I am going to see a Family Practice physician in a couple weeks about my problems with focusing.?

Question

What should I expect. I was once diagnosed with ADD when I was really young (don't remember any of it tbh) but I was taken off when "i acted like a zombie". Now I am having a extremely hard time focusing so I am going to see a family physician near my university. What kind of questions should I expect, and what kind of tests will they put me through? Is the fact that I was once diagnosed with ADD, then taken off the medication a bad sign?

Answer 1

You were probably over-medicated when you were treated previously, and there are many new drugs now.  I am an adult who had problems focusing and concentrating since a heart operation, and Ritalin has been a godsend.  I take the regular old original one, as some newer meds are time-released and that didn't work for me.  There are many options!

There is also a neuropsych evaluation, which can pinpoint exactly where you are having problems, and a neuropsychologist can work with you on behavioral applications that might help you with your focus and concentration.  These can be done simultaneously.

Don't rule out drugs b/c they didn't work previously.  Give them a try.  Check www.askapatient.com, a website for patients to post their experiences with drugs and illnesses.  There are some entries for Ritalin and other ADD drugs, but remember it's not a scientific sampling and there's no way to confirm the info.  I use it for ideas.