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Please let me know if you all have had similar experiences and suggestions regarding psychotropics meds and doctor bias against the "mentally ill". I have been taking Xanax XR for well over ten years at 3 mg. The dose has remained at 3mg for almost that entire period of time. I have had the therapy continuity through every doctor I have seen over that period of time. I feel very upset, dissapointed, and worried about whether I am going to be dealing with sudden withdrawal effects since it is becoming extremely difficult for me to continue what has been working for me for all of this time. I struggle with being hyper-sensitive to stimuli. As a result, I get startled very easily. I feel overwhelmed by everything at once. This has resulted in panic disorder in which I can just start having an escalated startle response at seemingly random times.
Anyway I digress. The primary care physician I had was very understanding and supportive of my treatment. One would think that if it isn't broken, why fix it? When I've tried well over a dozen different medications (including SSRI's) and they didn't help anywhere else, why change everything? Well, the physician I was seeing is apparently having a dispute with the company he has been working with. Therefore, he has decided to take some time off to deal with this apparently financial issue. So now I have seen his colleague and therapy has continued smoothly for my medications. Right? Not so much. He has decided I need to have a psychiatrist monitor my medications. All of the other medications, save Concerta, are not altered by the doc. One of them, Lyrica, is even a controlled substance as well. He doesn't have a problem with that. Speaking of Concerta, I need to see a psychiatrist for that as well. Nevermind the fact that it is used for daytime sleepiness first and ADD on a secondary level. I have taken it over a year. I feel so angry about the fact that it's perfectly ok to him to just brush me off and send me to a specialist without even an explanation. All of this was handled through his PA. I have an appointment with this doc in 2 days. My wife has not had any trouble having Lorotabs prescribed for her for her pain. Why not send her to a "pain specialist". I am not given a reason.
Well, I go see my psychiatrist. I arrive at my appointment after using most of my fuel. The office manager gets upset with me asking about seeing where the over 90 day policy is in writing. If I were at any other one of my doctors and ask such a question, they would simply respond. I was being very polite and respectful. Instead of getting to see my psychiatrist, the office manager unilaterally says I can't see my psychiatrist. When I mention that I don't mind waiting to speak to my doc or arranging to see her later about this situation, she threatens to get the security guards to escort me out. This has never happened to me. I'm taken aback. It seems like I am treated like pond scum for daring to as a question that a "normal person" would ask.
To get to my main concern, what am I supposed to do? What do I say to the doc on Monday when I see the doctor? What do I say to keep from coming across as someone looking like a desperate addict despite no record of any abuse of any drugs, ever! I can't afford to see a psychiatrist on a regular basis. Is there any organization that could help? I really don't know what to do.
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