Dual Diagnosis Support Group

Hello all! I'm new to this group, but having read through some of the discussions, I feel like I'm in the right place. My primary concern is that I'm on Medicaid and the treatment options are extremely limited, to put it nicely. I live in a relatively small town in SC, and through the local Mental Health center, i've been prescribed Lexapro and Klonapin, and have been told to lay off my Xanax (they will not prescribe it, though it's been effective for my panic attacks for years. My last prescription (from my family dr was filled late September for 120 tabs, of which I still have about 40, so clearly I'm not abusing this necessary drug). I've also been told that until I address the alcohol issue, they can't do anything about changing my meds, because the alcohol is clouding the true effectiveness of the antidepressant. This may be true, but it seems that they don't understand at all how the two go hand-in-hand. When my meds are under control, I drink very little. Over the past 5 months or so, I've been drinking very heavily. I've researched it a great deal, and don't agree that Lexapro with Klonapin is necessarily a good route to combat bipolar. I requested a different psychiatrist and was told that isn't the way the system works. I've been assigned a doctor, and he's the one I'm stuck with. I'm very frustrated, scared, and desperate. I began slicing my wrist Tuesday night, until I came back to myself and said "what the hell am I doing?" and called a friend who took me to the ER. They did no blood tests, no urinalysis, only slapped some antibiotic ointment and gauze on my wrist, then put me down in the "holding" department for the night. I was not given my meds the following morning, which is when I usually take them, had to wait until almost noon to see the rotational psych, who recommended I check myself in for several days of observation. I am a single mom and have a full-time job, and have dealt with these issues for about 20 years, so I know myself fairly well. I don't need a vacation, I need a med switch. Problem is, so few docs take medicaid, and I can't afford much else. Any advice? I was fine once the "crisis episode" passed and I realized what I was doing to myself. In fact, by the time I called my friend, I was in my right mind again, and don't need more time away, just need better or at least different meds. I just don't know what to do!

hello an welcolme..i went threw similler ordeals here living in small town.i finally went threw a sliding fee clinic an after sevral meds switches doin alot better. being limited by medicade gunna be hard ..but keep workin on em till they switch meds .

Thank you for your quick response, steve. I feel so alone right now. I'm looking into other options, as this has to be dealt with quickly; not only for my mental health, but also for my job. I work at a non-profit agency where I truly make a difference. I need this job, not only for the (very) limited income, but also for the feeling of being productive and having somewhere to be every day. Again, thank you for getting back to me. Finding this community was a blessing, but the postings don't seem all that frequent, and more than anything right now, I really need support.

have u checked out the bipolar group an also the bipolar only group is also really good groups.hang in there..keep ur head up..at work or write more...

Any suggestions for is you want to attend an AA meeting and you're a single parent with your child at home?

ive been to a.a meetings were they had stuff ..like toys an games to entertain them....if u dont have a sitter..take em with ya..never know..might meet someone can help u out..a.a thing is..be willing do what ever it takes to acheive sobriety.

Hi, welcome to the group. The only suggestion I have for you about the pdoc and the meds is to keep trying to find a new doc. I don't know how Medicaid in SC works but I'm on it in WV and it is restrictive but we can change docs if we want.

If you need to go to AA and you have a kid, take them with you. The only thing is that some people might get upset at you if you take your kid to a "closed" meeting so try to take them to an "open" meeting where anyone can attend. I have had to take my kids quite often. My sobriety is very important to my children. Even if they don't know it.

Good luck in sorting all these things out. Welcome to the group.

Thank you; just hearing another voice out there has such an impact - it's way too easy to feel totally isolated and great to know that I'm not. I will consider taking my daughter to a meeting, but she's 8 and I'm not sure that I want to expose her to everything that will be there.

We all may be alcoholics, but we will naturally all come from different perspectives. I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable sharing their story, but at the same time, my alcoholism hasn't led to any police action, sexual escapades, etc., and for as long as I am able, I want to protect her from some of that. Catch 22. Everyone in any sort-of 12-step program must be able to speak freely, but I want to control what my daughter experiences for as long as I can (there will naturally come a time when I can't control it any longer, so I intend to make the best of it).

That being said, some of her questions recently have led me to purchase a book to assist with "the talk". She knows basic atanomy in correct biological terms, menstruation, how the baby gets out, etc., but she asked yesterday about how the baby gets in. I started explaining appropriate parts, and she asked, "Mom, can we talk about something else?" I figure I'll give her the book to read on her own (she reads for about an hour a day anyway, as neither of us is particularly into TV) and let her come to me with questions as they arise.

Natural progression, I know, but having substitute-taught for second-graders, I know enough to know that I don't want her source of information to be her peers who have been educated by older siblings (and thus horribly mis-informed). Please forgive me for the rant. We're stuck under about a foot of snow (ridiculous amount for the Upstate of SC), so adult contact is at a premium for me. Thanks, anyway, for listening, and particularly for responding to my post - it's comforting to know there are others out there dealing with similar issues, and I appreciate the support!