Posted by StellaMella on October 10, 2012, at 6:54:32
I have to find a new PDOC and it's not going smoothly. My current one moved out of state. The plan was just to continue seeing her, as I'm stable and only see her twice a year. I look at mental health the way someone views any other medical condition - I'm willing to travel for the best care (within reason). She's a top researcher and I like her.
Things have started to get hairy though... She moved on the past summer and left me with enough refills to get me through until our scheduled appointment at her new clinic. Well, that time is approaching.... and yesterday her clinic called and asked me to reschedule, resulting in my losing airfare on a non-refundable ticket. Furthermore, she's now out of network and VERY expensive, I called her, and she assured me I wouldn't be without my meds and refills would get called in. I'm starting to doubt it's that easy. She's never been a "details person." Getting enough refills on my meds (6 months worth) was really a pain in the butt when she was transitioning out of her first clinc. . She was just like "Oh, I'll just give you a year's worth of refills. No big deal!" She seemed to have no idea that there are dispense limitations on what I am prescribed. I take an off label experimental med for OCD and a daily benzo (low dose with no escalation) for panic. She can't just give me a year's worth of refills on a benzo. It doesn't work that way. I'm starting to get very nervous. I've never even been seen in her new clinic, and yet she states she is going to call refills in for me. Can she even do that if I'm not yet technically a patient of hers at the new place? I feel like she just kind of goes rogue and has to be reigned in by her clinic now and then. So where does that leave me?
I have enough meds until December, and then I'm screwed. I'm trying to look for someone else, but the bulk of the doctor's at the "big box" clinics seem uncomfortable with the daily benzo and off-label OCD med. The university she came from is trying to find someone, but they are very slow moving. I have NO idea what to do. I realize I'm doing a lot of projecting here, but I'm terrified. It's led me to question my meds. The SSRIS and conventional stuff don't work for me. There's a reason we chose these meds.. They work, and they have worked for 5 years. However, if I am going to have to fight a battle every time a PDOC retires or moves on (this is my second time dealing with this BTW.... Then is it worth it?
PLEASE help. Any suggestions on how I could handle this? Thoughts about my meds? How do I advocate for myself without coming across as a *B*.
poster:StellaMella
thread:1028268
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20121009/msgs/1028268.html