We think they fell out of her backpack . We only just arrived in Japan today so they could be in any airport, on any train, they could be back home in Australia.
**What are her chances of booking in with a doctor here and getting prescribed the same meds (Escitalopram)? And how much would that appointment cost?**
She’s already really struggling with culture shock, home sickness (it’s her first time overseas) and the busy-ness of Tokyo. She’s been physically sick all day from anxiety and if she has to go through medication withdrawal on top of it, I think we might just have to fly home early instead.
On a side note, she said the one place she felt ok was Hamari Kyu gardens. If anyone has recs for chill, gentle places we can try to go, those would be appreciated.
30 comments
Shinjuku national garden and Akasaka palace
Area is nice. I went there on my first day in Tokyo to ease into, 9 days later in Japan I still get overwhelmed at times.
I feel for her, If I didn’t have my nightly Ativan I would freak out.
If you have travel insurance (you may have some through a credit card even if you didn’t explicitly buy travel insurance) call the japan number listed in your insurance and see if they can help you.
Shinjuku Gyoen Park is enormous and pretty. It would be fairly easy to find a secluded corner somewhere to chill. There are also others like Yoyogi Park, Imperial Palace, Ueno Park, etc. Simply Google “tokyo best parks” and just take a taxi to one of them.
Try Rikugien, it’s really calming.
Edit: It’s a park, not a drug.
Does she have documentation from the person prescribing / medication list for travel? That would help in getting a new script.
Private clinics that speak English would be more likely to help. The king clinic were great and prescribed me medication but seem to be closed permanently now. Would set you back $200 ish. Usually on site pharmacy as well.
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
小石川後楽園
Her medication is available in Japan.
I just went to a hospital last week (to translate) with someone whose’s traveling, to get Zoloft as their trip has been extended. The process will be the same I would assume.
There’s a charge for a first time patient not on Japanese health insurance, in our case 7000 yen, the usual examination fee and then the meds. It was around 10,000 total for the hospital and 9400 for tne prescription. The medication cost may vary, but it gives you an idea. This was a public city hospital, a private one can charge you more. We got a quote that was 10,000 yen higher at a private clinic before we went to the city hospital. Request English receipts so you can apply to your health insurance when you get back home, to see if you can get some of it reimbursed.
I’m in the Kansai area so I have no idea about hospitals or clinics in Tokyo. I’m sure someone can point you to a provider.
It’s エスシタロプラム（レクサプロ）in Japanese. Ask for the generic, it will be cheaper.
Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic. Like 17,000 yen or so for the consultation and meds. They’ve got a couple of foreign docs working each day, so no issues with language.
I’m coming to Tokyo for work from Australia Wednesday night. As a last resort if you can get her doctor to prescribe an e-script I may be able to bring it for you. However I’d have to look into legalities etc to make sure I’m not contravening any laws (sure I’m not but as I’m working I’d need to be careful).
Looks like you’re better off trying to find a local doctor but if you get stuck let me know.
There’s a list of English speaking clinics here: [https://www.alljapanrelocation.com/living-guides/hospitals/](https://www.alljapanrelocation.com/living-guides/hospitals/). As others have said, talk to your insurers, but if you want to contact clinics directly, here’s a list.
A friend of mine is Westerner who lives in Japan, and he’s found psychiatric services to be very good. Medicine is not particularly expensive (certainly not by US standards, but I don’t know about Australian).
I assume you’re in Tokyo. Someone mentioned the Shinjuku National Garden which is lovely and serene. (My daughter also has anxiety and we knew we would find the Tokyoness of Tokyo quite stressful, so a trip there was lovely, and well worth it).
I used to be prescribed that. If you can’t get a doc appt, I’d recommend going to any drug store and buying L-Theanine (this is the one they usually have https://www.asahi-gf.co.jp/special/nenaito/). Take 400mg to really calm down. You can also buy GABA and take a bunch as well, though it’s less effective than theanine. Also magnesium. If she needs a super powerful cocktail that is easy to get, then do
-400mg L-Theanine
-800mg GABA
-500mg-1g Magnesium
All of that is completely safe to take (both alone and in combination) and will really pull things down. I have crippling anxiety so I know any and all supps that work. Ashwagandha would be great too, but nobody really carries that in Japan.
Also, maybe worth contacting your embassy. They can probably help with English speaking docs etc.
For quiet ish places. Hibiya park is nice. Honestly anywhere with a greenery/walking path along the Sumida is really nice and quiet in my experience. So if you’re near Asakusa go toward the river. If you’re closer to like Ginza, head toward Tsukishima and then walk backwards toward the river and get on one of the walking paths.
Shinjuku garden, Odaiba near the beach, Naka-meguro also along the river (can’t remember the name offhand but it’s between buildings and also kind of is walkable.
Sorry I can’t help with the medical piece, but would highly recommend these gardens in Tokyo for a chill, afternoon stroll. Kiyosumi Gardens & Mukojima-Hyakkaen Gardens 🌿
I have some spare tablets I could give you! I’ve messaged you – dm me if you need to!
Call your doctor, get the prescription refilled, and have someone courier it over to your hotel?
https://japanhealthinfo.com/how-can-i-get-my-foreign-prescription-refilled/
We googled English speaking clinics in Japan and it was a godsend. My husband needed some antibiotics for an infection he got while in Japan and it was much needed.
I second contacting your embassy if you’re having trouble finding and explaining anything due to language barriers.
For your side question on gentle places, I’m on anxiety medication myself and still had a tough time every now and then on my trip. Cat cafes really helped me relax in Tokyo! There was also one night where for dinner I just bought some bento from Lawson and ate in my hotel room so I could have a break from everything. Wishing her luck!
I don’t know what your itinerary is while you’re in Japan, but I’m sure you’ve got a giant list of places you want to visit while you’re there. It’s been AGES since I was last in Japan (20+ years) but when I lived out there, I really enjoyed going to Inokashira Park in Kichijoji eating at the local yakitori restaurant and go for nice walks around the lake there.
Good luck with the meds and hope you guys have a great trip!
Life long anxiety sufferer here…I know nothing works like the prescription med but if you can find some Benadryl or heartburn medication…it sounds weird but they do help . Settles the stomach and calms you …it will at least take the edge off enough to help with the symptoms
Im in Okinawa and spent several days in Kyoto/Osaka. Check into telehealth, it was a local option offered by my travel insurance when I thought I might need a med refill while here.
I suspect medication issues are a common problem when traveling to foreign countries. I can only imagine that your embassy would have recommendations on what to do in such a situation. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to call them and ask.
I wish you both the best of luck. Anxiety is one of the worst feelings!
I walked into a “doctors” office, was seen within 20 minutes.
Used my translator to explain about my anxiety issues.
Gave me a script, went downstairs, had it filled.
All that took about and hour and around $30 (US dollars) that was for visit & meds!!!
The Japanese medical system is very good & reasonable
Theres an American clinic in Tokyo called American Tokyo Clinic – try giving them a call.
In the UK a doctor can send a prescription to a pharmacy or hospital near where you are. I had this happen once in America and my doctors were able to send a script to a pharmacy within 12 hours. I was also told that in many countries I can take my repeat prescriptions form to a hospital and they’ll fill it if I lose them etc. Not sure if it works for Australia too, but worth asking. Good luck
As people mentioned – other gardens like Rikugien and Koishikawa Korakuen can feel very peaceful.
Aoyama Cemetery, Meguro River walk (from Meguro to Sky Garden), Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum might be other places than gardens that might be also very good (and fairly quiet) days out.
She may find shrines peaceful and away from the busy-ness. They were very much a breath of fresh air when I visited.
She needs her meds. That’s an SSRI, not a controlled substance, so she should be able to get it replaced
Hi. This may not help but here’s my advise as a long time tour guide. Japan is a very orginised country so if you have an idea of where the meds may have fallen (the airport, train etc) and know someone who can speak Japanese or are stayin in a hotel where the front office staff speak good English, get them to call the “Lost and Found” office at each location. And yes train services also have lost and found. If you can describe the item, where and when you may have lost them there is a big chance the medicine will be found. Feom there you may just have to go to a Lost and found office OR (and this is a great option if you are going out of Tokyo soon) they can ship them to your next accomodation. Good luck
If its a train be sure to be VERY specific with which train it was and where you were sitting, where you got on anf off and so forth.