ADHD and Overdue Appointments: How to Get Back on Track

You remember the dentist at 10:30 p.m., the blood test in the middle of work and the prescription when there are only a few days left. By the time you can do something about it, the thought has gone. Then the appointment is overdue, and you have to work out what to say as well as when to call.

Start with the healthcare task that could affect you soonest. One call or message can get an appointment booked, tell you how soon you need to be seen or clarify what the clinic needs from you. In this article, we look at how to rebook after a delay, make it easier to show up and keep track of what happens next.

🧭 Start with one overdue appointment

When several things are overdue, ask which delay could interrupt your care. The appointment that has been waiting longest may have a different timeline from a test or review your clinician needs soon.

💊 Your medication might run out. Contact the prescriber or pharmacy as soon as you notice the gap. Tell them how much you have left and ask what to do next.
🩺 You missed a test or review linked to ongoing care. Tell the clinic what was due and ask how soon it needs to happen. A blood test can have different time limits depending on why it was ordered.
📅 You have routine care to book. Choose one appointment and name the next action, such as calling your dentist during lunch or requesting an appointment through the clinic’s portal.

If new or worsening symptoms make you unsure how soon you need care, contact the relevant healthcare service for advice. If you think you need urgent or emergency care, use the appropriate local service directly. NHS guidance on urgent and emergency care

Once you’ve chosen the first task, open just the last message about it. For an overdue blood test, look for who ordered it and which contact details they gave you. That gives you somewhere to start without searching through your whole inbox.

📞 What to say when an appointment is overdue or you missed it

The first sentence can be the hardest part. You can use one of these as a phone script or adapt it for a message.

🦷 Overdue checkup. “Hi, I’m overdue for a dental checkup and would like to book one. What appointments do you have available?”
🔄 Missed appointment. “Hi, I missed my follow-up and would like to reschedule. Is there anything I need to do before I can rebook?”
🩸 Overdue test or referral. “I was asked to arrange [test or appointment], and it’s overdue. Can you tell me if the request is still valid and how soon I should book?”

If the clinic asks what happened, you can say, “I lost track of the appointment and would like to reschedule.” If they say you need a new referral, ask who needs to request it and whether there’s anything you need to do in the meantime.

When a call feels hard to start, put the number, your opening line and two times you’re available in one place. If the clinic offers an online booking form or secure message for routine requests, you can use that channel. After sending a message, note when the clinic expects to reply and set a reminder to check back.

Sometimes the appointment itself is what you’re putting off. If you’re anxious about the dentist, say so when you book and ask how breaks work. If cost is the concern, ask what the first visit is likely to cost and when payment is due. NHS guide to dental visits

If sound, touch or uncertainty about the procedure is part of the dread, see Going to the Dentist When You’re Autistic.

🧠 Why appointments pile up with ADHD

“Book the dentist” can mean finding the number, calling during opening hours, deciding which time you can actually attend and saving the confirmation. When your portal password fails or the clinic offers a slot you can’t take, you have to pick the task up again later. That extra step is easy to miss because it was never in the plan.

Remembering something exists and remembering to act on it at a useful time are separate demands. In an experiment on prospective memory, or remembering to carry out a future intention, the largest difference between adults with and without ADHD was in planning the task. Differences in recalling and carrying out the plan were smaller. You can remember that you need an appointment many times and still have no plan for when or how to book it (Fuermaier et al., 2013).

The difficulty can continue after booking. A study of records from 136 Scottish general practices found that adults with recorded ADHD missed visits at a higher rate, even after researchers accounted for how many appointments they had scheduled (McQueenie et al., 2024).

Delay can also add shame. You may spend more time rehearsing an explanation for the gap than thinking about what you need from the clinic. If the thought of explaining is what stops you, write your first sentence down and read it when you call. You can start by asking about an appointment.

📅 Set reminders for the action you need to take

⏰ If you still need to book

Set the reminder for when the clinic is open and you have a realistic chance of calling. Put the number and the next action in the reminder itself. For example, Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. — call the clinic and ask if my blood test request is still valid.

If you think of it at bedtime, you can set that reminder while the details are still in your head. If you hit a snag during the call, write down what you learned and update the reminder. Clinic line closed. Try the booking number at 9 a.m. gives you somewhere to start next time.

🚪 Once you have a confirmed appointment

Before accepting a time, check that it works with your transport, work or childcare. Once it’s confirmed, put the time, address or video link, preparation instructions and the rescheduling number in your calendar while you have the details in front of you.

Then work backward. A 10 a.m. appointment might mean leaving at 9:20 and stopping what you’re doing at 9:00. If the clinic asks you to bring documents or follow preparation instructions, set a separate reminder early enough to handle those. For a video visit, an early alert can give you time to find the link and sign in.

If the clinic offers text reminders, ask to receive them at a number you check. A Cochrane review found that appointment text reminders improved attendance in the healthcare settings studied. Your own calendar can cover the earlier steps, such as arranging a ride or leaving work on time (Gurol-Urganci et al., 2013).

🔁 Make the follow-up clear before you leave

“We’ll follow up soon” can mean the clinic will contact you, or it can mean you need to do something first. Before you leave or hang up, ask three short questions.

📋 “What’s the next step?”
📆 “When does it need to happen?”
👤 “Who arranges it, and whom should I contact if I haven’t heard back?”

If you can book the next visit while you’re there, you save yourself another round of calls. If you’re waiting for a result or referral, put the agreed check-in date in your calendar before moving on. A note like Check with the clinic about the referral on Friday if there’s no update tells you what to do when the reminder appears.

💊 Put refills on a separate timeline

Ordering a prescription, having it approved and getting the medication are separate steps. NICE’s ADHD guideline highlights remembering to order and collect medication as two places where people may need support (NICE, NG87).

If a review is overdue and you’re running low, you can say, “I have about [number] days of [medication] left, and my review is overdue. What do I need to do now?” If you’ve run out or already missed doses, tell the pharmacist or prescriber and ask what to do about your next dose. The options can vary by medication and where you live. NHS guidance on emergency prescriptions

For next time, ask how much lead time to allow and whether you need a review before the next prescription can be issued. Then set the reminders around the steps you’ll need to take (NHS, How to order a repeat prescription).

📦 Check your supply. Attach it to something you already do, such as a regular grocery order.
📩 Request the refill. Use the lead time your provider or pharmacy gives you, including time for any review they require.
🛍️ Collect it or confirm delivery. Add pickup to your calendar once you know it’s ready, or note when the delivery is expected.

🌱 Keep track when several things are overdue

Use a single note you’ll actually see. It can be three lines long.

☎️ To contact — Call dentist at lunch Wednesday.
⏳ Waiting — Sent a referral message. Clinic expects a reply by Friday.
🗓️ Booked — Checkup confirmed. Address and departure time in calendar.

The distinction between to contact and waiting helps when you can’t remember whether you already sent a message. Review the note when you have a brief window to act, so you can call or check a reply while the task is in front of you.

On a difficult day, ask someone you trust to sit with you while you make the call, or ask the clinic if it can send the instructions in writing. If transport is the main barrier, your next call might be to someone who can give you a ride. Then you can give the clinic two times you can realistically get there.

🪞 Reflection questions

🧭 Where does my follow-through usually break down, and what would make that part easier?
🤝 What could I ask the clinic or someone I trust to help with?
📅 What could I set up now that would still help on a low-energy day?

🧭 Where to go next

🧠 ADHD Executive Function Guide
🗂️ Why Life Admin Feels So Hard for Neurodivergent Adults
🪞 ADHD Personal Profile course

📚 References

📋 McQueenie, R., et al. (2024). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and serial missed appointments in general practice.
🧠 Fuermaier, A. B. M., et al. (2013). Complex prospective memory in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
📱 Gurol-Urganci, I., et al. (2013). Mobile phone messaging reminders for attendance at healthcare appointments.
💊 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis and management, NG87.
🧾 NHS. How to order a repeat prescription.