Welcome to the Melbourne Community Daily Discussion Thread.

  • landsharkkidd@aussie.zone
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    God, making someone with ADHD wake up for an 8:30am appointment is pretty funny.

    (For those unaware, most people with ADHD have a thing called delayed sleep phase cycle, where our circadian rhythm is different to neurotypical folks who can get to sleep at maybe 10 - 12, and wake up easy in the morning. Whereas for us we fall asleep later and find waking up early hard).

    Going to go back to sleep after my appointment, glad to be working from home today!

    Edit: oof that appointment cost me way too much. I hate that psychiatrists app only take 15mins and you get a script and it comes to $175 (luckily there's the Medicare rebate but still).

    • just_kitten@aussie.zone
      ·
      1 year ago

      Psychiatrist fees are wild, man. The only way I've not had to sweat about mine is because I've already spent such a shit tonne on my health that I hit the $2414 limit for out of pocket fees (for Medicare subsidised items - not including all the completely private out of pocket things). Medicare safety net baby. A $475 appt for 75 minutes gets shaved down to like $50. I'm jamming in all the appointments I can before the end of this calendar year

      • landsharkkidd@aussie.zone
        ·
        1 year ago

        I'm so happy I got a job so I don't have to stress about paying for my psych app.

        I took psychology in high school and learnt about who can and can't prescribe certain meds, but it's wild that I have to go see some dude for 15 minutes every three to six months to just get a script. Like, come on!

        • just_kitten@aussie.zone
          ·
          1 year ago

          I'm hoping my GP might be able to prescribe repeats as I'm pretty sure he's schedule 8 authorised. But then I'm tossing up the idea of moving interstate next year which probably means starting the whole damn thing all over again 🙃

          • landsharkkidd@aussie.zone
            ·
            1 year ago

            Yeah my local docs don't have the authorisation. Just... ugh. At least it doesn't take me 2 hours to get there and back.

            • just_kitten@aussie.zone
              ·
              1 year ago

              The amount of admin required to manage a condition that affects one's very ability to execute that stuff is pretty insane, hey. I had a long chat to my GP recently after my diagnosis and the difficulty of getting diagnosed, specialists being booked out forever, etc. Turns out there's sort of a hidden network? of GPs and psychiatrists who have no problem treating and managing ADHD and have plenty of experience, GP authorisation etc... but won't mention ADHD at all on their profiles because the reality is they'll get swamped and be unable to do anything else ever again. I got absolutely lucky on both the GP and psychiatrist front, and it still was a long journey

              • landsharkkidd@aussie.zone
                ·
                1 year ago

                Yeah, my mum's friend who was diagnosed with adhd suggested my current psych, because the one my doctor referred me to was I think in the Northern suburbs and he was fully booked out.

                It is crazy how tough it is get a diagnosis as an adult.

                • just_kitten@aussie.zone
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  I only even got anywhere within 12 months because my GP used a general referral rather than one specifically for ADHD. Psych straight up said if it had been an ADHD referral they would've not taken it on... And i think that's why my GP did exactly that. Seems a bit effed up.

      • landsharkkidd@aussie.zone
        ·
        1 year ago

        It wouldn't hurt. I'd recommend taking online tests before you commit money to getting a diagnosis. But you can always use Medicare code 291 to get a free testing and such.