I really can’t praise this service enough…

Psychiatry UK is really the best service I have ever used. Once referred, you have to fill out a number of forms which isn’t great for someone with ADHD, going back to childhood as well as a form for a relative or a friend to complete for you, however considering the service is provided remotely there really isn’t a better way to answer the questions.

There is a waitlist for an appointment but I received a call 3.5 months before the assessment and was offered a cancellation appointment 3 months early. The assessment was building on the information you provide in the questionnaires so it is quote smooth and it was clear the psychiatrist read them thoroughly. I was provided with the diagnosis on the spot and given lots of clarification and reassurance which was really comforting; even though you already know you have ADHD, receiving the diagnosis still felt a little overwhelming.

The psychiatrist also explained routes of treatment in great detail. From there the next steps were explained; I was advised of a 6 month waitlist for the titration to start- I received my first communication about titration within 3 months. I initially started on Concerta which made huge improvements however the side effects were quite prominent; the Nurse Prescriber (NP) looking after me immediately picked up on those and together we decided to try different medication. On Elvanse the symptom changes were more subtle and it took more time to get it right but the NP was determined to get me to nearly 100%. This process allows you a level of autonomy; you don’t just get thrown medication at you and left to it (if that’s the route you choose), you get a say about how you feel, what you want to do next etc. At one point in the titration journey the NP was concerned about the side effects of concerta becoming stronger, but I wanted to give them another week as I felt so great symptom wise and I was allowed to do so under her supervision; we communicated daily in that period up until we felt that coming off this particular medication was the best decision.

Throughout the titration period you have to fill out symptom forms every week to keep your NP up to date; these are quick and easy but you do have room for elaboration if you’d like; they get reviewed very quicky and you do get feedback on these. The website also has a function where you can use to view your progress on the medication visually though charts e.g. week 1 of medication VS week 4 on a higher dose.

I really can’t praise this service enough; it’s thorough, consistent and informative and the service provided by staff is something I’ve never experienced anywhere else before. If there was any improvement I could see, I’d say that some of the communication with NP could be on the phone or over video call; sometimes life just happens, the external stressors can affect your week and therefore can affect how you feel on a specific week or period of your titration. With that being said this is something you can include in your weekly medication progress forms.

MA August 24, 2022