[Nene873]

Have you ever added a bit more to your medication, like increased your AD a little bit on your own, when you couldn't get in touch with your psychiatrist and you felt absolutely horrible?

I saw my dr. two weeks ago and he added Adderall 10 mg 2x a day to my meds which already included Vyvanse 60 mg a day, in an attempt to stop my depression from sinking any lower or getting any worse. He said he wanted to use it because it would be something that would work quicker than an AD that would take weeks to get into my system to work and then he would worry about changing any other meds at my follow up appt, which was supposed to be a week later -- but he has cancelled 2 follow up appts with me twice now, saying he is stuck out of town. The 10 mg 2x a day was not making a difference and I was feeling so low that eventually I was going to end up in the hospital and I was not going to allow that to happen to my family at Christmas.

My dr won't return any phone calls or anything so I began taking an extra 10 mg of Adderall along with the 10 2x a day he already prescribed. THAT WORKS. I feel much better. I just worry that it might be too much along with the Vyvanse but it's the only way that the Adderall works. I feel so much better that I want to continue to take the extra dose but I can't get a hold of my dr to confirm that it's ok.

Have you ever had to make an adjustment out of desperation or change something that you thought would be best without dr approval first?

________________________________________________________________________

Bipolar 1, ADD, PTSD
Latuda, Wellbutrin XL, Mirtazapine, Trokendi XR, Klonopin, Vyvanse, and now Adderall

[Victoria'smom]

I don't because you'll run out to soon and they may not approve. I'm more likely not to take a med then increase it.

I'm glad it all worked out for you but I would never do this myself. Were it me and my psychiatrist was unavailable I would go to the hospital and have them make that decision.

[Moose72]

You will run out too soon unless your Pdoc writes a new script.

[Icare dixit]

Yes, I try to use fewer meds than prescribed.

I wouldn't use amphetamines. It may just cause (more) instability. At least you shouldn't keep using it, as a prophylactic, I'd say. Just as some kind of "shock therapy" maybe.

[wildflowerchild25]

I guess your pdoc plays it fast and loose with the stimulants, seeing as you're now on two. Doesn't seem safe to me but I'm not a doctor so it might be. But as others have said taking a double dose means you're going to run out even faster, and your doc may not be willing to prescribe you more after that. Especially a stimulant, which can be addicting. And honestly if you take that much and then suddenly have to stop because your pdoc isn't getting back to you or doesn't approve of you taking more, you may go into withdrawal and feel even worse than before.

I'm not saying I haven't done it because I have. But it didn't end well for me and looking back it wasn't a good idea.

[Misssy2]

Just curious why you couldn't get a hold of the pdoc? Cause if the office where I was waiting for today didn't answer the phone I was going to DRIVE THERE and talk to someone.

[Wonderfalls]

It's ridiculous that your doctor's not available. If he doesn't even have a service to cover him I would consider that a very black mark against him. And it's especially bad after he has just recently prescribed you a scheduled and possibly addictive drug. I personally would be looking for a different psychiatrist. If you end up in the hospital as a result of his neglect then I would consider him liable.

In the meantime I agree with the posters that a hospital ER visit is a thought, though it's unlikely they would give you an emergency dose of that particular drug. Also why not drive to his office as Misssy2 suggests?

[Nene873]

After over a week, and cancelling my appt twice, with no rescheduling date set yet by his receptionist, I heard from my dr, but from him personally but an answer through the receptionist. She said my psychiatrist said it was ok to take the additional 10 mg of Adderall. I'm cleared to take the added dose.

I agree that it's unacceptable that I have no way to reach him, that he doesn't have an answering service of some kind and that my only contact through his office is through TEXTING his receptionist. I couldn't drive to his office because he is out of town, according to office staff, he is stuck in Pittsburgh and also because of the holidays, he can't see me now until early January. When no one is in the office, the phone rings until a fax machine picks it up. He may have also cost me my job. He suggested I take a leave of absence from work, which I did, so I have not been to work at all in Dec. But it required paperwork for him to fill out and return to my HR department. The deadline to return it is tomorrow. I called my HR department last week to find out if they got it, they had not and the dr could not get it to them because...he was out of town. So, I do not know what's going to happen with work now.

I'm very frustrated with the whole situation. It's already enough to deal with being stuck in a depression but then to have to deal with your dr being a jerk, too, is too much.

[~Christina]

Going to the Er even with prescription bottles in hand , I doubt they will do anything , maybe they would give you a day or 2. Which I doubt because it's a scheduled drug and if you ran out too soon they will just think you a med abuser.

You will get a hefty bill too.

Does your Pdoc have a service? When you call the office what happens ? "almost" every Pdoc has another Pdoc that they take turns being on call that can cover in a emergency

I have overserved myself here and there , but never a scheduled drug, abusing them is almost always going to be a red flag and your Pdoc might get you off both.

I hope you find some help and everything works out for you.

[CarriB]

That's ridiculous!!!! I'd look for a new doctor asap. He sounds negligent to me.