hello! I have been C/S for over 3 years, been through about 2 years in a documented recovery program, and anticipate a meeting with the Board within the next month or 2 after petitioning them for reinstatement.
My Drug of Choice was alcohol, however when that intervention happened and i could no longer drink, i got the bright idea to divert. This was very short lived (thank goodness) b/c a medic i worked with was on to me immediately.
part of my "process" for the diversion program was to be evaluated by a psychiatrist to clear me to work. He believes that i have depression, possibly Bipolar, based on my rxn to meds prescribed to me in the past.
about 3 months before i began drinking heavily, i began taking prozac 40 mg/d for depression (family doc). When the doc thought that wasn't working he added Adderall 20mg/d which absolutely sent me throught the roof. i drank everyday for 2 weeks, then diverted for 2 weeks. Guess this sent me into a "SSRI induced mixed manic episode", (say that 3 times fast),which is unofficially a bipolar DX.
i have never had a hypomanic or manic episode in the past without being induced by medication and not in the 3 years since i stopped taking prozac/adderall.
for 3 years before meeting this psychiatrist, i didn't know what happened, i thought i was scum of the earth, didn't deserve to be a nurse, etc. once he laid it all out for me, it began to make sense. I opted to begin meds- an antidepressant to alleviate the depression i get a few times a year and a stabilizer to make sure that sort of episode NEVER happens spontaneously.)
When i go before the Board do i just say i am an alcoholic who finally got it together, or do i need to address the depression/bipolar issue? if they bring it up what do i say? my doctor thinks that i am perfectly safe to resume nursing. i don't want to sound like i am making excuses for my addiction, or hiding my illness :39:
i feel like they wouldn't have given me a second chance to prove myself if it wasn't possible to be reinstated, but i don't want to screw it up.
thanks!!
My Drug of Choice was alcohol, however when that intervention happened and i could no longer drink, i got the bright idea to divert. This was very short lived (thank goodness) b/c a medic i worked with was on to me immediately.
part of my "process" for the diversion program was to be evaluated by a psychiatrist to clear me to work. He believes that i have depression, possibly Bipolar, based on my rxn to meds prescribed to me in the past.
about 3 months before i began drinking heavily, i began taking prozac 40 mg/d for depression (family doc). When the doc thought that wasn't working he added Adderall 20mg/d which absolutely sent me throught the roof. i drank everyday for 2 weeks, then diverted for 2 weeks. Guess this sent me into a "SSRI induced mixed manic episode", (say that 3 times fast),which is unofficially a bipolar DX.
i have never had a hypomanic or manic episode in the past without being induced by medication and not in the 3 years since i stopped taking prozac/adderall.
for 3 years before meeting this psychiatrist, i didn't know what happened, i thought i was scum of the earth, didn't deserve to be a nurse, etc. once he laid it all out for me, it began to make sense. I opted to begin meds- an antidepressant to alleviate the depression i get a few times a year and a stabilizer to make sure that sort of episode NEVER happens spontaneously.)
When i go before the Board do i just say i am an alcoholic who finally got it together, or do i need to address the depression/bipolar issue? if they bring it up what do i say? my doctor thinks that i am perfectly safe to resume nursing. i don't want to sound like i am making excuses for my addiction, or hiding my illness :39:
i feel like they wouldn't have given me a second chance to prove myself if it wasn't possible to be reinstated, but i don't want to screw it up.
thanks!!