Posted by garnet71 on April 5, 2009, at 9:30:31
In reply to finding a pdoc - any experiences appreciated, posted by desolationrower on April 5, 2009, at 4:43:37
That will almost def. be a problem if you go to a new PDoc and bring up the S-word, and gradually working it in the question might have the same effect..but you're probably going to have to do that so here's a few things, not sure if it helps..
If you do find a new doctor who is willing to experiment, make sure you bring all your records from old PDoc-that might help in showing you don't have a history of taking 'addictive' meds. (And everyone should look in their record and see what is written about them).
When I recently went back to old PDoc after not seeing him for a year, right away I asked to be screened for ADD--and after observing my thought patterns and listening to everything I told him about school, inability to do boring stuff, etc., he prescribed me a stimulant. But every time I'm there, I pick up my record and look through it-like when he's writing the script and the record is sitting right there on the desk. I noticed they wrote in my record in the medication history part "refused Xanax, refused Ativan, refused all". I think that's one of the reasons my doc trusts me, to be honest. One new PDoc I tried before wrote "Ativan seeking?" at the bottom of my chart and underlined it 3 times, during our very first visit. I got up and read it and i was pissed. I told him- you didn't have to write that, I'm not asking for Ativan...I was only telling you what has worked for anxiety in the past. So he tainted my record right at the initial appt. He was a lousy doctor anyway.
That's the thing about shopping for new docs, many will be suspicious. And a confident doctor--some doctors are afraid of getting in 'trouble' w/the controlled meds; in your case, maybe afraid of experimentation for safety issues. I think a confident doctor would be reasonable in assessing your request. I noticed no all docs are self assured--I've had experiences where I could tell the treatment revolved around preventing a malpractice lawsuit rather than clinical eff. A newly minted/graduated doctor will also more likely be scared to go into that realm. For example, I had one who was a primary care physician - right out of med school - I really liked her, but she refused to scribe me 7 days' worth of benzos to help me through panic attacks while awaiting a PDoc appt. and I had to go to the ER because of her lack of self-assurance. No drug seeking/abuse history, so that's the only rational explanation I can think of. I think it's really drilled into their heads at med school (I wonder if the DEA comes in and gives presentations to docs and scares them?) - perhaps much more than older docs who went to school decades ago.
Contacting universities is a great idea - also, you might want to look at the authors of some studies/papers you've read and contact them for a 'referral'. If you do see a new PDoc, I think it would be wise to be honest and candid, telling them right off that you are only being treated for your social anxiety and not your ADD (as opposed to asking for a stim), thus your treatment has been inadequate. Otherwise, if you try to work in that question after say, the 3rd appt, they will be very suspicious.
Yeah, and it sux paying for that initial appt. whether or not you can afford it, just to find out you don't feel compatable with the doctor. Best of luck.
Still, I don't think we should accept less than treatment that allows for our full potential, so even if it doesn't work the first time, don't give up. :))
- from an accused 'drug seeker' lol
poster:garnet71
thread:888772
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090330/msgs/888794.html