“I was prescribed Adderall when I was 12, could I get it again at 22?”
I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 12 and prescribed Adderall but stopped taking it even though it helped. I am 22 now, could I get it prescribed again if I went back to a doctor?
Male | 22 years old
Conditions: ADHD
6 Answers
You should speak with your Internist or psychiatrist about this. As a psychologist, I am not qualified to give you a definitive answer. However, I can say that over the course of my career (40+ years) I have known many people who have been on and off Adderall over the course of their lives.
About half (and likely more) of individuals diagnosed with ADHD during childhood continue to have persistent symptoms as adults. Hyperactivity tends to dissipate over adolescence, but focus problems tend to persist, and in some case, get worse as the demands of adult life exceed the person's ability to cope. Your doctor would probably want an ADHD assessment from a psychologist to ascertain if you still have problematic symptoms, but yes, stimulants are prescribed to adults.
If you continue to struggle with symptoms of ADHD, you can see a doctor who prescribes medication for this and either restart what worked in the past or try new options. Decisions will need to be made based on your current symptoms and not what you used to take. But the recommendation may be the same.
You should be able to follow a psychiatric evaluation.
If you have access to your records or can reach out to your old physician, you can get a new prescription. The doctor will need to see you in person, in order to prescribe a stimulant. There is a risk of abuse, so doctors are more cautious about this medication now.
If you need to see a new doctor and do not have records, you may need an evaluation, to see if you still need the medication. There are some newer medications that have fewer side effects which you might prefer now.
Nancy J. Warren, PhD
If you need to see a new doctor and do not have records, you may need an evaluation, to see if you still need the medication. There are some newer medications that have fewer side effects which you might prefer now.
Nancy J. Warren, PhD
If you went through a complete psychological evaluation with psych testing when you were 12 years old to get that original diagnosis, you can bring that old report into a medical primary doctor to see if they are comfortable using that old report for history data, then to prescribe for you. That is probably the easiest way, but they may still not want to prescribe a controlled substance.
You may need to go see a psychologist for updated psych testing to rule out the ADHD again, if you don't have the old testing report. Most medical docs and psychiatrists/psychiatric nurse practitioners are likely to want that psych testing evaluation to help with medication decisions. But, you could always start with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner, meet with them for an intake, and see if they want or need you to do a psych testing evaluation in order to prescribe to you. They may not want or need a new evaluation. So those are a few options that usually help.
You may need to go see a psychologist for updated psych testing to rule out the ADHD again, if you don't have the old testing report. Most medical docs and psychiatrists/psychiatric nurse practitioners are likely to want that psych testing evaluation to help with medication decisions. But, you could always start with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner, meet with them for an intake, and see if they want or need you to do a psych testing evaluation in order to prescribe to you. They may not want or need a new evaluation. So those are a few options that usually help.
