6 posts shown.
Kevin Garcia12 said:Look, I know exactly what Ritalin is indicated for, which is why I brought up narcolepsy in the first place. To me, ADHD seems way too obvious to miss. I just don't get how anyone could overlook it, unless those two medications you were on were actually meant for depression or sleep disorders—which can easily be mistaken for narcolepsy. ADHD and narcolepsy aren't even the same thing, so the symptoms shouldn't really get mixed up like that...
When I asked my respected doctor during my last checkup if there was any kind of patient he’d actually be willing to prescribe an ADHD med to, his answer was a flat "no"(!?!!). He didn't even know what Concert was. It's honestly bizarre how psychiatrists could "get things mixed up"...
Kevin Garcia12 said:Look, I know exactly what Ritalin is cleared for, which is why I brought up narcolepsy in the first place. My ADHD is pretty obvious, so I don't get how anyone could miss it—unless, you know, those two meds you were on actually fit better into a treatment plan for depression or sleep disorders. Those can easily be mistaken for narcolepsy or ADHD, and honestly, the symptoms aren't always identical enough to keep them from getting mixed up. It’s easy to get confused.
Alright, here we go...
Look, whether you actually show up to those follow-up appointments or not, it all boils down to one thing: how much you actually vibe with your doctor. Once that specialist code is punched into the system and your Medicare prescription gets approved, it’s like the bureaucracy just stops caring. They aren't going to grill you about anything at that point. Your primary care doc can write whatever they want in the notes—they can claim you skipped your check-ups or whatever—but honestly? Those follow-ups are supposed to be for *your* benefit, to see if the meds are actually working. And hey, if getting an ADHD diagnosis felt like running a marathon through a swamp just to get a simple answer, don't let anyone tell you it isn't a real diagnosis. The struggle to get there almost proves it.
Seriously, it’s like you aren’t even reading what I’m writing. Look, I HAVE a diagnosed sleep disorder—that’s a fact—but I don't have depression. And honestly, you don't exactly diagnose ADHD just by looking at someone, but whatever, I won't go too far down a rabbit hole here. If you get it, you get it. It's funny how "control" is only ever mentioned when it's for my own good regarding Concerta (and by the way, Ritalin is banned here in the States).
Kevin Garcia12 said:That's not how it works. I actually went to my primary care doctor today and they told me straight up: no new prescription without a follow-up exam.
There used to be a rule—and probably still is—that you can't get a month's worth of meds if your mandatory check-up was scheduled for three weeks after you got them. It makes sense, right? They aren't going to just hand over more pills without seeing you, especially if it's some new medication they're tracking...
Kevin Garcia12 said:There used to be a rule—and probably still is—that you can't get a month's worth of meds if your mandatory check-up was scheduled for three weeks after you got them. It makes sense, right? They aren't going to just hand over more pills without seeing you, especially if it's some new medication they're tracking...
Read below.
Kevin Garcia12 said:It’s basically because psychiatrists don't want to deal with syndromes they aren't specialized in. Most of them just prescribe the same old stuff and won't even listen to anything outside their little bubble. They completely ignore side effects, contraindications with other drugs, the risk of addiction, all that jazz. This med is safe (Concert), unlike the ones they were pushing on me (Febuxostat, Sanofi). Honestly, I managed to get a refill for Sanofi without a new check-up, and I bet I could get one for Febuxostat too if I actually wanted to take it.
Kevin Garcia12 said:So what's the disorder then—narcolepsy?
No, Concert is for ADHD, which was diagnosed at a private clinic. These random psychiatrists kept prescribing me Febuxostat for depression I don't even have and Sanofi for insomnia. There were about two months between my first and second Sanofi refills, and my follow-up with the doctor who prescribed the Sanofi was also set for three weeks after the first visit, but I just didn't show up.
Sophia Gomez2 said:Thomas Vaughn5, honestly, I think it all just comes down to which doctor you happen to land on...there’s gotta be some decent doctor out there who isn't working in private practice, but the real headache is actually finding one. 🙄...and regarding prescriptions, I’ve gone to private specialists plenty of times myself—I just take the diagnosis and the suggested treatment plan back to my primary doctor and get the prescription without any drama. Not sure if that's how everyone does it, but that's how it works for me.
Oh yeah... anyway, if anyone actually knows a sane psychiatrist, please let me know.🙂 I saw a few of them before I finally got an actual diagnosis, and I spent so much time calling around just trying to book a diagnostic appointment, but half the time they'd tell me things over the phone that made me want to give up immediately. The most normal one was this guy who just told me straight up that he doesn't treat this specific condition—at least he wasn't making stuff up.
Terry Martinez55 said:So, I was thinking... what happens if I can't actually swing a checkup every three months? Like, if the money just isn't there? It's a real thought that keeps bugging me.
So, I'm looking at this whole thing... maybe a week, or honestly, who knows how long it'll actually take? But I gotta know—am I still going to be able to get my prescription from my primary care doctor? Like, can she just give me the same amount I usually get regardless of all this waiting around?
Terry Martinez55 said:Yeah.
That's just not how it works. I actually went to see my GP today and she told me straight up that there's no way she's writing me a new prescription without a follow-up exam first.
Terry Martinez55 said:And if not, can I actually count on some other social worker psychiatrist to help me out? Because let's be real—99% of them wouldn't even give me the same diagnosis. They’re either totally unqualified or they just don't want to deal with anything outside their tiny little niche. So, would one of them actually be willing to write a recommendation for the meds I’m already on during a check-up? And, if things are going south, would they even be open to suggesting a higher dose if that's what's needed?
Terry Martinez55 said:I mean, I should probably weigh in, but honestly? We’re only seeing one side of this story. We don't even know what the hell is actually going on here...
Look, here’s the deal: psychiatrists basically refuse to touch any syndrome they haven't specifically studied. Most of them just cycle through the same old prescriptions and shut their ears to anything that falls outside those narrow little boxes. They act like side effects don't exist—completely ignoring contraindications with other meds or the massive risk of becoming hooked on whatever they hand you. They'll tell you a drug like Concerta is "perfectly safe," which is a joke compared to the stuff I was actually forced to take, like Nestlé or Thermo Fisher Scientific. Anyway, I just got my new prescription for Thermo Fisher Scientific without even needing a follow-up appointment, and honestly, I bet I could get a refill for the Nestlé stuff too if I actually wanted to deal with it.
I’ve got a question that might sound a little stupid, but I’m sure those of you who actually deal with doctors will know how to advise me.
So, I was diagnosed with this specific disorder/syndrome, and I basically had to pay out of pocket for private testing with a specialist because the psychiatrists covered by my insurance are complete idiots—or just totally unqualified—and couldn't give me a straight answer. Only the private specialist could nail down the diagnosis, which ended up costing me nearly $667 in total. Now that I finally have the paperwork I need to get the right medication, I'm supposed to go in for regular follow-ups. At least, that's what the recommendation says: a check-up every 3 weeks. Right now, I'm not working, and honestly, dropping a few hundred dollars every three weeks just for a consultation, on top of actually buying the meds, is just too much. The recommendation specifies a smaller dose for now, which might be increased depending on how I react to it.
My question is, if I can't afford a follow-up every 3
weeks (or however often they demand), am I still going to be able to get my prescription refilled by my primary care physician? (Same amount, obviously)
And if not, can I count on some other state-funded psychiatrist to help? Though, let's be real, 99% of them wouldn't make the same diagnosis because they're either incompetent or they just don't want to touch a specialty they aren't trained in. Would one of them actually be willing to look at my existing recommendation and write a script for the med I'm already taking, or maybe suggest a higher dose if it becomes necessary?