Posted by viridis on March 10, 2003, at 22:20:09
In reply to Re: so how do people find good docs? » Tabitha, posted by Dinah on March 10, 2003, at 19:51:32
I got lucky. When I asked my GP for a referral to a psychiatrist, he said that my problems were "imaginary" and he didn't know of any psychiatrists (interesting, since I live in a large metropolitan area, have good insurance, and as it turns out, the psychiatrist I found is good friends with my GP and has an office a few blocks away).
So, I went down the list of psychiatrists on my plan, made a series of appointments, and decided I'd just try each. The first one I saw has a small, low-key offfice about 10 minutes from my house, was very professional yet compassionate, and spent well over an hour with me. When I described my reactions to various ADs etc., he said yes, that's no surprise. Essentially, he told me that in his opinion, most of the meds I'd tried were totally inappropriate for my situation and would be his last choices. He initially prescribed benzos (I have serious anxiety problems), and when I expressed concern about "addiction" etc., he sympathized but encouraged me to try them, with the warning that there was a high probability I'd become dependent, and that he'd be very vigilant about any misuse or dosage escalation. But he also said that this was pretty standard, and generally fairly easy to deal with if they're used appropriately. The relief from anxiety and depression was immediate.
Since then, I've improved tremendously, and we've arrived at an effective combination with lots of input on my side. I actually enjoy my visits, because he treats me with respect and listens to what I say. And, several people have since said things like "wow, you're lucky to be seeing Dr. so-and-so -- I'm trying to get in to see him, because the therapists recommend him so highly".
This sounds great, but the fact is, he's the first doctor (psych or otherwise) I've seen in 12 years whom I really trust. And, if we hadn't clicked, I would have gone to the various other appointments until I found someone I could work with (instead, I cancelled them). So, in a sense, I got lucky, but only in this round -- I was determined enough, after years of failures, to keep searching until I found the right person, and now I think I have.
Now I just have to worry about him retiring -- but at least I can trust him to recommend someone else reasonable when this happens. And, I recommend him to others, so if you're in a position to ask around, I would; good pdocs get good reputations. As I mentioned, the local therapists also seem to think highly of him, so this might be another place to start.
Good luck!
poster:viridis
thread:207549
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030310/msgs/207890.html