Seeking help in Toronto

[Anonymous]

I am just reading the different comments on this topic. Currently I am going through the exercise of getting an assessment done.

However I live in New England but I am from the Toronto area and well aware of the issues of accessing services in the GTA.

ADHD testing is about the same cost here. Generally you need to have your GP make a referral. There is also a waiting time for psychiatrists who treat ADHD.

My opinion has changed since moving to the US with respect to paying for specialized assessment. You need to do your research on the Bilkey clinic (It sounds like some people who have commented already have first hand experience.) and make your own decision. The fees charged seem to be in the competitive range and if you are properly diagnosed and a treatment is developed you will be doing something that potentially may change your life for the better.

A comment was made on conflict of interest. You need to judge the clinic not on whether it is private (you pay) or public pay. based but on its reputation. Does it deliver in terms of health outcomes? Are the patients using the clinic seeing benefit from the assessment? The Bilkey clinic would not continue to be in business if it were not supported and of good quality. You still need to your homework

A Canadian example of a great private clinic is the Shouldice Hospital (GTA) that does hernia repair. It is considered one of the top hernia repair centers in the world.

The problem with the public system is there is enormous waiting time and the system does not guarantee you receive the best quality of care.

In my area I was able to get an appointment with a psychiatrist within a week. It was sheer luck as I called a major medical college teaching hospital and was able to get a referral to a private clinic. My insurance pays for the psych visit. If I end up being tested I will pay out of pocket. For me I want to receive treatment as soon as possible.

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[Anonymous]

Very well put, Robert.

Three of my close family members have had hernia operations at the Shouldice Clinic, one twice (my mom’s was a complicated situation and not the fault of the clinic). We’re fortunate to have such resources available to us, even if we have to pay for them.

I agree, the amount we spend on an assessment is peanuts compared to the quality of life that we can achieve once properly diagnosed. Take the total, divide it by the number of years/days you expect to live, and it’s a non-issue, unless you have no financial resources or harbour resentment towards those who make a living off our troubles.

I will be forever indebted to Dr Bilkey for his help in getting to the bottom of my life-long struggle. I still don’t think we have the full picture, and he’s going to be a vital part of assessing and diagnosing given more outside data regarding narcolepsy and my sleep patterns.

My GP dropped the ball in referring me for a sleep study (which was requested by Dr Bilkey but SHOULD have been requested by my GP). When I didn’t hear back from the first referral (which she supposedly faxed to our local hospital from her office in front of me), I pleaded with the office receptionist to refer me to another clinic locally where my husband had a quick turnaround (sleep apnea discovered in his study) – again zero response, I even called that clinic to check. I desperately went searching on the internet for somewhere, anywhere, where I could PAY for a sleep study. I would have travelled just about anywhere at this point. Money was the last thing on my mind.

Fortunately, I found a clinic in Toronto (as it turns out, where my mom went for her studies), and even though it took two months to get a consultation, my case was deemed URGENT and I got through the rest of the study and followup quickly, within 4 weeks. In the process, I was told to immediately stop driving, that’s how serious my situation really was, but I didn’t realize it.

I am no longer a fan of free services. My condition is not typical, the narcolepsy diagnosis has been missed before (20 years ago), my sleep condition has been ignored by my GP, and if I had not taken charge and driven a path to look into this myself with a top rate ADD psychiatrist and a good sleep specialist/psychiatrist, I think I would still be floundering through the system, waiting for it to serve me. Even if it turns out that there is zero ADHD, the $ I paid to Dr Bilkey will have been worth it to me because I know he has thoroughly looked at my condition from all aspects.

I’ve had good experience with other health care professionals like Dr B who keep up on the cutting edge of their profession (including lecturing) and who are willing to look outside of the box rather than following prescribed methods.

I’m also grateful to this site and the people on it, for taking the time to let us know about their experiences. We may not always agree, but we should be able to disagree respectfully. And I don’t think it’s right to slander anyone either.

I am now searching for a new GP. Can’t get one where I live because they will only take new residents to the city. So I am looking southward towards Toronto. Does anyone know of a GP that will accept new patients?

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[Anonymous]

Does anyone know a Physician in Toronto that treats adult ADHD? I have seen my family doctor and she’s having trouble finding a specialist within the North Toronto area (I live in Richmond Hill) to refer me to. I only have partial insurance coverage for Psychiatrist visits and I don’t have the financial means to shell out thousands of dollars just to get assessment. I have never thought it would be this hard to find a doctor! Help!

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[Ivriniel]

dmak0

It’s not North Toronto, but my family Doctor referred me to Doctor Dominic Dimanno at Credit Valley Hospital in Toronto. He’s a relatively newly graduated Psychiatrist, and I was the first adult with ADHD he had treated, but he does have experience with ADHD from working at Sick Kids.

I had a good experience with him.

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[Anonymous]

Thanks Ivriniel! I think I will give him a try! Does it cost you anything to see him?

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[Anonymous]

I don’t think that there will be any charge given Dr. Dimanno is practicing out of Credit Valley Hospital (in Mississauga)

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[Anonymous]

I was at an ADHD meeting that Dr. Jain spoke at here in Toronto. He told the group that one of the best ways to find a psychiatrist was to wait until the new grads were ‘released’ to the public on graduation day. If I remember correctly, he mentioned that they all start hanging their shingles up every year in July and were always anxious for new patients.

Unfortunately, July was just a few looooong months ago but it might be something for us to remember/keep in mind for any newbies that arrive next spring needing a psychiatrist.

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[Anonymous]

So helpful to find this site. My GP sent a referral to the START Clinic, I was put on waiting list and then a month later she was told no room even on the waiting list. Should I call my Employee Assistance program? Would this just be another referral that gets wait-listed? I was so excited to read about the ADHD Clinic at Yonge-Davisville and then read that they no longer take adults. I am willing to pay, even though resources are tight this is so important to me. Feeling very frustrated and do not know where to turn. ACE Clinics keep ‘advertising’ their services – any opinions, experiences with them?

Thanks in advance to anyone that replies.

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[Anonymous]

I just wanted to say thanks so much to all of you for replying!

I posted so long ago, and (typical add brain) completely forgot I’d even written anything on here!

But seriously, thanks everyone.

I ended up moving out to the country, (Uxbridge, ON) and finding a great GP.

Did a quick diagnosis (I told her about this website, she checked it out and was a huge fan. She had me do the online test on here in front of her!) and got onto treatment right away.

I am on Concerta, which my benefits from work covers. (note: ask for no sub! The generic was AWFUL!)

It has been great for me.

I am a painter/musician/jerk and have been insanely productive since my official diagnosis/treatment.

I still have all the usual ADD problems (irritability, short temper, incorrigibly charming…) but the concerta has been

a major boon to my ability to focus on things that don’t terribly excite me.

Once again, thanks so much for allyour help everyone!

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[Anonymous]

That’s right people- JULY 1st is Doctor Day (D Day). Doesn’t matter where you live, all new graduates are released on July 1st. Now any new doctor knows about ADHD because it is now on the college examinations. They have to learn it. So, get your F.D. primed to find out who is coming into town (ideally near you) and get the referrals going even by may or jUne because any new doctor will have been setting up their office etc. They will be ready to work on July 1st. Most often they bring their own patients into their practices from whereever they were doing residency so they don’t have to have an uphill fight to make a living.

Good news of course is that they will be happy to see you and will give you that extra TLC. If you don’t have a Family doc, this is also the day you get one.

Few months away is not long when it took you decades to get this way.

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[Author]

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