I'm soon to be 48. Now that I feel capable of understanding more difficult subjects (medication made a big difference in my comprehension and mental processing), the opportunity is not there.

I hope you can find a knowledgable doctor who can help you.

Elaine

Quote

I was wondered how does ocd affect ADHDsymptoms , can someone explain how these two seeming different diagnosos effect each other andsince if you are adhd you are very impulsive and if you re Ocd are you more ridigso how does it look if you have these together. explain to me what the symptoms are and I just want to what they mean to an individual Can anyone explain it to me.Thanks i would appreciate it

Quote

I can't give you all of the different ways it may look, but I can add a few things. With OCD, you may have only obsessions (obsessive thoughts about something) or only compulsions (such as washing your hands constantly) or you can have both obsessions and compulsions. I know a young girl who constantly obsesses about food to an extreme. Not just someone who likes food or likes to eat, but truly obsesses about it.

The rigidity you mention and perfectionism (anal-retentive attitude) are more likely to be seen in OCPD, which is Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. OCD and OCPD are two different disorders and the OCPD is the more extreme of the two.

Another thing to keep in mind is that although many people with ADHD are impulsive, those with primarily inattentive ADHD may not be impulsive at all. I have the inattentive type and I am not impulsive at all.

I don't have OCD so I can't tell you anything from my personal experience. Perhaps someone who has both can explain how it affects them.

Quote