Posted by shelliR on September 1, 2001, at 9:32:00
In reply to Doc doesn't like cocktails, posted by Kathleen6674 on August 31, 2001, at 9:47:27
> I keep reading all sorts of wonderful advice and information here about how combinations of meds have helped refine everyone's responses. Have any of you had a doc who didn't like combos of meds? Mine doesn't seem especially keen on them - I've been jumping from one med to another instead of piling them on, so to speak, over the past year or so. Does anyone have any advice for working with a doctor who doesn't like to combine meds? Or should I get a new doctor or what? Are there different "schools" of psychopharmacology? I do think that part of his reluctance is that my dosage often gets adjusted, and hence he doesn't want to make more than one change at a time, i.e., if we up a dosage AND add a med, then I get bad side effects, how would we know if it's the new med or the increased amount of the old one? But I'm still curious about the one-at-a-time camp vs. the combination camp, if indeed there are competing "schools" of med management.
I think Mitch offered you some good perspective here. Many of us on this board have long term major depression in which treatment has not been successful with one anti-depressant. But, I have a sister, for example, who has been on prozac on the last twelve years (I think it was the second AD she tried) and has had no need to explore further options. I would hope that your doctor would be open to adding a second medication if one is helping you, but not to the extent you would like.
If you are feeling that your depression is not being resolved to your satisfaction, I might go to another pdoc, at least for a consultation. You are under no moral obligation to tell your pdoc about a consultation (and actually if he is acting in a professional manner , he should understand the value of a second opinion if you do decide to tell him). A consult may clarify whether or not your pdoc is on the right course for you.
Again, this board may throw you off or point you in the right direction. Most people taking ADs are only taking one AD and tweeking the dose.
Shellli
poster:shelliR
thread:77066
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010828/msgs/77268.html