Posted by Racer on December 23, 2004, at 13:11:58
In reply to Pdoc doesn't want to solve the mystery.., posted by MM on December 23, 2004, at 5:00:15
> I already feel helpless and hopeless and when the people I go to for help don't listen it's soooo demoralizing. Sorry for ranting.....anyone have the same experiences? How do you or did you deal with them?
>
> Thanks for reading.
> Meg.Ah, yes. That's a time honored tradition in medicine, you know -- not listening to the patient and denying side effects. Especially in psychoactive medications, since the people taking them are, by definition, mentally ill. Oh, and being female really increases the use of this methodology. You really should have planned that better. :-P
I've been told that my weight gain had nothing to do with the medications and that I really needed to get my eating under control to lose weight, because I was too fat. Thanks, Doc -- really appreciate the support. I've also been told that I should just continue taking meds as prescribed, no matter what the side effects. Hell, one doctor tried to prescribe three other medications to try to counter the side effects of the one AD she had prescribed which wasn't working in the first place!
You know that abbreviation on our charts, "WNL"? They say it means "Within Normal Limits"? Wrong, it really means "We Never Looked"!
How do I recommend dealing with it? Fire your doctor. Find a doctor who actually listens to patients -- believe it or not, that's in the official guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association. Listening to the patient and treating patients with respect.
If you can't fire your doctor, I guess I'd say try to talk to your doctor more assertively. Yeah, I know, it's so hard it's damned near impossible. But there are things you can do to improve the chances that you'll actually be heard -- even without having an Ear-Nose-And-Throat guy go in and check his hearing!
First, do a little homework on meds and side effects. There are a lot of resources online for that. Make a list of the side effects you can handle, and those that you're most averse to. For me, I cannot tolerate lowered blood pressure and weight gain, but I can handle a little anxiety or slight sedation. Make another list of all the meds you've tried, how effective they've been, and what side effects you had. And then keep a food and exercise journal for a week or two before your next appointment. Write down the time you ate, what you ate, and in what amounts, as well as any exercise, including walking from here to there, or doing heavier housework. Walk in there and say, "OK, I really can't handle this weight gain, and I need help with it. Either it's the meds, or it isn't, but I need you to help me with it. Here's what I've eaten, and what I've done, can you help me figure out what I can do if it's not the meds, or help choose a med that won't result in this weight gain if it is?" Something like that.
By the way, a lot of doctors just plain don't keep up with the literature, so your doctor may really and truly NOT KNOW that the meds he prescribes every day cause weight gain. He may not be trying to gaslight you about this.
What are you taking, by the way? Most ADs do seem to cause weight gain for a large number of people taking them, but there are some that are notorious for weight gain, and some that are less likely to cause it.
Best luck, whatever happens.
poster:Racer
thread:433204
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041223/msgs/433352.html