Do I tell Pdoc?

About 6 weeks ago, I stopped taking my abilify. It made me feel really bad but I wanted to pull out of it by myself. One night I was thinking about hurting myself so I decided I better just put myself back on it. Within days I felt so much better. I've been taking it ever since.
I see my pdoc next month. Do I mention this to her?
I usually only see her every few months and I usually just tell her I'm doing good. I feel very rushed when I'm there. I feel like she doesn't care what I have to say. I don't want to complain to her.
I'm wondering if it should be documented or something because I was just approved for disability last month and was told that my case will be reviewed in 6-18 months. I don't want them to look back and see that my chart says I have been doing great when in fact that really hasn't been the case.
Any advise?

Yes. I would say tell your p-doc all of it. All that stuff goes into your file and SSA looks at it, that's what I was told.

I would make a list of what you want to go over before your appointment, and if you feel like you are being rushed you can always say something like, "I know your time is limited but I really would like to at least touch on these things." That puts a positive spin on it. Good luck!

RF

Tracy, i think you need to take your time and use hers, she needs to know even if she doesn't care that much, which I think most of us feel like that about our Pdocs.
But I strongly think that you have to tel her about everything that has been going on wiht you.
~best of luck~ ~hug~

Tracy, yes tell your pdoc, they're there to help not punish, you got back on it you did good, we all do that at one time or another, just remember how bad you felt and stay on your meds
Love ya
Angie

It's always in your best interest to be honest with your pdoc, hiding stuff will not benefit you and even delay progress.
Keep your pdoc abreast with what you are doing or how you are feeling.
We are only fooling ourselves by not being honest, trying to play pdoc with ourselves.
Please take care of yourself.

((((((( tracy33 )))))))))

Thank you all for your replies. I will tell my pdoc everything. I was a little paranoid that maybe she wouldn't want me as a patient anymore if I wasn't med compliant.

A very common behavior of bipolars is to quit the meds. Sometimes it's "I'm feeling good, I don't need this stuff", sometimes it's the side effects, sometimes you don't think you are really ill & sometimes you think you are being poisoned by all these meds & should go the "natural" route. Your doc should understand that quitting your meds is a symptom & a common one of bp. She shouldn't judge you harshly because you reacted like so many bp's do (myself included--questioned whether I really needed this stuff, whether I was really bipolar, but I had such horrendous depressions that I was afraid to go off & have them come back). Take care--Suzy

Tracy
Bipolar is everlasting; even if you were to have a balanced (normal) state for a while that goes along with the territory of a Bi-polar (temporarily, unforuntately.)
I'm seeing my pdoc Monday and I was going to ask him about Abilify. My son is worried that I am on Lithium because it caused her kidneys to malfunction. She was taken Lithium and put on Depakote which she disliked because she gained weight and lost hair. She refused to continue it. It was a struggle at the end. She end up on kidney dialsyis.
Perhaps you can tell me a little about Abilify?
Maureen

Maureen, I like Abilify. It was not a weight gaining med for me. I was given it to control my irritability and rage. I have been taking it for 2 years or so. I guess I really didn't know how good it worked until I stopped. I became very depressed when I stopped taking it. I was off it for 4 weeks until I finally gave in and went back on it. I didn't know this, but after some research I found that abilify also helps with depression. Anyway, it works for me. I also take Lamictal and Topamax. I was taking Lithium along with those but we stopped that months ago. I wanted to reduce some of the weight gaining meds.
Tracy

Tracy,
I have just started Abilify (3 days ago) and I'm feeling nausea, lightheadedness and restlesness. Did you feel any of those same symptoms when starting? I cant seem to get to sleep now. I have to take it in the morning. It is nice to hear a good review of my new med. I also am taking Lamictal, and it has helped me out alot. I just hope this is the right drug for me this time around. I was told that taking melatonin may really help with the restlesness, so I started that too. My doc said it was ok. So far, the jury is still out.
Out To Lunch

I don't remember feeling that way. I have heard alot of people that take Abilify have restlesness and take it in the morning because it gives them a boost. I take mine at night because I find it makes me sleepy. Any time I try a new med, I like to give it a few weeks or a good month to adjust to the side affects. They usually go away for me. Hopefully they will for you. I hope you can tolerate it. I think it's a good med. I also wanted to mention in my previous post that it helps with my paranoia as well.
Take care,
Tracy