ADD diagnosis - 2 years after RNY Anybody Else?

On October 30, 2011 at 10:14 PM Pacific Time, cathyteal wrote: I am very confused by this while thing.  I was the first one to say I would NEVER go back to the way I was before.  I have sought help to figure it out.   I was diognosed with ADD.  It is strictly my call if I want to take the meds, but part of the symptoms apparently is impulsiveness and not able to stay on track.  Since they feel as if I have dealt with this problem for years, they think that the old habits may be symtoms of the ADD which manifests itself in my inability to stay on task.  Or at the very least contributes greatly to my impulsive behaviour.   I am just seeking answers on how it is that I would accomplish the weight loss with surgery and then let the weight creep back on by no self control. 

  I'm not sure what you're describing is due to your ADD. I would tread carefully with this and let a professional help you find out. Don't be so quick to blame the ADD. I understand that you're scared and don't want to gain the weight back, but I also think you may be jumping to conclusions about ADD being the culprit.

I am curious how you reached the conclusion that not being able to focus is causing you to snack or not have discipline with your diet. It is a misconception that with ADD you have no self-control, there is a difference between being implusive and not having control over the things you do. There is a difference between lacking self-discipline and being easily distracted by external stimuli that you can't ignore.

I have ADD, and I'm not on meds right now. Sure I can be impulsive and you don't need ADD to be impulsive. However, my ADD doesn't and hasn't ever controlled control my appetite, eating habits or what I eat.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is very common with people who had ADD and ADHD- this is the likely cause of repetitive ritual-like behaviors. In order to discover whether or not ADD or OCD may be contributing to your eating habits (it could be something else altogether), you MUST discuss this in depth with a good shrink who specializes in it. Please do not try to diagnose yourself, it would be a VERY bad idea to do that.

I had OCD as well, but it was repetitive checking behvaiors. I was paranoid about leaving my front door unlocked, so I'd check my door 10 times before leaving. And if I couldn't remember later on if I'd locked my door I'd call up my neighbor and ask her to check for me. Therapy and zoloft help me get rid of these checking behaviors for good. The shrink also coached me how to anticipate some OCD behaviors to help stop them before they happen. I'm no longer on zoloft because I no longer need it.

What do you think about when you graze? Is there a common emotion that you feel each time you find yourself grazing?

Is there a pattern to what you think about or are experiencing that triggers some of your bad snacking habits? Or is it random?

The problem is that I don't think about it.  I just impusively do it.  I get up saying I'm not going to do it and by the end of the day...I've done it. 

The reaseon I am so confused by all that I did seek professional help.  I hae been seeing a proffessional.  I didn't self diagnose myself.  I am much smarter than that. 
I don't want to take medication, the Dr. has suggested that I do it.  I am the one conflicted about it and of course the ultimate decision is mine.  I definately don't have OCD.  I am not compulsive.  I am impulsive.  Spur of the moment, reactive not proactive in my lifestyle.  They say this is brought on due to the ADD that I have. 

This is why I am confused.  I didn't go into this wanting t have anything.  I am not wishing to make an excuse.  I just want to gain control of my impulsiveness again.

Is there some way you can interupt yourself when you would impulsively eat stuff you would prefer to avoid?  Like, a sign on your refrigerator door that says "WAIT!  Wait 10 minutes and THINK before you open this door!"

Or can you just keep the stuff you would be likely to eat impulsively out of the house?  It's hard to impulsively eat cookies if you have to go out to the store to buy them first.

It would be easier to do the things that you suggested, but my mother lives with me and she has had a stroke and has cancer and she is not able to cook for herself or feed herself.  I have to take care of her needs.  I try to cook healthy meals for her.  But I can't just take everything out of the house. 

My biggest issue is Crackers and Diet Coke.  That is what I have been trying to explain.  At first I thought it was more like a food addiction, because it was specific food.   I try not to buy them, and I say I'm not going to do it, but then I do it anyway.  Then I'll say I'm not going to eat them.  They are for my husband or my mother and then before you know it....I've had one.  Then another in a copule of hours and then another.  Mostly crackers.  I don't eat sweets at all. 

I feel as if I'm making excuses.  As a matter of fact, I have spit out my wisdom to others telling them exactly what you are telling me now.  Don't make excuses.....pull yourself up by the bootstrap and do this.  I am not otherwise a week person.  I have lost control...I am struggling and trying to figure out what to do.  ......that is the problem...I know what to do...I CANT DO IT.   NOT won't do it....Cant do it.  That is the only way I know how to explain it.

Sorry, I wasn't sure if it was a professional who had linked your cracker/diet coke grazing or if you were linking it to your ADD on your own.

I think it's great that you've sought help to sort this out.

But I also think you may want to get a second opinion. While I'm not a shrink,  ADD doesn't make you do things you don't want to do, even when you know you shouldn't do them and try not to. That sounds more like a behavior than impulse. A lot of the time shrinks are very quick to throw medication at you when you get an ADD diagnosis. However, you can't fix ADD with therapy but you can learn behaviors to compensate for it. You'll have ADD for life, and the meds for it DO help you stay focused and filter out all the miscellaneous distractions. 

If a second shrink confirms what the first says, I would reconsider medication or try some behavior therapy first and if that fails then try meds.

Also, I'm curious- what are your concerns about taking medication?

I just don't like taking anything.  I prefer to be
free of anything that is not natural.  Pre Surgery, I was on insulen (mega doses), cholestorol and blood pressure medicine.  I can't tell yuou how good I feel not taking anything.  I just don't like the idea of taking anything if I don't have to. 

I know what you mean.

Try some behavior techniques first, but if that doesn't help I wouldn't rule out meds. Not all medications will make you feel lousy, but you'll never know until you try them.

I was on a teeny-dose Adderall for a while, and it didn't change my personality at all or make me feel like crap. But it really helped me focus and be able to multi-task. I would only take it if I anticipated a work day full of tasks I couldn't afford to be distracted about (programming). I used to take the extended release, but since havng the DS I can't take extended release meds anymore, so I just never got a refill of the regular ones. It helped, but I didn't find it crucial because I have excellent control over my symptoms, so I never bothered to get another perscription.

I've read a few studies that suggest that ritalin works better for ADHD but adderall is more helpful for ADD.

as someone who has add, i would say "yes" and "yes"

 My husband was diagnosed with it as an adult and while he lived with it throughout his life he didn't live it the best.  He takes a mild antidepressant (welbutrin I believe) which has been found to help with adults and ADD.  If he forgets to take it everyone at work will ask him if he took it.  They like him better on it as well.  So far no negative side effects from  the meds and I'm not ready to kill him so that's a positive as well.

I was finally diagnosed with ADD (no hyperactivity) a few months ago.  It was like a light bulb going on, to be honest.  I have an impulsive personality (always have) and have a terrible time sitting in front of a computer at work (unless it's something I'm very interested in doing).  I couldn't figure out why I was struggling with my new job assignment at work - I used to manage 200 people, work with the community all the time, solve issues and problems, etc. as a daily course of work) - now I sit and write at a computer all day.  Gah! 

My psych suggested it to me and tested me for it - most definitely ADD.  I am trying Vyvance and having VERY good luck with it.