I could not afford my doctor due to loss of job/insurance and applied and qualified for county mental health care. Today was my first appointment. I was so impressed - a very caring, knowledgeable, attentive and poised lady who spent more than an hour with me and told me that follow-up appointments would be for 30 minutes (that is a LOT!). She told me to quit Lamictal gradually and otherwise do what I am doing. I have tremendous tremor from Depakote and I halved the dose while waiting for the new doctor, to see if it helps - she told me I did the right thing.

She, in turn, was impressed with how knowledgeable I was. I told her I frequent this forum, and read up. That is why.

I am so relieved that she is good and that we established rapport - when your life depends on this person, she better be good.

I suspected myself that I do not need Lamictal because I only get situational depressions, not endogenous ones. If indeed I am fine without it, it would mean that I took an unneeded medication for 5 years. Not that it had side effects, but still.