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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel psychiatrist should limit medication of people at risk

91 replies

Mustbetheresson · 08/10/2020 17:22

Friend has been honest about misusing her medication very hard for her as she finds it hard enough. The psychiatrist has said he will not issue her with weekly Scripts to help support her through this. He also added that patients need to take responsibility for their own safety and him limiting the amount of medication she can get at one time is him being responsible and not her. AIBU to think it’s part of hhis job to keep her safe? I understand patients untimely have responsibility for their own health but these no harm in helping them surely?

OP posts:
user13745865422563 · 08/10/2020 21:17

Psychiatrists are fallible. So are CPNs.

The default assumption of so many posters that the SU must be a liar or irresponsible and that the HCPs could not possibly have done anything wrong is ever so revealing.

I can't be bothered to argue with that kind of prejudice and ignorance.

MindfulMouse · 08/10/2020 21:19

@Butterer

If I take two citalopram a day for a fortnight, instead of my prescribed one a day for a month, it's a different risk to taking twenty eight of them on day one of getting my prescription. And it's different again if it's propranolol. Or quetiapine. I don't know if supervised daily use or depot are available for those...
Absolutely agree, variable levels of risk involved medication dependent...but there must be something in the care plan around the misuse and CPN should be working with client to address. OP, could that be the plan? Psych should review in a few months if so.
Original poster
Mustbetheresson · 08/10/2020 21:21

He’s told her he won’t be seeing her for six months.

OP posts:
seayork2020 · 08/10/2020 21:25

I would assume they know about this and sure are not 100% correct all the time like any person i would trust them this time, you can argue different but will it help or just help you feel better?

MindfulMouse · 08/10/2020 21:25

@user13745865422563

Psychiatrists are fallible. So are CPNs.

The default assumption of so many posters that the SU must be a liar or irresponsible and that the HCPs could not possibly have done anything wrong is ever so revealing.

I can't be bothered to argue with that kind of prejudice and ignorance.

I think PP's point isn't unreasonable, a lot of the time we are not provided with the whole truth.

We're obviously working off half a story here, as I've said before, it doesn't really make sense as OP has described.

I think the best advice is to link in with GP who can clarify as needed.

gypsywater · 08/10/2020 21:27

Is the friend you?

MindfulMouse · 08/10/2020 21:30

@Mustbetheresson

He’s told her he won’t be seeing her for six months.
That's routine since no changes have been made and there's nothing preventing your friend (or even you if you have concerns in the interim) to contact the team who can follow up.

As long as your friend is engaging well with the CPN, they are more than capable of helping her between psych appointments.

And again, liaise with GP to get clearer sense of reasoning.

Original poster
Mustbetheresson · 08/10/2020 21:33

I’ve messaged to offer to take her medication and give her a weekly supply of it so will see what she says.

OP posts:
MindfulMouse · 08/10/2020 21:34

@gypsywater

Is the friend you?
This would make so much sense to this 👏
JudyGemstone · 08/10/2020 21:35

It's very hard to overdose on some psychiatric medication and very easy to on others. I'm sure he's risk assessed your friend.

Not a popular opinion but I think they should limit what they prescribe generally, people don't generally do well being over medicated.

Your friend is lucky to have you looking out for her

MindfulMouse · 08/10/2020 21:38

@Mustbetheresson

I’ve messaged to offer to take her medication and give her a weekly supply of it so will see what she says.
Whatever the full story is...

Work from the default position that the team are going to be working in her best interest. Maybe ask your friend if she'd like your support during next CPN review to get the full picture. Good luck anyways!

MindfulMouse · 08/10/2020 21:39

**Not a popular opinion but I think they should limit what they prescribe generally, people don't generally do well being over medicated.

Your friend is lucky to have you looking out for her

...Agree with all of this!

Thelnebriati · 08/10/2020 21:41

@Mustbetheresson

I’ve messaged to offer to take her medication and give her a weekly supply of it so will see what she says.
I know you mean well but this is a bad idea. If anything goes wrong you will feel responsible. How will you react if she appears on your doorstep at 10pm demanding all her meds?
U2HasTheEdge · 08/10/2020 21:55

If her nurse agrees as well, then perhaps they know what they are doing, and you getting involved is just going against what the professionals think are best for her in the long run.

Original poster
Mustbetheresson · 08/10/2020 22:08

The nurse agrees because he can’t go against what the psychiatrist advises.

OP posts:
WoobyWoo · 08/10/2020 22:15

Her psychiatrist will have assessed the risks involved and either there will be a reason for his decision or she isn’t giving you the full story. It’s so difficult op as you obviously want to support your friend but ultimately have to trust the professionals who have a wider view of her condition.

Wolfiefan · 08/10/2020 22:20

I too agree that maybe she isn’t telling you the full story. If she is unhappy she needs to take it up with the medical professionals. It’s not your place to deal with her meds.

U2HasTheEdge · 08/10/2020 22:39

@Mustbetheresson

The nurse agrees because he can’t go against what the psychiatrist advises.
What makes you think that?

In my experience psychiatrists always work together with the care-co and value their opinion and knowledge of the service user, knowing that they know them much better than they do.

The care-co will know much more about their risk factors and will have done a care-plan, and there is no reason to think the psych has made the wrong choice and the nurse is just pretending to agree with the decision.

The medication they are taking will make a difference too, so will other factors you will not be privy to.

If you want to support your friend, maybe support her to contact her care-co and get them to explain the decision again to your friend. Going against their advice because you think you know better is not the right way forward. You don't involve yourself in someone's medication based on one side of the story.

Torvean32 · 09/10/2020 01:04

He may have her on daily medication doses. The thing is this thersoly plan cant last for ever. If you're friend has BPD/EUPD the more attention they get, the less thry can believe in thrir own capabilities.

RichAndThickLikeCoffee · 09/10/2020 01:54

They had to limit mine as I was overdosing on it

SuckingDownDarjeeling · 09/10/2020 01:57

So what does your friend do when she runs out of her medication before the month is through?

Original poster
Mustbetheresson · 09/10/2020 09:35

I believe she puts the request in early.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mustbetheresson · 09/10/2020 09:35

She says the gp surgery don’t pay much attention to it.

OP posts:
Butterer · 09/10/2020 09:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DarkMintChocolate · 09/10/2020 09:44

It's very hard to overdose on some psychiatric medication and very easy to on others. I'm sure he's risk assessed your friend.

DD, who has BPD, would just take every tablet she had - which included paracetamol. However, she was on weekly prescriptions! Her DBT counsellor said she was the most severe case of BPD on his caseload.