Posted by hrguru on May 9, 2010, at 3:18:46
In reply to Re: Started Vyvanse today/FB » hrguru, posted by chujoe on May 8, 2010, at 8:32:29
Hi Chujoe :)
I agree with your philosophies! People want to be treated as human beings, not as "patients." All we want is to feel better, not to be diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses simply because of shared/overlapping symptoms. The new DSM will be out in 2013, and I think they're working on making criteria for certain disorders more comprehensive & based on more subjective information from patients. You can check out their website. Their research is open to the public:
http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx
I think it's about time we started telling our docs what we do/don't feel comfortable with regarding our treatment, and what's effective. It surprises me that Pdocs wouldn't ask for more feedback on how meds are working. Since when did the best pharmacotherapy approach become just arbitrarily throwing dozens of meds at us as if we were medical guinea pigs? This frustrates me greatly.
I told my doc I did not feel comfortable taking a med he suggested. I asked if he would prescribe Topamax. He wasn't happy about this (they all hate this of course). He told me it would never work for BP disorder, and he laughed when I told him how well it was working to control rapid cycling. It was not quite doing the trick for my DP. Something was "missing." He recommended a pretty powerful anti-psychotic (usually used for schizophrenia). This med wasn't for me. I asked for Wellbutrin. Again, he wasn't happy, but still agreed. Amazingly, this combo worked! I told him how much better I was feeling and thanked him sincerely. He couldn't even act like he was glad I was feeling better! It was disheartening, but the fact is I am feeling so much better- so it doesn't matter how he reacted. I still find it strange, however, that there are many docs out there that seemingly want to keep us from feeling better. It's very counterproductive to treatment, to say the least.
When someone is dx'd with a mental illness, it's so often referred to as a "disease"- which to me says two things. One, it's a serious illness (often it is), and two it's possibly going to be life-long. The second bothers me. My doc tells me all the time that BP disorder is "life-long," it's "pervasive," & can "never be cured"- even though I have shown so much improvement. I haven't had a mood swing now in about a month (which is a far cry from the rapid cycling I was experiencing before). I'm now on the right meds, and I'm feeling hopeful for the future- but it shatters a person's hope when a doctor says something like that.
I also agree with your cluster approach- fully. I think that these disorders should be dx'd and treated together- when realistically possible. This may help doctors realize that some of these "diseases" may not be life-long. Case in point: My doc also refers to my past substance addiction as a "disease" as well, and he tells me I'll struggle with it my entire life, although I am now in what he calls "remission." I know people share the belief that it's a disease. I don't believe this. I think it stems from either my ADHD or BP disorder (not sure which), but I think the substance addiction was born from the fact that for so long neither of these disorders were treated. Now that I am properly medicated for both ADHD and BP, I never think about opiates or alcohol. Ever. And I find this interesting. Plus, substance abuse is supposed to be genetic, but no one in my family has ever had substance abuse problems. No one in my family has been dx'd bipolar (but that doesn't mean BP is not in my family). ADHD, however...runs rampant in my family :) This is why I agree that it's based on a person's psychology and experiences- as well as brain chemistry. But...these disorders may not be life-long. There is light at the end of the tunnel, I believe :)
I need to check out that book, because I like these points of view. Thanks for mentioning it!
poster:hrguru
thread:944334
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100504/msgs/946842.html