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Originally Posted by CANDC
Elorahd, welcome to Psych Central. I am sorry you are suffering from depression. I wonder if you have told your new doctor about your sleeplessness and depression. These are yellow flags that if left untreated can worsen and become more disruptive of your life.
Is your new doctor a psychiatrist? Having a psychiatrist that is comfortable with medication as a treatment plan is important. They can also be far more knowledgeable about psych issues. Medications can prevent episodes that can lead to hospitalization.
I am not qualified nor do I intend to advise you what to do, but I do have a friend that has been on 400mg seroquel for years and stays on it because it keeps them stable and out of the hospital.
If your doctor is not open to medication or advises you to take medication that does not help you sleep and stay out of serious depression, how would you feel about getting a second opinion? Many people are on meds their whole life, prescribed by a psychiatrist. They may change dosages and meds but there is nothing wrong with staying stable with the aid of medication. When I ask my friend how I know they are taking their meds, they tell me point blank: "So I don't end up in the psych hospital again!"
It is your right to get appropriate treatment. If you do not find it with one doctor you have the right to explore with other psychiatrists that may be available in your area and covered by your insurer. Check with your health care insurer and they can tell you all the options in your area. Often they list on their website doctors available in your area that are covered by your insurance plan. Medications can prevent episodes that can lead to hospitalization.
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It's funny that you mentioned getting a second opinion. I was pretty upset with the psychiatrist that wanted to cut my usage in half immediately. I tried it at first and couldn't sleep for a week. So I told him that when I saw him again and he just said he would prescribe 50mg or nothing. I asked him how he was going to treat my insomnia and he wouldn't answer me. He said I could get a second opinion if I wanted. I wanted. So they sent me to the only other person there, a nurse practitioner. I was fine with that and she was much more helpful, allowing me to trust and listen to my body regarding how fast or slow to come off this.
The problem is, I had an appt with her tmrw and was going to tell her everything I was going through, and then I got a call today saying she was sick and my appt was cancelled. And I know it's going to take a month to get back in.
(The only facility that treats depression in my small town is MHMR. I've been with them from the beginning. But they frequently change doctors and that is difficult to deal with because they all have different opinions about what I should and shouldn't be on.)
The thing that I don't think anybody could have predicted is that I would have mood issues coming off the Seroquel. That's what I'm confused about, since I wasn't taking it for mood to begin with and I didn't notice that it had an effect, unless it just happened too slowly for me to be aware of it.