Bipolar Fights Back--and Wins

I am back for today. However tonight is a med increase and I've been feeling pretty lousy with each one, so there is no promise that I'll write again for another week. However I am at least emotionally doing better than expected, so there is a chance this will return to normal soon.

One of the things that comes with the meds for bipolar is finding you can't take many medications. Lithium and depakote are probably the most common mood stabilizers, and in combination are more effective than alone. Lithium is filtered by the kidneys and depakote is filtered by the liver. Some meds can't be taken in combination with these because of an increased risk of damage to those organs. The risk already is significant enough to require blood tests at least every 6 months. Both of these meds also can reach toxic blood levels. For lithium especially the line between safe and toxic is very fine. In my case I have always been on very high levels of both meds, and twice I have had to lower my dose because my level crept too high. Depakote has a lower risk of toxicity, but again I have always been on very high doses and my levels have been over the theoretical toxic for several years. That is fine, but it does mean that I have to be very careful not to take things which increase the level at all.

The meds that are problematic are annoyingly common. The only painkiller I can take is tylenol. A year ago I pulled a muscle and tylenol did not help (it usually doesn't), and I wound up in urgent care to get tylenol with codeine. The doctor treated me like I was drug seeking and I wasn't; I simply can't take the better over-the-counter stuff, like Motrin (oh how I miss motrin!). I am not allowed any cold or cough medicine; my doctor finally gave me vicodin to calm coughing a few months ago because I was very sick and could not take anything normal. Thank God for creative doctors. Last summer I had a reaction to another medication and had enormous swelling in my legs. I had a huge fight in the emergency room because I wouldn't take diuretics I knew were dangerous for me until I spoke to a doctor; I heard a lot of "that's your right miss" and then they cancelled the order, so that after I talked to the doctor I had to wait an additional hour to get the medication that was ordered immediately upon arrival. Many antibiotics are on the list as well.

I know some of the drugs I'm not allowed. I cannot memorize it all, nor should I need to. Any responsible doctor should run my meds through a computer to check for interactions before prescribing. It only takes a minute.

Last summer I saw a doctor who was always making assumptions that because I was bipolar I was obviously not well educated, not employed, not insured, etc. I wear a lab coat at work and he saw me wearing it, with creditentials that give my specific title and indicate I have healthcare training. He did this several times, and I ignored it. Then came the incident.

I had a really bad sinus infection. I hate antibiotics but after 2 weeks I obviously needed them. So I went to the doctor. He told me "normally I'd prescribe a z-pack, but with depakote you can't take that". So he gave me something else. That one made me so sick I couldn't work, so I called. They called back a few hours later to say he called in a z-pack. I told them he had told me I couldn't take that. After much consultation because he had already left, another doctor agreed that I couldn't take it and prescribed something else. I finished that script and was still very sick. I called in again. Again he called in a z-pack. Again I called and argued, and this time suggested he look at charts before prescribing things. He called in something else. Once again I did not get better, so I called yet again. Guess what he called in? Oh yeah. So, again I called back and got yet another antibiotic, which finally worked.

After I recovered from all this I reported him to the state medical board. What he did was dangerous and stupid and if I did not know enough to monitor what I take he could have harmed me. It's not likely, but it's possible. I need my liver to be very strong because I need to take these meds for the rest of my life, and between my allergies to many meds and the number of meds that are processed by the liver, I rely on it being in good shape. I'm only 30, so I have many years of hard work for my liver ahead. Therefore I do not take risks.

I didn't hear from the medical board and since it had been months I gave up. Today I got a letter from them that they wish to pass the complaint on to him for his response. His response will determine the need for further action.

I'm so happy about this. I never wanted him to get in big trouble. I do however want him to have to think hard about how he treats patients. He treated me like I was less than human because of a diagnosis I was not even asking him to treat. What I really hope for is an apology, not because I need one, but because I want him to have to think.

I won.....