pdoc won't help me

This is more of a vent than anything...it's not for lack of research that I still after 8 mos have no follow thru or person to help me with medication.

The crisis center is just a walk in center and can't follow up with me, but kindly did for a number of months. Finally they said you have to get a pdoc to follow you now and prescribe.

The pdocs at the clinic say that they're not well-versed in psychotropics. I didn't believe it at first. I visited them recently and they said they would prescribe one month's supply but they were required to refer me to this behavioural health place - which I have called before - I called again, I do not qualify, and I can't pay the hefty fee there. That place couldn't believe that the pdoc referred me to them.

I called the pdoc's office back to tell him I really need help, please, desperately and that that referral did not work.

It always takes 2 days for them to get back to me. I just have no trust in them really - have not gotten any caring from them even when I tell them it's urgent, and today when I got a return call the secretary said - the doctor is changing my prescription for one month but after that I have to go to the behavioural health place.

Duh, I can't. I told her again.

Well, there's no other suggestion. Conversation closed.

And the med she told me about is not for depression! I have a prescription also for anxiety which I only take at night, as needed, to help me sleep. I asked for help with the depression, that's my main concern.

He changed the wrong one. Good thing I was inquisitive enough to look it up and spell it myself - she couldn't. I told her what I found online and she said oh yeah, he shows here he's prescribing for anxiety.

I have slipped thru the cracks of our stupid system. There's no help for me in this town.

I would go to the nearest hospital and request to see the psychiatrist on duty. If you're
in the U.S., the law cannot deny a patient who needs help when he/she goes to the
emergency room requesting assistance.

If you need help for your depression, that's one of the best ways to get connections.
I'm sorry the clinic failed you.

I'm in a similar situation. After finally getting into see an intake officer, I was at least told I qualify for services but there is a 12-16 week wait. No where close to 8 months, but I do understand the frustration. When you are ready for help, you are ready for help now, and it really sucks to have to wait.

It is so unfair!

This is really terrible. If you are in the States then I really feel sorry for you. They have no heart any more.
I'd do what Genetic says. If they must take you then at least you'll get something.
I feel so bad for you. You are doing all you can to take charge of your disease and you deserve to to be respected and responded to.
I hope you get the help you need.

Thanks. I can't pay for an emergency room visit.

You don't have to pay for it all at once. You can extend the payments at very low
levels until you have paid the balance.

If you need help, you should go get it, in my view.

I'm very sympathetic with your situation and hope that you will find it something you
can do within the framework of your ability to pay over years, if necessary. As long
as you pay something on a bill like that, it is a legal way to get help. It's always
nice to feel that you could financially afford it in one payment, but realistically, you
should--again, in my view--get the help you need.

Hospitals are there to help, not to take everything we have.

Did you not qualify for the behavioral health location, due to insurance? You cannot be refused treatment, due to financial hardship. The ER, could at least have some type of waiver form, I'd imagine.

Psychiatrists that aren't well versed in psychotropic meds?! isn't that their specialty? One would need some chemistry courses under their belt to become an MD in Psychiatry?! Baffling, indeed!!

(((gracez))) Are you in the USA? I have come across this problem also. What I did was look in the phone book and I called every place I could. Hospitals, Psychiatrist offices, and so on. I would tell them that I could not afford treatment but needed help. Could they help me or did they know of somewhere that I could go. This took a few days but I got the help that I needed. None profit hospitals will help you pay your bill or even pay it for you. Some state and federal places will take you in on a sliding pay scale. The internet might be a good place to look also. This worked for me but I did make a lot of phone calls.

gracez-- Are you here in the U.S.A. (Question is based upon the way you spell certain words British vs American)? If you are in the U.S.A. and experiencing this, there are advocacy groups who can help. Let us know.

can't do anything much since i'm not from your country but sending manymanymany hugs and totoro(s) (*wink*) your way

Hi DepressedAlaskan,

Thanks. I've made the calls, for months and months, and researched on the internet, pro bono and sliding scale. It's not due to lack of researching and advocating. This town just stinks. Professionals commiserate with me when I tell them my lot and agree no, there's really nothing.

It's a primary care dr. who won't work with me and the behavioural health place is turning me away because i don't qualify to go there since I have no insurance, and also cannot pay out of pocket.

Thanks to about the suggestion for the emergency room and paying it off over years. I guess this scares me and still doesn't feel like a route forward because I would still have no psychiatrist following and helping me. What if this medication prescribed at a hospital doesn't work during that visit? And who would refill it for me later?

Thanks everyone

Do you qualify for government assisted health insurance?

Hi yellowfrog,

thanks I am in the USA but forget sometimes having spent time in British English speaking countries and tried to change over my spelling then

What kind of advocacy groups are these? I'd like to learn about them.

Thank you everyone for listening and thinking of me.

Also I start to question will meds really help? I have been seeing a therapist too (finally), but I just can't work everything out in my head right now. I know that I have to resolve some of these things, but was hopeful that meds would help me feel less in crisis and less hopeless about life.

Yellowfrog said it. One of the advocacy groups is called Disability Rights_(your state)___ If nothing else they can refer you in the right direction. No health group can deny treatment for an illness if the clinic is not providing mental health care they are still responsible to see that you get the treatment you need it is an illness that affects your overall health. I think it might fall into the area of discrimination to refuse, after all if you had cancer they would make sure to find a place you could go. Granted the PC doc doesn't have specific knowledge but he is a doctor and can call someone to help him until you have found a specialist.

National Disability Rights Network

I posted the link for the national Disability Rights you can click on your state or click contact and send an email if you want.

Maybe yellow frog will have other lists. I know SAMHSA & NAMI can refer people to the right places.

SAMHSA's National Helpline FAQs

NAMI | NAMI's Information HelpLine

ok ,thanks. yes, can't get medicaid in my state unless you have dependents which i don't. nami suggested me to all the city's resources which i've tried.

i'll try again.i felt like the pdoc / clinic is really irresponsible and not wanting to help. cause they just say "i don't know". even when i press them, or tell them i'm slipping thru the cracks but really need help, etc.

Hi Gracez,
I just read a piece of the Huff Post that describe the bad situation of mental health care in America.
I know people from MindsFreedom International, I will ask them for ideas as I am going to NY tomorrow. Also, do you have a disability certificate? If not, could you get one? It is helpful.
Hope you find a solution. All the best

Clara, that's so kind of you. Thank you. Everyone at PC is really helpful trying to find a way for me. I'll look into the groups people are suggesting today.

I just applied for "SMI" yesterday which in the states is "serious mental illness" Before I didn't qualify but now because I've made the year mark w/ depression there's a chance I do. And then I'd have to be provided w/ services. I hope I get the status.

((((gracez)))) Great subject. I learned a few good ideas also. Thanks everyone on PC.
Not all small towns will have the help we need, you may have to check a community close to you. You may also try to find a depression group to go to. For me this has helped me cope more than anything. Going to a depression group is like coming to PC, everyone in the room understands how you feel. I do not like to see other people with this illness but they sure can help.

it's not even a small town. i looked at the support group but getting there is an issue.

Hi (((((gracez))))) I just came back from my Psychiatrist office. I asked him some questions about finding help. Try this search on the internet: MentalHealth.com/ Treatment Locator. Put in your zip code and how many miles you would like it to search. I ran a few tests on this site to see how well it worked. The places I have been to showed up on the search. So I guess it's OK. Like one other person stated you can go to your state web page and look up mental heath. I did not have this information when I started thumbing through the phone book. I wish you luck.