Please work

This clinic thing did NOT work out. I guess I am just used to a different type of care. I tried 2 different therapists (who are actually social workers) and did not click with either of them. It was like they were just doing a job rather than treating me like a person. And, they typed half of the time (like a psychiatrist sometimes does). On top of that, I can't get into the pdoc until Sept. I am taking 600 MG of Lamictal (supposed to go to 800 MG next Thurs), 1350 MG of Lithium, 30 MG of Abilify, 2.5 MG of Klonapin, 100 MG of Zoloft, and 50 MG of Vyvanse. I am taking all of this medication, none of it is working (and if any of it is, I don't know what is), I'm gaining weight, and, worst of all, I'm so tired I can't function. Because of my insurance, I am majorly striking out. So...my mom is taking me to Home - The Couch Monday night. It is a mental health immediate care center. She is going to pay for the evaluation and for me to have the genetic testing done out of pocket. UL, which is our local hospital and the location of my (beloved) former psychiatrist, is not accepting new patients. However, one of my sister's clients is a doctor there and she is going to speak to her and see if she can get me in or get me some other ideas. Some of this HAS to work to get me straightened out.

I hope everything works out and you feel better soon.

Aw, good luck!!

That sounds rough. I hope you come out okay and can find a solution for everything you're dealing with.

The university hospital isn't taking new patients? That's a really, really sad commentary on the state of mental health care. I couldn't even guess how many drs there are at the university hospital I go to but it is a LOT and the residents have clinic patients as well. And I think they have some psychiatric PAs too. I can't imagine they could ever be full. An individual dr, sure, but not the whole department. That's just wrong. (To be fair my hospital is not university affiliated, it just has its' own medical school and is very much a teaching hospital).

That place sounds pretty neat. I hope it works for you. I am so glad your mom is on your side and is helping you. I'm so sorry it has to be so hard. I've learned a lot about that since joining this board. I guess it's hard for me in my own way in that I drive 2.5 hours each way every month to see my pdoc but I'm so used to it that it no longer even seems strange. It felt a lot weirder to have my orthopedist be so far away last year when I had surgery and in that case he was the closest foot/ankle specialist there was and I needed that because I had unusual and major procedures done.

I really hope this is your solution or that they make a referral that is right for you. Having the right care is so important and I'm glad you aren't giving up the fight. I know it is tempting because I've been there; I had a pdoc once who believed if I could have the education I did and work in the field I did there was nothing wrong with me. She saw me for exaclty 8 minutes per month, just added more meds so I got more manic, and countered that with ativan, and documented that I was functioning 100% normally when I was coming home from work and crawling into bed in filthy scrubs and eating only chef-boy-ar-dee, often cold b/c it was too hard to heat it. Yeah, that's normal...

I'm sorry this has been so drawn out and stressful. It just shouldn't be. Ever, for anyone. I wish you lived near me because I know for sure that you can get in where I go, usually in one day as long as you aren't picky who you see.

You are doing so well keeping things together. You're a strong woman.

6 meds seems like a lot, and when they add one here...one there...I don't know that prescribers or pharmacists ever take a step back and look at the big picture of 'wow...all of a sudden she's on 6 different medications...wonder if they all play nice together?' We assume they do this...but do they?

The interaction between these meds and the corresponding compatibility is something I'd sure like to know if I were you. I'm saying this because I had an egotistical jerk psych bomb me when I got out of hospital 3+ years ago. He had me so upside down on a variety of meds I lost 9mos in a severe fog.

The good news is that they are starting to work on figuring this out scientifically. I'm in a clinical trial (well my blood is right now) that is looking at my med levels for most of my psych meds (they have a huge panel of meds they are checking; I am on one rarely used med so it's not considered in the study) and how my body is metabolizing them. Right now it is the first round of the study to make sure the tests work. When 150 people have given blood for the first round (I think they're on track to be done in August) then they'll open the 2nd part of the study where my pdoc will actually get my results and see if the testing is useful. Because I always need very high or very low doses of meds we are very excited to get this testing back.

The hope is that eventually they'll be able to scientifically determine what meds are best for an individual based on labs and not so much trial and error for years on end. Until now this has been so expensive it wasn't possible but some company has developed new blood tests that are comprehensive and not so expensive.

That's awesome science if they can dial that in. Currently its pretty much pin the tail on the donkey with the abundance of available meds trying to interact upon millions of individual physiologies. I would really be interested in seeing how far your scripts are off from what the blood work says. I sincerely hope it can work for you!

I'll post about it when I find out my results. We were disappointed b/c my pdoc thought she was getting the results with this blood draw but it has to be the 2nd round of the study. She thinks I am perfect for the study because I react so weirdly. Like my 25 mgs of topamax. I can't take any more of it or I get paranoid but if I try to go off I cycle. So what is it doing? We'll find out sometime.

My assumption is that after they finish the testing at my hospital (Cleveland Clinic) then they'll test it elsewhere. I just know that I will do anything to be in the next group of people tested.

It was funny, the same day I told my pdoc "by the way, I'm willing to participate in any clinical studies except drug trials which I think I put my time in for" she lit up and pulled this out. So my timing was perfect.

I can't wait to see what happens.

Its so good that your mum is helping you and that you have that support, no doubt you'd be lost without it. And you have an active plan. Something positive, something in your future that you can hang onto. That's fantastic.

I really hope the answers you need are just a Pdoc away. I'd say hang on, but it sounds like you have your hands full. Rather than hang on, I'll say keep going, your heading in the right direction.
Thinking of you and hoping for the best. xXx