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Drs won't help with medication

Posted , 3 users are following.

Anon1234321
Anon1234321

My new GP in a new city won't refer me to a psych to adjust my medication, due to the fact that I refused therapy in my old city.

My bipolar is under control tanks to lamotragine.

However, my PMS is crazy pre-period. So much so it's impacting my relationship (me and my bf ended up very nearly breaking up last month because of this). I also do not want to feel the way I do before my period.

My GP refuses to 'deal with anything relating to my mood'. Today she gave me birth control as a solution to my PMS problems. She told me that birth control with stop lamotragine from working, but she refused to look at an alternative to birth control, gave me the birth control, and told me it was my choice.

I told her I had read that fluoxetine was another PMS solution (I know personally that it comes with risks when bipolar). However again she told me that I had to go see a male Dr, despite me telling her I felt uncomfortable taking about my period with a male Dr (specifically this one).

It appears she is refusing to deal with me based on the fact that last year, I was all over the place.

Does anyone else take lemotragine but suffer from PMS and have you found anything useful?

I am hitting a dead end. Everything in my life is falling apart and I'm trying to hard to keep it together and ask for help, but I feel like the Drs is neglecting their duties. What can I do?? I'm in the UK. I don't know how I can get help.

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • W.Santana
    W.Santana Anon1234321

    Posted

    Hello Karen:

    I can absolutely understand how are you feeling right now. I was diagnosed Bipolar Type I at age 15 and now I'm 29. My first mood stabilizer was Lamotrigine but, it didn't work. I was always nauseaous but I heard fromot of people who are stable on it.

    As you, I suffer from problems before my period but, I have PMDD (Pre Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder) which is a chronic "version" of PMS. I've been on Fluoxetine for 5 months now and I feel much better than with others I took.

    I live in Puerto Rico and I guess its dIfferent than in the UK but, still, you should have rights related with your health and your decisions.

    If now you want help and are looking for it, its much better than have to go to an A&E or an a Psych Ward/Hospital because you are in a crisis.

    FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS! YOU MUST HAVE THE RIGHT OF HAVING A PSYCHIATRIST. Which is the professional who has the specialty on Mental Health (and you are already diagnosed and was pretty stable with Lamotrigine).

    Wishing you my best, Wanda

  • justbeingme2
    justbeingme2 Anon1234321

    Posted

    Hi Karen! Could you possibly see another doctor? I'm not from UK so not sure how it works there. Could you get a second opinion from another doctor. I am bipolar and take 100 mg of lamotrigine. I began to have pre menstrual meltdowns. My doctor prescibed 20 mg of fluoxetine HCL (prozac) 7 days before my menstrual and it help tremendously. Due to still suffering from depression I take 20 mg of fluoxetine everyday now. I just started that dosage so my doctor wants me to see how I feel seven days prior to menstruation. He may up the fluoxetine 7 days prior to my menstrual if I'm still having meltdowns. I was a wreck before taking fluoxetine...it was bad! Everyone is different so talking to a doctor who will listen and find a medication for you will be great! Don't give up and be persistent. I know what it's like to be bipolar. It takes a lot of persistence and trial and error with meds until we find something that works for us. Keep your head up and don't give up. If you can, find another doctor.
  • Anon1234321
    Anon1234321

    Posted

    Thank you both.

    You're making me want fluoxetine even more now, knowing it has helped you both.

    Honestly I don't know if it's PMS or PMDD for me. I become really aggressive, cry a lot, and naturally I'm more impulsive when aggressive. I flushed my bipolar meds and ripped my prescription up and dropped it in the street, walked the streets for hours late at night before calming down. I often get sore boobs and they swell and feel more round/firm. My period since being on lamotragine is irregular. It used to be pretty regular.

    I am going to switch to a different Drs surgery this week and will hopefully have more luck. I'm going to tell them straight away that I'm switching because I'm not being taken serious by my GPs because of my diagnosis, who are also refusing to help because they don't want the blame if anything goes wrong.

    • Anon1234321
      Anon1234321

      Posted

      Oh I was also on the verge of fighting a man much bigger than me due to either PMS/PMDD because he tried to trip me up. This behaviour is not me at all and only surfaces before my period, it has done for years. It's become worse since the bipolar started, too. I'm just guessing it's PMS/PMDD but the timing matches up and has done for years.
  • W.Santana
    W.Santana Anon1234321

    Posted

    Dear Karen:

    Hope you can, VERY SOON, find the inmediate help you need, request and deserve! There's a lot of info in the intermet about PMS and PMDD. It can be a little tricky for us, as patients and not healthcare professionals, to differentiate one from another (PMS or PMDD). It can be also tricky to a new physician to diagnose quickly on one of them because he/she will need to recopilate your clinical history, symptoms, time suffering on them, etc. But be HOPEFUL because you are already in your way to find the right treatment for both conditions.

    Don't be scared about talking to this new doc about the past experience with the GP. NOT ALL PHYSICIAN ARE LIKE THAT.

    I wish you, SINCERELY, THE BEST!

    Wanda

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