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Contrary to the depiction above it remains as far as I know exceptionally difficult to acquire adhd treating medication; they’re almost all controlled substance

Contrary to the depiction above it remains as far as I know exceptionally difficult to acquire adhd treating medication; they’re almost all controlled substances, heavily regulated and consumption tightly monitored.

di4na 4y ago
The US is quite more lax about it, state depending. Outside of them, yes it is a nightmare that looks exactly how you would design a process someone with ADHD cannot go through. I see no ill will behind it. It is just bureaucracy combined with moral panic.
- xyzzy_plugh 4y ago
  Getting a prescription is only half the battle. In the US, you can't have more than a month supply. Maybe you're lucky and your doctor realizes this so writes you a larger than necessary prescription, but for most vehicles (extended release) it's not an option. Many people horde a backup stash of pills. This means you have to get your prescription filled within a small window at the end of your previous supply if you want to avoid running out. You also can't have a recurring prescription, but a rare doctor might renew a prescription over the phone. And even then, you have to deal with pharmacies running out last minute, travel impacting your refill schedule, and health insurance coverage for the otherwise ludicrously expensive medication. A nightmare process that someone with ADHD cannot go through indeed.
  - filoleg 4y ago
    > In the US, you can't have more than a month supply I've met one doctor before who believed it. But after switching to a few other ones (not due to that, but due to circumstances like me moving states or, later on, my doctor doing the same), I dont think that's true. Every single doctor I had since then was able to write prescriptions for 3 months supply (because they are required to evaluate the patient every 90 days before writing a refill prescription).
    - xyzzy_plugh 4y ago
      Schedule II allows for multiple prescriptions for up to a 90 day supply, but in practice this is 3 prescriptions each for 30 days, and attached to each prescription is a start date. So you're allowed to have 90 days worth of prescription, but pharmacies aren't supposed to fill more than 30 days at a time. Ultimately this means 12 trips to the pharmacy a year, if you're lucky.
      - filoleg 4y ago
        I've heard of that rule before (explained to me in the exact same way you explained by one of my previous doctors), and it definitely worked in a similar way for me in the past too. But for the past few years, my process has been much easier and simpler. My insurance provider (Premera) has their own mail order pharmacy (called Express Scripts[0]; technically independent, but Premera officially partnered with them), so i dont have to go at all. My doctor writes a prescription, sends it directly to the insurance, opting for the mail pharmacy option checkbox, and I get my meds in the mailbox. They arrive all at once, with a single pill bottle containing 90 days worth of medication. Just in case it varies by state, that's how it works for me in WA. 0. https://www.premera.com/visitor/prescription-savings https://www.premera.com/visitor/prescription-savings (the link talks about Express Scripts specifically on that page, it isn't just a generic Premera page)
rsanek 4y ago
I imagine it depends on where you live, but in the US, it is insane how easy it is to get prescribed. Try to do it yourself, it takes literally a 10-minute phone call and you'll have a script at your local pharmacy -- https://www.donefirst.com/ https://www.donefirst.com/
slowmotiony 4y ago
Really? Where? Surely not in Europe, where the psychiatrist simply asks you a couple survey questions like "Do you have difficulty finishing tasks?", "Do you overanalyze things?" or "Do you frequently interrupt others in conversations?" before giving you a script for Concerta / Medikinet. The entire survey takes 5 minutes and if I was to take it seriously, then my entire family has ADHD including the dog.
- watwut 4y ago
  Where exactly in Europe it works like that?
  - slowmotiony 4y ago
    Everywhere in the EU. It's not like ADHD can be diagnosed with a blood test, so you are asked questions from a standardized survey and you get a script if you answer "yes" enough times.
    - watwut 4y ago
      It definitely does not work like that here. It is quite hard to get those drugs prescribed. You wont get them with 5 min long visit.
      - slowmotiony 4y ago
        I don't know what to tell you. I did get it exactly like I described, in Germany, and it was an online appointment.
        balfirevic 4y ago
        > I don't know what to tell you. Maybe try not telling them "everywhere in the EU".
        slowmotiony 4y ago

di4na 4y ago

The US is quite more lax about it, state depending. Outside of them, yes it is a nightmare that looks exactly how you would design a process someone with ADHD cannot go through. I see no ill will behind it. It is just bureaucracy combined with moral panic.

xyzzy_plugh 4y ago
Getting a prescription is only half the battle. In the US, you can't have more than a month supply. Maybe you're lucky and your doctor realizes this so writes you a larger than necessary prescription, but for most vehicles (extended release) it's not an option. Many people horde a backup stash of pills. This means you have to get your prescription filled within a small window at the end of your previous supply if you want to avoid running out. You also can't have a recurring prescription, but a rare doctor might renew a prescription over the phone. And even then, you have to deal with pharmacies running out last minute, travel impacting your refill schedule, and health insurance coverage for the otherwise ludicrously expensive medication. A nightmare process that someone with ADHD cannot go through indeed.
- filoleg 4y ago
  > In the US, you can't have more than a month supply I've met one doctor before who believed it. But after switching to a few other ones (not due to that, but due to circumstances like me moving states or, later on, my doctor doing the same), I dont think that's true. Every single doctor I had since then was able to write prescriptions for 3 months supply (because they are required to evaluate the patient every 90 days before writing a refill prescription).
  - xyzzy_plugh 4y ago
    Schedule II allows for multiple prescriptions for up to a 90 day supply, but in practice this is 3 prescriptions each for 30 days, and attached to each prescription is a start date. So you're allowed to have 90 days worth of prescription, but pharmacies aren't supposed to fill more than 30 days at a time. Ultimately this means 12 trips to the pharmacy a year, if you're lucky.
    - filoleg 4y ago
      I've heard of that rule before (explained to me in the exact same way you explained by one of my previous doctors), and it definitely worked in a similar way for me in the past too. But for the past few years, my process has been much easier and simpler. My insurance provider (Premera) has their own mail order pharmacy (called Express Scripts[0]; technically independent, but Premera officially partnered with them), so i dont have to go at all. My doctor writes a prescription, sends it directly to the insurance, opting for the mail pharmacy option checkbox, and I get my meds in the mailbox. They arrive all at once, with a single pill bottle containing 90 days worth of medication. Just in case it varies by state, that's how it works for me in WA. 0. https://www.premera.com/visitor/prescription-savings https://www.premera.com/visitor/prescription-savings (the link talks about Express Scripts specifically on that page, it isn't just a generic Premera page)

rsanek 4y ago

I imagine it depends on where you live, but in the US, it is insane how easy it is to get prescribed. Try to do it yourself, it takes literally a 10-minute phone call and you'll have a script at your local pharmacy -- https://www.donefirst.com/ https://www.donefirst.com/

slowmotiony 4y ago

Really? Where? Surely not in Europe, where the psychiatrist simply asks you a couple survey questions like "Do you have difficulty finishing tasks?", "Do you overanalyze things?" or "Do you frequently interrupt others in conversations?" before giving you a script for Concerta / Medikinet. The entire survey takes 5 minutes and if I was to take it seriously, then my entire family has ADHD including the dog.

watwut 4y ago
Where exactly in Europe it works like that?
- slowmotiony 4y ago
  Everywhere in the EU. It's not like ADHD can be diagnosed with a blood test, so you are asked questions from a standardized survey and you get a script if you answer "yes" enough times.
  - watwut 4y ago
    It definitely does not work like that here. It is quite hard to get those drugs prescribed. You wont get them with 5 min long visit.
    - slowmotiony 4y ago
      I don't know what to tell you. I did get it exactly like I described, in Germany, and it was an online appointment.
      - balfirevic 4y ago
        > I don't know what to tell you. Maybe try not telling them "everywhere in the EU".
        slowmotiony 4y ago