Facebook Pixel
Q: 

How can he get cheap testing for ADD?

By June 12, 2009 - 11:02am
 
Rate This

My boyfriend feels that he may have ADD, in fact he in noticing more and more how hard it is to concentrate on reading, after starting Stanford law school last fall. Obviously he is doing pretty well as it is but feels he could do better. He would like to get tested for ADD but the tests are very expensive. The university won't cover him and his health insurance won't either. Is there a way for him to be tested for an inexpensive price. He is interested in the cure!

Add a Comment4 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

There's also a free test available at: http://www.7keysforattentiondevelopment.com
They don't give medical advice, per say, but they do have a program that teaches you skills to counteract ADD/ADHD symptoms.

January 7, 2015 - 1:46pm

RLyons, I am ADD and there's not really an objective or easily measured "test" for it, the way there are blood tests or urine tests or saliva tests for other things. There are some ADD expert doctors who are doing brain scans of ADD and ADHD brains, but that's primarily for study and research, not diagnosis (at least not yet).

When I was diagnosed with ADD, I went to a psychiatrist who talked to me, asked me questions and explored the protocol with me. Basically, if you answer enough of the diagnostic questions in specific ways -- and if those behaviors have been consistent all the way back through your childhood -- you most likely have ADD.

While your boyfriend doesn't need a medical "test," he does need a doctor's appointment, as you are right, all of the stimulant medicines for ADD/ADHD are controlled substances. Not only will he need to get a prescription, he'll have to return to the doctor regularly for continuing prescriptions, as those medications are federally controlled substances and therefore can't simply be "called in" to a pharmacy.

The other reason for him to see a doctor is that there are several medicines for ADD now, and one may work better for him than some of the others.

What would I tell him, if I could talk to him? I would tell him to pay the money and see a doctor or psychiatrist who can talk to him and, if appropriate, diagnose him. Then work with that doctor on finding what medicines, as well as nutrition, vitamins supplements and/or exercise, will help him the most. I have to say the day that I first took an ADD medicine I was astonished -- this is what the rest of the world can do? This is how they can focus? It is an amazing thing to realize. I don't like taking medicine, but for me, not taking medicine for my ADD is like not wearing glasses or contacts for my eyes. Without it, the world is fuzzy and I spend most of my time chasing my tail. With it, the world has more clarity and I'm able to move forward. There's no comparison.

Much good luck to your boyfriend. If he has ADD or ADHD, he'll be amazed at what a difference some treatment can make.

June 13, 2009 - 9:11am

Thanks Miscortes,
He has taken some on line tests and seems to be slightly ADD according to them. But to get a perscription for ritalin or whatever he needs, I'm sure that an on line test is not sufficient.
A doctor will hardly prescribe anything without him having had professional testing done?

June 12, 2009 - 4:19pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I can understand that any medical appointment tends to be expensive these days. Without insurance it is certainly worse.

I did some research and actually found some information that may help. OneADDplace.com provides a comprehensive questionnaire that may help with the answers he is searching for at least put his mind at ease. Please find the website here http://www.oneaddplace.com/add-test.php.

There is another performance test that is available through PsychCentral.com and can be found here http://psychcentral.com/addquiz.htm.

I hope this helps since it appears to be questionnaires. Treatment for ADD must be consulted with a physician though. You can find more information about treatments from ADD.org http://www.add.org/.

June 12, 2009 - 1:07pm
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy
Add a Comment

All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.