Posted by Cece on June 20, 2001, at 2:39:03
In reply to Re: Pdocs doing physical exams?????????, posted by Cecilia on June 17, 2001, at 4:01:53
Hi Cecilia (my name also!)-
It sounds like you've maybe had some bad, or callous, treatment from pdocs- and also that your depression is really wearing you down. I know from my own experience that it is really, really hard to keep chasing after the help that you need when you are barely able to deal with life.
But, a good pdoc doesn't have an easy job. They need to keep up on the constant introduction of new meds, be both scientific and intuitive, and be able to hang in there with very unhappy people. From my own experience, I would not say that diagnosis is obvious- my own diagnosis has evolved over time.
There are many kinds of depression, and different people respond in different, sometimes even paradoxical ways to them. Many people (like me) need to take a carefully worked out mix of meds to achieve successful treatment. There are lots and lots of meds that can be useful for affective disorders- not just the standard, commonly known list, and also meds that are not (yet) been "labelled" for psychiatric use. Some cases of depression are now being recognized as bipolar depression, and being treated with a whole new group of drugs (third generation mood stabilizers)
When I had my first depressive breakdown (30 years ago) and checked myself into a psych ward, I was given a physical by a psych resident. I remember having nerve relexes tested, but no in depth neurological testing- mostly just a cursory physical. I think that it should have been much more thorough. I think that all specialists get tunnel vision in their own area of expertise.
In the years between then and finding a pdoc who I trusted enough to go through endless med trials with, I repeatedly sought out medical exams on my own- I knew that something was "wrong" with me physically, and all the therapy that I did didn't solve it.
This isn't exactly a reply to your query, but it's intended to share experience and to give you encouragement to push yourself on to get the help that you need. Maybe you need to check out some other pdocs- it doesn't sound like you are feeling real trust for your current one. I went through several pdocs before I found one whose intelligence, expertise, and attitude I trusted.
I wish you well,
Cece
> I know pdocs are MD`s but frankly It seems like the easiest practice there is, at least in an Outpatient setting. The diagnosis is usually pretty obvious, there are only a limited number of psychiatric drugs, they either work or they don`t. Seems like easy money. I`ve been prescribed virtually every AD there is and maybe my pdoc assumes I see a regular doc for exams, though of course I don`t because like most depressed people living a long life is not exactly a priority of mine.
poster:Cece
thread:66682
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010618/msgs/67184.html