this post was submitted on 15 Feb 2024
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ADHD

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I head up a small community for fans of a niche indie brand. The founder is doing an event in Japan with an exclusive item for people who attend! I was so excited and was looking into booking a plane ticket to go!

However.. turns out that Japan has a law that absolutely forbids stimulant medication in the country. And, no, I don't really want to upend my regimen of 8 years and risk going on a new medication for the trip.

I'm really shattered, as I wanted to attend this cool event and meet up with other enthusiasts. It really hurts to be barred from an opportunity like this.

I hate ADHD. I really do.

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[–] [email protected] 89 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Intuniv, Strattera, Concerta, and Vyvanse can be prescribed for ADHD in Japan. Ritalin is also available but not for ADHD, though travelers can bring a maximum of 2.16g of methylphenidate. Other stimulants such as Adderall are not allowed.

https://interacnetwork.com/navigating-stimulant-therapy-for-adult-adhd-in-japan-regulations-and-considerations/

Most doctors would be willing to prescribe a different medication for the duration of your trip. It of course won't be ideal, but it would be a temporary hiccup that might be worth it considering you seem to be really excited for the trip.

[–] RedSeries 19 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Op mentioned they do not want different medication for the trip though.

And, no, I don't really want to upend my regimen of 8 years and risk going on a new medication for the trip.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

I did read that which is why I noted in my comment that I realize it won't be ideal but may be worth reconsidering for the opportunity. I also wanted to provide some more complete information for the people in the comments who were gleaning false conclusions from misleading information.

[–] RedSeries -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I agree the reply is informative, just that OP had asked to avoid other medications as a suggestion.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It does not say that in the OP. They said "I don't really want to... risk going on a new medication for the trip" which is not the same as "please don't give me advice on alternative medication" and was also preceded by a false claim that no other stimulants would be allowed.

[–] RedSeries -4 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

EDIT: Defending one's point while trying to be polite is "being aggressive".

k

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

As I stated in my previous comment, it was not clear. You told me I was wrong, you continue to reply to me with false information, and you wonder why I respond defending myself. OP does not seem to have hard feelings about this, so I don't understand why you seem to.

[–] ABCDE 1 points 9 months ago

Why are you being aggressive? They didn't state which medication they are actually taking so it could be one on the list mentioned.

[–] dipshit 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

OP: I hear you on not trying different meds, but one of these things is barely different from adderall (still very much a stimulant). Vyvanse is basically adderall xl, just in prodrug form. Apparently other commentors say it is allowed in japan. Prodrug just means that an enzyme plus the drug means your body creates the basically the same exact drug as adderall when ingested. If vyvanse is allowed but adderall is not that’s strange although one of vyvanse’s strengths is that it can’t be snorted, which might make some nations feel better about the drug’s potential for abuse, since it must be ingested to work.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Adderall didn't do a whole lot for me, but Vyvanse made me actively sick. People can have weird reactions to medications.

[–] dipshit 2 points 9 months ago

You’re absolutely correct that a medication isn’t going to react the same for every person. People can have weird or even fatal reactions to medications. Any local pharmacist should be able to answer questions about medications and interactions.

To be clear, I am just saying that if adderall works for someone, vyvanse is likely to work for that person as well, because the drugs are so similar. Vyvanse’s biggest difference from adderall is that it’s a prodrug, meaning that starts off as a drug that has no effects on the body until it reacts with an natural enzyme we have in our colon which causes the drug to turn into what is basically adderall.

Adderall is mixed amphetamine salts.

The mixture is composed of equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which produces a ratio between dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine, the two enantiomers of amphetamine.

Compared to vyvanse:

Lisdexamfetamine is an inactive prodrug that is converted in the body to dextroamphetamine, a pharmacologically active compound which is responsible for the drug's activity.

So technically, Adderall is dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine. I can’t speak more to this because of my lack of knowledge but “dextro” and “levo” are “right” and “left”, basically meaning something like the left and right “versions” (wrong word) of the molecule. Vyvanse on the otherhand is just the right “version” (wrong word) of the molecule.

[–] junderwood 1 points 9 months ago

^^ An informative and very thoughtful comment ^^