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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ensoul on July 10, 2002, at 23:24:49
It isn't just Pdoc's and no not all do this but, I truly hate it when they don't believe you when it comes to your own body.
I know for myself any medication that is sedating will knock me for a loop. I couldn't tolerate trazadone at 25 mgs! I've been on numerous pain medications and truly know I have to be careful with this. I have several medication allergies and I'm asthmatic. I have to be careful with meds that are sedating they can slow down your respiration, for an asthmatic that can be problematic. Yes, I keep all my doctors informed of medications and medical conditions.
Pdoc insists on giving Klonopin, which I don't want and don't feel I need it. He tells me it is the best med for Social Phobia. Ha! I agree to try to for 3 weeks. Literally, I cannot function on it. Since I caretake for my Mother and she longer drives, this is huge problem.
He then doubles my dose! No, I cannot change doctors since I am in county mental health. My therapist says he doesn't get along with intelligent assertive women. Them what the hell is doing being a doctor!
SIGH.....being poor in the US means poor quality mental health care.
lynn
This holy concern for the truth - no one worries about it except liars.
~ Anne Sexton
Posted by tabitha on July 11, 2002, at 3:19:03
In reply to Pdoc's doen't believe me (on meds), posted by ensoul on July 10, 2002, at 23:24:49
Hi Lynn,
A big ME TOO on this one. It annoys me to no end when my pdoc doesn't believe me.
I need really low doses of meds, and always seem to get all the major side effects, plus some of the "rare" ones. When I tell him about side effects he often seems skeptical. It's not even rational, since he puts me on new meds that don't have enough history for all the subtle side effects to be known. It took people quite a while to pick up on the fact that prozac erases libido, and now everyone knows that.
I've also had him think I don't know the difference between side effects and lingering symptoms, and he wants to up the dosage. After a lifetime of syptoms and nearly a decade of side effects, I *know* the difference.
I'm sorry you have to work with such a bad doctor. I have to wonder how some of these people get thru med school. Aren't doctors supposed to be the "best and the brightest"? Sheesh!
-tabitha
Posted by mist on July 11, 2002, at 10:48:11
In reply to Pdoc's doen't believe me (on meds), posted by ensoul on July 10, 2002, at 23:24:49
What a frustrating situation. What are these doctors thinking?!
Posted by terra miller on July 11, 2002, at 11:40:27
In reply to Pdoc's doen't believe me (on meds), posted by ensoul on July 10, 2002, at 23:24:49
oh, man. that drives me crazy to not be taken seriously, plus add onto that when you don't have the money you don't get to pick and choose (also understand that) educate yourself and then remind yourself that you don't have to do what he tells you to do. and do whatever you feel comfortable with in weezling out of him what med you really need a prescription for. (i hope that wasn't bad advice.) i think anymore americans are pretty knowledgeable healthcare consumers. that's why this is such a good site. we're trying to figure out what's going on without having someone just tell us and give us a pill we know nothing about.
i was pretty firm with my pdoc for the first year and wouldn't let him prescribe some things and wouldn't back down when he tried to discourage me from getting a certain med (he totally didn't want to prescribe xanax, but it's been totally the best thing in my situation and i have no history of abusing it) annnnnnyway, now he believes me and my side effects (i got those <1% ones), but we duked it out for a solid year. i would go duke it out with him, and then i would go straight to my therapist where i would collapse because it was so hard to stand up for myself. but it paid off. can you do something like that?
Posted by ensoul on July 11, 2002, at 17:13:27
In reply to Re: Pdoc's doen't believe me (on meds) » ensoul, posted by terra miller on July 11, 2002, at 11:40:27
i was pretty firm with my pdoc for the first year and wouldn't let him prescribe some things and wouldn't back down when he tried to discourage me from getting a certain med (he totally didn't want to prescribe xanax, but it's been totally the best thing in my situation and i have no history of abusing it) annnnnnyway, now he believes me and my side effects (i got those <1% ones), but we duked it out for a solid year. i would go duke it out with him, and then i would go straight to my therapist where i would collapse because it was so hard to stand up for myself. but it paid off. can you do something like that?>Oh I have tried and tried, he then gets angry and says "I am the doctor here, not you"
Posted by terra miller on July 11, 2002, at 23:42:40
In reply to Re: Pdoc's doen't believe me Terra, posted by ensoul on July 11, 2002, at 17:13:27
have a sinking feeling that you can't get anybody else than this guy.....
a good doc will not care about who he is/his credentials and will care more about empowering you to make your own decisions. a good doc will not act in a way to make you dependent on him for care; he will be concerned about helping you increase your independence.
all that said: next time this guy acts like a moron (sorry..... he's making me a little mad) tell yourself that he is wrong and that you are right. tell yourself before you even go in the room that no matter what he says, you know the truth about who you are and what is right. don't let him make your spirit feel like crap, too. don't let his opinions even matter to you, because obviously his opinions aren't very encouraging to your soul nor what you need right now.
wondering..... can you get to a nurse practitioner at a clinic or a family practice person? they can prescribe meds, too. and if you know your stuff and can explain to them what you want and why you want it and make a logical case for it, the right person will listen to you with wisdom and compassion and do what is best for you. it doesn't have to be a pdoc for you to get psych. meds.
terra
Posted by Mr Beev on July 12, 2002, at 7:14:31
In reply to grrrrrrrrrr » ensoul, posted by terra miller on July 11, 2002, at 23:42:40
I would like to second Terra's excellent suggestion about alternatives to pdocs. My pdoc is actually a FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) who specializes in mental illnesses. I stumbled upon her by accident, and I am quite glad I did.
Being an NP, she does not come from the MD culture, something I view positively, yet she can prescribe medications. She is unlike my previous experiences with all MDs: she is open to alternative therapies; she is very helpful in working around my financial situation (unemployed and uninsured); she is personable and concerned; I could go on.
Naturally these qualities need not inhere in NPs only, and could just as well repose in MDs. This has not, however, been my experience.
Best Regards,
Mr Beev
Posted by ensoul on July 12, 2002, at 23:39:33
In reply to Re: grrrrrrrrrr, posted by Mr Beev on July 12, 2002, at 7:14:31
thank you both
I do have a family doctor, she helped me out once when I go back into treatment 2 or 3 yrs ago, I was waiting for an intake appt that was 3 months away! I told her my history of depression and she agreed to start me out on antidep. but that as soon as I saw a Pdoc, she'd bow out...she felt she wasn't qualfied in this area
I did call her today, was told no, same thing qualfied and given my history of treatment resistant depression, blah, blah, blah
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 13, 2002, at 1:24:07
In reply to Pdoc's doen't believe me (on meds), posted by ensoul on July 10, 2002, at 23:24:49
Luckily, you don't have to take the doubled dosage -- you can just take the meds he gives you and have as little as you want. tee hee. (work the system) :D
bookgurl99
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 13, 2002, at 1:30:17
In reply to Re: grrrrrrrrrr from ensoul, posted by ensoul on July 12, 2002, at 23:39:33
My doc suggested a mood stabilizer, as he thinks that my memory loss/cognitive problems may come from anxiety. (They don't, but that's another issue.)
I told him I'm not BP, so I don't need one. He suggested Zyprexa, and I shot back that diabetes runs in my family and I don't need the weight gain. He said some anticonvulsants can work too. Then I said that he could put me on Topamax and not have to wonder why I can't remember things or think clearly. He completely laughed. He said "well, there's no free lunch here," but he had a great sense of humor about it and I could tell was amused that I knew so much about psych drugs.
He agreed to wait until we can do more tests related to my memory/cognition loss.
Posted by Cecilia on July 13, 2002, at 1:59:42
In reply to Re: Pdoc's doen't believe me (on meds) » ensoul, posted by terra miller on July 11, 2002, at 11:40:27
Question: What do you call the person who graduated at the bottom of his medical school class? Answer: Doctor
Posted by Shawn. T. on July 14, 2002, at 5:33:56
In reply to you need a doc like mine » ensoul, posted by bookgurl99 on July 13, 2002, at 1:30:17
I hear good things about Topamax. I believe someone else should handle explaining its advantages. I am too busy.
Shawn
Posted by terra miller on July 14, 2002, at 11:42:57
In reply to you need a doc like mine » ensoul, posted by bookgurl99 on July 13, 2002, at 1:30:17
Posted by McPac on July 18, 2002, at 17:14:09
In reply to Pdoc's doen't believe me (on meds), posted by ensoul on July 10, 2002, at 23:24:49
I have NEVER met a bigger bunch of arrogant, pompous, know-it-all MORONS than Pdocs!!Many times they would not believe me. A hopeless situation.
Posted by utopizen on August 2, 2002, at 12:47:12
In reply to Pdoc's doen't believe me (on meds), posted by ensoul on July 10, 2002, at 23:24:49
Maer said he didn't know what people were all about when it came to Xanax. He said he was given some at the hospital and he had trouble finding the door.
I'm generally well-tolerant of meds, but ones that affect the GABA will initially lose my capacity to coordinate myself. I learned this the hard way by trying out Neurontin and almost falling over as I was talking with someone, like I was a stumbling drunk.
Klonopin also had me falling into the wall as I walked down a hallway, while my roommates thought I drank something. This always goes away after a few days with me. I think there's something to it with me, the only things that work are ones that at first make me stumble.
This is the end of the thread.
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