´ó¿§¸£ÀûÓ°Ôº

cccmedia wrote:

Psychotropic meds must be prescribed by a specialist, who writes a "receta especial" that is honored at farmacias.

In Quito, contact my personal physician, Dr. Ney Dolberg.

Office at Leonidas Plaza N23-224 y Veintimilla
Telephone: 2223047 or 2223015.  For local call, dial 02 preceding.

An office visit costs $50.

cccmedia in Quito

What about mental health clinics in Ecuador? Do you have any knowledge or info on that CCC?
Mostly, am just curious. My youngest sister has mental health issues. Is something that I take very seriously. My personal thought would be that Ecuador is probably not very advanced in the mental health field. No offense to Ecuador in that regard. Most countries are still in the dark ages when it comes to recognizing, and treating mental health issues.

j600rr wrote:

What about mental health clinics in Ecuador? Do you have any knowledge or info on that, CCC?....
My personal thought would be that Ecuador is probably not very advanced in the mental health field.

My "receta" meds are just for a sleep issue, and I have not had any need to seek out an Ecuadorian mental health clinic personally.

There's an issue beyond your thought that EC may not be advanced in mental health treatment.  That issue is language.

Certainly, Ecuador's (mental) health facilities are not set up to accomodate Expats whose espanol abilities are limited.  In spite of occasional comments on the Internet that some town or sector is "overrun with Gringos," the truth is that Expats make up only a tiny of percentage of the resident population.  (Vilcabamba could be the exception.)

If I had a mental health issue, I would not seek out an Ecuadorian clinic;  I would look instead for a qualified Expat to assist me in discussing the issue(s), to avoid the language-barrier issue.  His or her assistance might have to be supplemented by pill-prescriptions from an Ecuadorian specialist such as Dr. Dolberg.

I agree that most countries -- maybe all countries -- are backwards in treating mental health issues.  IMO drugs are over-prescribed in the United States.  And, once meds are prescribed, doctors in the U.S. and elsewhere are reluctant to stop them for a patient.  Doctors often have to be prodded into even reducing the dosage of an already-prescribed medicine.

cccmedia in Quito

Okie dokie sue wrote:

Thanks for the info ccc. I'm wondering if there is a clinic closer to Canoa and also I'm wondering about how the phone numbers work from USA to EC .
Ps.  Does Dr speak English?

Better to ask Leonard about doctors near the coast.  That's his geographical area and he may have personal experience with doctors or clinics there.

There's information about dialing to Ecuador from the USA, for instance at howtocallabroad.com ...  However, I think a non-espanol speaker would do as well or better (less frustration) in trying to set up medical stuff, by waiting until they arrived in Ecuador.  Most good doctors will know enough English, especially in understanding you, but the receptionist who answers your call probably will not be able to communicate in English.

In the meantime, you might work on the language needed to set up an appointment (days of the week, time of day, as examples).

"Quisiera una cita con el medico (MED-ee-koh) para conseguir una receta especial.  Es posible jueves por la tarde...."
(I would like an appointment with the doctor to get a special prescription.
Is he available Thursday afternoon....)

A couple of additional notes about Dr. Dolberg's office.  Similar to many offices in Ecuador, they go to lunch from 1 to 3 p.m. and the phone may not be answered during lunchtime.  Also, the office once gave me an email address of ney.dolberg@gmail.com ... However, the one time I tried to use email to set up an appointment, my email was not answered.  So don't depend on the email approach being successful.  Typically, the receptionist answers the phone consistently, on weekdays outside of the lunch hours.

By the way, many medicines prescribed in Ecuador go by names that are different from the names used in the USA.  Also, the generic form of any given medicine is likely to be the one prescribed in Ecuador.  During your office visit, the doctor can look up the appropriate name for the medicine(s).  Pharmacists are also helpful in this regard.

cccmedia in Quito

Okie dokie sue wrote:

Are there any mental health clinics in EC ?
I need to find a clinic or doctor that will prescribe refills for my psych meds.  I also take meds for arthritis and hormone replacement.  I am 41 yr female on disability for depression.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Have you considered what kind of Ecuador visa you might qualify for? You would need a residency visa to live in Ecuador.

More visa information can be found on the pinned post in the forum.

New online Ecuador guide: /forum/viewtopic.php?id=379032

Lizardo wrote:

We also buy sleeping pills over the counter....You cannot get Ambien here, maybe by a dr. But there are local brands over the counter, for sleeping. They change often, but just say similar n they will understand. We are in Cuenca, which is a large city. Dr. appts. run $25-$35.

The sleeping pill atarax, aka hydroxizina, is available over-the-counter at some farmacias.  It was prescribed for me, but I have never had to show a prescription to get it.  Sleep medications should not be obtained and used without a doctor's supervision.

As mentioned earlier, for the psychotropic medicines sometimes used for sleeping, a special "receta" must be issued by a doctor who is a specialist.  For this purpose, I have visited two different specialists in different years.  Ambien, in a generic form, WAS available.

Each specialist charged $50 for an office visit in Quito.

cccmedia in Quito

msklopfer wrote:

Just ran into this conversation and wanted to add that Dr. Fred Klopfer in Cuenca is a licensed psychologist in the U.S. and licensed in Ecuador. He sees clients on a regular basis, and you can visit his blog....

Signed,
Mrs. Fred Klopfer

Jeisens0719 wrote:

Looking for info on psychiatric services in Quito area.  Am considering a trip followed by a move.

It's a smart decision to visit first. A friend of mine’s wife who has completely changed after having a baby (highs and lows, apathetic towards her own baby) has not been properly diagnosed. One mental health professional thinks it's due to pre-menopause (btw she's only 30) and another believes it's due to a childhood trauma.

Another friend who is a student in this field said the perception in Ecuador is that if someone sees a psychologist they automatically assume that person is crazy. There’s a lot of ignorance concerning mental health here and developing countries in general. My point is get your business in order before you move because you are taking a drastic step down. I hear Chile and Argentina are more advanced in mental healthcare.

vsimple wrote:

Another friend who is a student in this field said the perception in Ecuador is that if someone sees a psychologist they automatically assume that person is crazy. There’s a lot of ignorance concerning mental health here and developing countries in general. My point is get your business in order before you move because you are taking a drastic step down. I hear Chile and Argentina are more advanced in mental healthcare.

Have mentioned before that I have a family member with mental illness. There is still a lot of ignorance in the developed countries about mental health as well, or at least in the U.S. The treatment and education has really advanced in the last decade, and the stigma has gotten somewhat better, but many people are still very misinformed. Education is the key.

@Okie dokie sue

Your question is now over ten year old.  But here's what I do in 2025.

What I find now, in 2025, is that ANY Quito pharmacist will refill prescriptions when I take my original bottles to a pharmacist.  No questions asked.  And I take medications for Post Traumatic Stress and Major Depressive Disorders.  The prescribing psychiatrist was a V. A. psychiatrist practicing in the United States.

If you have prescription bottles with labels that come from the United States, pharmacists, at least in Quito, will honor them and will re-fill without having an Ecuadorian doctor (psychiatrist) having to give you new prescriptions.

I've re-filled prescriptions through the pharmacies on many occasions.  I've been in Quito for over five years now. 

I've NEVER gone to an Ecuadorian psychiatrist for a prescription!

I am a 100%, service-connected, compensated, United States veteran (Vietnam War Era) and when I need to contact my U. S. psychiatrist, I call the Cincinnati, Ohio VAMC.  I have a U. S. sim card and call toll-free.  I've not had to have any psychotropic medications "adjusted" and have merely consulted with my psychiatrist, discussing specific, stressful situations. 

Again, I merely take my prescription bottles to a local, Quito pharmacy where a pharmacist re-fills my prescriptions.

If something SERIOUS comes up, I travel back to the Cincinnati VAMC and get medical (and dental) services there.  V. A. medical and dental services are a part of my "package" compensation.

I hope that my post here is helpful. . . .

John

@Okie dokie sue

Lizardo (09 March 2015 20:16:26), is correct about taking your empty pill boxes or bottles with the exact medications listed on them to a pharmacy.  The pharmacists refill prescriptions without you having to go to another doctor to get new prescriptions, this includes psychotropic medications.  I do this all the time.