[DivorcedWoman]

I've done a little research on this and haven't found any posts on this issue. I am very angry and upset for I what I feel is someone negligent care on behalf of my p-doc and therapist. I was in the throes of increasingly escalating mania and family and friends were calling my support team to inform them of this. I was on my meds and seeing them regularly, but it was never suggested that I change meds and they never let me know people were concerned about my behavior. I even saw my therapist the night before my bad manic attack that ended up in me being 5150ed. Due to the events of this episode, my husband filed for divorce, kicked me out of the house and took custody of our young son. After getting out of the hospital, I went back to the same therapist as I was in no state of mind to make any changes and I did address the issue with her and her response was that I didn't appear to pose any threat (even though I was doing strange things like running away from home for a few days, etc.) to myself or anyone else and there is nothing she could have done. My p-doc ironically retired while I was in the hospital so I never addressed my feelings about the situation with him. I had to see a new p-doc and he put me on new meds. I continued to see this therapist for about 4 more years. I had an anxiety attack while taking Lithium, Lamitical, Propanolol and Tempazem about 2 years ago. My new p-doc increased my Lamictal and put me on Abilify. The Abilify helped to quelch the attack but then I started having side affects. I told my therapist and p-doc I was having a hard time talking to people and was having memory issues. My therapist never once said she thought I needed a change in meds. She suggested we meet once a month instead of twice a month. I didn't ask why and just figured I must be doing better so we would meet less. After about a year of being on these meds I started dating someone and told him about my diagnosis and the meds I was taking. He said he talked to a friend that was a pharmacologist and that Abilify was very strong and could definitely have those side effects. I readdressed the issue with my therapist and she said I should probably adjust my meds. When I readdressed the issue with her and that I felt like I lost a year of my life her response was that I needed it. How could I need a year of my life being a somewhat vegetable and spending thousands of dollars on therapy and losing my job and using my savings to cover what unemployment didn't cover. I even had to bring to my therapist's attention that I had new insurance when I researched and did my own mania worksheet. I could have had a portion of these sessions covered by insurance. Not completely her fault as I didn't say I had new insurance, but she knew I switched jobs and was going through a difficult time. I have since changed therapists to one that it covered by my health insurance and I only have to pay $20 a visit and so far the care has been far superior. I guess it is best to move on, but I do feel that I was not properly taken care of. This illness has so many forms and I don't know what leg I would have to stand on with the stigma of the illness, etc. Has anyone had similar experiences with their support team? Any words of wisdom, etc. I never want what happened to me last time happen to me again and I've heard about the financial ramifications this disease can have, but are we always the ones to blame? Do we have any recourse?

[Perna]

I'm so very sorry you have been having such a hard time with your illness. I don't think it is your therapist's/pdoc's "fault"; everyone responds differently to different meds and med combinations and they all have potential, horrible side effects, it's often a toss up between feeling like you have "lost a year" and being 5150'd for the mania, neither being something anyone would want. Unfortunately, trial and error of what might work for an individual is about all they can do sometimes.

[kitty004567]

I have a whole year that I don't remember most of. My p-doc was changing my meds every two weeks. It was horrible. I did end up firing said p-doc for incompetence but that was because I had an allergic reaction to a medication so he decided to leave me unmedicated until our next appointment. Like Perna said, sometimes it's just trial and error. But, be your own advocate or find someone to help you advocate for the treatment you need.