Posted by leeran on April 12, 2003, at 14:28:56
In reply to Re: Looking for perspective, posted by ladylight57 on April 11, 2003, at 18:26:55
"left me feeling railroaded, angry and totally out of control of the situation"
I had similar feelings with the first psychiatrist I ever visited (which was just a few months ago).
Not to be nitpicky (well, I can be very nitpicky) but my feeling was that the insurance and my co-pay were covering a 50 minute session. At one point (about 10 minutes into the session) he had the unmitigated gall to interrupt me (very tersely) and basically tell me I was giving him too much information!
I immediately clammed up and I'm sure he could see the change in my demeanor, which was fine with me - it matched his. He refused to consider the possibility that I might have A.D.D. and wrote out a doubled prescription for Wellbutrin (which I was on) handed me a card and ordered me back in two weeks. He didn't even ask me if the time he wrote on the card would be feasible!
I got up, said "thank you" and cancelled the next appointment via his answering machine before the day had ended.
Oh yeah, and he was far more concerned about my insurance, getting my co-payment and calling my insurance company (again, all in that 50 minute period). All told, I spent 30 minutes in his office and at least 5 - 10 of those were spent with him stewing about insurance concerns. He didn't have a receptionist and the each wall of the waiting room was "decorated" with signs instructing patients to follow this or that procedure (I think they call that cardboard office administration).
He seemed so morose that I couldn't imagine why he had chosen this as a profession. Not one SMILE during the entire appointment.
Sorry to write so much about this, but your post really struck a chord in me since it was so recent that I had a somewhat similar experience. I realized (in about two minutes) that I would feel better going without medication than seeing him again.
Luckily, I had kept an initial consult with a psychiatrist who had been recommended and who couldn't see me as soon. The aforementioned doctor was available much sooner . . . which seems telling in retrospect.
I'm relatively new to the area and I don't have a network of people for recommendations. Fortunately, I found my psychiatrist (the original guy I had the consult with but couldn't get in as soon) via a recommendation on a message board and he is the polar opposite of this other fellow.
They're both in the same atrium type office building and I have to walk by the one guy's office to get to my doctor's office and I just thank God under my breath each time that it only took two tries to find the right person.
I have heard that it can take many, many attempts to find someone with whom you "geehaw." I think this is so important, I mean, it's nice to have someone you "like" for a pap smear (or to look down your throat with a popsicle stick) because symptoms that might be associated with those procedures are easier to detect. But, when someone is diagnosing something that isn't as obvious and can't be "tested for" in the traditional sense, it seems imperative to have someone you can trust - and who doesn't make you feel "put down" or like you are left without options.
In closing - you said:
(I) just didn't have the fortitude to argue the fact with the doc on the phone
I can understand completely! This is your well-being, not a case of strep throat.
Good luck with whatever decision you make and I hope you can find something soon that works for your set of circumstances!
poster:leeran
thread:218584
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030411/msgs/218829.html