When I felt certain enough with my self-diagnosis, I talked to my GP who advised me to see a neurologist/psychiatrist and handed me a referral. It was really hard to get an appointment because most doctors have closed their practice for new patients because they already need to care for too many. It took weeks to even find a practice who would take me on, and then itwasn’t even close to my town. A trip to the doctor takes me 80 minutes (both ways together). And then I also had to wait six months for my first appointment. I live in a rural area with some middle-sized cities nearby and we’ve been having problems getting specialists for years. Old doctors go into retirement but no new ones fill their places. But I guess this is not only a German problem but is well-known in many countries.

Well, now I had my appointment and used the six months to further study my condition, so I would know what to talk about with the doctor. And more important: become aware of what my most problematic symptoms were. ADHD is a spectrum, like Autism, and therefore highly individual. For example, studies show that ADHDers sometimes aren’t good drivers because of their proprioception issues and impulsivity. And though I also have proprioception issues and can’t walk through my own flat without bumping into things, I never had problems driving a car. In fact, I love driving. Among my strongest symptoms are sensory overload (all senses inflicted) and rejection sensitivity but most days I can cope with impulsivity. For other ADHDers, this can be very different. Not everybody has the same issues.

The appointment approaches

I prepared myself as best as I could for the appointment and when the day was there, I was excited. Would I finally get the validation that I was waiting for? The doc turned out to be a nice man but very pressed for time. The talk I had been preparing for so meticulously took only a couple of minutes. But he wasn’t surprised at all, didn’t question my self-diagnosis one bit and prescribed me the first low-dose pills. I should take them for two weeks and then come back and let him know how it went. He also referred me to a psychiatric clinic where I would get a screening and the diagnosis. He himself did not offer screenings because they are very time-consuming.

As I left the practice, I felt relief but also confusion. Relief because I didn’t have to justify myself for my self-diagnosis. Confusion because now I needed to make another appointment when I had hoped I would get my confirmation today. The confusion didn’t last long though; he knew what he was doing. Of course he was completely aware that I would get the screening only after waiting another couple months for the appointment. In the meantime, however, he could already help me by letting me try out medication. And in fact, already the first pill brought all the confirmation I needed. It worked in a way that it can only work in an ADHD brain. No neurotypical body would have reacted the way that mine did.

What next?

The biological evidence was clear. Now I could at least sit back relaxed and wait for another two months for my offical screening. In these weeks I experienced the ups and downs of medication. How it can be bliss, how it can be a curse (rebound, anyone?) and how it can render you a trembling, incoherent mess. More about medication and its pros and cons in a future blog article! Thanks for reading along on my ongoing journey. I hope my articles can help you a bit in understanding what life with ADHD means. Stay tuned!

Nice to meet you, Myself!

The journey of a late diagnosed adult – all parts of the blog series:

1. Disclosure – You have what?! – Harmful prejudices in society
2. Childhood – Growing up being different – Factors that influence ADHD
3. Hyperfocus – An ADHD superpower that comes with a price
4. Excitement and Connecting – The Ugly Duckling
5. Stages of Grief – making peace with what could have been
6. At the doctor’s – The first appointment wasn’t quite what I expected
7. Medication – Pros and cons and common misconceptions about meds

★ to be continued ★

additional articles related to neurodivergence,
basic everyday stuff and life hacks

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or qualified medical person. If you experience health issues, mental or physical, please get help from a professional. This website is not meant to give medical advice, just some basic information and examples about what it means to live with Autism or ADHD. Symptoms vary strongly between individuals.

My sources

When I’m writing about symptoms of neurodivergent disorders, the information comes from several sources: One of my main sources is ADXS.org, a site available in English and German. I also consult other sites, preferably with professional medical background. I usually don’t consult blogs of private persons if information can’t be verified.

Some things are my own observation and have been compared with other sources. I strive for accuracy and verified information. It’s not easy as a lot is still unknown about neurodiversity and many clichés are still being published that have been proven wrong years ago. If you stumble about somethings that you know for a fact is wrong, please get in touch by using either the comment form or the contact form.