If you have found this post on google then you have probably already decided that you have ADHD, we do after all go into a research spiral to find out everything we could possibly know about a subject. This week I was diagnosed with combined ADHD through ADHD360 so I thought it was a good time to talk through the process of getting a diagnosis with ADHD360 so far. After my teenager’s diagnosis at the end of last year and seeing the difference medication made to them was the push I needed to pursue a diagnosis for myself. I had already come to the conclusion that I also had ADHD but getting a diagnosis is the next step. Knowing the length of the NHS waiting lists and with a dr who was basically useless when I spoke to them earlier in the year, I wasn’t going to try to pursue a right to choose referral through them.
Why I chose ADHD360
I researched a few of the different options for private diagnosis in the UK and settled on ADHD360 as I liked their pricing structure. Paying an upfront fee to book the appointment of £170 and then an annual fee either on diagnosis or split over three months made more sense to me. The other options had fees for diagnosis, each appointment, each follow-up, for writing prescriptions, basically for everything and I didn’t like the idea of not having a set budget. Although I knew I would still have to pay for my medicines on top for a while it helped me to manage my expectations on the costs something my ADHD brain was very happy about.
Getting started with ADHD360
When I settled on getting my diagnosis with ADHD360 I was impressed with the ease of the process. I filled in the questionnaires, paid my deposit of £170 and confirmed my appointment date. At that point it was 4 months from filing in the forms to having the appointment, it seemed a long time and yet in the grand scheme of my life, it wasn’t that long to wait. Once I had the appointment confirmed there were other questions in the portal to fill in which helped to give more information about my life. I quickly received a blood pressure monitor in the post which you need to upload your information before you are able to be prescribed any medication. There is also the chance to upload further information which allowed me to upload some pages from some school reports I found that helped prove that I had the same issues in my teens as I have now.
The diagnosis appointment with ADHD360
My appointment was a 90-minute chat via Skype, I received a reminder email and text the day before and set alarms on my phone to make sure I didn’t miss the appointment time. My meeting was with Lisa, she went through my personal information, health and background. We discussed various aspects of my childhood, how I cope with life, and what things I find difficult. We discussed school, substance use, and work. After she confirmed my suspicions and diagnosed me with combined ADHD and then we moved on to discussing medication and the different types available. After the appointment, I received a link to pay the remaining annual charge for my package.
ADHD medication options
There are two main types of medication, stimulants and non-stimulants. Within each of those groups, there are a variety of medicines to choose from. As I have no health issues we decided to start with a stimulant. The two main choices are methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine. When you have been prescribed medication you start on a lower dose and it is gradually increased.
Getting your medication
ADHD360 send the prescription to PPG a private pharmacy, I received a payment link 24hrs later and then the medicines were delivered the next day so within 48 hours of diagnosis I started on the titration pathway. I have been prescribed 4 weeks of medicine, 1 week at a lower dose and 3 weeks at a slightly higher dose. I have a follow-up call scheduled in 3 weeks to see how I am getting on and to see if I should increase the dose for my next prescription. I believe that you can ask for your private prescription to be sent to you in the mail so you can take this to a pharmacy and pay the pharmacy for the medication. This may be slightly cheaper but obviously extends the time and adds extra effort. My first month’s prescription cost just under £100 but this will increase if the dose increases.
Next steps
The great thing about using ADHD360 is that as I have paid upfront for the year I don’t need to worry about paying for additional appointments if I need them. I hope that once I am settled on a dose I will be able to move on to shared care so my doctor can take over the prescription writing and then I will only have to pay the NHS prescription charge. I will still be under the care of ADHD360 and they will be monitoring my health over the year. I am at the start of my journey but so far it has gone smoothly and I am looking forward to seeing how this goes. Good luck on your own journey.