[Daonnachd]

I know the psych ward likes to have a list of the meds I'm on when I show up at their door. That's not what this is about. I don't want to be put back on something I've already tried and discarded so I want to have a list of all the meds I've tried in the past. The ones that failed to help me.

My question is this: Would an email from my pdoc with a list of former meds be better or worse than a handwritten list that I pull out of my wallet? And would the hospital's pdoc likely be willing to read the list from my phone?

If your psychiatrist is willing and able to create a list that is great, but it may or may not include details on what your experiences were with the medications. Consider asking that, if your doc will print something. That extra info is always something you can provide. I'd have something in writing (not on your phone). Ideally, print it or maybe the hospital doc would allow you to email it? The harder you make it for them the more likely they won't pay much attention to it.

There have definitely been medications I've taken in the past that I would NEVER try again. However, there have been medications that I was taken off of or didn't like a first time around, but liked a second time around either at a different dose or in a different cocktail. Please keep such a thing in mind. Also, I've had medications that gave me side effects the first time, but not the second time, or the second time I waited them out long enough to see the side effects ease or disappear. I also have a few meds I'd take in emergency cases that I wouldn't plan to stay on long-term. Heck, if I'm seriously psychotic or catatonic, put me on Haldol, Zyprexa, Risperdal, or Perphanazine. I wouldn't care. But then I would want to transition to something different once I was sufficiently stabilized, or just a little better.

[Nammu]

I think bird dancer covered everything.

[~Christina]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

If your psychiatrist is willing and able to create a list that is great, but it may or may not include details on what your experiences were with the medications. Consider asking that, if your doc will print something. That extra info is always something you can provide. I'd have something in writing (not on your phone). Ideally, print it or maybe the hospital doc would allow you to email it? The harder you make it for them the more likely they won't pay much attention to it.


There have definitely been medications I've taken in the past that I would NEVER try again. However, there have been medications that I was taken off of or didn't like a first time around, but liked a second time around either at a different dose or in a different cocktail. Please keep such a thing in mind. Also, I've had medications that gave me side effects the first time, but not the second time, or the second time I waited them out long enough to see the side effects ease or disappear. I also have a few meds I'd take in emergency cases that I wouldn't plan to stay on long-term. Heck, if I'm seriously psychotic or catatonic, put me on Haldol, Zyprexa, Risperdal, or Perphanazine. I wouldn't care. But then I would want to transition to something different once I was sufficiently stabilized, or just a little better.

I carry a current med list and a list of meds that I tried and why I wouldn’t take it again.

[Pookyl]

My pdoc and ip doc are the same person. This helps as she can just refer to her notes. She has also given me a copy of a meds list to carry on me.
I’ve been put back on meds I’ve been taken off when I was seriously unwell.

[TheSeaCat]

I have a word document with my current list of medications and a list of meds I have tried and will not try again. I have listed by generic name; date prescribed; the person who put me on it; and of course the reason I am on it and side effects if there are any side effects. I have a printout in my personal planner that is always with me; I also have a copy saved to my phone along with any other health information. I have found this way to be most helpful to me and my providers; my current Psych PA has a current copy of it and he says it is most helpful and wishes more patients had something similar.

I have also tried a lot more than what is shown in the previous that list is honestly two pages in length.

I have attached an example of my system; with redacted provider since that is rather sensitive information.

[Daonnachd]

Originally Posted by TheSeaCat

I have a word document with my current list of medications and a list of meds I have tried and will not try again. I have listed by generic name; date prescribed; the person who put me on it; and of course the reason I am on it and side effects if there are any side effects. I have a printout in my personal planner that is always with me; I also have a copy saved to my phone along with any other health information. I have found this way to be most helpful to me and my providers; my current Psych PA has a current copy of it and he says it is most helpful and wishes more patients had something similar.

I have also tried a lot more than what is shown in the previous that list is honestly two pages in length.

I have attached an example of my system; with redacted provider since that is rather sensitive information.

Wow, that is well thought out. I'm very impressed.

I think I will have a two page list once I get mine done, too.

[cashart10]

Originally Posted by Pookyl

My pdoc and ip doc are the same person. This helps as she can just refer to her notes. She has also given me a copy of a meds list to carry on me.
I’ve been put back on meds I’ve been taken off when I was seriously unwell.

When I saw a pdoc at a university several years ago, I was in the same situation. I didn’t like it though. I always thought she kept in ip longer than necessary just to play with my meds. That, coupled with the fact that the university’s hospital is for the most severe patients, made me wish otherwise.

[Nammu]

You can create a psychiatric living will too. It's a legal doc that varies from state to state but basicly you designate a person to talk to the doctors on your behalf and in it you can list treatments that are most effective and those that you don't want. For instance mine states that if I'm paranoid the best approach is one person talking calmly not a bunch of big men gathering ready to grab at me. You can also list meds you don't want and it's most effective if you give reason why. Mine says no ADs under any circumstances. I need to create a new one now that I moved to Minnesota. My daughter is my spokesperson she also has bipolar and has experienced hospitals so she has first hand experience. I also need to make a new living will and get it to the clinic, I in no way want to be kept alive by machines or on a feeding tube.