Posted by Rex Jones on March 31, 2001, at 20:17:36
In reply to Teaching Hospital Docs Re: Bad doctors (referrals) » MarkinBoston, posted by kate9999 on March 31, 2001, at 5:46:24
I have also reached the point where I find it necessary to switch psychiatrists. However, rather than lunging hastily toward another doctor, I think that a time-off period where I either not see a pyschiatrist at all, or at least see one less frequently will be my immediate solution.
Question A: Do any psychiatrists provide prescriptions for Schedule II meds, which by definition cannot be refilled, without a full office visit?
Question B: Does anybody have any advice about where I could find a qualified neuropsychiatrist, that is one with expertise in neurological or movement disorders?
Question C: How can a patient best go about finding a psychiatrist who is more willing to try patient suggested medications, or at the least respond intelligently as to their invalidity while not ignoring the underlying clinical problem?
Regarding Ques. C: I have a movement disorder and perhaps attention deficit disorder, and some other behavioral problem at an annoying, albeit relatively benign degree. My intuitive impression is that my movement disorder [thought to be one affecting the basal ganglia] is related to the attention deficit/depression like symptoms that I might display. I have asked my Dr. to prescribe me Marinol. Smoked marijuana has helped me tremendously with my neurological problem and with my psychiatric complaints. [I found that a low dose not only very salutory in the short-term, but also tends to have positive residual effects for a week. I feel that a resting period is important to not incur memory impairment. While immediately impairing short-term memory rather acutely, and also impairing it somewhat more mildly on a residual basis (@ least for me), I think that it may also play role in memory consolidation]. The problem is that I do not have any contacts whatsoever in my local area and do not want to be associate with shady sub-cultural elements.
My psychiatrist responded to my suggestion by saying: "You want me to prescribe you POT!!!?"
I feel that he overstepped the appropriate limits of power-ego-patient interaction. Why should THC be so shocking? I can say "You hooked me on SPEED!!! You even prescribed me DOWNERS(Mother's Little Helpers)!!!"
In reflecting on my experiences with psychiatrists, I wonder whether the frustration and disappointment with the treatments is not a way to get the patient to get his head out of the clouds and realise that the patient is really not all that ill after all and that most of the remedies tend to be on the deceptively plausible side and are not really all that good.
In the words of Steppenwolf a la Easy Rider. G-d damn the pusher!!! Psychiatrist dependency can be scarier than drug dependency.
Best regards,
Rex
poster:Rex Jones
thread:57824
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010327/msgs/58244.html