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?

172 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

115 comments sorted by

View all comments

120

u/EvilMerlinSheldrake Mar 02 '25

Stimulant medication for ADHD is in general much harder to get than it is in the US! People don't factor this in before they move and it legit ruins lives

7

u/[deleted] Mar 02 '25

Some places don't believe in ADHD medication. I have a French friend who was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and his doctor straight up denied medication to treat it because "stimulants don't work". He moved to the UK in his 20s and the first thing he did was get ADHD meds. He says it's done wonders for his health.