Posted by BGB on August 3, 2007, at 7:01:09
In reply to Re: I wonder about Kaiser. (pdoc + SSRIs for anxiety), posted by Bonnie_CA on August 3, 2007, at 1:55:34
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> > Back in 2005 I got a feeling that Kaiser HMO generally discourages use of Klonopin for anything but short term use. Instead, it seems like they think of SSRIs for anxiety as a one-size-fits-all solution.
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> Kaiser treats all mental illness like a one-size-fits-all... their solution to everything is group sessions and whatever drug is hot on the market. We're all just on their assembly line, bring 'em in, ask a couple questions, and send them away with a medication. Don't bother them furthur. Just take your drugs. If the drug isn't working, it must be something you're doing wrong. Seriously. This is what I got when I was there. Never again. Got rid of them in January, and since have gotten competent help and have improved a lot.
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> > Which strikes me as a too-general a rule if it's true. i.e. that they'd rather have patients face the real side effects of a SSRI than deal with the possibility of a patient getting tolerant or addicted to Klonopin in the future.
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> But see, they still lie about the side effects. Ok, maybe they've stopped lying about the common side effects, but they still lie about the withdrawal. I wish doctors would quit getting so bent out of shape over benzos. I haven't really seen a better class of drugs for anxiety. They keep trying by putting it on another label, but I'm not convinced.
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> -Bonnie
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>I'm so sorry you have had bad experiences with Kaiser Permanente. However, I feel it is important for me to share my experiences with my Kaiser Permanente HMO here in Atlanta.
My pdoc is amazing. He listens to me, and always tells me how important it is that I am trying to help myself by researching medications. Whenever I have suggested any medication, he has been willing to try it and prescribed it for me.
Both of the therapists I have seen were great, and the nurse practitioner who I was first assigned to was also very good. She realized that I was a "tough case" early on and knew that I should be seeing the pdoc directly, and took care of it.
I would recommend trying a different Kaiser Permanente location, if there is one near you, or switching to another pdoc at the clinic you are going to now. I think that I was told that each behavioral health clinic has to have at least 2 pdocs and 2 nurse practitioners, although I know that at mine one of the pdocs is strictly a pediatric pdoc, unless the other two are away at the same time and he has to fill in.
Best of luck to you!
poster:BGB
thread:773587
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070730/msgs/773696.html