tlv822
06-12-07, 12:10 AM
Hello everyone...
I am female, age 39 recently diagnosed with ADHD Inattentive within the past year. I was seeing a Psychiatrist's Assistant for a bit under a year and finally gave up on her for a myriad of reasons....the story....
She and the Psychiatrist were constantly bickering about the controlled substance administration. When I first started seeing her I built up to an 80MG dosage of Ritalin per day (above average I realize) to which she approved but Psych called her back - stating that was "one whopping dose of speed". Seeing how I was no longer doing 18 cigarette and coffee breaks a day and now doing about 10 times the work I previously did in a day, I found this difficult to rationalize. "We" then decided it was time to shake up my antidepressant medication. She unilaterally decided that I may possibly be bi-polar even though I have never had one episode that even resembles mania in my lifetime. I was (and still am) taking Paxil CR 50MG a day. She decided to start ramping that back while simultaneously starting me on Lamictal, Adderall, and Wellbutrin (I swear to my creator I am not making this up) That is the period in my life I sentimentally refer to as "my extended vacation in an alternate reality." Most would have run screaming at that point but I had gotten so used to this craziness in my 20 year veteran career in psychotropic substance guinea-pigism that I hung in there.
Wonder of wonders....she pulled back everything but Adderall and left the Paxil alone for the time being (I guess I passed the all-important resist-becoming-a-homicidal-maniac initiation rite) Out of nowhere I my life started anew....I went from being on a last warning before termination at work to receiving a $1000 bonus within 6 months time. Everything just began to make sense. I liken it to when I was first prescribed glasses in the 4th grade...I could suddenly see the leaves on the trees when all along I didn't realize people have that ability. ALL THIS TIME OTHER PEOPLE COULD SEE THE LEAVES AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT. ALL THIS TIME OTHER PEOPLE COULD FOCUS ON WORK AND UNDERSTAND COMPLEX CONCEPTS AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT.
Things went along pretty well for a while. I worked my way up to 2 20MG doses a day and then started to have issues. Wasn't working QUITE so well and in addition I was beginning to get headaches. Doc was unwilling to switch to other things and stated emphatically that "ONCE YOU ARE PRESCRIBED A MED AT A CERTAIN DOSAGE YOU ARE MARRIED TO IT FOR 30 DAYS"!!!.(False) HUH?? Okay....went with that for a while until Doc started getting disillusioned with the idea of prescribing controlled substances at all. Started getting shifty looks and questions regularly. The fact that I am about 40Lbs overweight and take more naps than Garfield notwithstanding....I seemed to be having difficulty convincing her I wasn't a tweaker. Final straw....thanks to new clarity and a promotion.....I was scheduled to leave for a business trip in a rather remote area. Doc decided it would be best to start seeing me every other month and leaving prescription in folder in the off month. Tried to pick up said prescription about 3 days early so that I could make presentation on business trip that would appeal to those slightly older than the preschool set. Enter new player onto stage....overzealous and pious Pharmacist. P-Dog informs me that IT IS ILLEGAL TO POSTDATE PRESCRIPTIONS (TRUE) AND I ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE DOC IN PERSON EVERY MONTH TO GET CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE SCRIP (FALSE). Pharmy is now lookin at me like I am tweaker extraordinaire puppetmaster controlling the strings of said Doc<<<<enter Rod Serling...cue eerie music>>>> Pharmy CONFISCATES script and threatens to report Doc. Once helping herself to her own Benzo stash decides will fill prescription if Doc feigns ignorance and pleads temporary insanity on day of postdating script. Called back Doc...Doc says she will call Pharmy but if pharmy does not relent well TOUGH...its shadow puppets and finger paints for partners on business trip.
That was quite enough. Last week went to GP (who has known me for several years and had the benefit of sanity and clear eyesight) to start over.
Disclaimer: Humor ends here.....advice solicitation and unbridled hostility begins>>>>>
No complains about Doc...she is great. She started me on Concerta. Can I just say EWWW. I immediately felt like I was propelled into an alternate reality and (strange symptom) now have HORRIBLE heartburn. Never mind the fact that I stopped productive database programming and once again reintroduced myself to my post-it/paper clip collection (amazing how fascinating office supplies can be when you are off effective meds) Called her today and she has written a script for Focalin. Quite worried.
Has anyone been on a large dose of Paxil while experimenting with the different types of meds? Has anyone switched from Adderall to Ritalin, Concerta or Focalin with success or failure? Finally...is ANYONE else out there going through this continuous tug of war trying to get help for this absolutely legitimate problem????
I'm tired of getting false hope...REALLY tired of getting lied to and tired of being disappointed in the next possible hope.
I am female, age 39 recently diagnosed with ADHD Inattentive within the past year. I was seeing a Psychiatrist's Assistant for a bit under a year and finally gave up on her for a myriad of reasons....the story....
She and the Psychiatrist were constantly bickering about the controlled substance administration. When I first started seeing her I built up to an 80MG dosage of Ritalin per day (above average I realize) to which she approved but Psych called her back - stating that was "one whopping dose of speed". Seeing how I was no longer doing 18 cigarette and coffee breaks a day and now doing about 10 times the work I previously did in a day, I found this difficult to rationalize. "We" then decided it was time to shake up my antidepressant medication. She unilaterally decided that I may possibly be bi-polar even though I have never had one episode that even resembles mania in my lifetime. I was (and still am) taking Paxil CR 50MG a day. She decided to start ramping that back while simultaneously starting me on Lamictal, Adderall, and Wellbutrin (I swear to my creator I am not making this up) That is the period in my life I sentimentally refer to as "my extended vacation in an alternate reality." Most would have run screaming at that point but I had gotten so used to this craziness in my 20 year veteran career in psychotropic substance guinea-pigism that I hung in there.
Wonder of wonders....she pulled back everything but Adderall and left the Paxil alone for the time being (I guess I passed the all-important resist-becoming-a-homicidal-maniac initiation rite) Out of nowhere I my life started anew....I went from being on a last warning before termination at work to receiving a $1000 bonus within 6 months time. Everything just began to make sense. I liken it to when I was first prescribed glasses in the 4th grade...I could suddenly see the leaves on the trees when all along I didn't realize people have that ability. ALL THIS TIME OTHER PEOPLE COULD SEE THE LEAVES AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT. ALL THIS TIME OTHER PEOPLE COULD FOCUS ON WORK AND UNDERSTAND COMPLEX CONCEPTS AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT.
Things went along pretty well for a while. I worked my way up to 2 20MG doses a day and then started to have issues. Wasn't working QUITE so well and in addition I was beginning to get headaches. Doc was unwilling to switch to other things and stated emphatically that "ONCE YOU ARE PRESCRIBED A MED AT A CERTAIN DOSAGE YOU ARE MARRIED TO IT FOR 30 DAYS"!!!.(False) HUH?? Okay....went with that for a while until Doc started getting disillusioned with the idea of prescribing controlled substances at all. Started getting shifty looks and questions regularly. The fact that I am about 40Lbs overweight and take more naps than Garfield notwithstanding....I seemed to be having difficulty convincing her I wasn't a tweaker. Final straw....thanks to new clarity and a promotion.....I was scheduled to leave for a business trip in a rather remote area. Doc decided it would be best to start seeing me every other month and leaving prescription in folder in the off month. Tried to pick up said prescription about 3 days early so that I could make presentation on business trip that would appeal to those slightly older than the preschool set. Enter new player onto stage....overzealous and pious Pharmacist. P-Dog informs me that IT IS ILLEGAL TO POSTDATE PRESCRIPTIONS (TRUE) AND I ABSOLUTELY MUST SEE DOC IN PERSON EVERY MONTH TO GET CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE SCRIP (FALSE). Pharmy is now lookin at me like I am tweaker extraordinaire puppetmaster controlling the strings of said Doc<<<<enter Rod Serling...cue eerie music>>>> Pharmy CONFISCATES script and threatens to report Doc. Once helping herself to her own Benzo stash decides will fill prescription if Doc feigns ignorance and pleads temporary insanity on day of postdating script. Called back Doc...Doc says she will call Pharmy but if pharmy does not relent well TOUGH...its shadow puppets and finger paints for partners on business trip.
That was quite enough. Last week went to GP (who has known me for several years and had the benefit of sanity and clear eyesight) to start over.
Disclaimer: Humor ends here.....advice solicitation and unbridled hostility begins>>>>>
No complains about Doc...she is great. She started me on Concerta. Can I just say EWWW. I immediately felt like I was propelled into an alternate reality and (strange symptom) now have HORRIBLE heartburn. Never mind the fact that I stopped productive database programming and once again reintroduced myself to my post-it/paper clip collection (amazing how fascinating office supplies can be when you are off effective meds) Called her today and she has written a script for Focalin. Quite worried.
Has anyone been on a large dose of Paxil while experimenting with the different types of meds? Has anyone switched from Adderall to Ritalin, Concerta or Focalin with success or failure? Finally...is ANYONE else out there going through this continuous tug of war trying to get help for this absolutely legitimate problem????
I'm tired of getting false hope...REALLY tired of getting lied to and tired of being disappointed in the next possible hope.