ADD Assessment - part two

So - the other day I went for my second of 4 appointments for my Adult ADD Assessment.  It was very interesting to say the least.  They had me doing numerous neuropsych screens to determine if at some time in my life there were any neurological problems … i.e. mini strokes, etc.  I’ve never had any concern that this was the issue, but it was part of the whole assessment and I guess it’s good to have it ruled out.

During the neuropsych screen I had to do things like repeat back a tapping rhythm and sticking out my tongue in three different positions as quickly as possible for 10 seconds - yeah, that was strange and the test administer prefaced it as “this is going to seem strange, but bear with me”… but I think I passed that part with flying colors.

After the neuropsych screen, I then moved on to memory testing - having to remember a drawing and re-drawing what I remembered at 3 different points during the appointment.  I don’t even remember half of what I had to do that day - how ironic, huh?  The last few years I have noticed a big decrease in my memory.  It really scares me a bit.  I can ask my husband or kids a question and then two minutes later I ask the same question again.  I think the problem lies within my short term memory.

There were a ton of math equations and word problems.  I feel as though I bombed those… fractions, square root stuff and more… thankfully I know I answered what the symbol for Pi was … 3.14.  I attempted quite a few fraction problems, but I am not confident that I completed them correctly.

At one point I sat with headphones on and the CD test they had me listen to had me repeat back sentences by the narrator, but at times during that test, there was background noise - like people talking…my downfall.   Then the narrator said 2 different sentences at the same time and I had to repeat back the one that I heard from the right ear and vice versa with the left.  My brain was completely fried after that test.  I had to concentrate really, really hard to hear the sentences above and beyond the background noise.  It was like being at a busy restaurant with my husband and trying to focus on our conversation - I get SO distracted, that he used to think I was eavesdropping on other peoples conversations, when in fact, I just couldn’t focus with all the background noise and was squirming in my seat!

I go back again on Tuesday for a QEEG Screen that will test/measure brain waves.  This is a bit controversial at the time because there is research that shows ADD brains look different than non-ADD brains.  I think there are a lot of non-believers in this form of testing for ADD.  

I figure that all bases are being covered with all of this testing that I am going through - and the best part of it is that my insurance is paying for most of it.  I had wanted to go to this particular clinic a few years ago, but I had different insurance at the time.  So, I feel as though if this assessment doesn’t show a final result of ADD or possible learning disability then maybe I can just move on with my life… or maybe I will once again go back to thinking that I really am stupid.  I can’t bear to think like that.