The crazy quest to get treatment - from people who don't understand it
The crazy quest to get treatment - from people who don't understand it
After waiting for many years, I thought I've been at least on track to get treatment for the past 6 months. All out of pocket, in addition to the nearly EUR 1000 health insurance premium per month.
Lengthy psychologist sessions, official diagnosis by a licensed therapist in writing. Doctor appointment with the written diagnosis, but he said only a licensed psychiatrist can do the initial prescription. Find one, make appointment.
But then he needed up to date blood count and ECG first, appointment cancelled 2 hours before it started. The blood count was at a different doctor than my usual one, because last time, mine was on vacation. So ECG and blood count from two different locations. All during hours I actually had to be at work. But what can I do - botch one last job before I get treatment and everything will be great for the future, right?
Sent it all in upfront, and another problem: Apparently, the ECG must be evaluated for findings. Which any doctor is trained to do, but it needs to be returned to the doctor who did it, like this magic quest, because in theory, I could send an ECG that is not mine to a different doctor for the findings. (Cui bono?)
The last 4 steps, I've been told that this is "this one really really really last thing", and it sounds like one of these advance fee scams that are like "just one more Apple gift card for the taxes, and we can transfer your lottery winnings".
I bet all of these things would be easy for somebody who does NOT have ADHD. They just do them one by one, and somehow that happens at a magic hour where the doctor office is open but also their workplace is not.
The lack of understanding how ADHD works, by the very people who are supposed to diagnose and treat it, reminds me of this scene from Groundhog Day: He explains the problem of being in a 24 hour time loop to a seemingly understanding therapist, who then is like: "I understand completely, come back in 3 days for a solution!" Ah, here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFdwLNiZq7M
My Psychiatrist that I've been seeing for years now is retiring at the end of the year. Good ones are very hard to find and I'm not looking forward to it.
The whole process is a joke in the US as well. Since stimulants are a controlled substance, you have to have a new prescription every month AND you have to wait exactly 30 days to fill it at which point every pharmacy in town will jerk you around for a couple days until you finally find one that:
A.) Actually has your medication. Not says they have it on the phone and then "Oppsie! We lied. We don't actually have it. We do have the name brand that's 3 times as expensive."
B.) Will actually fill it instead of telling you they'll fill it only to backpedal when you go to pick it up because of some bullshit policy.
C.) Will fill it without whining at you, "cAn YoU pLeAsE sEnD yOuR OtHeR pReScRiPtIoNs hErE toO sO wErE FiLlInG mOrE tHaN jUsT yOuR StImUlAnTs??"
Apparently we somehow still have a shortage of Vyvanse (and the generic)?
Also, Fuck CVS in particular. How they manage to run a pharmacy worse than Walmart and still stay in business is beyond me.
Same in Germany. New prescription every month, sometimes you can get bigger packages at least.
I need less than I get which is nice, so I already got 3* stocked up.
But it is shit anyways. Need to get a "transfer" by a random doctor to again get the allowance that your paid health insurance pays therapy.
Walmart won’t even tell me if they have it in stock anymore. I’m just supposed to send them the script and cross my fingers I guess. I will say, I have never had a pharmacy lie to me. Walgreens however will not actually fill the script from the doctor until you call them, defeat the phone tree in an epic battle, finally speak to a live pharmacy, and ask pretty please could they fill this prescription?
I am also incensed that so many people seem to not have insurance. One thing I can say, is that I have never had a problem paying for generic or name brand, because my insurance covers it.
I am also incensed that so many people seem to not have insurance. One thing I can say, is that I have never had a problem paying for generic or name brand, because my insurance covers it.
Guilty as charged. Currently at a career crossroads and don't have insurance. Have to pharmacy shop a lot depending on who has the best price with a Good Rx coupon.
I finally switched away from the across the street Walgreens because they never filled a prescription until I stood in line to pick it up. online refill of anxiety meds, never notified they filled it but the notifications are glitchy, go in 2 days later and it's not filled. call for refill of the same meds, same issue. and it seemed like every other person in line had the same problem.
Bartells is more of a walk, but I don't have to beg them to fill my prescriptions.
I had seriously been considering trying again after a doctor told me "lots of people thought that they developed mental health problems during COVID" and that "those drugs are just performance enhancers that let you cheat at life."
But between that and finding out my insurance has a deductable higher than my annual medical expenses, I think I'm forgetting about that for another few years.
Your deductible should not affect your prescription drug copays. I also really hope you stopped seeing that doctor.
My wife already had to stop taking one of her meds because it's over $900/month with insurance. The doctor visits required to just get me a script would put us in the red.
Fuck the system.