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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by gadu on January 11, 2011, at 23:29:59
Hello,
I've been battling depression/ADD/ADHD for the past fifteen years. I've tried over forty medications and gone through seven doctors.
I've had two periods of 'remission' during this time, the last 'functional' period being eight years ago.
I'm at my wits end, and my psychiatrist doesn't have much of a game plan apart from throwing darts in the darkness, so to speak.
I've heard that SPECT scans can provide some insight about what might be going on in my brain and possibly lead to a more focused approach in tackling my condition.
I've read up on the the Amen Clinic and am thinking of traveling there for a SPECT scan. It is a rather large financial investment, so I want to be absolutely sure that this is worth a try.
Does anyone here have experience with SPECT scans and/or the Amen Clinic?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Posted by pragmatic-attack on January 12, 2011, at 3:17:39
In reply to SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by gadu on January 11, 2011, at 23:29:59
from my experience spect scans haven't helped me diagnostically but I've never been to the amen clinic.I have however had pet scans, functional mri's and a slew of other brain imaging hoohaw from some of the major intitutions in the country.
The Amen Clinic is known (for better or worse) but it seems like the best treatment is more dependent on finding the right medication then somebody telling you what you already know-that you are depressed, and here is the brain scan to prove it, or whatever your respective condition is.
Just from personal experience would suggest spending that money on a really top diagnostician and not make brain scanning the criteria. But if you have the money to do both there certainly is no harm in it.
Posted by SLS on January 12, 2011, at 4:53:35
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by pragmatic-attack on January 12, 2011, at 3:17:39
> from my experience spect scans haven't helped me diagnostically but I've never been to the amen clinic.I have however had pet scans, functional mri's and a slew of other brain imaging hoohaw from some of the major intitutions in the country.
>
> The Amen Clinic is known (for better or worse) but it seems like the best treatment is more dependent on finding the right medication then somebody telling you what you already know-that you are depressed, and here is the brain scan to prove it, or whatever your respective condition is.
>
> Just from personal experience would suggest spending that money on a really top diagnostician and not make brain scanning the criteria. But if you have the money to do both there certainly is no harm in it.I think PET scans could be used in such a way as to administer different substances (drugs and probes) to see how any one individual reacts to them as seen on the images. Even better, perhaps, would be a combined PET/MRI image to detail structure. I would even offer the idea to genotype these same people. I think more research is necessary before these imaging techniques will yield results clinically, particularly since I conceived the idea to do such things independently over a decade ago. My writings are buried in a mountain of ASD posts from 2000. I'm sure others have thought to do this, but the associative data just isn't there yet. Things should move along much more quickly once we have more understanding of the brain itself and don't have to rely on trial-and-error. Predictions should be made possible based upon accumulating knowledge of the physiology and circuitry of the brain in health and disease.
- Scott
Posted by pragmatic-attack on January 12, 2011, at 6:04:16
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by SLS on January 12, 2011, at 4:53:35
Yes in an ideal world. Unfortunely we are not there yet and there seems to be places like the Amen Clinic that sell people on pretending we are.
I find it very fishy that he uses spect scans not pet to make his diagnoses.
People, me included, in the past have been so desperate and fed up with all the psychiatrists and their conflcting presumptuous diagnoses that this sort of thing appealed to me; the old "flawless" and "definitive" diagnoses. But it's a pipe dream. At the end of the day it comes down to the treatment that is available and how best we respond. But the future is coming soon-I think it will be in the field of brain stimulation and I don't mean ect.
Posted by SLS on January 12, 2011, at 7:03:32
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by pragmatic-attack on January 12, 2011, at 6:04:16
I specified that PET scans might be useful. I would not think that SPECT would be as useful, if at all.
- Scott
Posted by pragmatic-attack on January 13, 2011, at 3:03:42
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic » pragmatic-attack, posted by SLS on January 12, 2011, at 7:03:32
yeah hopefully one day they will be. The only danger is when people rely too much on them and don't use their own reasoning. But then again psychiatrists aren't always the cream of the crop intellectually.
Posted by SLS on January 13, 2011, at 3:18:58
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by pragmatic-attack on January 13, 2011, at 3:03:42
> yeah hopefully one day they will be. The only danger is when people rely too much on them and don't use their own reasoning. But then again psychiatrists aren't always the cream of the crop intellectually.
LOL
- Scott
Posted by gadu on January 13, 2011, at 16:11:03
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by pragmatic-attack on January 12, 2011, at 3:17:39
> from my experience spect scans haven't helped me diagnostically but I've never been to the amen clinic.I have however had pet scans, functional mri's and a slew of other brain imaging hoohaw from some of the major intitutions in the country.
>
> The Amen Clinic is known (for better or worse) but it seems like the best treatment is more dependent on finding the right medication then somebody telling you what you already know-that you are depressed, and here is the brain scan to prove it, or whatever your respective condition is.
>
> Just from personal experience would suggest spending that money on a really top diagnostician and not make brain scanning the criteria. But if you have the money to do both there certainly is no harm in it.
The gist that I'm getting from the entire thread is that a SPECT scan isn't going to tell me a whole lot of what I already don't know.pragmatic-attack: Have any of the brain scans that you've undergone helped in any way?
Also, when you wrote that I'd probably be better off spending the money on a really top diagnostician, could you be more specific?
I was looking into an intensive outpatient program at the Mayo Clinic, and they do a whole battery of tests (including the P450 Genetic test) over the course of several days to try to find best treatment options for your particular situation. (The program at Mayo is called "Intensive Outpatient Psychiatric Program for Mood and Anxiety Disorders")
Would my money be better spent on something like this?
Thanks again.
Posted by floatingbridge on January 13, 2011, at 22:10:28
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by gadu on January 13, 2011, at 16:11:03
A friend had the works done through the amen clinic. She came away with a script for lexapro, recommendations to take krill oil and to exercise.
She believed in the process and the attention and atmosphere felt good to her.
I refrained from telling her that I might have whipped up that recipe myself.
She's doing the same as prior to going :(
Posted by floatingbridge on January 14, 2011, at 15:11:41
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by gadu on January 13, 2011, at 16:11:03
A friend had the works done through the amen clinic. She came away with a script for lexapro, recommendations to take krill oil and to exercise.
She believed in the process and the attention and atmosphere felt good to her.
I refrained from telling her that I might have whipped up that recipe myself.
She's doing the same as prior to going :(
Posted by pragmatic-attack on January 14, 2011, at 16:51:17
In reply to Re: SPECT Scans - Amen Clinic, posted by gadu on January 13, 2011, at 16:11:03
yeah I think that is the way to go personally. But it is also important to follow up with a good psychopharm person wherever you live. Don't spend all your money in one place.
This is the end of the thread.
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