tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308571631766037574.post1245779680148196838..comments2023-10-13T23:23:30.736-07:00Comments on The Lamictal Diaries: Treating My Psychotic Depression: Fun Facts About ADHD MedicationAddy Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14015984115893693050noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308571631766037574.post-86810708340978416942016-04-24T02:30:36.716-07:002016-04-24T02:30:36.716-07:00First of all, thanks for sharing all this informat...First of all, thanks for sharing all this information!<br /><br />Are you referring to increased or decreased size of ACTIVITY rather than the brain parts themselves. <br /><br />I have had a SPECT scan a year ago and have researched this stuff a lot. The picture from the scan refers to activity, so it can show that a part of your brain is small while it only has decreased activity.<br /><br />This decreased or increased activity is not necessarily genetic at all. For example depression is associated with decreased PFC activity. So a depressed person will possibly have all the symptoms of ADHD but this might be completely a product of depression.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863035069856768988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308571631766037574.post-76898404288976972542011-11-14T12:27:05.087-08:002011-11-14T12:27:05.087-08:00Wow.
I imagine the psychologist at your insuran...Wow. <br /><br />I imagine the psychologist at your insurance company doesn't know that much about you. I'm pretty sure that insurance companies only get billing information, not the details about your sessions.<br /><br />Sometimes pdocs are willing to give an ADD diagnosis by asking the patient a bunch of questions. Other times they try to talk to parents to establish that the attention problems are persistent and long lasting, or they look at old report cards for the same reason -- comments like "fails to pay attention in class" can provide important clues.<br /><br />Psych batteries are not a common way of diagnosing ADHD, but they're not completely unknown. I did one of these tests myself, in part because I was also getting tested for a specific learning disability (in math). It cost $1000 (in 1995, in rural Iowa). My insurance company didn't pay for it either. My parents couldn't or wouldn't help me out. I went into debt to pay for it.<br /><br />Again, your comment brings up a bunch of stuff worthy of it's own post. I'll get to that later this week :)Addy Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14015984115893693050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308571631766037574.post-36373887375121801652011-11-11T17:47:17.490-08:002011-11-11T17:47:17.490-08:00Wednesday was a weird day. My pdoc just happens to...Wednesday was a weird day. My pdoc just happens to also be an addiction specialist. He goes through phases with it, though, sometimes grilling me on alcohol and pot use, and sometimes going many sessions without bringing up the subject. It's weird. He's very parent-like for me, which is annoying. But he's great with meds, except for this time. This time he wants me to go to a several-hours long neuropsychologist examination. I asked him what the hell that is, and he said they run all kinds of tests, you know them. I kinda fucking didn't know what he was talking about, but it was clear that he wouldn't move forward on this topic until I'd gone. So I get in touch with them right away, and they similarly get back right away telling me my insurance doesn't cover it. Then, the doctor (shrink?) told me she'd get in touch with a psychologist at my insurance company (!) and try to plead my case. She knows nothing about me, unless my regular pdoc contacted them and downloaded me to their brains.<br /><br />So, five weird things:<br />my pdoc is putting me to a test<br />Neuropsychologists are a new mystery<br />Neuropsychologists are either really nice, or are strapped for business<br />All this shit just makes me want ADHD meds all the more, because they're hard to get (?)<br />And ... My insurance company has a psychologist. How much does that person know about me?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308571631766037574.post-91448486248853587382011-11-10T10:23:03.642-08:002011-11-10T10:23:03.642-08:00Let me know how the conversation with your pdoc go...Let me know how the conversation with your pdoc goes!<br /><br />You can't develop ADD as an adult; however, there may be underlying issues that can cause similar symptoms, or the symptoms may be due to your meds. SSRI's in particular are very sedating to me (not sure if that's part of your cocktail or not) and can have dramatic effects on my cognition and motivation.<br /><br />The good news, depending on how your shrink sees it, is that stimulants can be prescribed for things other than ADD. Narcolepsy, for instance, or to improve treatment for depression. If you're still having some depressive syptoms (like lack of motivation) he may be willing to give it a shot. Good luck!Addy Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14015984115893693050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308571631766037574.post-871848089637892012011-11-07T16:41:48.332-08:002011-11-07T16:41:48.332-08:00Thanks for writing this and making it a series. Th...Thanks for writing this and making it a series. There's high drama in this topic for me now -- in two days I see my pdoc and bring up the subject. I don't know why I'm nervous. Why should I be. Weird, huh? Afraid he won't listen to me, I guess.<br /><br />I've been reading about ADD, and marveling at how each web pub said it must be present from childhood. I can't remember being especially ADD as a kid, but I seem to have caught it now, like a bad cold, out of nowhere. Is that even possible?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com