Are there any treatment programs for people hooked on meds like these? These are not the kind of drugs you can just stop taking.
Second opinion needed.
Call your local social services and report that you think she may be a vulnerable adult.....then tell them why...and they SHOULD refer her case to someone to investigate...You can also make this call anonymously
How old? It sounds like it’s HER decision to take them. No one is forcing her, right? Doctors prescribing patients as many medications as they can nowadays IS BIG BUSINESS.. Especially the addictive ones. Sounds like she’s just a money maker for the pharmas and the Doctor gets his kickbacks..
She needs GOD!!! Get her to Church and introduce her to the Priest or the Pastor.
Regular docs prescribing psych meds is never a good idea. Maybe get her to a Psychiatrist, and let them talk to her. I’ve dealt with mental illness my whole life, currently not taking anything. I decided I’d rather deal with the illness than the effects of the meds.
It’s possible that she appears normal when speaking to the Dr. and when she picks up her prescription. Perhaps, before ‘putting the fear of God’ in him, you might contact the Dr.’s office and explain that her observed behavior is terrifying and give him specific examples. Perhaps ask if he might consider referring her to a psychiatrist since she’s not responding as anticipated to the drugs. This way you don’t alienate the Dr. - you want his help at this point. If he were intentionally doing this - I’d want to use the method you explained but at this point, he doesn’t appear to know. And it might influence him just by letting him know you know and have reported it to him.
I suggest you first talk to an actual pharmacist, preferably with your friend present.
Talk to your pharmacist, then a psychiatrist
Qualudes, black beauties, and weed were tame stuff in the 60's and 70's. Now big pharma has rebranded amphetamines into adhd / add meds, and barbituates have been rebranded into something to turn down the amphetamines so you can sleep.
The more things change the more they stay the same, only now with a copay and a doctor instead of $5.00 for a bottle or a baggie.
Not saying its wrong, just cautioning you as to whether or not you could get into trouble with the lawman.
She needs to see a real psychiatrist fast becuase what you describe are classic symptoms of the manic phase of bipolar disorder.
I have bipolar disorder myself and based on the drugs she is taking she is being treated for depression but not mania.
Unless and until you have your MD in Psychiatry, it is inappropriate for you to get involved with another person’s Rx regime. If you do not have a guardianship it is potentially illegal as well.
Other then suggest a second opinion you can and should do no more.
I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I first provided enough links to try to convince her that psychology is the new snake oil. That at least made her unsure...but then I sat her down and had a serious chat about how radically her personality had changed since she started taking the meds. She soon thankfully quit cold turkey and thanks me for it to this day.
Symptoms of mania DIGFAST
D = Distractibility and easy frustration
I = Irresponsibility and erratic uninhibited behavior
G = Grandiosity
F = Flight of ideas
A = Activity increased with weight loss and increased libido
S = Sleep is decreased
T = Talkativeness
What condition is she being treated for? Put another way, what is the worst that could happen if she just stopped taking the meds? Now you do need medical input on that, because some psych meds you can’t just quit with safety. But some you can.
And you may remind the good doctor he may be criminally liable if her medication leads to an accident with injury or fatalities. He may not be aware that the dose he is prescribing is having such a dramatic effect, and if she’s really muddled, she probably isn’t telling him. His rear is on the line and he might think you were doing him a favor to relay how dangerous her behavior is becoming. No doctor really wants one or more wrongful death lawsuits or possible criminal negligence charges landing unexpectedly on his doorstep. Could really ruin his day.
A lot depends on what is meant by crazy. Side effects of over medication? Failure of medication to achieve its intended goal? Something entirely unrelated? Mere personality conflict? Neighbor trying to horn in on relative’s business? Legally competent or not, or questionable?
If she’s willing to talk with you, suggest she see a neurologist with a psychiatry degree (neurologist may sound less threatening than psychiatrist).
If she’s not, then MAYBE social workers could be of help. It depends on locale. Sometimes they are crazier than the relative.
She needs to meet with a Psychiatrist ASAP or if it's an emergency situation go to the emergency room and they will probably send her to their Psych floor and start her on a mood stabilizer such as Lithium, Depakote or an atypical antipsychotic like Risperdol or Seroquel for faster relief.
I think her doctor may recognize she is bipolar in that he gave her Paxil to keep the depression at bay, and also gave her some lesser known mood stabilizers in an attempt to keep her from switching to Mania, but it didn't work.
Mania will resolve itself but who knows how long, and she may have ruined her life at that point. It will most certainly be followed by a crushing depression if not treated correctly.
I am not a doctor but have had to deal with Bipolar disease in a loved one my whole life. In my case the person always refused care until something horrible would happen and she would be taken to the hospital either forcibly or convinced by the Police to check herself in.
I was sworn at, lied to, threatened, etc by this person. But it's worth it when they get the care they need and are back to normal.
http://www.dmh.ca.gov/docs/24_Hour_MH_Crisis_Hotline_List.pdf
Let me speak plainly - they DON'T know what they are doing.
My mother was given every drug on the planet, and then some. Then more combinations of drugs, more "therapy" that bankrupted our family to point of financial ruin. Then the "doctors" sent us even more bills after she had committed suicide.
I am convinced that many, many people who are diagnosed with the faux "syndromes" are actually demonically possessed or oppressed. The human soul is not an arm or a spleen. You can't treat it as such, but the "Mental Health" profession does. It is all a rigged game.
Let me repeat: they attempt to fool you that they know what is wrong, and when they are found out, they switch tactics.
It is all the same.
Trust me on this.
Sounds like your friend is having a manic episode.
My wife's shrink is also her sister's shrink. He's told us that he can't say anything about her sister to us but we can say anything about her sister to him.
I would not assume that anything your friend tells you about her meds or MDs is correct and sometimes people who are manic are delusional (psychotic) as well.
I would go on the web and find her MD’s fax number and fax a letter to him stating the symptoms you observed (speeding, etc...that is in the DSM-IV TR as a diagnostic symptom) and alleged meds that she says she is taking without making any judgmental comments directed at the MD.
Just say this is what she appears to be taking and this is how she is behaving.
At the top of the fax state “RE Jane Doe, DOB (date of birth) MM-DD-YYYY so they have a specific medical record identifier.
Good luck to you and your friend!