Hi everyone!

I'm not sure if Ritalin is regulated across Canada, or if it's just in my province (New Brunswick), but I wanted to vent on that. I've been prescribed Ritalin for about 18 months now, and the doctors are very strictly regulated on how they can actually prescribe.

In my case, my doctor cannot write refills-- pharmacies are not allowed to honor refill requests. He can write for 30 days at a time only, and since it is also illegal to post-date prescriptions, that means I have to make an appointment monthly, and take about 1.5 hours off work to visit him for a new write.

Is anyone else frustrated by this?

I understand that it is strictly regulated due to abuse, but I am not certain how an order to refill every 30 days, say, three times, is any different than writing three separate orders. ADD isn't a short-term disagnosis, and it seems silly that our doctors can only write on a month-to-month basis.

Surely there should be a middle-ground?

I hope I'm making sense-- my afternoon dose is pretty close to wearing off! :p

Does anyone else experience this?

Hi there,
I am in Australia and they can write (at least) 6 repeats. But you have to wait 25 days or so between filling scripts.

Yes I can imagine that it would be really annoying having to go monthly - forever - just for scripts. It would also be a waste of resources for the health care system, or you, if you have to pay for every consultation.

Are you sure that is definitely government policy? It sounds kind of over the top. All that info should be available on the web.

Hopefully as the disorder gets more recognised they will relax the repeat restriction. Maybe you could write some letters to the pollies. Tell them what Australia (and check what UK/Europe) policy is. It does sound a bit over-cautious.

Hi everyone!

I'm not sure if Ritalin is regulated across Canada, or if it's just in my province (New Brunswick), but I wanted to vent on that. I've been prescribed Ritalin for about 18 months now, and the doctors are very strictly regulated on how they can actually prescribe.

In my case, my doctor cannot write refills-- pharmacies are not allowed to honor refill requests. He can write for 30 days at a time only, and since it is also illegal to post-date prescriptions, that means I have to make an appointment monthly, and take about 1.5 hours off work to visit him for a new write.

Is anyone else frustrated by this?

I understand that it is strictly regulated due to abuse, but I am not certain how an order to refill every 30 days, say, three times, is any different than writing three separate orders. ADD isn't a short-term disagnosis, and it seems silly that our doctors can only write on a month-to-month basis.

Surely there should be a middle-ground?

I hope I'm making sense-- my afternoon dose is pretty close to wearing off! :p

Does anyone else experience this?

It's UK policy too.

Hi everyone!

I'm not sure if Ritalin is regulated across Canada, or if it's just in my province (New Brunswick), but I wanted to vent on that. I've been prescribed Ritalin for about 18 months now, and the doctors are very strictly regulated on how they can actually prescribe.

In my case, my doctor cannot write refills-- pharmacies are not allowed to honor refill requests. He can write for 30 days at a time only, and since it is also illegal to post-date prescriptions, that means I have to make an appointment monthly, and take about 1.5 hours off work to visit him for a new write.

Is anyone else frustrated by this?

I understand that it is strictly regulated due to abuse, but I am not certain how an order to refill every 30 days, say, three times, is any different than writing three separate orders. ADD isn't a short-term disagnosis, and it seems silly that our doctors can only write on a month-to-month basis.

Surely there should be a middle-ground?

I hope I'm making sense-- my afternoon dose is pretty close to wearing off! :p

Does anyone else experience this?

It's US policy as well. It's considered a Schedule II substance and can only be written and dispensed in 30 day supplies and is watched very carefully by the DEA and the Licensing Board, so Doctors have to be strict.

However, perhaps you can work out and agreement with your Doc to avoid those 1.5 hour visits. Ask him if you can supply his office with several self-addressed stamped envelopes and have him mail your script to you on a monthly basis. Just call them a week before it's up and they can send it right out to you. Unless you need to discuss changes in dosage, you should be able to go several months without actually having to "see" him.

Just a possible work-around.

Good luck!

I'm in BC, I get scripts for 6 months at a time, and I ask the pharmacy to divide it into 2, 3 month dispenses so as to not have to pay it all up front. No problems. Maybe 6 months is the longest allowed here, my doctor has never prescribed over.