Posted by JohnL on February 8, 2001, at 4:28:04
In reply to I need a real biopsychiatrist in Georgia, help, posted by PhoenixGirl on February 5, 2001, at 15:25:14
> I'll be living in Atlanta soon, and I really want to find a pdoc who understands that depression is biological. Especially one who is not "by the book", but will experiment. If someone knows of any pdocs like that in Georgia, please let me know.
Hi again,
I've noticed in your other posts that you are doing a thorough research of all the drug choices out there. I think that is very good. The problem though is that no matter how attractive something looks on paper, there is no indication at all of how any one choice will work with any one person. We can make educated guesses, but still, they are just guesses. Results are just not predictable. Will a drug make you feel worse? Intolerable side effects? What kind of side effects? Makes you feel a little better, but not completely? Works like a miracle? In advance, we just really have no idea.In my own drug trials some of the most attractive ones on paper ended up being serious losers. Some of the others that I didn't expect much from ended up being winners.
With all this in mind, I think you are doing the right thing in seeking a doc who will allow you to experiment with different approaches. In a perfect world we would be able to sample 2 or 3 drugs from each class (SSRIs, antipsychotics, stimulants, mood stabilizers, tricyclics, etc) and then choose the one(s) we liked the best for longer commitments. No matter how something looks on paper in research, the only true test is to swallow that pill and see what happens. Doing it in an organized strategic manner is helpful.
John
poster:JohnL
thread:53364
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010131/msgs/53494.html