"Obtaining medication for bi polar"

I should not have to write this. No one should.

I had a depressive crisis a few weeks back, I felt I had being passed from pillar to post by non caring staff I ended up in A and E. I was booked in and saw swiftly a crisis team member.

I was given medication to calm me and an appointment with a crisis DR.

All was fine with my medication whilst under the great care of the crisis team in Colchester. I hasten to add the care and counselling was fantastic all the way through, they deserve praise for the care I received.

I was discharged having found a DR who would take me on as I'm nfa, and crisis sent an email to the new Dr's Practice asking for a continuation of medication explaining that this is the medication needed to stay stable and that I had just been discharged from their care.

It is usual practise for a Dr to see the new patient before prescribing medication, hence the email from crisis.

The first email was lost on their system, bear in mind it is me under medication fresh from a depressive episode trying to hold a job down chasing the G.P surgery as I was worried I wouldn't get my medication.

I had 2 weeks supply.

I again phoned crisis explaining the situation, again crisis was fantastic explained that I was discharged but would contact the surgery, which they did and rang me back.

After several visits to the surgery having to explain my situation every time I finally created an account with patient access 3 days before my medication ran out, fantastic I thought I can now re order a repeat prescription and get on with my life.

Oh no, here I now sit in crisis again as my medical records have not been uploaded to patient access, so there is no medication on there that I can repeat prescribe.

I have now ran out of my medication, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

Still trying to calm (I have bi polar right) I managed to book a ten minute appointment with a training DR  but this is 5 days away, without medication?

I should not or any one else have to go through this, battling the overstretched system just to get medication! I think it is ridiculous!

What do I now do?

Back to A and E?

Phone crisis and tell them?

It is like banging your head against a brick wall it really is.

For a person with any mental health condition to literally feel they have to  harass G.P surgeries just to try and get the medication they have been prescribed, it is demeaning, frustrating and has put me right back at square 1, IN CRISIS.

So I then rang crisis again whom again contacted the Dr’s surgery Explaining my situation adding that I could not go the weekend without this medication.

Crisis rang me back to say that the Dr’s surgery were issuing the prescription to my pharmacy, I have rang the pharmacy but as of now no prescription has been issued.

The crisis teams hands are tied as I have been discharged from them.

So now I have to sit here and wait for vital medication to keep me stable to be issued from the G.P practice to the pharmacy.

I think it really is shocking, upsetting and invoked another depressive episode.

I don't think that patients should not have to go through this.

Literally battle for medication, phone and literally harass whilst explaining time and time again your personal situation.

I think it highlights the state of The medication system at present.

If no medication is issued I have to go to square one which is A and E and start the process again, putting unnecessary stress on a already stressed system.

It is also demeaning.

I certainly hope other people do not have to go through my experience so far, which is why when I came across your page I felt compelled to write.

I hope my particular nightmare is resolved as soon as possible.