Getting ADHD prescription outside my homecountry (within EU)

[adhdguy]

Hi.How would I go about getting ADHD medication prescription (I do genuinely have ADHD and depression) outside my homecountry? I am a European citizen and I do not know yet which country I will be living in soon - probably either Poland or Czech Republic, possibly Spain.

How would I go about getting a prescription for ADHD medication and perhaps even something for depression (I'm not sure if I want to take those though - heard all kinds of things about electric shocks and such)? Note that I will not be able to speak the native language of course, and that I do not and would not be able to get a prescription in my homecountry.

I realize it's better to ask in the specific country's forums, but I'm having a really, really hard time finding a forum to ask such questions on... So feel free to suggest any tips on how to find such things out, too. I've never looked into it like this before either.Oh, and ask any questions of course.

In short: how realistic is it for me to get an appointment with a legitimate doctor in Czech Republic/Poland/etc. without speaking the language, and actually getting properly diagnosed with ADHD to be able to get my medication?

 

[Forever Changes]

if you have a legitimate diagnosis can't you get them from a legitimate doctor?

and don't worry about electric shock therapy - they don't do that any more for depression. It's usually SSRIs (antidepressants) which I've been prescribed in the past

 

[adhdguy]

if you have a legitimate diagnosis can't you get them from a legitimate doctor?and don't worry about electric shock therapy - they don't do that any more for depression. It's usually SSRIs (antidepressants) which I've been prescribed in the past

Ah, my apologies, I did not explain properly! Let me rephrase and edit the OP.That's what I am asking - how realistic is it for me to get an appointment with a legitimate doctor in Czech Republic/Poland/etc. with a doctor without speaking the language, and actually getting properly diagnosed with ADHD to be able to get my medication?

 

[BecomingJulie]

Next to impossible, although you might get a bit of a boost to your chances if you already had a script in your own country. Otherwise, what you are doing just looks like extreme doctor shopping, which is not behaviour we can really support around here.

What's stopping you from getting a prescription locally?

 

[adhdguy]

Next to impossible, although you might get a bit of a boost to your chances if you already had a script in your own country. Otherwise, what you are doing just looks like extreme doctor shopping, which is not behaviour we can really support around here.What's stopping you from getting a prescription locally?

I have not been to a doctor in my homecountry yet. I might not even be diagnosed with it for all I know, though I am showing rather strong symptoms of both depression and ADHD for many years, however nowadays I am not able to function at all most of the days. That is - I was even a bum and got lucky that someone took me in after awhile. If not that person, I would either still be on the street or dead. However that did not help with my mental state, it just allowed me to survive.Note that I will be living in the country I will move to for at least a few months. Then move again if I manage to start getting some income. And note that I am genuinely interested in honest diagnosis. If The doctor says I don't need the meds, then I won't get the meds. I'm not interested in street drugs - I've seen people on them or after prolonged use - it's not pretty and I'm not willing to destroy my brain tissue nor the rest of my organs like that. Nor can I afford them for that matter.As for what's stopping me from going to the doctor in my homecountry - if you are curious why, I can send you a PM with my story, as long as you don't share it, and as long as you are genuinely interested in reading a huge wall of text and are willing to reply to that. If you are not genuinely interested in that, then just know that there isn't anything that will convince me to go to a doctor in my homecountry, even if you will be pointing a gun to my head (and do take this example literally). I could also add that I am not interested in therapy - I'm not willing to tell my private things to a stranger who has seen my face. The only way I would tell someone such things is if we were either in a relationship or somehow really good friends, and that's not the case with someone who's getting paid to talk to you and who you meet by an appointment.I understand that my post might seem bit aggressive, however I do not know how else to put it. And if it's not realistic for me to get a doctor's appointment in a country where I am renting an apartment and am going to live for a few months, then please do let me know, so I could mentally prepare either for one or the other.

 

[steewith2ees]

It is nye on impossible to get a diagnosis as an adult - even in cases where it is diagnosed in over 18's a comprehensive history is usually required which is indicative of having developed the disorder as a child. If you have never been diagnosed with childhood ADHD as a child in the UK and have no history to hand over then you will not receive either a diagnosis or treatment abroad.

I hope that answers your question in as absolute a fashion as possible.

 

[adhdguy]

It is nye on impossible to get a diagnosis as an adult - even in cases where it is diagnosed in over 18's a comprehensive history is usually required which is indicative of having developed the disorder as a child. If you have never been diagnosed with childhood ADHD as a child in the UK and have no history to hand over then you will not receive either a diagnosis or treatment abroad.I hope that answers your question in as absolute a fashion as possible.

That's rather interesting. So from curiosity perspective (I do take your answer as absolute, I am just curious how it works), what is an adult to do if he either grew up in a country where ADHD and depression weren't real things while growing up, and instead one was told to just suck it up and be normal like everybody else? And a second question - what is an adult to do then if his parents didn't care for him whatsoever except for telling him that he's retarded because he is unable to suck it up function like "everybody else?" (I fall in both categories).Again - I do take your answer as absolute, however I want to understand how the system works.

 

[steewith2ees]

To be honest - most do have to just live with it. Unfortunately, if ones parents are as much use as a chocolate teapot then a history cannot be taken and a diagnosis simply cannot be made. I have had to live with what as been described as adult ADHD by psychiatrists that I used to work with but as I (at least used to) function for much of the time I never sought treatment and have just resigned myself to living in the unorganized disaster zone that my life is and to be honest, always was just under the surface.

Check out the ICD10 or DSM (is it IV?) for the diagnostic criteria.

 

[adhdguy]

To be honest - most do have to just live with it. Unfortunately, if ones parents are as much use as a chocolate teapot then a history cannot be taken and a diagnosis simply cannot be made. I have had to live with what as been described as adult ADHD by psychiatrists that I used to work with but as I (at least used to) function for much of the time I never sought treatment and have just resigned myself to living in the unorganized disaster zone that my life is and to be honest, always was just under the surface.Check out the ICD10 or DSM (is it IV?) for the diagnostic criteria.

Well, I definitely fit the criteria. Nowadays my main concern is apathy and always yawning and feeling sleepy (meaning unable to concentrate on anything unless it just happens, see the next part) unless I'm super focused on something that's really interesting for hours (rare). I suppose apathy comes from depression and just inability to function, which comes from ADHD.For example, when I had a job, I was always feeling like I am barely awake, same thing in class. No matter how rested I would be before I sat down and had to either listen to something or do something. And when my brain is in sleeping state like that, I am unable to focus, remember anything short-term or long-term, or think - I even forget what was the word I read before the next if I was reading something.However I see no way of proving any of it. For all anybody knows, I could be faking all of it just to get the pills. That said, I don't know what to do and should create another thread here asking for help with non-prescription meds that I could afford and get out of this mess.Thanks for explaining!

 

[Tranced]

It is nye on impossible to get a diagnosis as an adult - even in cases where it is diagnosed in over 18's a comprehensive history is usually required which is indicative of having developed the disorder as a child. If you have never been diagnosed with childhood ADHD as a child in the UK and have no history to hand over then you will not receive either a diagnosis or treatment abroad.

I hope that answers your question in as absolute a fashion as possible.

[Sorry Ste, re-reading your comment you clearly already know/meant what I said here, so I'll just leave it is a little elaboration for the OP]. It's actually not too hard, well certainly nowhere near impossible; but it is quite trying and long winded. I was diagnosed last year at 31. The hardest part was the waiting list (I waited maybe 1-2 years, which is pretty typical). I had to take old school reports (they were generally just a repetition of how I could do very well if only I paid attention), and my mother had to come along too. He asked questions, she answered, and it painted a very clear picture.

You can't just expect to just rock up to some country and get a diagnosis and ADHD meds, though. Some countries have better attitudes than others, for starters. I'm from a developed/leading European nation, I'm a citizen, and I had to wait to years. Whether you can even do this depends on so many factors:
- The country you are trying to get a diagnosis in
- their criteria
- the evidence you can provide
- your nationality
- your attitude
- the time you've been there
- your status
- your doctor
- etc

If you just rock up to a country not knowing the language, and tell them you need Ritalin, pronto - sorry but you're fresh out of luck.

In answer to your question about how the system works - well pretty much like I just said. You need a solid case which will very much speak for itself (and with which nobody here can or will help provide for you). It's not impossible, mind, if you do have ADHD. It just might take a lot of time and effort.

Which country were you born in, out of interest? And which are you in now?

I'm totally with you btw, ADHD sucks. Your experience seems to in many ways tally with mine.

 

[adhdguy]

[Sorry Ste, re-reading your comment you clearly already know/meant what I said here, so I'll just leave it is a little elaboration for the OP]. It's actually not too hard, well certainly nowhere near impossible; but it is quite trying and long winded. I was diagnosed last year at 31. The hardest part was the waiting list (I waited maybe 1-2 years, which is pretty typical). I had to take old school reports (they were generally just a repetition of how I could do very well if only I paid attention), and my mother had to come along too. He asked questions, she answered, and it painted a very clear picture.You can't just expect to just rock up to some country and get a diagnosis and ADHD meds, though. Some countries have better attitudes than others, for starters. I'm from a developed/leading European nation, I'm a citizen, and I had to wait to years. Whether you can even do this depends on so many factors:- The country you are trying to get a diagnosis in- their criteria- the evidence you can provide- your nationality- your attitude- the time you've been there- your status- your doctor- etcIf you just rock up to a country not knowing the language, and tell them you need Ritalin, pronto - sorry but you're fresh out of luck.In answer to your question about how the system works - well pretty much like I just said. You need a solid case which will very much speak for itself (and with which nobody here can or will help provide for you). It's not impossible, mind, if you do have ADHD. It just might take a lot of time and effort.Which country were you born in, out of interest? And which are you in now?I'm totally with you btw, ADHD sucks. Your experience seems to in many ways tally with mine.

Thanks for your reply! I'll go ahead and answer your questions in a PM, since I prefer to not leave too many personally identifiable information in places where I share personal things, like drug use, my feelings and such.That's too bad that it works this way, though. Before posting I was expecting for EU to work like EU - no matter which country you are in, you are set for healthcare so long as you pay insurance.

 

[Tranced]

^That's maybe the case (I don't know), but you still need to allow for different health care systems/stigma/luck/the impression the doctor gets.

I can only reccomend researching ADHD treatment in whatever country you arrive in, and if it's available/feasible, give a diagnosis a shot.

 

[consumer]

You can get an ADHD diagnosis here in Australia but you need to see a psychiatrist and over multiple visits. I got one when i was 32 and used the stims for a few years then stopped. I have recently seen a shrink again about something unrelated and she has also made a provisional diagnosis of adhd. We are going to discuss possible stimulant treatment as I and a few friend are embarking on a project so if they will help I will consider taking them again. Last time i just used them for work and sold most of them at $5 a 5mg dex pill