My HMO shall remain nameless but I need to vent. Perhaps you can offer me some insight, pity, or advice. (please hang in there, this is related to medication)

In November I spoke to my "primary care provider" (I hate that term) who is a nurse practitioner (no offense to nurse practitioners but my HMO doesn't seem to employ hardly any MD's for obvious reasons- if any NP's are reading this, perhaps you could enlighten us on the merits of NP's). I told her about my symptoms and she thought I might have ADD so she referred me for an eval. Of course, I can't see a psychiatrist, I have to see another "care provider" who can diagnose but can't prescribe anything. So I waited a month for that and got a diagnosis. Now I have to wait another month to see a "prescriber" but now I find out that person is not an MD but another nurse practitioner.

I really want to start medication as soon as possible (but I also want good monitoring considering I already have sleep problems) and so my question to you all is this: Should I:
A: get medication from my "primary care provider" nurse practitioner sooner rather than having to wait?

B: or should I wait a month to get medication from a nurse practitioner in the mental health department?

C: Insist on seeing a psychiatrist to prescribe and monitor me?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice you can give me.

Now I have to wait another month to see a "prescriber" but now I find out that person is not an MD but another nurse practitioner.

A: get medication from my "primary care provider" nurse practitioner sooner rather than having to wait?

B: or should I wait a month to get medication from a nurse practitioner in the mental health department?

C: Insist on seeing a psychiatrist to prescribe and monitor me?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice you can give me.
I'm sorry you had to go through this. I've discovered recently that a lot of HMOs will not pay for psychiatrists unless it's absolutely necessary and insist that you see a psychologist for therapy. As a result, a lot of psychiatrists (including mine) will not provide therapy, only meds management.

The nurse practitioner you are scheduled to see is probably a psychiatric nurse. In many states they are able to prescribe and are usually well qualified to manage your meds. If you think you need therapy as well, going back to the psychologist for that is a good idea.

Your regular PCP might be willing to give you a prescription now that you have a diagnosis, but he/she might not.