Doctor on medical leave w/o warning! | ADHD Information

Well I'm almost up to witts end in dealing with this mess. In July I found a new psychiatrist that was closer by to me and actually had the time to see me more than once every two months. So I go to my first appointment, everything fine, comeback the next month for the 2nd appointment, get all my prescriptions fine. On August 29th, I went to for my monthly appointment to get my new prescriptions and there's a problem, a big problem. There was a note on her door saying she was out on medical leave and won't be returning for a couple of months. The note said to call and leave a message on her voice mail if you needed refills on your medications. I've called, every single day, for the past 27 days and have not even recieved a return call. That day I went for my appointment I went upstairs and asked one of the therapists what happened and what do I do. This was the only other person in the office with a PhD but he doesn't write prescriptions as he's a psychologist. He wrote down all my information, all my meds and made sure the covering doctor got it. He assured me that she'd call me within 2 days to get me my meds. I've called the doctors voice mail every day and they haven't even returned my call once. I am prescribed 90MG of Adderall daily as well as Depakote, serequel and Trazadone and I am all out of my meds and I'm a complete mess right now. I even tried going to my regular family practice doctor and he said he can't right out scripts for psychiatric medications. I'm 20 years old and live on my own with my girlfriend. I feel like I've just been completely thrown out on my own by this Doctor with absolutely no help. I finally got a letter the other day saying that she won't be back for a few months (which i already knew) and that if I needed refills to call her voicemail. Yea, I've been trying to do that!!!!

Is this a serious issue of patient neglect? How do I get my medications? After trying everything I can think of to do legally I've had to ask friends for help who have some extra Adderall (yes, I know what I'm doing) to help me get by until I can figure out what to do. I got a list of referals finally but none of the Doctors have appointments availible this week.

Also, Should I file a complaint against the doctor? What about contacting my lawyer?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My previous doc has been known to do that quite often and me being on methadone for pain I go through withdrawls. He is no longer my doctor. I put up with it for a couple of years but can do so no more. It is complete patient neglect and I don't know how they get away with it. I just decided to change docs(and that wasn't easy as I am not an easy case and noone wants to deal with me). I hope you find some answers soon!Well, medical emergencies happen to everyone, psychiatrists included.

But unless she is in a coma, she needs to either fill the scripts herself from
wherever she is, or have someone else do it for her. Promptly! A day or two
is excusable if there was some kind of immediate emergency with the psych,
but 27 days?? That is ridiculous.

If you can afford a lawyer, get one. Or at least get some legal advice on what to do. This shouldn't be allowed to happen. What if you had a breakdown and tried to hurt yourself? WHat is you were diabetic or needed heart meds to stay alive? Good grief.

Hope you can find answers soon.

Good Luck

I just did some research today and I also found out that she was reprimanded in 2002 for assaulting a co-worker. My lawyer just passed away but his brother works at the same law firm and is a friend of the family. I gave him a call earlier and he refered me to a medical malpractice lawyer that he knows, supposibley one of the best around.

Today I called all of the psychiatrists in the area and found one that was able to see me today. I just picked up my prescriptions an hour ago. The doctor was kind of sketchy, she was all worried about the Adderall (typical, 20 year old who takes Adderall is always shady, right?) She asked me if I had an EKG recently and wants me to get one asap. She also had to call my Pharmacy to make sure I actually was actually prescribed Adderall and that dosage. Is 60MG a day all that much? I used to get 120MG a day prescribed (non-XR.)

Thanks for the help all, I appreciate it!