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(Victoria) Australian GPs and ADHD meds

Boku_

Boku_

Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
935
Are ADHD medications for adults covered by the PBS?

Does anyone get prescribed Ritalin or Dexamphetamine (5mg) due to mild symptoms of ADD by a GP or Psychiatrist?
I heard those medications aren't covered by the PBS Scheme but I was told that 20 years ago.
I have a good relationship with my local GP who writes me scripts for anti psychotics meds like amisulpride and Seroquel which I take due to symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, as well as being diagnosed as having dissociative disorder.
I also get scripts for 10 mg of Valium a week but I believe I am also getting symptoms of ADD or ADHD as my concentration is poor.
Would my GP be open to giving me a low dose of some kind of ADHD medication?
Just looking for advice
 
GPs aren't able to prescribe stimulant medication for ADHD in Australia. You have to see a clinical psychiatrist for that. They'll need to call it through as an authority script and I'm pretty sure there are regulations about having been diagnosed in childhood to be able to do it. But for sure a GP won't be able to prescribe anything like that for you, they'll probably suggest Strattera. Which tbf might actually work for you, but if you're hoping for an amph script under the guise of ADHD it's not gonna happen through a GP and probably not through a psych unless you have a previous diagnosis and history with the medication. It's very difficult to get prescribed stimulant meds, obviously due to the abuse potential and the fact that so many people want them just for fun. If you are able to find a psychiatrist who can and will prescribe ADHD meds you'll likely be looking at a long acting version like Concerta, as well as lots of therapy and diagnostic testing and probably a ride through the pharmaceutical merry-go-round before you land on it. I'm prescribed 34mg Concerta 2x daily through my psychiatrist and it took several years to find a treating professional who could and would prescribe it, yes it's covered by the PBS as an authority script, meaning I pay about $6.50 a month for it but without that it'd be about $130 p/month per bottle (and I have 2 p/m as it's twice a day).
 
draculic acid69 said:
U got no chance.
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Not so

I am prescrived d-amp (instant not XR) by a psychiatrist for ADHD despite having a history of stimulant abuse. I was totally honest with the psychiastrist and he pointed out to me that it is not unusual for ADHD sufferers to have that history as adults if they were never diagnosed as a child. 'Fortunately' I have other psychiatric problems (bi-polar) that get treated sumultaneously with other drugs that work against amphematines and if I stay on them I have no problem staying clean from drugs of abuse (recently I went off them as the last few months of Bluelight posts indicate - but I am back on track now)

I was required to have a second opinion from another psychiatrist and also to undergo 2 drug tests to confirm I was clean from meth and other stumulants before being givien the script which I have no had for more than 4 years.

I believe that some psychiatrists specialise in ADHD and take the 'to a hammer every problem is a nail approach" and will always go for stims - your best bet is finding one of those. I see my doctor once evert 3-4 months for a re-fill and he will write repeats for up to 5 months at a time if necessary.

I expect that because you already have psychiatric diagnoses your chances of getting ADHD meds from an ADHD specialist psyhiatrist are quite good actually.

Its also covered by PBS - actually long release ones like Vyvanse are not covered for adults (unless they were diagnosed as kids earlier)
 
U had to jump thru hoops,see multiple psychs,provide multiple negative drug test etc etc.im not saying it's impossible just 99% chance it won't.100%chance it won't happen from walking into a gp's office and asking for it.point I'm making is op has no chance.im assuming that this process was drawn out over weeks possibly months?
 
draculic acid69 said:
U had to jump thru hoops,see multiple psychs,provide multiple negative drug test etc etc.im not saying it's impossible just 99% chance it won't.100%chance it won't happen from walking into a gp's office and asking for it.point I'm making is op has no chance.im assuming that this process was drawn out over weeks possibly months?
Click to expand...

Yes. Over many months. But a very worthwhile investment of my time over the long term. My psych resolved my ADHD, anxiety, OCD and bi-polar with a good combination of meds after a bit of trial and error and when I stick to the regime I am highly functional with few symptoms from any of the aforementioned conditions.
 
And without ADHD how likely is it that u could have scammed the psychs and doctors into giving you the script?
 
draculic acid69 said:
And without ADHD how likely is it that u could have scammed the psychs and doctors into giving you the script?
Click to expand...

my life was pretty fucked up and i didn’t need to scam anything to get help - that said, i reckon my psych would prob prescribe d-amp to a meth cook / he thinks it cures everything
 
I asked my GP about a stimulant med called vyvanse for chronic fatigue syndrome and he said a psychiatrist needed to prescribe it and offered to send me to one which I declined at that time. I am in NSW.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys.

It suxs that the most effective therapeutic drug to treat my dissociative disorder and PTSD I've used to help my long term memory unlock repressed memories and in a instant remember out of nowhere once forgotten life events of my past that can be both happy positive memories and distressing negative memories is speed and ice.

stims work wonders for making me vividly recall traumatic events in my life. But equally causing me to recall hilarious and funny moments that make me laugh out loud and bring a massive smile to my face as well as moral building events of immense happiness and success.

And the Seroquel-Amisulpride combination I take works extremely well at keeping my emotions in check as well as aiding the natural thought process needed to rationally come to terms with past events that can be frightening at first to remember.

Antipsychotics are brilliant to offset the negative side affects of stims usage.

Most of my once forgotten distressing life experiences occurred anywhere from early childhood up to my mid twenties., Using methamphetamine doesn't just unlock these events in my mind it helps me process the circumstances surrounding past life events and eventually come to terms with the all the grief and trauma of my deeply repressed memories.

Never underestimate the power of denial and how effective blocking things out and forgetfulness is at acting as coping mechanism for a young person's mind can be.

If I explained this to a psych would I have a legitimate medical reason for wanting a script of some amphetamine type medication??

That and the fact I have taken ritalin before and honestly to increase my concentration while reducing anxiety nothing worked as well as ritalin IME.


I'm lucky enough to be able to afford a street deal of blackmarket Melbourne methamphetamine on a regular basis currently but for how much longer I can't really predict.
 
Boku_ said:
Are ADHD medications for adults covered by the PBS?

Does anyone get prescribed Ritalin or Dexamphetamine (5mg) due to mild symptoms of ADD by a GP or Psychiatrist?
I heard those medications aren't covered by the PBS Scheme but I was told that 20 years ago.
I have a good relationship with my local GP who writes me scripts for anti psychotics meds like amisulpride and Seroquel which I take due to symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, as well as being diagnosed as having dissociative disorder.
I also get scripts for 10 mg of Valium a week but I believe I am also getting symptoms of ADD or ADHD as my concentration is poor.
Would my GP be open to giving me a low dose of some kind of ADHD medication?
Just looking for advice
Click to expand...

I checked the pbs database. http://www.pbs.gov.au

Dexamphetamine is authority restricted for the treatment of adhd and narcolepsy

Most types of Ritalin are restricted to only people who were diagnosed between 6 and 18. But the 10mg instant release version only says restricted for adhd with no age requirement.

I don't know that your gp can prescribe them though, they're schedule 8 controlled substances so the doctor likely needs a health department authorization.

Strictly speaking the PBS rules only cover what the doctor can prescribe as a subsidized PBS script though. In many cases they can prescribe privately if they feel it's appropriate. But with schedule 8's the rules are much stricter.

If a gp can prescribe it its probably only as continuing treatment.
 
Boku_ said:
Are ADHD medications for adults covered by the PBS?

Does anyone get prescribed Ritalin or Dexamphetamine (5mg) due to mild symptoms of ADD by a GP or Psychiatrist?
I heard those medications aren't covered by the PBS Scheme but I was told that 20 years ago.
I have a good relationship with my local GP who writes me scripts for anti psychotics meds like amisulpride and Seroquel which I take due to symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, as well as being diagnosed as having dissociative disorder.
I also get scripts for 10 mg of Valium a week but I believe I am also getting symptoms of ADD or ADHD as my concentration is poor.
Would my GP be open to giving me a low dose of some kind of ADHD medication?
Just looking for advice
Click to expand...
ill have 8 different meds, 7 of them are worked trough cns... So there is the marking, and 3 of those are drug prescription medicines
21137
 
JessFR said:
If a gp can prescribe it its probably only as continuing treatment.
Click to expand...

GP's cannot even prescribe d-amp or ritalin as continuing treatment. You need to go back to your psychiatrist to get new scripts - though they usually give 5 repeats (5 months supply)
 
Yet they can prescribe opiates and benzodiazepines.

This is like a total WTF moment to me.

Australia, as I said in another thread, is the laughing stock of the world. And once again, DESERVEDLY so.
 
draculic acid69 said:
U got no chance.
Click to expand...
The Wizard of the Creek said:
am
Click to expand...

Guys is it true to say it's not what you know but who you know.

What about (and this is very much a hypothetical situation) if I was a personal friend to a prominent and influential public figure like say for example corporate big shots Gerry Harvery or Gina Reinhardt. You know a real big mukka. Someone who is ultra wealthy notably well connected.

Would their personal assistant be able to organise a sympathetic psychiatrist to hook me up with scripts for pharmaceutical grade amphetamines
 
Like I said dude, Australia is the laughing stock of the world. And once our tourism industry shuts down nobody will want to bother with us, neither immigrants nor tourists. Our government and policies are outrageously strict on too many things. And funny enough, not strict enough on other things (that, I won't mention).
 
Boku_ said:
Read my above post. Maybe Clive Palmer owes me a favour
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I doubt some doctor is going to be so desperate as to risk there medical license just to please some fat fuck politician.this isnt America where celebrity doctors will hook u up with whatever scripts for $50,000.generally fat fuck politicians/bigwigs have either coke or money to spend on coke.i don't think anyone that fat is keen on amphetamines or they wouldn't be that fat.Those types are all about taxpayer funded booze soaked long lunches.
 
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