Posted by JohnX2 on March 6, 2002, at 1:27:17
In reply to Re: Medication Treatment of Bipolar Disorder 2000 » Ritch, posted by Blue Cheer 1 on March 6, 2002, at 1:08:44
Its funny because my experience is that the GOOD DOCTORS
all WELL intuned with the "behind-the-scene" trends that
may be useful for patients. I've noticed that a lot of those themes pop up
early as atypical success stories on this news group. Lamictal is a really
good example. Sadly a number of doctors I had would not prescribe
it because of the rash issue, because it wasn't in the
international playbook of mood stabilizers, or they would
not prescribe it appropriately. I haven't read the
latest book on Bipolar, so don't know what the international
handbook flowchart computer dealy says what to do with Lamictal.I also had a really crappy doctor (my 1st), that would
just rattle off medicines and tell me to pick. For that experience
I would have preferred he just started me with a flowchart answer
to help my confidence a little and get a good starting
dx. It would have been a no brainer to diagnosis me bipolar
if he followed the simple flowchart and taken the time to
ask the right questions. Sorry if i'm rambling off topic...
typical me.-John
>
> Excellent insights, Mitch. I am so sick of hearing psychiatrists tell me about the successes they've had using various drugs with *other* patients I can't tolerate 0.5 mg. of Risperdal/day - it causes dyskinesias and makes me feel dead. In fact, I'd rather be dead than use this drug again, but *knowing* this, a psychiatrist just asked me to try it for a week at 2.5 mg/day (if I get randomized to it in a study). It's crazy, and I've been hearing this for years. Sixty drugs or more since 1967, and only three have ever helped long-term (lithium, Lamictal and Valium). Thorazine and high-dose Zoloft were helpful for a short time during acute episodes.
> The guidelines seem to be written for medical students. It make me wonder when I see the Consensus Series compared to the Texas Algorithms or the VA Guidelines, *or the APA's Best Practice Guidelines. There must be better things to do. :)
>
> Blue
poster:JohnX2
thread:96446
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020301/msgs/96649.html