in a bind

[terribledecisions]

I am in a bind, all my life i have known i might have add, i am in my mid 30s. I currently in a service oriented feild.. my attention span has gotten worse and people notice slightly. I often lose track of conversations, hate doing reports, easily distracted.  I am a very competant person and i do mask my add problems really well. i recently took a promotional test which i have studied hard for. i studied for months i felt really confident. the day of the test,  it was like i didnt study at all when i took it, i was really frustrated, i didnt do well in the test and i usually dont fail tests even with my symptoms. I couldnt believe that i faild the test and i felt i knew most of those answers.  My work partner and my wife and kids all tell me te same thing, why i am not listening to them. My daughter calls me adn says daddy why are you ignoring me. i really do my best to try to overcome this without meds, but i am realizing that maybe its needed. i am not hyper, but i do interupt people when they are talking and try to talk over them,  

my question is this , if i start taking meds will my job find out and will i be fired. i live in america. I dont want to lose my job that is why i am not adament about taking meds, but i think i need them.  My job entails the security of others and like i aid i do my job reallly well and doesnt effect me in that way. i make very good money for the type of job i so, but losing it because i decided to take meds is well not worth it, do the protect people like me from losing jobs over ADD?

[compnet]

I wouldn't worry about work and ADD medicine.  If you need it it shouldn't be a problem.  Not much different from needing thyroid or diabetes medicine.  Even kids take it for school, it's not that big a thing.

Healthadvisory, this following post should ease your mind...
"I took Retalin for the last 10 years of Active Duty Army and was drug tested regularly and randomly. I can tell you for a fact, the salts that are missing in Retalin, as opposed to amphetemines, makes the difference.  It's not the same drug as amphetamine, almost but not same. That's why it's not addicting to us ADHD people.  Just some facts for you. Besides, with a perscription from a Army hospital Doctor, what they gonna say?"
http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/ritalin/TNKVFF1HVAREDUJV7/p5


Even ask your doctor about it.

Good luck.

[allmymarbles]

You cannot afford to fail a drug test and you want to go to school. Would it be a good solution to take just one class at a time? That is a lot less to focus on. And it might be a good opportunity for you to train yourself to concentrate. I do not think this is impossible. But be sure to study a subject that interests you. It is very hard to concentrate on something you dislike. I hated most of the required courses in college and had a hard time concentrating on them. But the subjects I loved were no problem at all. You seem to be able to concentrate at work. Is is possible that you dislike going to school, and merely feel that you should?

[Healthadvisory]

Terrible, I am in the same boat but I think I have managed it well. I have not gone since I have taken the ritalin one toime. I feel like doing it again but I rather not get discovered. Good luck with your journey as it is somewhat similiar to mine.

[Healthadvisory]

About 12 years ago, I was prescribed a low dose ritalin one time. While taking ritalin I was so focused. I wanted to take more of it but I was applying to a sensitive job. So I stoppped and have managed it well. I cannot go to school because I do not have good concentration levels, I don't stay focused for long periods of time. Do you or does the law consider add a disability? I routinely get random drug tested that is another issue I have. I know ritalin is a stimulant and may cause me to fail a drug test. I wold like to finish school also. Anyone have any solutions?

  

[Sandman2]

   Good point by allmymarbles.  Your test results also could have been the result of anxiety on the day of the test.  I have had many students who froze during the test.  Athletes do the same thing in the big game.  Of course, the more experienced the students or athletes are, the less the chance of this happening.  You might try writing down all the questions of the test you can remember, and if it comes up again - practice, practice, practice trial tests.
  To answer your question, could your company fire you for taking pain killers if you had a bad back?  Medication given by a doctor for ADD is no different than taking pain killers for pain.  Doctor/client privilege means your doctor can't tell.
  But to take this another step.  It sounds like you have done a great job so far in dealing with ADD.  There is obviously room for improvement, and I have the feeling that with good communication skills  (which can be developed),  you can continue to deal with your ADD.  However, I have seen posts over the years on this forum from adults that use the meds ONLY when it was necessary (like a test).  This is something that should only be done with a doctors supervision, and should be practiced before hand so that you know what the result will be before you walk into the situation.  Based on your brief description, I don't think you need meds for your day to day activities, but you could certainly learn a few more coping skills to help you.   Good Luck - and by the way, I have found very few people that like to do reports.

[allmymarbles]

Maybe you simply have a memory problem. Before you investigate ADD, try taking gingko biloba, and herb. It has been extensively studied and I took part in a two-year, double-blind study to test the efficacy of the herb. Believe me, if your problem is memory, this works. You don't want to subject yourself to dangerous drugs without the absolute certainty that you require them.