agirlandherdogs
03-15-07, 10:22 PM
Well, this is a very hard topic for me to even write about. However now that I realize the gravity of the illness and the situation I feel the need to say a few things.
In 1983 I was diagnosed with ADHD. At that time treatments were not perfected, nor are they now but they were even more elementary then they are now. In high school I was told that I have a double learning disability in math and sciences. From 1983 until 1994 I took Ritalin. After high school I determined, as most know-it-alls at that age, that I didn’t need a pill any longer. I was free. I didn’t take anything for 10 years. Without detail of what I went through in those years the bottom line is that was the worst mistake ever made.
After I started school for nursing I realized that I couldn’t focus well, and thought I should see about getting back on meds. I went through all the testing again, and was re-diagnosed with ADHD, combined type.
In September of this year I started on Adderall 20mg extended release. As I tolerated it, the dose raised. By the end of November I was prescribed 30mg extended release in the am, 20mg extended release in the afternoon and 10mg immediate release in the evening. Also was added 20mg Celexa daily.
How my prescriber works is that she is only an adjunct provider and not in the clinic so her practice was that on the date close to the 15th of every month she would leave my prescription for me at the desk of the clinic. She only works one or possibly two Saturdays a month. I picked up my December prescription took it promptly to the pharmacy, on getting home I noticed that it was the wrong prescription. She had written for IMMEDIATE release not extended release. So, I was out of meds for that week. Finally I got that prescription.
January prescription was picked up by my mother on January 19th, written on the 13th. Well this time again it was wrong, however I didn’t fill it and called the provider. The pharmacist also called the provider. I stopped in on that Saturday because the deal was that she (provider) was going to be in the office and I said she needed to drop it off so that I can continue my meds. Well that never happened. On Monday the pharmacists and I both were told by the secretary that there was a message left and a ‘done’ written on the message from my prescriber.
Between 2 pharmacists and myself we nagged the secretary and the provider to expedite the proper medication prescription to the pharmacy immediately. On February 2nd I called the office and demanded a prescription. I was told by the secretary that she’d leave a message for my doctor. That weekend I talked to the pharmacist and he said that under the circumstances he’d accept an emergency call in prescription for a 3 day supply as long as there were 2 pharmacists on the phone and she sent the hand written one. That was Friday…on Monday I called the doctor’s office and was told that she was ‘mailing’ it today. I also called the pharmacists and they told me that I indeed had an emergency supply called in by my provider, but why I wasn't called by my provider, I don't know.
By this point I am out of meds for 2 weeks and based on pharmacists recommendation to take part of the immediate release tabs. So that is what I was doing to get by. I don’t do well on the immediate release tabs. So this is during the time frame that my heart started going crazy, as it should be, I was playing roulette with my meds and battling to get my proper prescription.
On Feb 4th I ended up in the Emergency Room with my heart rate in the 150’s. I was then released with a 24hr monitor and that showed multiple abnormal rhythms and tachycardia. Per conversation with a psychology on call the following day (Feb 5th) I was advised to go off all meds immediately and follow up with cardiology in the morning. I went into horrible withdrawal from both meds immediately. Also diagnosed a dilated cardiomyopathy from the stimulant.
Since that time frame I’ve battled getting an appointment – due to records needing to be requested, insurance pre-authorizations etc…I however had from the very first mess up time the immediate release. So I cut a 10mg immediate release in half now and that is all I am on, along with the 20mg Celexa. I do however have an appt lined up with a coach / psychologist that specializes in adult adhd / ocd etc. And I will be most likely getting my prescription changed tomorrow with a different provider.
So, the bottom line is this made me act / react like nothing I’ve ever known. My schoolwork failed. I was a different person that I didn’t know in my own skin. Yesterday my profs met with me. I am not sure who was controlling me, I was forgetting things, did some very horrible work…I misunderstood an entire assignment, and I verified the details today with my mom’s boss – basically I failed that one assignment which makes me fail the entire course. There was no where that it said that we had to have a full 5 pages of communication between us and the patient. I did as the assignment said, minus 3 pages of communication. I did what the assignment said, yet I fail that and I failed the course. In the other course the work (written only, there were no exams during this time and that is sitting at an 87% right now) is where I can’t possibly pass mathematically (anything under a B in this program is failing)
Work in my other semesters has never suffered, I get full points on my written work, I exceed at that.
Per my evaluation my ADA recommendations were extended time for tests, tutor if needed, quiet room for exams, and extended time for written work.
Here is where it gets complicated –
If I withdraw now, I can’t get back in, I’m out of the program unless I go through an LPN program (3 semesters starting in Sept) and then another 2 semesters starting after that… I was to graduate in December of this year.
I approached my instructor at the beginning of the semester and asked her if she needed any forms other than my paperwork so I take my tests with an unlimited time frame. She told me ‘no’ (I have that in writing also)
So, the school is telling me that I have no options, no recourse, nothing…
I feel I do, but I don’t know how to go about this.
The disabilities office has asked me to fully document and get letters and he’s going to try to appeal for a medical withdrawal, where they’ll write off this semester and I can possibly start this semester in September.
I have been told that I should hire an attorney to ask what I should do… also been told that I shouldn’t sign any formal withdrawal forms yet.
Been told by disabilities office to continue going to class (not sure the reasoning behind that)
Also been told to pursue a malpractice type of complaint against my provider...
I fully feel that do to the medication not been prescribed fully it caused my heart condition and me failing for the last 4 weeks.
Anyone have any experience with ADA? Or anything that I may look into to help me maintain status?
Anyone have any ideas? Please I'd love to hear it!
Thank you all for your good wishes, I wish I could say in this case they worked…
I am also looking for an outsider that would possibly write a letter regarding the absurdity of the prescription and what should have been happening etc... is that even possible?
Amy
In 1983 I was diagnosed with ADHD. At that time treatments were not perfected, nor are they now but they were even more elementary then they are now. In high school I was told that I have a double learning disability in math and sciences. From 1983 until 1994 I took Ritalin. After high school I determined, as most know-it-alls at that age, that I didn’t need a pill any longer. I was free. I didn’t take anything for 10 years. Without detail of what I went through in those years the bottom line is that was the worst mistake ever made.
After I started school for nursing I realized that I couldn’t focus well, and thought I should see about getting back on meds. I went through all the testing again, and was re-diagnosed with ADHD, combined type.
In September of this year I started on Adderall 20mg extended release. As I tolerated it, the dose raised. By the end of November I was prescribed 30mg extended release in the am, 20mg extended release in the afternoon and 10mg immediate release in the evening. Also was added 20mg Celexa daily.
How my prescriber works is that she is only an adjunct provider and not in the clinic so her practice was that on the date close to the 15th of every month she would leave my prescription for me at the desk of the clinic. She only works one or possibly two Saturdays a month. I picked up my December prescription took it promptly to the pharmacy, on getting home I noticed that it was the wrong prescription. She had written for IMMEDIATE release not extended release. So, I was out of meds for that week. Finally I got that prescription.
January prescription was picked up by my mother on January 19th, written on the 13th. Well this time again it was wrong, however I didn’t fill it and called the provider. The pharmacist also called the provider. I stopped in on that Saturday because the deal was that she (provider) was going to be in the office and I said she needed to drop it off so that I can continue my meds. Well that never happened. On Monday the pharmacists and I both were told by the secretary that there was a message left and a ‘done’ written on the message from my prescriber.
Between 2 pharmacists and myself we nagged the secretary and the provider to expedite the proper medication prescription to the pharmacy immediately. On February 2nd I called the office and demanded a prescription. I was told by the secretary that she’d leave a message for my doctor. That weekend I talked to the pharmacist and he said that under the circumstances he’d accept an emergency call in prescription for a 3 day supply as long as there were 2 pharmacists on the phone and she sent the hand written one. That was Friday…on Monday I called the doctor’s office and was told that she was ‘mailing’ it today. I also called the pharmacists and they told me that I indeed had an emergency supply called in by my provider, but why I wasn't called by my provider, I don't know.
By this point I am out of meds for 2 weeks and based on pharmacists recommendation to take part of the immediate release tabs. So that is what I was doing to get by. I don’t do well on the immediate release tabs. So this is during the time frame that my heart started going crazy, as it should be, I was playing roulette with my meds and battling to get my proper prescription.
On Feb 4th I ended up in the Emergency Room with my heart rate in the 150’s. I was then released with a 24hr monitor and that showed multiple abnormal rhythms and tachycardia. Per conversation with a psychology on call the following day (Feb 5th) I was advised to go off all meds immediately and follow up with cardiology in the morning. I went into horrible withdrawal from both meds immediately. Also diagnosed a dilated cardiomyopathy from the stimulant.
Since that time frame I’ve battled getting an appointment – due to records needing to be requested, insurance pre-authorizations etc…I however had from the very first mess up time the immediate release. So I cut a 10mg immediate release in half now and that is all I am on, along with the 20mg Celexa. I do however have an appt lined up with a coach / psychologist that specializes in adult adhd / ocd etc. And I will be most likely getting my prescription changed tomorrow with a different provider.
So, the bottom line is this made me act / react like nothing I’ve ever known. My schoolwork failed. I was a different person that I didn’t know in my own skin. Yesterday my profs met with me. I am not sure who was controlling me, I was forgetting things, did some very horrible work…I misunderstood an entire assignment, and I verified the details today with my mom’s boss – basically I failed that one assignment which makes me fail the entire course. There was no where that it said that we had to have a full 5 pages of communication between us and the patient. I did as the assignment said, minus 3 pages of communication. I did what the assignment said, yet I fail that and I failed the course. In the other course the work (written only, there were no exams during this time and that is sitting at an 87% right now) is where I can’t possibly pass mathematically (anything under a B in this program is failing)
Work in my other semesters has never suffered, I get full points on my written work, I exceed at that.
Per my evaluation my ADA recommendations were extended time for tests, tutor if needed, quiet room for exams, and extended time for written work.
Here is where it gets complicated –
If I withdraw now, I can’t get back in, I’m out of the program unless I go through an LPN program (3 semesters starting in Sept) and then another 2 semesters starting after that… I was to graduate in December of this year.
I approached my instructor at the beginning of the semester and asked her if she needed any forms other than my paperwork so I take my tests with an unlimited time frame. She told me ‘no’ (I have that in writing also)
So, the school is telling me that I have no options, no recourse, nothing…
I feel I do, but I don’t know how to go about this.
The disabilities office has asked me to fully document and get letters and he’s going to try to appeal for a medical withdrawal, where they’ll write off this semester and I can possibly start this semester in September.
I have been told that I should hire an attorney to ask what I should do… also been told that I shouldn’t sign any formal withdrawal forms yet.
Been told by disabilities office to continue going to class (not sure the reasoning behind that)
Also been told to pursue a malpractice type of complaint against my provider...
I fully feel that do to the medication not been prescribed fully it caused my heart condition and me failing for the last 4 weeks.
Anyone have any experience with ADA? Or anything that I may look into to help me maintain status?
Anyone have any ideas? Please I'd love to hear it!
Thank you all for your good wishes, I wish I could say in this case they worked…
I am also looking for an outsider that would possibly write a letter regarding the absurdity of the prescription and what should have been happening etc... is that even possible?
Amy