Posted by Gracie2 on February 20, 2003, at 0:11:54
In reply to Why didn't anyone tell me???????, posted by MaryZee on February 19, 2003, at 21:42:38
Bless your heart. My dear you need help, and this is the kind of help you need:
1.) A good general practitioner
2.) A good psychiatrist
3.) A good therapist
First, you need a complete exam, bloodwork and everything, by a caring and competent doctor to rule out any physical reasons for your symptoms.
Once you have a clean bill of health, or have started treatment for any physical problems you may have, it is time to consider psychiatric medication.You're probably thinking, "But I've already done all this, and I just ended up over-medicated and worse off than when I started!" The trick is, you have to start over, and this time you have to do it right.
Doctors are just like other people in every other profession. There are really good ones, and not-so-good ones. Some doctors are stressed out, overworked, bored, uncaring, relatively inexperienced, or just not very good at what they do. There's an old joke in the medical profession: "What do you call the guy who graduated last in his class at medical school?"
The answer, of course, is "Doctor".So your first job is to find two doctors, a GP and a psychiatrist, whom you trust absolutely. You must feel safe in their hands. If you believe that a doctor is not listening to you, if the examination he gives you is not thorough or the treatment he orders is questionable, you must move on to the next doctor. This doesn't make you a hypochrondriac and it doesn't mean you're neurotic. It means that you're serious about wanting to feel better. If you don't know where to start, ask around...ask your friends, your relatives, if they have a doctor that they just love. This will usually bring you better results than just picking someone out of the phone book.
Next, these two doctors have to be in sync. Each of them must know exactly what medications the other doctor is prescribing.
Next, you have to be totally compliant with the doctor's orders. Don't skip appointments. Don't fool with your medications. If you have trouble with side effects, discuss this with your doctor, but don't stop or start taking a drug or attempt to adjust the dosage without medical advice. Believe me, you'll only sabotage your own recovery. I know this for a fact, because I did it myself for years. It is painful to think about how long I delayed my diagnosis and treatment by disregarding my doctor's orders.
At this point, you will be well on your way to feeling better. However, you still need a good therapist. Don't confuse therapy with analysis...
analysis can be painful. A good therapist is wonderful! Here is a person who will listen to your problems, help you cope and give you the support you need to get through the rough patches.
Your psychiatrist can recommend a therapist for you.I guarantee that this will work for you.
Good luck-
Gracie
poster:Gracie2
thread:201988
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030219/msgs/202046.html