I had a doctor who prescribed medications that worked well for me. He retired. I went to a new insurance provider - an HMO - and they refused to continue to prescribe what I was taking forcing me into a "cold turkey" situation. They prescribed other medications that not only did not work but caused very bad side effects.

Someone within the organization told me that the medication I had been on was fine...but that the HMO had to follow certain guidelines and so did not prescribe certain medications.

It's political.

I am finally off all medications and struggling on my on. For anxiety I use herbs. For the depression...well, I am really struggling.

I refuse to be a part of a system practicing bad medicine...and when politics and Big Pharma gets involved...and affects basic patient care...that's bad medicine.