Just to bump this thread…
Has anyone been able to get amphetamines into the country? I’m going to study abroad, and would need about a three month supply of adderall into the country. I already emailed Taiwan’s health department, but I’m talking about bringing in 60 x 20mg per month x 3months, so its a lot of adderall.
Thanks,
NewYorker
I have a friend in the States who has ADD, and when she came to stay with me a few years ago she had no trouble bringing in her prescription for Desoxyn (methampthetamine). If you have a prescription you should be okay.
In some areas (especially pain management), the variety of drugs that are available is clearly inadequate and the ones they do have are often prescribed in doses too low to be effective. The irrational, exaggerated fear of addiction is, sadly, alive and well in Taiwan. Compared to the US, UK, and many other countries, they have about half the number of medications and even they are almost impossible to get, unless you have cancer (even then, you may find yourself undermedicated). On the other hand, many potentially far more dangerous drugs can still be bought over the counter (various neuroleptics come to mind).
[quote=“Walis”]I have a friend in the States who has ADD, and when she came to stay with me a few years ago she had no trouble bringing in her prescription for Desoxyn (methampthetamine). If you have a prescription you should be okay.
In some areas (especially pain management), the variety of drugs that are available is clearly inadequate and the ones they do have are often prescribed in doses too low to be effective. The irrational, exaggerated fear of addiction is, sadly, alive and well in Taiwan. Compared to the US, UK, and many other countries, they have about half the number of medications and even they are almost impossible to get, unless you have cancer (even then, you may find yourself undermedicated). On the other hand, many potentially far more dangerous drugs can still be bought over the counter (various neuroleptics come to mind).[/quote]
Thanks, appreciate the response.
I tried getting Ritalin here a few years ago. It was a nightmare. No knew where to go or how to get it. So the last time I went home I saw my doctor that prescribed the Ritalin for me. He issued a 6 month presciption with a cover letter allowing me to carry that amount. Well I didn’t want the chance of it being confiscated so I didn’t brinjg any back with me. Once in Taiwan, I went to a hospital and showed them my prescription. They asked a load of questions and once they realised it was genuine gave me my prescription. Every other hospital I have been to after that ahs given it to me without hassle as they can see I do not use a lot of the drug and it has been issued before.
Hmm, I might try this route. I’ve had ADD all my life being diagnosed around age twelve if memory serves. I started on Ritalin in my last few years of high school and the difference was night and day. If the anti-med naysayers could experience for even a second the eyeopening sensation of being able to finally sit down and concentrate on a single task for more than 15 minutes at a time, they would undoubtedly change there tune. I continued on this medication up through collage and into the beginning of my career. But having since relocated to Taiwan I have had to compensate by drinking ALOT of coffee. I have been med free for over two years now and am slowly slipping back into the old me. Ironically procrastination…and the language barrier have kept me from actively seeking out a local source for Ritalin. With my attention span now at about 60% of what it should by, learning the language here has become an almost impossible challenge. I think I may look up my old doctor when I go back to the States for Christmas. I can’t imagine airport customs giving you trouble as long as you have proof of prescription handy. I’ve come through customs many times with weight lifting/dietary supplements, fat burners and such without even being questioned. And from what I’ve heard, fat burners are illegal here.
want to make a list of a) countries into which you can legally bring Adderall; b) countries in which Adderall (esp. Adderall XR) is actually sold.
“A” countries (so far): US, Mexico (Canada?)
“B” countries (so far): US, (Canada?), Uruguay (? this is based on a post in the main forum; I haven’t checked it yet).
coming back to TW next week after 6month away… Since leaving TW i have started on Adderall and its changed my life… But having recently discovered that its impossible to get in TW, im getting pretty nervous here… My doctor in canada will give me 1 month supply before i go… For the year…
So, any suggestions?
Maybe this sounds sketchy, but if someone is successfully buying ritalin or similar, can you give me some tips on doing this myself? I asked my doctor for a ritalin script in the hope that this would be fillable in TW, but she said she doesnt like ritalin… no help there.
Anybody willing to sell me some of theres? Sorry for the super ghetto ass way to ask, but can i do here? Please mods dont kick me off.
Would anyone be interested in setting up an ADHD support group in Taipei. PM me if interested
This is the kind of mentality that causes people to avoid getting help with mental and emotional issues.
You don’t suffer from ADHD, therefore you declare the medication a scam (without providing any evidence). You blast something that doesn’t even affect you in the slightest, and try to push a narrative that people who seek help for issues like ADHD are “falling for a scam.”
Do some homework, man. There isn’t any fraction of a dispute within the medical community than ADHD is very real. Over-diagnosed? Definitely. But very real.
[quote=“naredikaos”]So has anyone been able to get Adderall in Taiwan? Is it true that amphetamine-based medications are illegal, while methylphenidate-based medications aren’t? (As if that makes any sense…) And if methylphenidate doesn’t work for you, you’re just SOL? That’s how it would seem to be in South Korea, where I am now.
I’m shocked that in these wealthy industrialized countries, it’s not only impossible but illegal for me to get adequate medical care. I guess I shouldn’t expect much more from countries where you can get a degree in traditional Chinese chi-magic at medical schools, as if it were a legitimate alternative to real medicine. Is this how it is everywhere in Asia? Psychiatry isn’t available because being “crazy” is shameful, so they deal with their problems by binge drinking and jumping off tall buildings or cliffs instead?
Please let me know if you know anything about getting Adderall in Taiwan, or if you know of any country that is good for teaching EFL, where modern medicine IS available.
So frustrating! :fume:[/quote]
Calm down there chap. Adderall is pretty much ONLY legal in USA and Canada. It’s illegal in the UK, sweden, norway, all of Asia, etc etc etc. So, I don’t think you can blame this one on Chinese medicine.
Also, ritalin and concerta are readily available in Taiwan.
Has anyone tried an online pharmacy that ships without issue to Taiwan?
I have mine mailed to me all the time.
You can try Songde Hospital, their speciality is psych care.
english.tch.taipei.gov.tw/ct.asp … &mp=109012
The doctors speak english and I can’t imagine if the OP goes with their original story they won’t have problems getting what they need.
[quote=“crimpster”]You can try Songde Hospital, their speciality is psych care.
english.tch.taipei.gov.tw/ct.asp … &mp=109012
The doctors speak english and I can’t imagine if the OP goes with their original story they won’t have problems getting what they need.[/quote]
I’m curious to know about getting diagnosed for ADHD in Taipei. I’m in my 40s, but I’m completely convinced I have it, and always have. Someone once gave me some Adderall to try and it was, like someone else said here, like night and day. But I never had a chance to do anything about it via my medical service back home in the UK before I came to Taiwan (I’m here because of marriage - my wife is Taiwanese). Are there doctors/hospitals here who can do an assessment of ADHD?
[quote=“garygibson”][quote=“crimpster”]You can try Songde Hospital, their speciality is psych care.
english.tch.taipei.gov.tw/ct.asp … &mp=109012
The doctors speak english and I can’t imagine if the OP goes with their original story they won’t have problems getting what they need.[/quote]
I’m curious to know about getting diagnosed for ADHD in Taipei. I’m in my 40s, but I’m completely convinced I have it, and always have. Someone once gave me some Adderall to try and it was, like someone else said here, like night and day. But I never had a chance to do anything about it via my medical service back home in the UK before I came to Taiwan (I’m here because of marriage - my wife is Taiwanese). Are there doctors/hospitals here who can do an assessment of ADHD?[/quote]
I am going to say no, just for the reasons of how important school is…and how hardcore their anti-drug laws are here. I dont think they want high school kids all hyped up on adderall and the likes.
I would look into nootropics
reddit.com/r/Nootropics might find some alternatives.
[quote=“garygibson”][quote=“crimpster”]You can try Songde Hospital, their speciality is psych care.
english.tch.taipei.gov.tw/ct.asp … &mp=109012
The doctors speak english and I can’t imagine if the OP goes with their original story they won’t have problems getting what they need.[/quote]
I’m curious to know about getting diagnosed for ADHD in Taipei. I’m in my 40s, but I’m completely convinced I have it, and always have. Someone once gave me some Adderall to try and it was, like someone else said here, like night and day. But I never had a chance to do anything about it via my medical service back home in the UK before I came to Taiwan (I’m here because of marriage - my wife is Taiwanese). Are there doctors/hospitals here who can do an assessment of ADHD?[/quote]
Did you have any success or find any options for diagnosis?
Can Taiwan doctors generally prescribe ADD/ADHD meds or is some type of official diagnosis required? Excuse my questions if they are off track, but I really don’t know how this would work in Taiwan.
Just visit a psychiatrist and tell them your ADHD symptoms. They will give you some form of methylphenidate. Two weeks the first time and monthly there after.
Unfortunately they have no amphetamine based meds here. Dextroamphetamine works so much better.
I was diagnosed with this last year, doc back home put me on Concerta and it has worked moderately well, certainly as a mood stabilizer…anyway I went to see a psychiatrist today and he told me it’s illegal in Taiwan to prescribe Concerta to patients over 18 due to its addictive properties. Yet Ritalin IS allowed for adults here. Ironic, as the reason my N.American doc put me on Concerta rather than Ritalin was due to his concerns about the higher likelihood of addiction to Ritalin. This doc I visited today says my only possibility is to visit a pediatric clinic and try to convince a physician there to prescribe the Concerta to me. Is this kind of thing done ever?
I had no problem getting Concerta. I think your psych is full of shit.
Concerta sucks more than Ritalin IR though. I just tried it for a week.
[quote=“Test”]I had no problem getting Concerta. I think your psych is full of shit.
Concerta sucks more than Ritalin IR though. I just tried it for a week.[/quote]
I did manage to get Concerta but it is not covered by NHI and, for my dosage, went for over 80NT/pill. The doc who prescribed it says he agrees with my N. American doc that Ritalin has a greater potential for abuse than Concerta, yet NHI hasn’t caught on and therefore only Ritalin is insured for adults here. I’m fine with trying Ritalin but I have an addictive personality as it is and am horrible with keeping things in moderation. But yeah, I may have to switch rather than fork over 2400NT/month for my current prescription.