I'm a little confused, I know based on my whole life experiences that I do indeed have ADHD; but I don't know how I should tell my doctor about it? I mean, it's disrespectful and yet probably would think I want drugs or something. A little help? Thanks.
Dr here; I won’t know unless you ask! I’m not usually planning to offer meds for AHDH unless you bring it up. Some do ADHD assessments in house, most will send you to a counseling provider to have the assessment done. Just need to verify the diagnosis one way or another to justify prescribing controlled meds so the feds don’t come busting down the door of my clinic.
upping this - med student here. I think there are always the docs who assume a patient is drug seeking but much less likely when you have rapport with them and you've done your research. Have the conversation and see where it goes! good luck :)
Ask your doctor to formally evaluate you for it. Explain what symptoms you have that make you suspect the diagnosis (including how long you've experienced them, what the impact is on your day-to-day functioning, etc.). Your doctor will determine whether you meet the diagnostic criteria + discuss possible treatments (e.g., therapy, medication).
So I have an appointment coming up with my new family doctor. I am going to ask for some blood tests and get my routine checkup. Then I'm going to just say I've been having some significant mental health issues and am going to ask for a referral for therapy and possible adhd assessment. At least that's what I'm telling myself I'm going to do. I have that fear about the drug seeking opinion too but I'm trying to get over it. That is their problem not yours and if they are going to have thst opinion find a different doctor. Course I'm saying this but at the same time I'm just a scared little girl in a grown ass woman's body with all this and I'm not evennsure the point I'm trying to make from this. I guess just advocate for yourself. Your experiences are your own and you knkw yourself best.
What is disrespectful about telling about your problems to somebody who is educated to solve them?
Hopefully, your doctor will respond better than mine did. I said. "So, for the past year or so, I've been realizing that I probably have ADHD. What are your thoughts on seeking a diagnosis?"
He started with, Well, a LOT of people started thinking they had stuff wrong with them during the pandemic. Then went in to how the drugs are performance enhancers and that ANYONE taking them would function better and then what? You just take them forever to live easier?!? (I'm already taking three pills for unrelated things that I will be taking for the rest of my life.) Then he asked where I worked and I told him what I did (but not that it's my third job in six years) and he said well, that sounds like you're doing all right, I wouldn't worry about it.
I was so pissed that he just blew me off like that.
You should be formally assessed rather than just “telling your doctor” / going with a self diagnosis
You need to ask your doctor for a referral to a psychiatrist for a formal evaluation. Your general practice doctor is unlikely to just diagnose you and prescribe medication if they aren’t a specialist.
Can confirm, thats how its done where I'm from too.
Then I met with a psychiatrist, he asked me why I thought I might have it, I presented a post from Reddit which kinda fit some of my descriptions. And we went through a bunch of questions. I answered honestly and ended up with a few of the answers "right" but not enough of them to be diagnosed.
Then he recommended some changes to my anti-depressiva medicine that worked pretty well! So a win! Curiously enough these anti-depressiva, Bupropion, are used sometimes to threat ADHD too.
I went to two different GPs because I was too nervous to bring it up to the first. The second one went through the normal questions and wanted to treat my anxiety/depression first, which I agreed to. Bupropion for a month first, now coupled with ritalin. That along with therapy and I feel like a new person.
Fwiw, mine did. She had me take a survey type of assessment and then got put on medication. We talked for a long time about my conditions and history with ADHD.