I Think I Need a Lawyer

I'm not that person...the one looking for reasons to sue in order to get rich quick. But I do think a lawsuit is a useful tool for affecting change. And I think something needs to be done about this situation.

Back in January, DQ started undergoing another round of psychological testing. The Doctor was able to administer the test, but unable to prescribe medication. She did, however, inform us of a new tool for prescribing physicians and pharmacist. 

A DNA panel. Something as simple as a cheek swab can map a persons chemical make up. This is powerful, because it tells doctors what medications have a better chance of working for that persons specific body. And it tells the which ones absolutely will not work. Amazing.

So, when we got an appointment with the prescribing doctor of that practice, I asked that she do a DNA panel on DQ.  She absolutely refused. I informed her that her office had just done a psych eval, and the testing doctor recommended it. She said she didn't need to look at any of DQ's tests. She wasn't going to read any of the notes taken by other therapist. "I only need to talk to DQ to know what's going on." 

15 minutes later, she diagnosed DQ as bi-polar, gave us a handful of scripts and off we went. 

I was not happy. I thought she was fast and loose with my child. She was very disrespectful to me and our in-home therapist who accompanied us to our appointments.

Two months later we went back to the med doctor, and reported no change. And in fact, DQ was getting worse. More angry, more violent. Again, she acted very blasé. Like she was superior and I was just the stupid mother. She upped the dose on DQ's meds. That was her solution to DQ getting physical with me.

The in-home therapist and I agreed; This new doctor was not going to work out of us. So we sought out another one. Keeping in mind, it takes months for us to get appointments with this practice. I wanted to keep DQ there, because moving her would mean doing another psych eval.

Fast forward another three months and we are finally sitting with another prescriber.  He listens to me. He listens to DQ. And then he starts to tell us how the first thing he's going to do is run a DNA panel. I think I threw my hands up in the air and said, "Thank God." He keeps DQ on her current meds, since they aren't doing any harm. And we wait for the tests to come back.

6 weeks later, we go to get results and meet with the new prescriber again. 

The more he explained, the angrier I got.

These tests show DQ will need to be on a vitamin D supplement for the rest of her life. They show she will have a horrible reaction to valium and any drug in the same class. They show that she should react as expected to any of the psychotropic drugs she's been on or will be on in the future. 

But here is the thing... DQ is not producing serotonin. Why? Because her body is not changing folic acid into l-methylfolate. A key ingredient to making serotonin.

The drugs that are used to regulate depression and mood disorders work my elevating and/or keeping serotonin regulated in the body/brain. But if there is no serotonin to begin with NONE OF THESE DRUGS WILL DO A GOD DAMN THING!!!

I'm left wondering why these tests weren't done by the very first prescribing doctor. But I am absolutely livid at the doctor who refused to do the test when I specifically asked for it.

I am seriously considering getting a lawyer to deal with this matter. I wonder how much harm this one doctor has caused with her, "I'm a doctor, so I'm smarter. You're just a stupid parent," attitude? I think she needs a reality check.

I'm considering a trust for DQ to be dispersed on a timeline after she turns 18. She'll need a way to pay for the meds she'll be on for the rest of her life. Maybe I can insure, no matter where she wanders in life, she'll have the medications she needs to at least function.