Shown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Doo on August 9, 2001, at 15:52:47
Hi everyone,
I'm in a frustrating position. I was seeing a psychiatrist and since she made a mistake I thought she wasn't that good... So I made some efforts finding another one. And I saw him this morning and I'm not so sure about what to think. With the first one, I could discuss about different meds, and this morning I found myself in a situation where I was answering questions but I didn't detect a great ability to listen... Now I don't know if I should wait until my next appointment before I try to come back to my first doc. I feel bad about all this. I guess I was expecting a great doc who would have talked with me rather than asking me ten times between what month and what month did I take effexor, and serzone, and paxil, etc. Who would have said to me "what you're taking is not appropriate, you have to take this and that". But he did not change anything in my medication.
Maybe it will be clearer after I meet him the second time. Which is in two months.
Thank's for reading,
Doo
Posted by paxvox on August 10, 2001, at 12:31:17
In reply to changing psychiatrist, posted by Doo on August 9, 2001, at 15:52:47
Hey Doo,
Yes, that is a frustrating problem, but Pdocs are just like us, in that each has a different perspective on how to treat patients. Some are still using Freudian psychotherapy (which helps many with smaller problems) whereas the "new breed" of Pdoc is really a psychopharmacologist. This type believes all "mental illness" is mostly the result of chemical imbalances in the brain, and only part is from the life-related situations. You have to decide what type you NEED or PREFER. Personally, I have only found psychotherapy to be of short-term benefit, while medical therapy may be a life-long treatment option. Also, there are as many med combinations as there are differences in how people react to them. For some, the SSRIs are great, for others Wellbutrin, some MAOIs etc... You need to have a Pdoc that will listen to you and work with you, however, one that asks a lot of questions may only be trying to figure out the best treatment options to suit your individual needs. Don't be afraid to ask about your treatment, and to tell the Pdoc "no" if you don't like a med's effects. Remember, you are how they make their money, and they also have to satisfy your insurance company with a diagnosis and prognosis. If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to ask me.
Posted by AMenz on August 11, 2001, at 0:41:45
In reply to changing psychiatrist, posted by Doo on August 9, 2001, at 15:52:47
I can empathize with your situation. After being with one psychiatrist for 11 years he made a serious mistake that send me into a severe episode by completely changing all my meds. I went through 5 before becoming restabilized.
If you don't feel well, he doesn't change your meds and gives you an appointment in two months, I would tend to think it might be best to look for another second opinion. I would continue with the old psychiatrist until I found a new one.
Insofar as a mistake, examine whether she merely tried a medication that failed and has corrected it or is she clueless as to your condition. Unfortunately, medications are trial and error. So you have to use your judgment. I knew the negative psychiatrist because of his inability to go back to tried and true medications that needed readjsuting.
Good luck and continue to post during this bad period. These things do get better even if at present it doesn't seems so. Searching for the right medication combo can be very draining
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm in a frustrating position. I was seeing a psychiatrist and since she made a mistake I thought she wasn't that good... So I made some efforts finding another one. And I saw him this morning and I'm not so sure about what to think. With the first one, I could discuss about different meds, and this morning I found myself in a situation where I was answering questions but I didn't detect a great ability to listen... Now I don't know if I should wait until my next appointment before I try to come back to my first doc. I feel bad about all this. I guess I was expecting a great doc who would have talked with me rather than asking me ten times between what month and what month did I take effexor, and serzone, and paxil, etc. Who would have said to me "what you're taking is not appropriate, you have to take this and that". But he did not change anything in my medication.
>
> Maybe it will be clearer after I meet him the second time. Which is in two months.
>
> Thank's for reading,
> Doo
Posted by Doo on August 13, 2001, at 22:48:16
In reply to Re: changing psychiatrist, posted by AMenz on August 11, 2001, at 0:41:45
Hi and thank's a lot for your posts. I was away for the week-end and I did not think about all that, which is good (sometimes I get so obsessed about that kind of situation!). Now I'm back, and my mind is not set yet. But it's good to feel you poeple out there who can understand and empathize. It's much needed and much appreciated.
About the meds, the 'combo' I take seems to help some symptoms like fatigue and intense inner torture, but the anxiety is still very much present. I take benzos but it doesn't seem to be enough. I take 2mg of attivan, 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening. Switching meds is something I hate to do, especially when the depression is (at least partially) released. I take Manerix 300 mg along with Neurontin 1600mg. I sometimes wonder if another type of AD would suit better, but I gotta stop the Manerix first, and that I feel bad about. Last time I lowered the dose, the fatigue and despair came back. So I came back to the initial dose. I wonder though if it could have been some kind of 'withdrawal effect'?
I wish you a nice day/evening/night eveyone.
Doo
This is the end of the thread.
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