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Originally Posted by OhKay
Blue, I just want to congratulate you for making it through your bankruptcy hearing with flying colors despite all the bumps in the road. You should be very proud of yourself! I'm glad that you rewarded yourself with that Rocky Road ice cream! 
I would avoid your neighbor like the plague. Her decision not to take you to your hearing, and how she did it, showed her true colors, and really was a blessing in disguise. You have enough to worry about without her baggage dragging you down. It sounds like she is TOXIC and may also be dangerous.
Do you have more than one pet? I'm so sorry about your kitty's medical problems. By her behavior, she sounds almost feral. I'm sorry that because of what happened to her, she can't return your love (((HUGS)))
I know that some providers aren't listed when I search for one on my Medicare Advantage Plan because at the time the the list was made, usually at the end of the previous year, they were not accepting new patients. Sometimes that does change during the year tho. Sometimes it's worth a shot to call practices with more than one practitioner to see if anyone who takes your insurance is accepting new patients again because new ones may have joined them during the year, or other patients may have moved on so there are openings now. Around here, it is very common to wait months to get in to see a psych doctor, and it usually isn't a psychiatrist... most of the prescribers are NPs. I would make some phone calls because this new pdoc sounds like a jack***.
Yes, Vit. D is a fat soluble vitamin. But if he drew your level once, he could easily draw it again to make sure you are not over-supplementing, which would take months. If you have a medical doctor, he/she could monitor this for you, or you could just start the supplements, and insist your pdoc order more blood tests. You can't keep your Vit. D level in the basement now that you know that's where it's at.
As far as lithium goes, it is generally a safe medication, as long as your levels are being drawn regularly, you are being monitored for sx of toxicity and side effects, and your dose is being adjusted as needed. By refusing even a trial on lithium, your new pdoc is admitting that he doesn't trust himself to do that. It is a widely used drug that is effective for many people, and is associated with a low incidence of suicidality.
That being said, long story short, both my pdoc and PCP dropped the ball, and although I was aware that my levels were too high and I protested (I was full-blown manic most of this time), I now have CKD stage III (I have a condition called medullary nephocalcinosis), and the most likely cause is the lithium. But I stand by what I said above.
One option in lieu of taking one of the newer meds, is to piggyback more than one in a combination that you have not tried before. There must be a couple of meds that you have not had side effects from, and maybe one or two that you have had a little success with, but not enough? It could be a combination of an antidepressant and a mood stabilizer, or two ADs or MSs. I have exhausted almost all my options too, including most of the new meds. I can't take some of them because I can't take antidepressants because I'm Type I, so I know how it feels to be stuck in this spot, and also to risk (and to actually be in) the Medicare donut hole.
I don't know how this jack*** would feel about this approach though...
I hope he will be willing to give you more Klonopn. 1/2mg 2X day does not seem like enough for someone with Agoraphobia, and the amount of anxiety you are describing, to me
I am hoping for the best for you at the appointment with this new pdoc. I hope that he can come up with something that will turn out to be effective and affordable for you. If all the fanfare for him is justified, he should be capable of that (((HUGS))) |
WOW !!! OhKay you are remarkable in your attention to detail and the medication suggestions. What a wealth of knowledge you have at your fingertips.
I'll reply and try to keep it short. I did meet with my new psych doc and gave him my long list of complaints. He then went over every single med I have tried and the side effects, strengths, etc and compared everything with the new GenOMind Gene Study. He wants to start me back on the generic of Lamictal because it's a "cleaner" drug (here we go again. Then he is looking into the Ketamine nasal spray for me as well. He definitely had his thinking cap on today, but I think that was because I gave him my long list of laundry complaints that I was not getting good service.
I am going to contact my primary to request the Vitamin D - 50,000 mcg with regular blood tests from her. He wants to see my numbers up to 50, which is a smidge outside of the range. I had to ask for this, so will have to keep a running list of needs with him.
Next week he will write in a prescription for Clonazepam. He will not write more than .5 mg 2X a day. I asked why and he said that Clonazepam at higher doses causes Depression. I countered that I need the extra for emergencies, which he agreed, so next week when I see him again, will argue this fact with him, to please write me a script for more.
I am done with my neighbor. I have kicked her off Facebook, blocked her phone calls and texts and emails. When I run into her in the hallway, will just walk away and not acknowledge her. I worked very hard with this friendship, there was nothing I would not do for her and now this, after 2 years. Then I found out last week, to add angst to everything another close friend who lives here and whom we shared mental health information about, blast texted many of the residents that live here about all we talk about, so now the whole community knows about my mental health. I confronted her about this, more so that I now know what she has done. No wonder no one wants anything to do with me or stares too long at me. I wish I could move, but I have to wait 2 years until after discharge of my bankruptcy to do that. So, I have been betrayed by two very close friends and I don't believe I did anything to warrant that kind of behavior.
I only have my 12 month old kitty. He will never recover. When it gets too expensive or too much for my mental health, I will speak at length to my vet. Oh and BTW, my friend who refused to take me to bk hearing yesterday is the one who would take me to my vets and insist that she accompany me while the exam was conducted by my vet on my kitty. She sat in for a year in all exams and was very determined to sit in each one. I never understood why, other than thinking she was being a good friend because she insisted on taking me to her vet. Now I have to think she may have had more sinister reasons (sorry to sound paranoid).
Thank you for the tip to keep checking my list of providers, will do that randomly throughout the week going forward. I do need to start seeing a therapist.
Thank you for the "atta-boy" and pat on the back for getting thru the bankruptcy hearing all by myself. As I sat downstairs waiting for my paratransit only did, did I realize the levity of what I accomplished all by myself. If I had gone with my neighbor and actually made it there, it may have been fun, but I would never have been able to feel this level of accomplishment. I tried to treat myself to a UBER ride home but UBER had no available drivers for the time I needed. Tomorrow taking an UBER to Walgreens to pick up my medication "all by myself".
OhKay, I am deeply sorry to hear of your condition. Are you on Dialysis now? Are you off Lithium? Being in a manic state makes it very difficult to access our executive processes and advocate for ourselves, but you tried. What is your prognosis?
Hopefully, the Lamictal will help with seizure control/migraine and mood. Will start tomorrow. Any suggestions with Lamictal?
((( hugs back at ya )))
Blue