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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ronaldo on January 20, 2007, at 5:36:40
I have a diagnosis of BPD. Actually it is BPD NOS. Sorry I lie the full diagnosis is Bipolar Disorder Currently in Remission. There is no reference in my case notes to a time when I suffered from actual Bipolar Disorder either I or II.
This has not prevented my ex-pdoc from foisting an anti-psychotic on me. In fact I have been seen by 6 different pdocs in the last five years - none of whom gave me a definitive diagnosis of BPD. Most of them dx'd me as schizo-affective disorder, ?bipolar, and ?schizo-affective disorder.
I wonder how my ex-pdoc would feel if he took his Mercedes to the local dealer and he said that the car did have a cracked engine block but it was alright now. Would my ex-pdoc be satisfied with this explanation? If the dealer went on to charge my ex-pdoc the full rate for repairing a cracked engine block would said pdoc be happy with this state of affairs?
Psychiatry is a mixed profession. You get the Good the Bad and the Ugly. There are some very good pdocs out there who sincerely care about their patients and offer them an excellent standard of care. Alas in my experience they are out numbered by the Bad and the Ugly, those that are only interested in lining their pockets and in the British NHS those who are only interested in dishing out tablets and then quickly placing the patient back on the conveyor belt to be seen again in 3 to 6 months time.
Fortunately my present pdoc is a very nice man. He listens well and is interested in what I have to say. He even lets me have my preferred medication over and above his own preferred medication. My choice is working well now which is not to say that his choice would not have worked equally well. But his choice was an anti-psychotic and I am presently trying my best to come off Olanzapine.
I will stick with my present pdoc. I like him. I will continue to come off my Olanzapine, now down to 2.5 mg. After that I will think about coming off my Lithium. Very slowly of course. I've been on it for nearly 30 years. I doubt whether I have ever been Bipolar. Time will tell.
Ronaldo
Posted by Klavot on January 20, 2007, at 8:18:17
In reply to Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery, posted by ronaldo on January 20, 2007, at 5:36:40
If I may ask, how exactly are psychiatrists in the UK who work for the NHS remunerated? Do they get a fixed salary, or a fixed fee per consultation, or do they get paid by the hour, or what?
Klavot
> Psychiatry is a mixed profession. You get the Good the Bad and the Ugly. There are some very good pdocs out there who sincerely care about their patients and offer them an excellent standard of care. Alas in my experience they are out numbered by the Bad and the Ugly, those that are only interested in lining their pockets and in the British NHS those who are only interested in dishing out tablets and then quickly placing the patient back on the conveyor belt to be seen again in 3 to 6 months time.
Posted by Phillipa on January 20, 2007, at 9:56:55
In reply to Re: Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery, posted by Klavot on January 20, 2007, at 8:18:17
Salary from the government? Love Phillipa
Posted by ronaldo on January 20, 2007, at 13:09:18
In reply to Re: Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery, posted by Klavot on January 20, 2007, at 8:18:17
As far as I know they get paid a fixed salary.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 20, 2007, at 13:15:44
In reply to Re: Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery, posted by Klavot on January 20, 2007, at 8:18:17
AFAIK, NHS pdocs get paid a salary. I think by the local (council government) hmm or maybe by the local NHS trust.
Well its a difficult situation to explain in the UK. Basically there's the NHS, which is totally free for users and basically, what everybody uses. Nobody I know ever goes to have anything done privately and I think this is the same for much of the population. As its free and everything is free from cancer therapy to vaccinations to x-rays to triple by-pass operations to emergency services etc etc, no-one has health insurance really. Some people do have private health insurance, but its exceptional really. Companies often have health insurance for their employees, but its hm, not for normal use really, essentially its there to get you back to work quicker if there's a waiting list for say, a knee operation. And even with health insurance, they defer to NHS provisions often, for example, emergency care.
So people are not used to paying for healthcare, in fact, people take it for granted. I mean, I know I did - growing up you just assume the doctor is free because you never hear about people paying for medical bills etc. Anyway.
Even mental healthcare is free, although notoriously underfunded and neglected. I mean, you pretty much need to be bipolar, schizophrenic or be in a really really bad way with your depression to even get to see a pdoc. I had to plead and breakdown in tears to get my GP to refer me to a pdoc, and even then, they refused me first time. Its a very sad situation.
On the other hand, dentists, well they get paid per thing they do in your mouth, which is bad news as they often do more work than needed.
I don't really know what my point was.
Oh well.
Posted by Declan on January 20, 2007, at 14:21:10
In reply to Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery, posted by ronaldo on January 20, 2007, at 5:36:40
It's not hard to get a script for an AP, is it?
Posted by ronaldo on January 20, 2007, at 14:50:17
In reply to Re: Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery » ronaldo, posted by Declan on January 20, 2007, at 14:21:10
> It's not hard to get a script for an AP, is it?
I would call it down right simple
Posted by Declan on January 20, 2007, at 15:04:18
In reply to Re: Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery » Declan, posted by ronaldo on January 20, 2007, at 14:50:17
You just mention rays and forcefields and you've got the script in your hands.
And I've known lots of old people who are essentially dying, with shoeboxes full of only partially relevant and effective drugs, that are prescribed one after the other because no doctor will say 'Enough!' and put the poor bugger on an opiate.
Posted by Declan on January 20, 2007, at 15:06:15
In reply to Re: Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery » ronaldo, posted by Declan on January 20, 2007, at 15:04:18
Once you get cancer it's different....maybe they know you'll be out of the way soon enough and won't be around to bug them.
Posted by Quintal on January 20, 2007, at 15:15:41
In reply to Re: Smoke and Mirrors and Quackery, posted by Declan on January 20, 2007, at 15:06:15
The GP refused to give my granddad morphine for his gangrene because there was a shortage at the time, despite the fact that he was screaming the whole nursing home down and disturbing the other residents. I mean there are other synthetic opiates such as tramadol, methadone and Fentanyl, which I pointed out to the GP and she prescribed the Fentanyl patch which worked very well up until he died.
Q
This is the end of the thread.
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