My lovely mum is having a mental health crisis - Psychiatrist has removed her from all her meds

[Pantone363]

She's suffered for years with bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, psychotic episodes and anxiety/depression.

For six years she's taken Sertraline, Lamotragine and Olanzapine. The last two years she's been very stable. No psychosis, no huge crisis.

New psychiatrist 6 months ago. She usually sees him once every 3 months. Five weeks ago he took her off all of her meds COLD TURKEY . He said she shouldn't have been on them that long and the government is trying to cut back on prescribing those scripts and that there is a stroke risk from the Lamotragine after taking it for years. The only script she now has is Trazodone once a day.

She's in an awful way, truly awful. She begged him today to put her back on them but he said no and that she needed to give the Trazodone some time to work. She has a support worker who goes with her to appts and she confirmed what my DM was saying. She also has a meeting with the benefits people about going back to work. Psychiatrist said to her 'lots of people with your problems work, don't try lying to them or they will know'

DM now in an utter state. I'm trying to help but not sure what to do. Surely taking her off all her meds at once can't be a good idea?

The mind website might be a good resource

This sounds totally wrong! If the support worker was a cpn she'd be called a cpn she will non qualified member of team that helps your mum with the things you said, sounds like your mum does need a cpn though - does she not have one? If not the support worker should be able to feedback to the cpn's in her team - one of them must be responsible for your mums care, they can then liaise with the psychiatrist, I'm ward based so not quite up on all the procedures of comunity teams but sounds like your mum defo needs someone in her corner with the psychiatrist and the Cpn would be the one to to that. Can you contact support worker to discuss this? If not contact crisis team.

This is completely off the scale disgusting and wrong. I don't know what to suggest but GP or even A&E as a psychiatric emergency. She must be feeling absolutely off her head with withdrawal, let alone all the existing mental health problems. The charity MIND might even help you write a formal complaint with medical knowledge of how appalling the psychiatrist's behaviour was to back you up.
I am astounded!

Have just spoken to my DM, she's been at the GP all morning. GP has contacted psychiatrist who's agreed she can go back on all the meds . She is obviously very unwell as they advised her to go in as an inpatient for a few days so she's just sorting some things out at home and then going this afternoon. Psychiatrist said that was the best thing for her but she will need to try and use her 'emotional coping skills' when she gets out

Thanks for all your help and advice.

Depending on how long she in for I'm going to bring her here for a while afterwards.

Will talk to her then about making a complaint.

"Discontinuation of Lamotrigine tablets should involve a step-wise reduction of dose over at least 2 weeks (approximately 50% per week) unless safety concerns require a more rapid withdrawal [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)]." [[http://www.drugs.com/pro/lamotrigine.html]

So for your mum:
Start 400mg
Week one 200mg
Week two 100mg
Week three 50mg
Week four 25mg
Week five stop.

Glad to hear she's getting sorted!

Glad it's sorted but it should never have happened - esp as you said your mum was doing so well, this guy sounds like a nob get that complaint in before he makes anyone else unwell.

Your mum has been treated abominably. This psychiatrist should'nt be practising. I hope you put in a massive complaint.
All the best to you and your mum

Shiteforbrains, why would the OPs DM 'beg' for the meds to be reinstated if she chose to stop them? If the pdoc didn't instruct the meds to be stopped, she could surely restart them by her choice. I have absolutely seen pdocs who would behave in this way. They're a small minority, but there are some who believe bipolar is being over diagnosed and therefore wade in and pull people off meds on the basis they don't have bipolar. Of course, this is flaming dangerous, but the reality is that there are some deeply incompetent pdocs around. (Please note---this isn't an ad hominem attack upon psychiatry. There are many excellent pdocs, but there are rotten apples.

Just another quick update. She's not gone into the hospital. They had her fill in an emotional thoughts checklist/form and decided she would be OK at home .

She has the lamotragine now. Psych really didn't want her to go back on it. He said the reason he took her off is because it's off licence for bi-polar and if she was to have a stroke etc it would be his responsibility.

I'm going to collect her today to come here for a week or so.

Sorry to hear that OP, but so kind of you to look after her for a week. Best wishes to both of you.

I hope she stabilises quickly, Pantone

Please make a complaint. That is abhorrent. Malpractice, surely? Even if a psychiatrist were to consider taking a patient off those meds, wth was he thinking to do it cold turkey? Malingering?! This isnt WW1! Isn't that basic 'modern' psych 101? Why bother training to be a psychiatrist if you're going to flush all you've learned down the sewer and treat people like this?! It's in all the notes that come with these pills! Our mental health services have enough to contend with without people like that.

Grrr

Oh my god. I'm on lamotrigine for bipolar, it's used more and more as a mood stabiliser and it works, coming off drugs cold turkey is HORRENDOUS and he's an unprofessional bastard for doing it. It can trigger psychosis and all sorts,

The meds she was on sound pretty much spot on for her condition. Definitely complain.