# I am almost certain I have the "Primarily Inattentive" form of ADHD.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 7, 2018, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598 "2018-10-07T06:24:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2018, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/1 "2018-10-07T06:24:58Z")
I’m going to ask a doctor about it this week.
I’m wondering if any other old people here like me (well, 40) have come to realize they have ADHD late in life. Was it difficult getting diagnosed? My fear is the doctor will just look at me funny and wonder if I’m trying to score some drugs. Hopefully my ongoing relationship with that family medical clinic, as well as the fact that I’m a very normie father of four, will assuage such worries on the doctor’s part…
When it came to depression and anxiety they just did a quick clinical questionaire and pretty much went for for it on the spot, just asking me to also go to a few sessions with their in-house counselor. (I take Zoloft.)
Is it likely to be a similar experience with ADHD?
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### Author:  [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2018, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/2 "2018-10-07T06:41:19Z")
That will depend heavily on your doctor and, unfortunately, what meds your insurance will pay for.
I strongly encourage you to discuss your concerns with your physician. Meds are great but they’re not a panacea and they don’t work for everyone. Ask about alternative treatments. If you try something and it doesn’t help or has negative side effects, let your doctor know. If all he does is throw a bottle of pills at your and tell you to come back in 6 months, get a second opinion.
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### Author:  [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2018, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/3 "2018-10-07T08:04:05Z")
It’s a surprisingly common story. I’m a lot like you.
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### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2018, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/4 "2018-10-07T08:35:29Z")
I’ll be watching this. I’m in my 40s and in a similar situation. I have actually also recently decided to ask my Dr. to try some meds next time I see her.
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2018, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/5 "2018-10-07T10:47:30Z")
On a related note, I was first diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome aged 55.
My doctor (who spotted it) said I didn’t need to do anything as I had already adjusted my lifestyle to fit in.
The knowledge has helped me understand myself and cope even better.
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### Author:  [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2018, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/6 "2018-10-07T12:48:22Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#):
>
> If all he does is throw a bottle of pills at your and tell you to come back in 6 months, get a second opinion.
Well, that definitely won’t happen, as all or nearly all ADHD medications are controlled substances. You will need to pick up, in person, a paper copy of the prescription every 30 days. The only small help with that annoyance that my family gets is that we get 3 dated prescriptions at a time. We can then take them to the pharmacy one at a time.
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### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/7 "2018-11-06T21:51:31Z")
Any update on this? I have an appt. Friday with my Dr. to hopefully get some help with ADHD and maybe associated depression.
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### Author:  [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/8 "2018-11-06T22:11:54Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> Any update on this? I have an appt. Friday with my Dr. to hopefully get some help with ADHD and maybe associated depression.
Sometimes, the associated depression is depression. Other times, if you treat the ADHD, the depression “magically” disappears. Having ADHD is inherently discouraging.
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### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/9 "2018-11-06T22:25:27Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#):
>
> Sometimes, the associated depression is depression. Other times, if you treat the ADHD, the depression “magically” disappears. Having ADHD is inherently discouraging.
Well I hope someone can figure me out either way. The last couple months have been rough.
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### Author:  [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2018, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/10 "2018-11-06T22:32:50Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> Well I hope someone can figure me out either way. The last couple months have been rough.
With ADHD it’s significantly more than a couple of months. Unless you happen to be 2 months old. 😃
(You can’t just develop ADHD out of nowhere, unless you have a recent serious head injury.)
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### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2018, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/11 "2018-11-06T22:34:21Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#):
>
> With ADHD it’s significantly more than a couple of months. Unless you happen to be 2 months old. 😃
Ok, really, miserably rough. The last 37 or so yours have been just rough.
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### Author:  [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2018, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/12 "2018-11-06T22:36:12Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> Ok, really, miserably rough. The last 37 or so yours have been just rough.
That makes sense to me. Way too much sense, IYKWIM.
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### Author:  [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/13 "2018-11-06T23:24:50Z")
This kind of thing is actually not uncommon, especially if someone has a child or even a grandchild who has been diagnosed with the same condition, or at least is suspected of having it.
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2018, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/14 "2018-11-07T05:21:06Z")
And specially for the primarily inattentive variant. A child who’s distracted but not hopping about doesn’t bother the teacher; they may get that damned “child does not reach up to his potential” label, but that’s used for a lot of people and actually means “yeah, he could get better grades but figuring out why he’s not doing so is too much effort for us grown-ups so we’ll blame him.”
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### Author:  [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2018, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/15 "2018-11-07T06:16:36Z")
> [@Nava](#):
>
> And specially for the primarily inattentive variant. A child who’s distracted but not hopping about doesn’t bother the teacher; they may get that damned “child does not reach up to his potential” label, but that’s used for a lot of people and actually means “yeah, he could get better grades but figuring out why he’s not doing so is too much effort for us grown-ups so we’ll blame him.”
[raises hand] Me exactly.
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### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/16 "2019-02-21T00:09:18Z")
And as of today, I have an unambiguous diagnosis of both AD and HD. No prescription until I see my Dr. next Friday, though. Here’s hoping things, especially work, start getting a little easier in the near future.
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### Author:  [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2019, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/17 "2019-02-21T04:50:33Z")
I would answer but you probably won’t make it to the end of this sentence ������
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2019, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/18 "2019-02-23T04:33:50Z")
> [@Nava](#):
>
> And specially for the primarily inattentive variant. A child who’s distracted but not hopping about doesn’t bother the teacher; they may get that damned “child does not reach up to his potential” label, but that’s used for a lot of people and actually means “yeah, he could get better grades but figuring out why he’s not doing so is too much effort for us grown-ups so we’ll blame him.”
Eh. I **do not** have primary inattentive, and no one was all that eager to figure out what was wrong with me, either (little bro, on the other hand, had behavioral issues in addition to being hyper and impulsive, so they actually made an effort on his end). It doesn’t matter which type you have - you get blamed for it.
My brother and I both got “smart but” comments all throughout childhood. You know, the ones that go:
[ul]
[li]You’re smart, but you don’t pay attention![/li][li]You’re smart, but why can’t you sit still??[/li][li]You’re smart, but you’re so disorganized![/li][li]You’re smart, but you never listen!![/li][li]You’re smart, but you’re so forgetful![/li][li]You’re smart, but you don’t think before acting![/li][/ul]
I would like to think it’s different now, especially for kids who are of above average intelligence in addition to having ADHD given back in the 80s and 90s most of my teachers seemed wholly unaware that being smart and having a neurodevelopmental disorder are not mutually exclusive, but I worry that it isn’t significantly better.
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### Author:  [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2019, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/19 "2019-02-23T12:13:16Z")
Whatever happened to **Frylock** anyway? I’ve been missing his posts on here, and now I notice his last activity was the day after posting this OP…
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### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2019, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-almost-certain-i-have-the-primarily-inattentive-form-of-adhd/822598/20 "2019-02-23T14:15:52Z")
> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> Eh. I **do not** have primary inattentive, and no one was all that eager to figure out what was wrong with me, either (little bro, on the other hand, had behavioral issues in addition to being hyper and impulsive, so they actually made an effort on his end). It doesn’t matter which type you have - you get blamed for it.
>
> My brother and I both got “smart but” comments all throughout childhood. You know, the ones that go:
> [ul]
> [li]You’re smart, but you don’t pay attention![/li][li]You’re smart, but why can’t you sit still??[/li][li]You’re smart, but you’re so disorganized![/li][li]You’re smart, but you never listen!![/li][li]You’re smart, but you’re so forgetful![/li][li]You’re smart, but you don’t think before acting![/li][/ul]
>
> I would like to think it’s different now, especially for kids who are of above average intelligence in addition to having ADHD given back in the 80s and 90s most of my teachers seemed wholly unaware that being smart and having a neurodevelopmental disorder are not mutually exclusive, but I worry that it isn’t significantly better.
ONE of my motivations to get evaluated is that I have a 3rd grade boy, and he’s starting to exhibit the same behaviors I did at that age. My parents responded as in your post; I’m hoping that by letting his school know and surreptitiously teaching him ADHD coping strategies in his daily life, he’ll be able to adjust better than I did.
Good news; I was able to sneak in to my Dr. yesterday, and now I have a prescription. I took it yesterday afternoon and this morning. I’m hoping that by the time Monday rolls around we’ll see at least a little notable improvement.
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