Can a Doctor Prescribe Stimulant Drugs Without Requiring Diagnosis First?
Question by temoa: Can a doctor prescribe stimulant drugs without requiring diagnosis first?
I have attention problems and get distracted very easily. It has been a bit of an issue before but I could always manage it. Now I started graduate school however, and the workload is very overwhelming. My attention problems/poor focus have become very apparent and I struggle to finish tasks which causes me a lot of stress. Anyhow, I know I fit pretty much everything on the ADHD symptom list. Although I am not a fan of drugs, I am at a point where I feel like I need medication to be able to handle the load. I do not want to get tested for ADHD however because it costs a lot of money and I don’t really care for the diagnosis I just want to be able to get through this upcoming semester (I will be taking 18 credits plus work 16hrs/wk!). I went to a doctor today and he told me I need to get evaluated first. My friend told me that some doctors will prescribe the medication without the testing. Does anyone have any experience with that? I wish there would be an easy way to find out when I call the doctor if the testing is required but I understand that it’s something prone to be abused. Any advice would be appreciated.
Best answer:
Answer by The First Dragon
When I suggested taking a stimulant because I couldn’t stay awake, my doctor sent me one time to a psychiatrist. There was no testing, he asked me about my symptoms and lifestyle etc, and then he said “Why not, if you think it might help?” He did give me a diagnosis of Adult Attention Deficit Disorder to justify the prescription, and now my regular doctor writes the prescription for me. Don’t get hung up on the diagnosis [I don’t think you are] because it is just a way of documenting what the doctors are doing.
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