Expert: Joyce A. Anthony - 9/6/2008

Question
QUESTION: I come from a family with a mother and four siblings out of ten are bipolar. My husbands family has mild ocd. I am a mother of four children and I raise my sisters (she severe bipolar) children. My sister daughter is seventeen and I'm afraid she is bipolar like her mother. I have her on anxiety medication now. When she is under any kind of stress she chocks on her food even jello and swears it's stuck in her throat for hours. One minute she happy the next she's hiding in her room. Her judgment is seriously impaired. People say to me that's just a teen ager. Well I have four teenagers she is the only one like this. Plus I was the sibling just younger then her mom who was the oldest out of ten. She scares me because she reminds me of her mother alot. I don't know what to do for her. I also don't want to see her become like her mother. Her mother is an alcoholic and drug addict. Her father is also an alcoholic and drug addicted and suffers from mental illness. I live in a small town in Tehachapi, California. We just moved her from Washington state. There are no good doctors here and I've seen so many  doctor who don't know how to handle bipolar over medicate my sister for years. I have no medical insurance on kelsey because she isn't my child and taking her for care is really expensive since I have six kids to take care of.I can't get assistance since my husbands makes like a hundred to much to  receive help. I tried to get legal aid to get custody of kelsey so i could put her on are medical but they said we make to much. I don't have the money for a lawyer to do it myself. She needs help I don't know what to do! Even if I had the money I wouldn't know where to take her. I don't want to take her to some doctor who doesn't know what they are doing. I keep pretty good tabs on her and I'm just afraid when she turns eighteen and she still hasn't been treated properly she will turn into her mother. Right know she hasn't done drugs or alcohol but she is attracted to scum. I fear it's only a matter of time. What can I do?

ANSWER: Hello Elissa:

The best advice I can give is to talk with your family doctor--or the one who prescribes her anxiety medication--and explain your situation.  This doctor will most likely be able to direct you to someone who can help financially with mental health care for your niece.  They will also be able to direct you toward a doctor in your area who works with bipolar teenagers.

         Joyce A. Anthony

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The only problem with that is the town doctor we go to really is only good for a bump,scratch,or cold. I had a really good  doctor in Washington. I didn't have the kids then. For instance she knows I haven't got insurance on kelsey or kyle and kelsey is kind of accident prone. I had to pay for two 1,800 dollar root canals and two cavaties plus a broken in half tooth for this kid sll in the last eight months. That not even half of the regular medical problems she's had. Kelsey has torn the bottom half of her big toe off and is pron to ear infections and colds. Every time I take her in this doctor know I have six kids and can't afford much but not once has she ever offered a sample drugs or minimized the number of prescriptions she gives me. Every time I leave this womens office I'm out hundreds of dollars. The normal prescription bill I have from her is TWO hundred. My family doctor in Washington was proactive smart and always helped me when she could. Plus she doesn't have the best record in town. The only reason I go to her is lack of choices.  I couldn't take my kids to her for anythings serious. I would drive them down the mountain and a hour and a half away for that and hope I could find someone. Their just has to be a way to find someone who would know a good doctor.

Answer
Hi Elisa:

I'm afraid I can not suggest a doctor. I have found, however, that often doctors know each other.  If possible, call your old doctor and ask for her recommendation--she is likely to either know of, or know someone who does know of, a doctor in your area that will work with you.  The best recommendations come from doctors we know and trust.

         Joyce A. Anthony