[pollarbear_74]

I have been a patient of a Community Counseling Center where I live for at least a year. I understand that time and service is limited. However, how limited can it be to let a patient leave on an extended trip and not find an alternative medication to give to said patient. Basically, I had to be taken off a mood stabilizer because it interfered with a much needed medication. My psychiatrist took me off my med and neglected to replace it with another. I questioned, "what am I to do now?" I had already explained to him that I had airplane tickets purchased to go to Maryland. What was I supposed to do with no medication? He simply stated, "when you have a problem call us". I was speechless and of course had a panic attack when I got out to my car. I felt as though I just was not that important. Not to mention setting my illness free because the medication I was on was interfering with my Coumidin. How much sense does that make to take away my meds? When I am a potential cutter and suicidal when I am not medicated and I need my Coumidin (a blood thinner).

By the way I did call when I started to notice problems. The responses were the office and his nurse could not get in touch with him and because he took me of the medication his nurse could not order it for me.

[tarabug922]

Pollarbear,

I'm so sorry you've had this experience. I know Coumadin is a hard med to be on because of the interactions it has with other meds. My roommate takes coumadin and is on psych meds such as zoloft and lamictil. If I were you and it were possible I would get another psychiatrist. It's downright irresponsible of him to take you off a med and give you no alternative when he knows the risks.

Anyhow, I hope you have something to help by now.

Love and Hugs,
Tara

[pollarbear_74]

Originally Posted by tarabug922

Pollarbear,

I'm so sorry you've had this experience. I know Coumadin is a hard med to be on because of the interactions it has with other meds. My roommate takes coumadin and is on psych meds such as zoloft and lamictil. If I were you and it were possible I would get another psychiatrist. It's downright irresponsible of him to take you off a med and give you no alternative when he knows the risks.

Anyhow, I hope you have something to help by now.

Love and Hugs,
Tara

Thank you Tara I appreciate your kindness. Unfortunately this is just started. I have already seen a new therapist in a new office. Unfortunately, my travel has me in Maryland right now. When I return to Missouri I will stop seeing my current psychiatrist and set an appt. with the new office. Thank you again for responding.

[gimmeice]

((((((((((((((((((( pollarbear )))))))))))))))))))))

I am sorry you have had this experience, I agree that maybe finding a new psychiatrist is a good idea. One thing I have found in dealing with drs of any kind is that sometimes you have to be firm with what you feel you need, maybe you could make another appointment and really insist that they put you on some kind of meds.

[Beholden]

I too think your pdoc was irresponsible in his taking you off your needed medication. OHHHHH that just makes me so mad. One plan doesn't not fit all when it comes to psych meds. Let's see what that doc would do if you took something important to his health away from him and then not be available!

Hope you are able to address this problem with someone more caring and responsible than this person. ER is the only other suggestion I can think of and I know most people frown on that as a "plan A" because it costs the health system sooooo much. But what choices did they leave you with.

Stupid mental health care providers burn my but.

Hope you are still able to go off to Maryland and enjoy yourself without needing to have issues. Good luck and keep us posted here on PC. We will give you some support to know that you are important. You deserve good competent care. Don't let them run you over.

[pollarbear_74]

Originally Posted by Heygimm

I too think your pdoc was irresponsible in his taking you off your needed medication. OHHHHH that just makes me so mad. One plan doesn't not fit all when it comes to psych meds. Let's see what that doc would do if you took something important to his health away from him and then not be available!

Hope you are able to address this problem with someone more caring and responsible than this person. ER is the only other suggestion I can think of and I know most people frown on that as a "plan A" because it costs the health system sooooo much. But what choices did they leave you with.

Stupid mental health care providers burn my but.

Hope you are still able to go off to Maryland and enjoy yourself without needing to have issues. Good luck and keep us posted here on PC. We will give you some support to know that you are important. You deserve good competent care. Don't let them run you over.

The only problem is I am in Maryland. I just received a call from my GP and she had placed a call to try and get my psychiatrist to place me on an alternative med. She got the same run around I did. I am so frustrated at this point and it seems as though I maybe making a trip to the ER anyways. I had a pulmonary embolism in my lung 2 years ago and they still want to keep me on my Coumidin. When I received the phone call from my GP I told her I had started having deep sharp pains in my right leg. So she advised that I go to the ER anyways and get my leg and INR checked. I am afraid though. I do not want to be admitted to the psych ward. This is the primary reason I do not want to go to an ER for psychiatric problems. I have had 3 stays in a ward, granted they were necessary at the time but I hate the idea especially when I am doing every thing right. So because of the neglect I received from my psychiatrist there is the chance of possibly being admitted.

[(JD)]

It's distressing to hear of your distress.
Please know that you are not the only one is your position, and that there are other ways to manage your disorder.

(It's been shown that after 6 months of meds OR psychotherapy, the patients have progressed equally.) You don't need a psychiatrist perhaps, but a good counselor or a psychologist to guide you along.

CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) basics can begin to help almost immediately
Try meditation or "self" hypnosis, enabled by a therapist.
Other calming activities, preplanning, visual cues (such as notes to yourself for when you "can't think" or whatever your reactions are.)

Learning to focus on the good and the fun you can have and "are having" while on that trip can help too. We all have stuff to happen to us, and though you do have other "stuff" going on, knowing that it's not a forever situation, and others work through it might help.

TC