ADHD and Depression

[adridude]

HI guys n gals,

 

I was disagnosed with ADHD when I was 5 or 6. Along with adhd comes the fun n joy of being depressed.

 

I've been under mental health care for over 6 years now and the keep prescribing me with various drugs.

 

To this day I've drummed into them I need Concerta XL (ADHDH meds) and told them my docs name and address in the Netherlands.

 

To date, no1 had called them, I've been untreated and once again, I'm back in the pitt.

 

What do I do?? I've been on these pills since I was 5 or 6! Its only since I came here that I found out that its a restricted substance.

 

My word! its not like im a juinkie, I just wanna live a normal life.

[Guest wino]

Have you been offered any other medication in its place?

[zippygbr]

yes it's a Controlled Drug and the local policies in some places are that it is a specialist initiated drug if not a 'red list' medication ( meaning that only limited numbers of pharmacies have access to it) but this should not mean that someone who is established on the medication and the dosage and date of last issue can be reliably established should not continue with the drug

[adridude]

I've been plonked on anti-depressants, anti-anxiety pills, the works! Everything but methylphenidat (adhd medication). Dispite me telling all the docs the SAME thing, I've been left to deal with this on my own.

[WelshMam2009]

Sorry to hear this. Have you thought of writing to your specialist in the Netherlands yourself asking them to write to your GP here?

 

It's not uncommon with the NHS to have to chase things up but if this is having an adverse effect on your health then you need to speed up the process as much as possible.

[adridude]

I'm being treated now, and I'm back on my medication. but it took several years of losing jobs and hardship until it happened.

[adridude]

Of here is a further escalation and I hope it helps others out there which go untreated (or poorly treated).

 

I've been OFFICIALLY referred to a specialist at "London Maudsly Hospital" or however its spelled. This is aparently the place to be in the SE of UK to get proper help

[Panthro]

I see you state you are back on your medication but as the formatting of the forum has gone a bit wonky using NHS computer and connectio and I cannot see the dates of your posts. Is this mean you are back on methylphenidate?

 

Of interest, I was reading the SPC of Concerta XL and came up with these. Were these the reasons it wasn't prescribed?

 

"The safety and efficacy of long-term use of methylphenidate has not been systematically evaluated in controlled trials. Methylphenidate treatment should not and need not, be indefinite. Methylphenidate treatment is usually discontinued during or after puberty. The physician who elects to use methylphenidate for extended periods (over 12 months) in children and adolescents with ADHD should periodically re-evaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual patient with trial periods off medication to assess the patient's functioning without pharmacotherapy."

 

"Adults: Methylphenidate is not licensed for use in adults in ADHD. Safety and efficacy have not been established in this age group"

[adridude]

This thread might need merging as I totally forgot about this thread.

 

My concern is the 8 years it took to refer me, not the medication. The only reason I am back on this is because the CMHT looked at 9 year old records and prescribed the same as they are not allowed to Medicate for ADHD unless a trained psych prescribes (i.e. Adult ADHD Section of South London & Mauseley)

 

Other post here: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?290726-ADHD-and-the-NHS&highlight=ADHD