New and somewhat confused
 

Hi there,
My name is Gord and I am happy to get to listen, read and share about the issues affecting everyone suffering from bipolar disease or related . I was initially diagnosed with major depression and ended up on Effexor for several years. Then the doctors I saw felt that I was suffering from bipolar 2 illness as I clearly did not have a true ( hyper ) manic phase. I was put on lamotrigine a couple of years ago but things took a turn for the worse this year as I had continued problems at my work with focusing, being distracted , cycling a lot in my head etc. My doctor decided that I should come off Effexor and he has given me Seroquel to help me sleep. Then he tested me for ADD/ADHD and at the ripe old age of 53 I find that I have ADD. This has given me a new outlook on my mental health problems and changed how I feel about myself . The connection between ADD and Bipolar disease is quite strong and self-medicating ( I used to drink ) for people with ADD also fits in quite well. Right now I am trying to sort out the signs or symptoms that both illnesses present . It seems as if there is a lot of overlap and that can even confuse someone trying to make a proper diagnosis.
I am open to any information people want to share . How many members here have both ADD and Bipolar to deal with ?

Thanks

Hi Gord and welcome to our forum :)

i have done a lot of reading and bipolar and ADD can indeed be difficult to peel apart. some people actually do have both and in those cases i'm not sure it's even possible to always tell if something is due to ADD or due to hypomania. mania is usually clear by degree, although by definition hypomania is considered mania if it lasts a week or more... so.... heh... there too the diagnostic tools do not help us.

i was originally diagnosed with depression and comorbid ADD but it was very quickly changed to bipolar disorder because my doctor felt my overall thinking was "too organized" and the ADD-like symptoms were episodic. that is perhaps the biggest differential aid - mania or hypomania are episodic while ADD is always there, even though it may change in presentation over time. ADD/ADHD can present as primarily hyperactive, primarily distracted, or combined. are you using the term ADD synonymously with ADHD, or do you mean it the "primarily distracted" form of it?

Effexor is activating even for some "normies." i think it will be interesting for you to see how things go over a period of time without the Effexor.

~ waves ~

welcome
Is your doc going to take you off seroquel now?
and what about meds for ADD?
I bet you are relieved to have an answer. :)
bizi

wow add at your age is unusual,but it does happen.
Im bipolar and have a host of other things wrong,but add is like when you cant concentrate or do any activity untill the end,you keep jumping and going from one to the next and never finishing a task,3 of my 4kids have add and adhd,and bipolar you can be happy and cheery one minute like theres no cares n the world,then all of a sudden out the clear blue,you can be a evil lil person.io hope your getting help through a local mental health service place..

3 OF MY 4KIDS ARE ADHD-AND BIPOLAR
IT IS ALL TO UNREAL,BUT IT IS MANAGBLE SOMETIMES,AND NOW I KNOW WHERE MY NERVE AND EDGINESS COME FROM LOL ,I FEEL FOR PEOPLE WITH THOSE CONDITIONS,BECAUSE THERE ACTING IN WAYS THERE NOT WANTING TO,BUTITS SO HARD TO STOP,AND THEY FEEL BAD FOR ACTING THE WAY THEY DO,BUT THEY SHOUDNT FEEL BAD,SINCE IT ISNT SOMETHING THAT IS THIER FAults....