[critterlady]

My T and my family doctor have both recommended that I see a pdoc to manage my meds, since the meds the family doc is familiar with aren't working for me and she doesn't want to treat me with guesswork.

So, I set out to find a pdoc to manage my meds. All I need is someone in my insurance plan and who's not an hour away. There are lots of pdocs around here, but as I'm working my way through the list, I've found that most of them don't take insurance, or aren't taking new patients, or refuse to do meds management unless I'm in actual therapy with them or a T in their practice. I'm very happy with my T and have no desire to change.

It's frustrating!

[Eliza Jane]

Good pdoc's are hard to come by around me too. I ended up just going out of network. It might be worth investigating how good your out of network benefits are. My pdoc charges $130 for a 20-30 min appt and my insurance will pay $60 and I pay $70. Not ideal, but in my case it felt worth the financial sacrifice. It may or may not make sense for you.

IDK how complicated your meds situation is, but if it is just moderately complex, perhaps you could have a 1 time consult with a pdoc and GP could maintain you on the course s/he suggests. If it is a one time thing out of network or far away might matter less.

Best,
EJ

[Wren_]

is there someone your current T or family doctor could suggest that would fit the insurance requirements? sorry to hear it's so difficult

Finding a pdoc was incredibly frustrating. I remember their waiting lists were months long and I needed help THEN. Unfortunately (or maybe in a weird way it was fortunate in the long run), I ended up hospitalized and the pdoc who was assigned to my case in the hospital offered to take me on as his private patient (they don't generally do that). He was on my insurance. He is a bit of a drive (about 45 minutes in city traffic). But he has been wonderful. I don't recommend getting hospitalized as a a way to find a pdoc faster, but that's how it ended up working out for me. (Otherwise I swear I'd still be on someone's waiting list.)

My husband pays for his pdoc out of pocket. The initial visit was expensive, but follow-ups are like $100, but only around every three months so it isn't unmanageable.

[adel34]

Hi,
I totally feel you. I'm in the exact same situation. I didn't like or trust the pdoc at the facility I live in, and have been searching ever since. I only have medicade, so it's even more impossible! The list of medicade psychiatrists that NAMI of Chicago gave me hadn't been updated since 2009!
I do have a phone interview for a pdoc at a health center that does accept medicade, but I wouldn't be able to get in until November. I'm hoping to be finding other options that I can use sooner even though I have this interview.
It shouldn't be this hard. If we all had physical illnesses I doubt we'd have to go through this, though you never know. My OT disclosed that he deals with chronic pain, and hasn't been treated well by the health care system either.
Good luck. Please let us know how it goes.