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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by pretty_paints on September 6, 2005, at 11:25:37
Hiya,
I'm feeling really fed up with my psychiatrist. I used to have a really good lady one but I fell in love with her and therefore was shifted onto a new doc. This guy is a consultant, but he's so bloody clinical. He's just like a walking, talking pdoc robot.
It's made me think a bit about what pdocs actually have to DO? Is it THAT complicated? I mean, come on, a patient walks in: are you crying, life is hopeless, not eating and drinking, difficulty sleeping - okay, have an antidepressant!! If you're talking about aliens controlling your mind, okay have an antipsychoitc!!! Shaking, panicky, don't want to leave the house etc, give an antianxiety!! If you're wanting to take over the world, not sleeping, very hyper, then have a mood stabiliser.
HONESTLY how hard is it for them?? All they do each time you see them is think, "right, this person still has symptoms, lets increase the dose" or "ooh this person is suffering with side effects, lets REDUCE the dose".
I dunno. I do think generally pdocs are good, but my new pdoc just isn't. He's so bland. All he does is sit and ask me questions. He doesn't ever remember what dose of drugs I'm on. His questions are so OBVIOUS as well. Grrrr...
Anyway just had to have a rant!!
xxx
Posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2005, at 21:01:31
In reply to Who thinks pdocs are a waste of space??, posted by pretty_paints on September 6, 2005, at 11:25:37
Hi Katie, I wish Ed were here to talk with you but I believe he has computer problems. I understand your frustration but it sounds like the clozaril is helping. Are your delusions less? And less paranoia and confusion. I believe a male is in your best interests now as you had that feeling that was so strong but confusing about your female pdoc. Lots of love from me and Ed Fondly, phillipa
Posted by ryan2828 on September 8, 2005, at 5:56:02
In reply to Re: Who thinks pdocs are a waste of space?? » pretty_paints, posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2005, at 21:01:31
I completely understand what you are talking about my pdoc just writes down notes everytime and is like a recorded tape. He has so many clients he sees in one day that its like a business to him the more clients he has the more money he makes.
Posted by Sebastian on September 9, 2005, at 13:00:18
In reply to Who thinks pdocs are a waste of space??, posted by pretty_paints on September 6, 2005, at 11:25:37
i think you need to find anouther female Pdoc. Or maybe you can get your new and old pdocs to talk.
Posted by rvanson on September 9, 2005, at 16:37:18
In reply to Re: Who thinks pdocs are a waste of space??, posted by Sebastian on September 9, 2005, at 13:00:18
Bad idea. He needs to find a new doctor.
Docs tend to agree with each other and defend the other, very often.
Either its a professional thing like cops protecting each other or a lawsuit thing, but either way its best to start fresh with a new Pdoc.
> i think you need to find anouther female Pdoc. Or maybe you can get your new and old pdocs to talk.
Posted by alohashirt on September 9, 2005, at 22:42:05
In reply to Re: Who thinks pdocs are a waste of space??, posted by rvanson on September 9, 2005, at 16:37:18
My best friend is a pdoc. It's a hard, stressful job and they have to endure the other 90% of physicians thinking that they are not "real doctors." He works twice as hard as me for about the same compensation, maybe less. In the US the health insurance companies intrude on treatment decisions and malpractice insurance makes it financially a very risky career. In the UK the NHS is a frustrating experience and not everyone gets great quality of care.
Its really only a good career choice for someone who genuinely wants to help people. I've overheard my pdoc advocating one behalf of ADHD children to ensure that they are not excluded from school. Most kids with ADHD get significant symptom improvement from medication. I know that he is changing lives for the better, in some cases helping C students beome A students and helping potential dropouts stay in school. My parents left school at 14. I know this is a huge deal. Sure he is impatient, clinical, officious, skeptical of alternative remedies and can appear smug.
I think it is very human to begin by lovingv our pdocs, move quickly to hating them, and if we hang around for long enough see them clearly in th end.
Posted by Sarah T. on September 10, 2005, at 0:04:17
In reply to Who thinks pdocs are a waste of space??, posted by pretty_paints on September 6, 2005, at 11:25:37
Hi Pretty Paints.
I like the name "Pretty Paints."
I do agree with you to some extent. Unfortunately, psychiatry is far behind other medical specialties. If only funding for mental health and mental health research would improve, then perhaps advancements in psychiatry could be on par with advancements in other specialties.
I have loads of complaints about psychiatrists, both psychopharmacologists and psychoanalytically-oriented therapists. I'm tired tonight, so I probably shouldn't get started on my rant. Before I go to bed, however, there is just one thing I want to say. I've come across several psychiatrists who see patients between 10 am and 6 p.m. only. Actually, some of those hours are unavailable because they are "out to lunch" (in more ways than one). What kind of nonsense is that? Unless you work right next door to the pdoc's office, how on earth are you supposed to get there between 10 and 6? If you have an appointment only once a month or so, then I suppose you can take time off from work to go to the appointment, but you can't do that every week. When I come across a psychiatrist who sees patients between 9 & 5 only or between 10 and 6 only, I say to them, "So, in other words, you limit your practice to patients who are so wealthy that they don't have to work and/or you limit your practice to patients who are so ill/disabled, they can't work. If the latter is true, then aren't you, in effect, discouraging patients from getting better?"
Most psychiatrists I've met are quite wounded themselves. I was going to refer to them as "wounded healers," but I decided not to because so many of them don't heal us. Perhaps "wounded treaters" or "wounded treatment dispensers" would be more appropriate. I believe that many psychiatrists go into "the business" in the hopes of curing themselves by proxy. I don't know. I should go to bed now. To be continued. . .
Posted by alohashirt on September 11, 2005, at 20:45:02
In reply to Re: Who thinks pdocs are a waste of space?? » pretty_paints, posted by Sarah T. on September 10, 2005, at 0:04:17
> Most psychiatrists I've met are quite wounded themselves. I was going to refer to them as "wounded healers," but I decided not to because so many of them don't heal us. Perhaps "wounded treaters" or "wounded treatment dispensers" would be more appropriate. I believe that many psychiatrists go into "the business" in the hopes of curing themselves by proxy. I don't know. I should go to bed now. To be continued. . .
>
I think you're correct about the desire to cure oneself, and I think that is pretty widespread across the helping professions. A nurse friend of mine once quipped, "If we didn't train codependents, addicts and alcoholics we'd have no nurses or social workers." I think it's preferable if the desire for self-cure is a conscious one and I suspect physicians have a harder time doing that than other helpers. but I also think that today's secular, consumerist culture makes it harder to acknowledge this. In the days when everyone went to church I suspect there wasn't a huge jump from "we're all sinners" to "we're all broken"
This is the end of the thread.
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