A question about PDoc's authority
 

Waves put up a thread about her pdoc advising against travel and that reminded me of something my pdoc said to me when I was still manic. One of the meds he prescribed for me was 200 mg of seroquel twice a day and it was incapacitating me. And the pdoc said that's really what he wanted giving the stuff that I had so recently done:(

But my wife and I both knew that I was back to my senses, even though my motor was still running some., I was freely admitting the craziness of my actions and I was the first to admit that I was done with that. Of course this was the visit where the pdoc told me I was irrellevant :eek:

So my wife and I were both trying to do away with that morning dose so that I could get some things done around the house. Some people might love to be drunk ALL THE TIME, but it really ain't for me. But he said basically that I could do it at home his way or go back to the hospital.

Of course he said NO DRIVING, and basically I couldn't! But here's my question, he said if I drove, since he had advised me not to, that my insurance would not cover me....is that true, or was that just a scare tactic?

Hi, Curly,
I don't know about the insurance. That sounds like a scare tactic. In some states people with epilepsy are not allowed to drive based on information from a doctor.

When some one is first diagnosed they need to follow the pdoc's instructions. The pdoc does not know the patient's condition well enough yet to determine how safe they are at some level of mania verses full blown mania.
This is why people work to develop years long relationships with their pdocs -- so they and the pdoc can learn to trust them.

How long did you stay on the extra dose of Seroquel that you wanted to stop? It seems that if you were seeing the pdoc every week or two, he would have noticed you coming down from the mania and started lowering the dose.

In other words, SOMETIMES in the beginning of a relationship, being on too much medication is part of the process of coming back down out of mania. The pdoc does not want to cut the dose at the first sign of a normal mood. He wants to wait until he sees a new pattern emerging.

Pdoc's do have legal authority to put people in the hospitals. I guess you know that already.

M

Hey Mari,

It makes sense that the pdoc could have you legally commited, but that's never happened to me...yet:D I guess I was close on my "irrelevant" visit. :eek:

He was simply doing what his training told him to do. He knew that I had taken myself out of the hospital earlier, so since we didn't know each other well, he wasn't gonna take any chances. He basically said I could go back to the hospital where they would keep me sedated, or stay at home and be sedated.

But my wife does have a long relationship with me and she did know I was mucho betta. She knew I was not out of the woods yet but she also was wanting me to get rid of that morning dose. I was basically sleeping 20 hours a day.

I'm not questioning anything he did professionally...only thing I think he did wrong was when he told me I was irrelevant :cool:

I was just curious about the insurance coverage thing.

Thanks

My pdoc of 9 years, when I told her how much I was drinking she threatened to discharge me....it worked...she scared me to stop drinking for 4 months...then on mardi gras I started drinking again...in moderation....now I am not drinking as much because it is so expensive to drink!

in regards to your pdoc...I don't know if he can prevent you from driving...if you did and he told you not to ....he could discharge you...AMA against medical advice, in the hospital they would sign a release of liability if someone went ama.
but I really don't know the anwser to your question...sorry.
I take the maximum amount of geodon daily as a preventative to mania. It doesn't make me sleepy at all. it is an antipsychotic. like you I am bp1.
bizi

I can't answer your question either. Other than to say, until my son
(Devin) was given the green light to drive when he was maybe diagnosed
with seizures. He was not allowed to drive. If he had, he would have gotten
a ticket, and our insurance, he was still part of our plan. Would not have
covered him.

He would have ended up in jail if caught. And had lots of bills. Not a pretty
picture.

My guess is if your doctor, got a letter from the insurance company, because
of a accident. That you would not have gotten paid, for the accident.

The car or the other person insurance either one.

If that makes sense.


I just went through something like this. And the accident wasn't my fault.
But the other person's insurance adjuster, just no clue what he was
doing. Tried keeping not doing the right thing, by saying he didn't have
my medical records, so he wouldn't, couldn't pay my settlement.


(Note: Today thanks to help from Hubby, and the supervisor, I got my
answers for the settlement. Everything was there)
:grouphug:


Donna

I'm not sure it's an insurance question.
 

Many years ago, Florida didn't issue drivers' licenses to anyone who had seizures, with or without medication. I would hope that has changed, but I don't know.

Hi Curly,
He was using that as a warning. It was in the record that he advised you not to drive. If it is in there he felt that he is covered if you did drive against his advice and caused an accident, then the insurance could deny the claim or drop you.

He could have and should have legally sent a document to the State to suspend your license until medically fit. It was nice of him not to do that and he trusted you to understand not to drive.
Nice to say hello and to meet you on the site.
Di

Bizi, I'll take a look at that geodon. What the pdoc wanted me to take was 200mg of seroquel twice a day. And it was wiping me out. Now I'm taking 100 mg of seroqel xr (time released) at night and I'm pretty much fine with that. Although some days I am very sleepy til noon or so. Nothing like the "keep him sedated" dose. But I understand why he did it. Does geodon help you sleep? That's one of the good things about serequel...I'm a terrible insomniac:cool:

I knew someone pretty recently that had a seizure and he had his licence suspended for 6 months.

DiMarie, thanks, and no I did not drive while I was taking the dose in the morning...slept a lot though.

The geodon doesn't help with sleep. I take 1mg of klonipin to sleep. works like a charm. I am taking lamictal 200mg at night, 80mg of geodon twice a day and then the klonipin to sleep. my stress level is really low for my work, am self employed and work with the elderly. My first manic occured after a month of being on a birth control shot and a high stress job. after that I have been manic related to anti depressants usage...and high stress episodes. oh and going off all meds:eek:...
~sigh
bizi

Dear Curly,

When I used to have to be at work at 7:00 a.m. I took my pills (Sinequan) at 5 or 6 in the afternoon. The timing helped somewhat.

M.

I just got back from the mdoc after having my bloodwork read. He said the lithium levels are dead center, which works for me. We're also gonna cut the seroquel in half and see how 50mg a night does me.

Mari - I take my meds at 9:00pm and we go to bed at 10:00pm. By 10:00pm I am falling asleep on the couch many nights, so I'm not sure I can move up "taking my meds" without also moving up "going to bed". But it can happen if it needs to!

Dear Curly,
That's good about the lithium and the Seroquel.

Try taking your meds a two or three hours earlier and going to bed earlier.
It's a suggestion. (Maybe getting up won't be so hard with the lowered dose of Seroquel? Is that what you are expecting? I am not personally familiar with Seroquel.
This might sound weird, but you kind of have to have a conversation with your med and ask them to help you get to your job.
M

Yes, I'm expecting less seroquel = less sleepy in the morning. But regardless, I'll have that talk with lithium and seroquel on the way to work in the morning :D

What a cool idea! I'm definitely gonna do that. Light refreshments, of course. :circlelove: