Posted by sometimesblue on November 6, 2007, at 8:52:28
In reply to Problem: Old Doc thinks new Doc is WRONG?!, posted by sometimesblue on November 5, 2007, at 13:08:27
I could understand if she just came in a said, "ok, let's try this..." out of the blue without first trying to identify the problem...but she listened to what i was saying, gave some kind of test/questionaire and then said it could be ADD. We discussed my insurance and that i had brought this up to my 1st doc who ruled it out saying nothing more than "that couldn't be it". I also told her that that's when i contacted my insurance so i could go see a specialist and that's when i was informed that i had no mental health coverage [Which is why we even went down the road to actually prescribing something]. I can totally understand being conservative when it comes to stimulants and potentially abusive drugs. I mean, I wouldn't let my kids take them without first talking to everyone possible. But when you come across a person showing tell-tale signs and worried about their job suffering from this mental handicap [no offense to those with ADD, but that's waht it feels like to me especially being in limbo], when do you say to yourself "ok, this time, i will treat them for ADD". Even if you have to have to have the patient come in weekly for follow-ups, when do you cross the line from conservative to being able to see that a person actually needs help?
I'm no dummy, and when you *feel* like something is going on that's beyond your control, you DO soemthing about it. I've been online and googled ADD/ADHD, read the symptoms, read posts from others with ADD...I know docs hate it when you diagnose yourself, which is why i just let my first doc try a million and one things first. But there comes a time when you have to be able to speak up and say "what if it's this"...especially when you live with it and see it getting worse and worse and less manageable. I don't think any rational person should just listen to the doctor without playing a role in their own health care. But hey, that's just me.
At least i didn't have to wait that long for the NP to come to the same conclusion i came to. When you see that something's not working for someone, you have to keep an open mind that it could be something else. You can't walk into every visit with your mind already made up as to what wrong with someone without even listening to them. That's not being a good doctor, no matter how conservative you are.
poster:sometimesblue
thread:793438
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071104/msgs/793555.html