[June2016]

I can’t figure out if I have ADHD or not. I am very hesitant to try pills but I definitely see that it is a bit more of a struggle for me to focus on studying than other people. Quitting coffee has helped me a little but I still feel like my focus could be better. Also I noticed for some reason my focus is at it’s best at night.

I am considering going to a Dr and trying out the lowest possible dose of pills to see if that makes any difference for me.

Has anyone tried a very low dose and seen improvement? Does the dose eventually become ineffective and need to be increased over time? Is it hard to get off the pills?

Has anyone tried anything besides medication and seen improvement?

Any input would be helpful, just trying to see how other people deal with focus issues.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

I have ADD too.. Took medication for years (my parents didn't know any better) and I quit them in college by choice… They mess you up! they used to increase my heart rate, interfere with my sleep, and make me shake.

I used to go to a therapist after quitting medication and perform focus exercises and such.. you can Google that and try them.. they helped me a lot… I still suffer some ADD issues but I have minimized them so much…

[Anonymous]

When I was teaching, I thought I had ADD but it turns out I had anxiety. I took medication for a while but what ultimately helped me was leaving education. I was super stressed, depressed and all over the place. You'll never know if you have ADD until you get tested. Do not go to someone who will give you a prescription without getting tested. Some of the meds can adversely affect your mood/behavior if you're not diagnosed properly. (Ex. Giving someone Adderall, for ADD, who is already anxious, will not turn out well)

[Boate]

I've had mild forms of ADHD and major anxiety my entire life, I would have anxiety over just about everything I would be doing. I refused to take any form of medication because I felt this was something that I could deal with and find ways of getting through it. Made it all the way through college without having to use any form of medication. Once it came time to the CPA exam, I originally tried to complete it without anything but while I was studying my mind would be racing about the possibility of failing and/or anxiety about how I wasn't understanding the concepts from previous chapters, etc. etc. Basically to get to the point, I failed AUD twice and then made a promise to myself that I would take the medication until I passed the CPA exam then I would wean off of it. I will do whatever is necessary to pass this exam. Do what YOU think is best. No one is in your situation so go with what you think you have to do in order to get through the exam. Hope this helped.

AUD: (65)(66) 77
REG: (66) (48) destroyed me mentally.....
FAR: (68) (66)(69)(71)
BEC: (63) 75

"Greatness is not some precious thing, it is no more unique to us than breathing. We are ALL capable of it."

[Anonymous]

@justanothercandidate what prescription are you on? My doctor wants me to take Zoloft but from the reviews I've read, I'm nervous to take it.

[Missy]

If cutting back on caffeine helps, you do not have ADHD. Caffeine is a stimulant and there's not enough in coffee to HELP ADD/ADHD, but it certainly doesn't cause more distraction.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Dantrick]

Take 50 mg of Zoloft a day. It's the smallest dose that will give you any help, you won't become addicted, I know they say it makes a person sleepy but that is just a side effect for some. Zoloft is old school for anxiety. In my past life I was a therapist, now I am a stay at home mom and hopefully in a year I will be a CPA. Anyway, ask a good doctor and they should give you decent advice. Anxiety sucks and it is really impossible to just get rid of. Ok this may sound weird, but when you are about to study or walk into the exam, tap the middle of your forward with your index finger and repeat “I am in control of this situation” as many times as it takes until you feel calm. Anxiety can be a matter of feeling insecure. You are tapping into your third eye (I know, strange as it may sound) it should relax you.

[Missy]

Oh and for those of you who mentioned anxiety, I did not want meds so my dr recommended I try Lavela WS 1265 (AKA Silexan). Its a clinincal lavendar oil (you can't take regular lavendar oil internally) and you can get it on amazon. It truly works so well in fact it IS only available by prescription outside of the US. We just happen to not regulate nutritional supplements or whatever here.

Anyway they have it on Amazon. If anybody chooses to try it, you WILL get the lavendar burps. Mark my words. Take a gas x 20 min before the lavendar. You'll thank me for that tip.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[June2016]

@Another85: ugh those are the type of side effects that make me hesitant to try any medication. Thanks for the suggestion I will google some exercises.. I occasionally use pomodoro technique which helps a little

@mla11692: I realize it's strange to hear that caffeine makes someone lose focus, but I have quit and restarted drinking coffee so many times that I am now 100% sure it has some kind of affect on my focus. Maybe it is some kind of caffeine allergy/intolerance. The reason I even decided to quit coffee is because I came across an article or blog at one point and the writer suggested that for some types of ADD it might be helpful. Don't remember if it was backed up by any scientific data, but it did help me a little. And thanks for the suggestion I am going to look into the lavender oil.

@Dantrick: It doesn't sound strange, I am actually a little of a believer in those type of things (hence the username lol). Will try that.

Those that mention anxiety as the cause.. I can't say that I have anxious thoughts which are preventing me from studying but maybe it is some kind of general anxiety.

Thanks for the responses

[June2016]

Does anyone with ADD feel like their attention/focus becomes better towards night time? I am so productive if I study at night I wish I could somehow get that attention span during the day.

[Anonymous]

Delete Facebook, Twitter, Instagram off of your phone and set your status to Do Not Disturb. In other words, also disable your email and text message notifications.

Schedule extra time to study given that part of it may be spent daydreaming. Most people don't have long attention spans so you have to work with it.

[golfball7773]

I don't know if MLA has commented yet or not but if you can cut back on caffiene then you DO NOT have ADHD or ADD. Caffiene stimulates the brain and improve functioning for those with ADHD and ADD. It also improves the effect of the drug that you go on.

Sorry – had to comment after I read the first post. I will read replies in a bit.

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[golfball7773]

Also go look up some lecture videos of Russell Barkley on ADHD on Youtube. You will be surprised to what goes into the testing (or should).

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[Quinacridone]

Completely agree with Golfball7773. I have ADHD and do not take medication. My doctor told me to drink coffee to IMPROVE my focus. He said for someone with ADHD, caffeine has the opposite effect as someone without ADHD – something about caffeine counteracts whatever is going on in the ADHD brain.

I normally drink around 8 large cups a day especially if I am sitting at my desk doing tedious activities. And if I am having to work at a client site, I am known to bring my own coffee pot. I could not function without it.

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[June2016]

That is interesting. Caffeine definitely doesn't help me in that way, but at same time I wish I could focus more. I guess it is not ADHD maybe I am just lacking motivation.

[tomq04]

In many cases caffeine is a serious cause of this, you are blasting your adrenal glands with high volumes of a stimulant. Quitting coffee has cured my anxiety.

Alternatively you might also enjoy a glass of wine or a fine doobie on occasion.

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[Author]

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