Psychiatric care in Tokyo

[paully]

I'm interested in knowing if anyone can tell me about a good place to get medical support for depression/ADHD in Japan. I have NHI, but would be willing to go to one of the western clinics in Tokyo. I want to get a prescription for ritalin and paxil.

Additionally, does anyone know if it's possible to order medication from Canada and have it sent to Japan?

Any info would help a lot. Thanks.

paully

[trip_hop]

Call TELL Tokyo English LifeLine - they have access to counselling and psychiatric services.

Tokyo English
Life Line
Free, anonymous phone counseling
03-5774-0992
Daily 9:00AM - 11:00PM
TELL Community Counseling Service (TCCS)
Face-to-face counseling
E: 03-3498-0231
J: 03-3498-0232
Call for appointment

Meds from Canada? Need copy of prescription, and limited supply only.
Probably available in Japan. Check with local Embassy/ consulate.

[paully]

Thanks a lot man.

[person]

I'm interested in knowing if anyone can tell me about a good place to get medical support for depression/ADHD in Japan. I have NHI, but would be willing to go to one of the western clinics in Tokyo. I want to get a prescription for ritalin and paxil.

Additionally, does anyone know if it's possible to order medication from Canada and have it sent to Japan?

Any info would help a lot. Thanks.

paully

Is it possible to have both depression as well as ADHD? Being fairly familiar with ADD/ADHD (having worked for a Pediatric Neurologist), it strikes me as odd that you could have both. I'm not doubting you; I'm simply wondering if you are being overmedicated (as so many are).

If you are hyperactive (as indicated by ADHD), you need to be "brought down" with the Ritalin (or other med). If you are depressed, Paxil would, presumably, bring you up.

I just can't fathom being depressed as well as hyper...and treating both at the same time, moreover. It seems...hard to imagine.

Good luck.

[paully]

I had been diagnoses as being clinically depressed when I was in the US but I am suspecting that perhaps I have ADD. I want to get evaluated and if necessary get medical help.

[trip_hop]

Suggest you get yourself re-diagnosed in the US.

Trickcyclists here are in the Stone Age.

[donpaulo]

self medicating is not a good idea (no duh) so if the clinical daignosis was X then I think its safe to go with that for now.

By all means seek out a second opinion, but I would advise not saying what you diagnosed with just how you feel now. Call it a blind study. If you don't like the results you can always try another shrink right ?

I don't think you can mail canadian meds to japan, but I haven't checked so its just a guess on my part. You COULD always have it mailed to a friend who then forwards it on to you. Of course you then might have to deal with the post office should they decide to open your package. Personally speaking the post office tends to open about 33% of my stuff. And 1 time in about 20 they send me a small bill for "import duties". Nothing major, but I am not importing meds. I do import supplements etc.

Depression and ADD or its various incantations could be Bi-polar disorder... perhaps that is the culprit here ?

[arginjapan]

Additionally, does anyone know if it's possible to order medication from Canada and have it sent to Japan?

Couple of things to consider:

Even though Japan is considered first-world in terms of medical care, that doesn't mean you won't have difficulty obtaining certain prescription medications in Japan that are available elsewhere. Straight from my GP in Canada.

Secondly, if you are bringing in any more than a 30 day supply of prescription medication, you need to fill out an enormous amount of paperwork. You'll have to check with the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare for more details on that.

[mihana305]

Couple of things to consider:

Even though Japan is considered first-world in terms of medical care, that doesn't mean you won't have difficulty obtaining certain prescription medications in Japan that are available elsewhere. Straight from my GP in Canada.

Secondly, if you are bringing in any more than a 30 day supply of prescription medication, you need to fill out an enormous amount of paperwork. You'll have to check with the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare for more details on that.

Yes, definitely. Customs seized my 6-month supply of the contraceptive pill when I had it sent over, and the amount of paperwork I had to fill out truly scared me. I couldn't have done it without bi-lingual help. It took about 3-months before I had access to them. It was awful, and it wasn't even 'necessary' medicine. My doctor even wrote out a 'sectiion 56' or whatever it's called to ensure that I wouldn't have a problem.

As for your mental health, please take care. Someone close to me suffers from bi-polar, and she takes quite a few drugs to stabilize her moods and balance out all the medication. I do think it's wise to have yourself re-diagnosed.

Good luck, and take care.

[danielt]

I'm interested in knowing if anyone can tell me about a good place to get medical support for depression/ADHD in Japan. I have NHI, but would be willing to go to one of the western clinics in Tokyo. I want to get a prescription for ritalin and paxil.

Additionally, does anyone know if it's possible to order medication from Canada and have it sent to Japan?

Any info would help a lot. Thanks.

paully

Here is a site with some detailed info
http://www.crnjapan.com/counselling/en/