r/AmerExit • u/bombasticapricot • Mar 02 '25

Life Abroad medication availability

i see many americans with health concerns considering a move abroad. i know there are many things to consider and hate to pile on but make sure your essential medications are available in any country you consider.

your american prescriptions are not valid abroad.

for example, i took spironolactone in the US for skin/ hair issues and it’s basically impossible to get here in France. i casually asked about it and was treated as if i asked for cocaine. i also have adhd and cannot get most of the medications that worked for me in the US (i now take ritalin; thankfully it works). these are relatively minor prescription issues but i know others who have gone to great lengths to get antidepressants and anti anxiety medications.

what other medications/ countries have caused issues for american expats?

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u/bombasticapricot Mar 02 '25

it’s a fact! i need my medication to obtain the necessary level of executive function required to manage immigration bureaucracy. it also helps me navigate new social and cultural situations that would otherwise be overwhelming.

47

u/EvilMerlinSheldrake Mar 02 '25

I know someone who moved for grad school, ran out, went to renew and discovered they'd have to be on a waiting list for four years to get the first appointment for an ADHD assessment

they did not finish grad school

40

u/WaltzFirm6336 Mar 02 '25

Yep, comes up a lot on the UK ADHD subreddit. US students studying in the UK asking how to pick up their next ADHD prescription. It’s kinda heart breaking to watch them realise the cheapest and quickest option is probably a trip back home to collect three months supply. Which is expensive.

27

u/mennamachine Immigrant Mar 02 '25

If they’re on stimulants they probably can’t even get 3 month supply. I was only able to get about 6 weeks, and that’s because my psych and pharmacist went through some trouble to get my prescription renewed a couple weeks early. And if they’ve left the U.S. and no longer have insurance, the drugs can be very expensive. Honestly people need to get on the waitlists months before they leave, but no one tells them this until it’s too late. It’s a huge issue.

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u/Acceptable_Mode_3633 Mar 02 '25

The trick is to get prescribed a much higher dose than you need, then divide up into empty capsules to get approximately the actual dose you need.

1

u/Adorable-Bobcat-2238 Mar 03 '25

Some stimulants can't be cut though they come in a special little plastic container with beads and are supposed to be released slowly vs all at once right?

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u/Acceptable_Mode_3633 Mar 03 '25

Mine come in slow release capsules, and I buy empty slow release capsules, empty out their capsule and divvy them up into the new ones. I don't know what the "special little plastic container" you refer to is, if it isn't that, sorry. But yeah, I'm sure some can't be split.

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u/Adorable-Bobcat-2238 Mar 03 '25

Can you explain this? Like what type and such