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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by helenag on November 7, 2003, at 19:21:49
I went to see my pdoc yesterday. We have quite a history together, as I have been in the hospital five times since April. Been his patient for over three years.
What always amazes me is that every visit results in some variation of medicinal cure. A fine tuning of medication or an addition of another medication.I am handcuffed right now with terrible anxiety. Infact, my son asked me the other night if I have ADHD because of my inability to sit still. My legs are always jumping up and down, and if I am standing, its my fingers or hands that move. Because of my substance abuse history, I cannot take benzos. My pdoc used to give me buspar, but buspar never did anything for me. This time, he gave me some samples of seroquel to take. I haven't taken any yet. When I came home, my husband asked me why didn't I try some good hard exercise first. (Because I can't focus enough to exercise. By the time I come home from my stressful job I am ready to shut down; I don't want any more demands on me.)
The thing is: after I am home for a couple hours, the stress does lessen and I do feel better. I will avoid taking the seroquel for as long as I can. He also upped my topamex dose to help the urges to drink---(Does anyone else out there take topamax not only for mood disorders as I do, but also for alcohol problems, as I do as well??)
Sometimes I wonder if a few more minutes of a pdoc's time (and mine does give me time, he is a good and kind man, and I am greedy for more of his time) would help more than a pill. Alas, maybe I am another Bob Riley??? It's probably more like I am getting tired of taking pills, especially ones with potential serious side effects. By the way, I was once on a low dose of respiradol--it gave me breast milk. I never noticed that it had any great effect good or bad.
Thanks for listening. Helen.
Posted by john b stevens on November 7, 2003, at 20:45:16
In reply to Re:why are pdocs such pill pushers????, posted by helenag on November 7, 2003, at 19:21:49
Wow, given your degree of anxiety, I'd be tempted to give you pills if I could; but maybe you need a drug holiday--maybe not. I'd ask your doctor about going off meds, instead of feeling like he just wants to push meds on you. Maybe he thinks that's what you want or expect. However, if he is a psychiatrist, he isn't going to spend much time talking and listening (unless it ain't just a med check). I wouldn't do that--go off meds--without a plan; I wouldn't just wing it. I know people who have done great on Seroquel--it really helps them sleep and reduce their anxiety. I don't know about the Topomax for your drinking. I've heard of Naltrexone for that.
Posted by stjames on November 7, 2003, at 20:53:21
In reply to Re:why are pdocs such pill pushers????, posted by helenag on November 7, 2003, at 19:21:49
pdoc's are medical doc's, so they seak a medical cure.
Posted by loolot on November 8, 2003, at 20:44:50
In reply to Re:why are pdocs such pill pushers????, posted by john b stevens on November 7, 2003, at 20:45:16
I actually feel better about a psychiatrist who is comfortable with prescriptions. The worst thing is a doctor who is not comfortable taking responsibility and will hold out on a patient. Its up to the talk therapist to deal with emotional needs, but when it comes to Pdocs, that is there job. Meds and only meds. You can always say no if you arent feeling good about it.
Posted by MoonWitch629 on November 9, 2003, at 13:01:37
In reply to Re:why are pdocs such pill pushers????, posted by helenag on November 7, 2003, at 19:21:49
Are you getting therapy as well? The drugs themselves can only do so much - you have to address the root problems which have caused your anxiety, alcoholism, etc. I think it is very irresponsible of psychiatrist to prescribe meds without insisting that their patients get therapy as well.
Also - the body movements you described may not be caused by your anxiety, but rather can be a side effects of the medications themselves. A very good book on the subject is "Prozac Backlash" by Joseph Glenmullen, M.D. He is not anti-drug, but rather believes that drugs should only be prescribed short-term, and only in conjunction with ongoing talk therapy. I would encourage anyone who is only any kind of psychoactive drug - not just SSRIs - to read this book.
Posted by shadows721 on November 9, 2003, at 15:32:55
In reply to Re:why are pdocs such pill pushers????, posted by MoonWitch629 on November 9, 2003, at 13:01:37
I too suffer from extreme anxiety and depression. I tried the exercise, diet, hypnosis, therapy, and supplement thing. It didn't work for me. I was still in ruins. I kept thinking, "Yeah, I can fix this all by myself." With that in mind, I tried books and tapes as well. Still, I was in pathetic shape.
But, let's look at your condition. You are suffering and others see it. Science is finding out through MRI's that people like you and I are showing different results of circulation to our brains. So, with this in mind, how is not doing anything going to change a physical difference in the brain.
I want to give you an example of what medications can do for someone. My sister-in-law is a paranoid schziophrenic. She took many medictions for years and was in a horrible shape. Finally, a drug called Clozaril (sp?) made her into a functioning person. She has the side effect of weight gain, but she is no longer crying in her room hearing voices tormenting her. Also, she hasn't been admitted to a hospital since. She has actually started taking care of others too.
While your condition is not schziophrenia, you too are suffering a mental torment. Perhaps, you are afraid of feeling different too. Sometimes, we are so caught up in feeling like crap that we can not comprehend feeling any differently. Think about the following questions: What are you actually gaining by not taking medication for your problem? Do you see taking medication for your condition as a crutch? Are you in denial of how much you aren't functioning?
You may not even be in a state to help you answer these questions rationally as I was. It wasn't until I started taking medication that I saw what was really going on in my life. The right medication can switch on a light in a dark closet of pain. You are missing out enjoying life. Get the ego out of the way and take care of yourself by being an advocate for getting the right treatment (medication) for your condition.
Caring thoughts for you.
Posted by helenag on November 10, 2003, at 10:33:03
In reply to Re:why are pdocs such pill pushers????, posted by MoonWitch629 on November 9, 2003, at 13:01:37
Thanks for the response. I did ask the pdoc whether the drugs could be causing the leg movements, and he said no; I wasn't on anything that would cause that.
I was in therapy over the summer as well as in the hospital -five times. Now I find myself working full time with three children, two teens at home and one on his own that has the usual cutting the cord troubles. I am trying to put my own life back in order and probably anyone in my shoes would feel anxiety. My job is stressful; I work against deadlines and having recovery with severe mood swings and depression puts me at a disadvantage, maybe???
Over the past 25 years, I have been in therapy maybe ten of those years. It has helped but not as much as finally getting on the right meds to stop ;the awful mood cycles that had me going in ups and downs like a lunatic woman.Again, thank you so much for your response. Helen.
This is the end of the thread.
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