Adult ADHD possibly? and effects on a person?

[Tann3100]

Yes I am 22y/o male.  I am pretty healthy a assume.  I was diagnosed with ADHD at 9 or 10 y/o and was put on 2 types of medicine one was ritalin and the other was imipramine.  I took ritalin during the day and imipramine at night.  Anyway I was on this for several years taken off during the summer why school was out. It helped out alot.  Anyway I took this till around age 15 then was taken off due to the fact they were concerned about possible liver damage over time.  I was fine for a while and was back to myself again before long.  Anyway at age 22 I am now haveing noticeable problems but have had them for a while.  It really did not bother me at first because I worked 3rd shift for the past almost 4 years because I was not able to sleep at night anyhow up until march of this year when I switched jobs which is a day type job I work 24 hours on and then off for 2 days but we are able to sleep at night and stuff.  Anyway now I am haveing problems sleeping at night I dont never fall asleep until about 2 or 3 am everyday even on days that I have to get up at 6 am and that night I still cant fall asleep.  This is really starting to take a toll on me.  I was also wondering can ADHD cause anxiety or bring it on?  Along with the staying up at night I find that when Im in training class's or what not I seem to drift off and cant recall nothing the instructor has said even though im not asleep its like I go into a zone.  While other times I can stay focused on something I like but then get bored easily.  If I see a book or newspaper and I see something interesting I cannot seem to read it for no longer than a few minutes and it annoys me as said I have been like this for a while but now is starting to bother me as my new job requires reading to learn because tests and stuff BTW im a firefighter.  I am haveing a few panic attacks here and there over stuff dealing with my heart rate although ECG have showed no problems. For some reason also when I am walking around its like a extreme awareness type feeling of my surrounds not like a room spinning but like a starring at something to long type feeling but its constant not blurry either what might also be causeing this.  I have not been diagnosed with adult ADD but was wondering if I might still have it from childhood.  The DR.  I went to then (DR.  Ronald Goldberg)  Author of sit down and pay attention was the one who diagnosed me but my father told me he had died.  I was wondering what should I do.  This is really starting to annoy me I am becomeing senstive to things that normally would not bother me.  And I still have a short fuse cannot deal with arguments very well and dont like to be yelled at it makes me go off the deep end I react to little stupid stuff in a very big way.  Please help

And also if you reccomend seeing a physcologist who is a good one in the Nashville TN area to see.

Thanks

[dixiecup]

I personally believe that people don't outgrow ADHD. The outward symptoms are just not so obvious. Panic and anxiety are symptoms of it, too. Does your mind race? Is that why you can't go to sleep? Do certain thoughts go over and over in your head? I have a lot of your symptoms. Also, I can go to a movie and won't remember much of it later. I am now taking Strattera. It is an antidepressant that is listed as a non-stimulant medicine for ADHD. I don't have the mind-racing and intrusive thoughts with it. There will be something available this month that should work, too: Cymbalta. Either one of these medicines or another antidepressant should help the anxiety and insomnia.

[seektolearn]

Well you are discribing all of the text book symtoms of panic attacks.  you say "the sensations in the room are enhanced not spinning just weird"  Well that technical term for that is derealization.  Coming from a panic disorder/anxiety sufferer I am here to tell you its not fun but there are plenty of ways to help yourself.  by the way I am a nurse and have been for many years so I know the stigma that goes along with "not feeling right" in our profession.  You are not alone with your symtoms do some reasearch on panic disorder and anxiety.  Oh also I was a ritalin kid and I often wonder what came first the anxiety then the ritalin or the ritalin then the anxiety. Just something to ponder. Good luck to you.
Trac

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I do recommend seeing a psycholgist and the best ways to find one is either through your local university medical center, or the eap from your fire department, or at www.psychologytoday.com.

You are having some anxiety and adjustment problems and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that it has more to do with your job and your schedule than with ADD.  When anxious or under stress, these kind of symptoms can mimick
ADD.

[Tann3100]

I forgot to mention that I took the ritalin 3 times a day.