The International Schools Review Forum

My wife and I are planning on teaching abroad next year (2018-19). We have registered with Search Associates, completed all the work, and are looking at schools. We are particularly interested in the UAE and Shanghai.

The problem is that both of us are on antidepressents and ADHD medication, and have been for our adult lives (Lexipro, Vyvanse, Adderall, and Zoloft, to be specific). I have read about the stringent laws in the UAE regarding medication, but with 90 percent ex-pat population and so many Westerners, I can't imagine they all simply aren't on any of that medication.

While we are going to try tapering off something here and there, I would prefer not to give up on medication that I rely on. Any advice regarding this would be appreciated-- most of what I found applied to tourists. Please, no response that includes advice like "just use natural herbs." I would especially like to hear from people that have had experience in the UAE or China, but will take it from anyone who has taught abroad.

You might be best reaching out to the western medical clinics that serve people in some of the places you're considering and asking.

For instance in Shanghai, you might contact United Family Healthcare as their staff are foreign doctors. They tend to serve expats in the community. I'm guessing they could clue you into what they can or can't access, and they can probably tell you what folks do to import them.

Eion

We had a family member on Zoloft and had no issues getting medication in Beijing (and getting our school provided insurance to cover it).

I wouldnt suggest tapering off any of your medication without consulting your physician. Most regions are concerned about opiates, and abusable .. Anti-Depressants arent going to be a problem in most regions. The ADD medication if its an amphetamine, is going to be a problem in a lot of regions. You will want to contact expat and western medical centers in the region, to see what is available and what you will have to do more work for.

I am currently in UAE and just got our first rejection letters from the insurance company for my son's ADHD meds and my Lexapro meds. We know we can'r stay past our two year contract. The costs are outrageous.

In my case, this was doable. I lived in five separate hard-core third-world countries and was always able to get, at a minimum, Prozac in country. Later, when I had an established relationship with a practitioner stateside, I was able to get a years' worth of prescriptions at once. It wasn't easy, but this included 'controlled substance' ADHD meds (Sam's Club had to call the DEA, in the later case, prior to filling). Talk with your doctor: the last thing you want is to be tapering off medication in a new country.

I would not hire someone on so much medication, but unfortunately, I probably would never find out, unless I was a bad head who inspected all of his employees' health insurance expenditures. Maybe find the root cause as to why you depend on such medications BEFORE turning your life upside-down by moving to a new country for a new job?

Zoloft is readily available in Thailand without prescription. ADHD medications are also available and massively overused in school age children.

@reisgio Are you serious? You have no idea who these people are, or whose medical care they are under. The assumptions you are making reveal a lot about your outdated views on mental health. Imagine if people on the internet went around armchair diagnosing people with heart conditions and diabetes to work harder at finding the "root cause."

It's no problem getting these medications in the UAE. Several of my students take one or more of them. I don't know, however, about insurance coverage. It may depend on the quality or tier of your school's program.

Again...you find all you need in the UAE...you will pay every bit of it out of your pocket because they have such outdated views of mental health here...the insurance companies are not required to cover it.

Please don't shame people for needing medication Resigio......that's part of the problem in the first place....

Not the same thing, but I take a prescription medication for hypothyroidism. My doctor in the US ensures that I have a year's worth each summer, and I take it into my (non-UAE) country each school year. Is it possible for your doctor in your home country to provide you with a prescription for six months or a year to take with you?

I have heard from friends that antidepressants and ADHD are available in China - even if you don't go through United Family. The ADHD meds will require testing be done in order for the Chinese doctor to approve it. From what I have heard, the testing is pretty ridiculous ( computer games to test attention), but the doctors were agreeable to write the prescription.

Having lived in China and other countries where I needed to get ADHD meds for my child, not all types of all medications are available. We had to switch to Concerta when we were there--where I am now in S. America, other meds are more common. If you need a specific type of anti-depressant, or a specific type of ADHD med., that might be a problem if it's not available in the country.

If you have insurance that covers your home country you can almost always fill a full year of the prescription and take it with you. My first posting was to a country without a developed medical system and my husband and I brought in a year’s worth of prescriptions for three medications. The international insurance companies are used to it and you just need to have your doctor note on the prescription that it needs to be filled for the year so the pharmacy will do it. We’ve done this with three different insurance companies without any issues. Some medications maybe more tricky than others to get filled for a full year (mostly if there’s danger of an overdose or becoming addicted). Between myself and colleagues at my previous school, I know of people who were able to do this for birth control, antidepressants, cholesterol meds. Not sure about ADHD.