Posted by paulk on November 25, 2003, at 12:44:57
In reply to Re: Anyone have any experience with Menninger (cli » paulk, posted by Stavros on November 24, 2003, at 22:03:08
From what I know, they are still into psycho analysis and not really up on medications (besides really wanting someone to buy them out). Your best bet is to get connected with a teaching hospital that works with the meds (St. Louis?). The "talking cures" just don't have good numbers - if you look at objective (is he employed etc.) measurements after 5 years there is just no appreciable difference in well designed studies.
There are some ex Menninger Docs in Topeka that have smelled the coffee and started their own practices and learned all about meds.
On the other hand, if you are having problems in a relationship, arbitration sometimes helps a lot. If that is what you are looking for I would look for some one in the rational emotive branch where they correct you when you say things that aren't really true.
Let me know if you are in Topeka or KC – I can could point you at couple of Doctors there – I have also know that some internists can actually be better as there are often physical parts that they may be better in seeing the whole picture. (In the end one would really want a doctor that was Internist/endocrinologist/neurologist/psychiatrist combined.
The most important thing in picking a doctor is to realize that most (but not all) of the psychiatrists have problems themselves (that's why they went into the field – looking for an answer to their own problem) or they didn't have to balls to take a knife and cut peoples stomachs open and didn't want to do surgery. This tends to select for a rather meek type of person that won't want to try things like stimulants or MAOIs.
If you are checking out a possible doc, ask if he has any patients on an MAOI if he says no – I would keep looking as while there are risks with MAOIs to just not use them shows a lack of nerve and judgment. (I would guess that for about 10% of the patient population MAOIs are the best drug to use – nothing else comes close.)
poster:paulk
thread:281840
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031121/msgs/283648.html