There’s currently a shortage of ADHD medications globally, despite one of the most common (Concerta) being manufactured in Cork, no pharmacies can order it in for the past couple of months.

I have been able to secure 2 months worth from places that had it in stock by going to about 10-20 pharmacies when I needed a new prescription filled, but now everywhere is out I am officially without.

Because ADHD medications are controlled drugs my GP can’t simple prescribe me an alternative, I have to get one from a psychiatrist in the HSE.

The next appointment available was June, *lucky* me got bumped up to March due to a cancellation.

The authority that handles the shortages of medications (HPRA) has a list of medications in short supply on their site, but my medication isn’t on it, I emailed them about this.

The fact a GP can prescribe opiates to people but can’t prescribe stimulants to those who are diagnosed with ADHD and have past prescriptions of other stimulants is STUPID, FRUSTRATING and IDIOTIC.

Currently my GP can only repeat scripts of what my psychiatrist has initially prescribed me with.

Rant over.

ADHD meds help me function and my life has improved significantly since I got medicated, I am doing better in college, relationships, diet and emotionally.

Going without them is not going to be a good time for me.

Irish ADHD Discord – [https://discord.gg/pVM7NzRpWw](https://discord.gg/pVM7NzRpWw)

9 comments

  1. Not to minimise what’s happening to you, but it’s across the board.

    Two weeks ago I got the next available appointment for my GP, in mid January.
    Doctor on call consistently booked up.
    Pharmacy don’t have my medication and it sent me on a goose chase trying to find one that has stock.

  2. Adult care of ADHD in Ireland is absolutely ridiculous. I came back here from abroad with a diagnosis, but GP refuses to prescribe what I was getting before and psychiatrists won’t even let me onto their waiting list.

  3. I’ve been waiting nearly a year for an adult adhd assessment. A few months to go yet. It’s not fun to think that the assessment might not matter because the medication isn’t available anyway.

  4. I’m the exact same. I’ve had to drop down dosages and take more tablets to meet my dosage but I’ve had to get a prescription for that. I’ve got a month’s worth and I literally need it to function. If I don’t have it my anxiety spikes and I’m sick and having panic attacks. So annoying.

    Not to mention getting the prescription from my doctor is next to impossible because he never has cover when he’s sick or when something is wrong. Happened 4 times that I didn’t get my prescription for weeks because he was sick, closed the office and had no cover. So annoying.

    I don’t know what I’m gonna do in January. Its supposedly supposed to come back into stock in January but I’m sceptical.

  5. How did you get two months subscription? My Doctor gave me two months prescription as I was moving abroad but two Pharmacies said it was illegal (Although one of those pharmacies did give me three months worth in 2016 when I first started it).

  7. I had to stand in a pharmacy for 20 minutes at the start of the month while they took the 9 remaining 20mg pills out of their safe and put them into a little bottle for me. I am now running on two-thirds my prescribed dose

  9. Hugely frustrating. The reason is that most ADHD medications in Ireland are not licensed to be prescribed to adults, only children. This then makes it a risk factor for GPs to prescribe in the even that something goes wrong, they are totally liable. That’s why they leave it to the specialists (the psychiatrists) who have a much deeper understanding of how the medications work and are more likely to take the risk of prescribing. It’s something that the Irish Medicines Board really needs to work on

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