klmno
Active Member
I called the psychiatrist's answering service to reach the on call doctor tonight because difficult child was raging and it started to get frightening- it went on about an hour instead of his normal 20 mins. - plus he has been exhibiting other manic symptoms and he has had the recent medication changes.
Well, I get a call back from therapist that difficult child saw 2 years ago (you know the kind- the whole problem was discipline). I guess the answering service sent the message to the therapist instead of the psychiatrist on call. Anyway, he did help in giving a pointer on how to get a difficult child (who's on probation) into psychiatric hospital. Then, said call again to get psychiatrist because the answering service had made a mistake by referring my call to him.
So, psychiatrist on duty calls. By this time, difficult child is calm and doing homework in his bedroom. psychiatrist asked for history so I tried to sum up 2 years worth in less than 5 mins. psychiatrist sounds like he questions diagnosis. I personally don't care what they call it- this kid is cycling.
Then he spends time telling me how psychiatrists do their best to diagnosis and choose medications but it isn't an exact science. I know that, but what do I do NOW? So we discuss medications and dosages and he mentions all the AP options. Fine, but what do I do NOW?
He says it sounds like I want difficult child in psychiatric hospital and they normally don't do that anymore because insurance will only pay for a few days, and that is when the kid is a danger to self or others. I know that, but... And, he proceeds to tell me, that sometimes they will do it when parent just needs some rest, but they don't like it because psychiatric hospital and insurance will require a complete medication change and they think that is stupid. (I'm thinking, oh really, well if they aren't working, why wouldn't you change them- and if the difficult child needs drastic medication changes with risks of mania, shouldn't they be in psychiatric hospital?)
Then, he asked who is here to help me- where is father. Father has never been in life. He says what about grandparent or uncle. (This makes me paranoid- difficult child only has a grandparent and uncle in his life- besides me. Grandparent is out of state, uncles tried to get custody last year- does this psychiatrist have access to difficult child's file if he's on call?) I explained that no one was in this state but me.
Now, difficult child has picked up extenssion and been listening to part of conversation about upping medications and psychiatric hospital and so forth. I don't know if psychiatrist picked up on that, but then he says, well, if you can't take anymore, just call social services and tell them (me- NOT!!!) So, difficult child flips, goes to counter and puts all medications in a bag and takes them too his bedroom. I tell psychiatrist that difficult child heard part of conversation and he is removing medications, now what do I do?
psychiatrist says, then he's not cooperating and doing what he should and he needs to be compliant or this just won't work. HELLO!!! So, I tried to explain that he has NEVER refused his medications and he normally is compliant and has had long periods of stability but right now, I believe he is manic and there is no rationalizing with him when he is manic.
psychiatrist says, then what do I plan on doing? I said my plan was to call them, so now what should I do. He said give max doses of medications that regular psychiatrist had suggested, (meaning include zyprexa tonight), then calll regular psychiatrist first thing tomorrow. So, why didn't he just say that to begin with?
Then, I spent another hour getting difficult child calmed down- no, I wasn't calling social services, etc., etc, get medications back from him, and he takes them, as normal- with zyprexa. Which of course means, he is out of it right now, but he'll be rapid cycling tomorrow.
Am I the only one that sees a problem here? My nerves are shot and I think it has as much to do with this psychiatrist as with my difficult child.
Well, I get a call back from therapist that difficult child saw 2 years ago (you know the kind- the whole problem was discipline). I guess the answering service sent the message to the therapist instead of the psychiatrist on call. Anyway, he did help in giving a pointer on how to get a difficult child (who's on probation) into psychiatric hospital. Then, said call again to get psychiatrist because the answering service had made a mistake by referring my call to him.
So, psychiatrist on duty calls. By this time, difficult child is calm and doing homework in his bedroom. psychiatrist asked for history so I tried to sum up 2 years worth in less than 5 mins. psychiatrist sounds like he questions diagnosis. I personally don't care what they call it- this kid is cycling.
Then he spends time telling me how psychiatrists do their best to diagnosis and choose medications but it isn't an exact science. I know that, but what do I do NOW? So we discuss medications and dosages and he mentions all the AP options. Fine, but what do I do NOW?
He says it sounds like I want difficult child in psychiatric hospital and they normally don't do that anymore because insurance will only pay for a few days, and that is when the kid is a danger to self or others. I know that, but... And, he proceeds to tell me, that sometimes they will do it when parent just needs some rest, but they don't like it because psychiatric hospital and insurance will require a complete medication change and they think that is stupid. (I'm thinking, oh really, well if they aren't working, why wouldn't you change them- and if the difficult child needs drastic medication changes with risks of mania, shouldn't they be in psychiatric hospital?)
Then, he asked who is here to help me- where is father. Father has never been in life. He says what about grandparent or uncle. (This makes me paranoid- difficult child only has a grandparent and uncle in his life- besides me. Grandparent is out of state, uncles tried to get custody last year- does this psychiatrist have access to difficult child's file if he's on call?) I explained that no one was in this state but me.
Now, difficult child has picked up extenssion and been listening to part of conversation about upping medications and psychiatric hospital and so forth. I don't know if psychiatrist picked up on that, but then he says, well, if you can't take anymore, just call social services and tell them (me- NOT!!!) So, difficult child flips, goes to counter and puts all medications in a bag and takes them too his bedroom. I tell psychiatrist that difficult child heard part of conversation and he is removing medications, now what do I do?
psychiatrist says, then he's not cooperating and doing what he should and he needs to be compliant or this just won't work. HELLO!!! So, I tried to explain that he has NEVER refused his medications and he normally is compliant and has had long periods of stability but right now, I believe he is manic and there is no rationalizing with him when he is manic.
psychiatrist says, then what do I plan on doing? I said my plan was to call them, so now what should I do. He said give max doses of medications that regular psychiatrist had suggested, (meaning include zyprexa tonight), then calll regular psychiatrist first thing tomorrow. So, why didn't he just say that to begin with?
Then, I spent another hour getting difficult child calmed down- no, I wasn't calling social services, etc., etc, get medications back from him, and he takes them, as normal- with zyprexa. Which of course means, he is out of it right now, but he'll be rapid cycling tomorrow.
Am I the only one that sees a problem here? My nerves are shot and I think it has as much to do with this psychiatrist as with my difficult child.