Questions to ask my pdoc

So I have my second eve pdoc appt. this afternoon. Last time it took about 15 min to dx me with bipolar 1. He then went over my meds as I was sat there in kind of a numb state. I had all kinds of trouble with the seroquel, And it was affecting my job so over the phone he d/cd it, but now I am back to where I was before. What are the right questions I should ask so I will be better prepared this time.

What insurance do you have? You need to know what psych meds they cover. Take that list and research The meds on it. The more you know about the psych meds the better off you are. Bring that list with you as those are the drugs you have to start with before your insurance will approve others.

Pdoc questions:
When to call?
do you have emergency appointments?
How often will you see me?
Can you refer me to a therapist?

I'd say (or write out if you can't say it in the appointment, sometimes I need notes to help me) the Seroquel hasn't worked and decreasing it has made me worse. What medications do you think we should try? How long should it be before I start seeing results on (new med), if that doesn't work what is the next med to try.

How often should I be seeing you while I'm transitioning on the medications. Do you want me to check in only if I have an adverse reaction or can I check in over the phone between appointments (some pdocs will be okay with this).

Ask him to go over side effects and explain when you should call him. If my vision is blurry is that a mild thing or is that a call immediately thing. That sort of thing.

I'd also ask him to write all of it out for you - how often you should be taking medication if you are gradually increasing, what side effects to look for, when to call. That way you don't have to worry about remembering all that stuff.

When i've increased meds or c hanged meds in the past I've gotten the pdoc to write stuff down and then I stick it on my fridge so I can look at it and have easy access. If youd on't feel comfortable keeping it out, then you can keep it in your wallet or copy it on your phone or something.

You did the right thing. Pdocs are brain chemists. It may take a while to find the right one for you. If you have bad side affects, make that call.

A tip to save costs, you may ask the pharmacy to only fill your script for a week or two at a time. [Split the script.] If it's not the right med, you're not left with a lot of pills you paid for.

Some meds take a while to build up in your system. With those, you may not notice a difference for a while. Often they will start you at a low dose and raise the dose until you are receiving maximum benefit.

Best wishes, and come back.