[thinker22]

I'm super depressed and anxious. Meds aren't working right. I just found out my p-doc is on vacation for a week.

I think I'll adjust my own meds because it's better than doing nothing and feeling this awful.

I don't see any alternative. Does anyone else?

[BNLsMOM]

This happened to me in the summer and I went into crisis while my p-doc was away.

Does your p-doc have a covering doc for vacations? I am sure there is an answering sevice who can get you in touch with someone. Be careful with your meds.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

[ruffy]

Oh Thinker, not a good idea to adjust your own meds. Please see another pdoc, maybe in the same office or something. asap! I hope you do this and feel better soon. Will be thinking of you.

He probably has another doctor picking up his calls. Call and talk to that doctor.

[leah0306]

thinker22, call your dr.s office, they should put you in touch with someone there who can help. take care

[thinker22]

I was bad. I took a pill that I knew made me feel better in the past without any dr's consultation. I didn't realize there was a p-doc covering for mine. They didn't tell me that. But due to others' encouragement I called back and left a message for the covering doc they never bothered to inform me of in the first place. He suggested (without my saying a word about what I had done) that I go back up on the one I'd just taken and stop taking the other new one (which I'd already decided to eliminate).

I guess I'm a good p-doc for myself. Now I'm all drowsy from that pill, but at least not super depressed and anxious.

Thanks for your help all. I don't know why I didn't think of that to begin with. But what kind of receptionist says, "She's on vacation, but I can leave her a message for when she gets back next week" after you just said "I need a meds change now because I'm feeling terrible." No hint at all whatsoever that anyone else could help me. And when I call back she says the other guy won't be changing anything. I had to say, "I just want an alteration of what I'm already taking." She said she couldn't make any guarantees. I almost didn't care at this point because I'd already decided what I was going to do.

But at least I didn't do anything wrong in retrospect.

[gravyyy]

just for future reference for everyone.... in case you didn't know it is law in the US that if a doctor (any doctor) goes out of town or is off for a day or whatever he/she has to have a covering doc. Unless they are going away and taking their own call, they must always have a doctor to cover them. Like I said, just an FYI... glad it worked out for you thinker but it can be bad to adjust your own meds and it can also get you in the doghouse with the pdoc. Take care!

[NuckingFutz]

Thinker, glad you got through to a pdoc. The receptionist was not helpful. That should be a crime in the mental health field but it is not. Glad you got your meds adjusted. Hang in there.

[thinker22]

Originally Posted by gravyyy

Like I said, just an FYI... glad it worked out for you thinker but it can be bad to adjust your own meds and it can also get you in the doghouse with the pdoc. Take care!

Hehe. What she doesn't know... (after all, I did call the guy after the fact. so how would she know I already changed them?) But yes, I don't recommend this for anyone else. I never make drastic changes, only gradual ones. Does that make me non-compliant? Don't answer that.

PS: I feel great this morning. A little hypomanic. Woke up at 5:30. This sure beats depression. I was sleeping 10 hours a night on the other stuff.

[perpetuallysad]

What meds are you on? Mostly just curious. Mine have pretty much stopped working...

[Amazonmom]

I'm glad you did call the covering doc...next time call the covering doc BEFORE you adjust your own meds.

Of course I can't say much, my Pnurse wants me to take my lithium three times a day, and I take the whole daily dose before i go to bed instead. I tried the three times a day way and all it did was make me not want to eat because the capsule would remind me I am permanently mentally ill every meal. That and I couldn't take it at the same times every day because my job doesn't allow for breaks at the same time every day.

So I am sticking with my way. I remember to take the Lithium every day, I fall asleep within 10 minutes of going to bed, and no nausea or unpleasant side effects. Oh, and my Lithium levels are a rock solid 0.65 every time!

[thinker22]

Originally Posted by perpetuallysad

What meds are you on? Mostly just curious. Mine have pretty much stopped working...

I'm on lamotrigine, Nuvigil, Wellbutrin, Geodon, levothyroxin, and temazepam. Latter two for hypothyroidism and sleep.