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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phillipa on January 10, 2006, at 22:08:50
Hi guys I'm having psych testing tomorrow. What does it entail? Will my lack of concentration over the past few months make it hard to take? And exacatly as I know a lot of you have suggested various reasons for my lack of ability to tolerate AD's should I say about it. Or does the person who does not get even a little involved with meds. Racer I'm sure you're glad I'm getting it done You've been a great resource for me. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Jakeman on January 10, 2006, at 22:47:37
In reply to Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 10, 2006, at 20:10:17
> Hi guys I'm having psych testing tomorrow. What does it entail? Will my lack of concentration over the past few months make it hard to take? And exacatly as I know a lot of you have suggested various reasons for my lack of ability to tolerate AD's should I say about it. Or does the person who does not get even a little involved with meds. Racer I'm sure you're glad I'm getting it done You've been a great resource for me. Fondly, Phillipa
Phillipa,
I have no ideal what kind of tests they may do. I've done the MMPI? Very simple muliple choice test. My last shrink had a kind of specialized written test. Asking questions like, Do you go on shopping sprees? how much do you drink, ect.
I'm sure you will do fine. In my opinion these tests are a rough measure, a kind of starting point for a diagnosis.
good luck ~Jake
Posted by blueberry on January 11, 2006, at 5:16:01
In reply to Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 10, 2006, at 20:10:17
I don't know what kind of tests they will do. All I can say is that according to my doctor, the tests that should be done are hardly ever done. There are common problems that have a profound effect on neurotransmitter function, behavior and mood and they are almost always overlooked, ignored, or wrongly shrugged off as irrelevent.
Specifically the tests should check cortisol and dhea in a saliva test 4 times over a day, sex hormones progesterone and estrogen, and a complete thyroid workup (not the basic thyroid test) which would include freeT3, freeT4, and the two antibodies that show thyroid dysfunction or disease. Imbalances anywhere with these will result in mood problems and medication problems. Thyroid is easy to fix with synthetic or natural T3. Adrenals and hormones are easy to fix with specific herbs or over the counter supplements.
My doctor says that so many people who have had poor responses to medications, or people that are extremely sensitive to medications, almost always have an adrenal or thyroid problem that will not be discovered without specific testing, and that once those problems have been identified and corrected, dramatic improvement almost always follows.
I began my tests this week and will do more next week.
I have a gut feeling they are going to test you on symptoms and then try to treat those symptoms, but never look at where those symptoms are coming from. I hope I'm wrong.
Insist on the above mentioned tests. If they laugh or shrug it off, insist stronger.
Just an opinion though based on what my doctor has been telling me.
Posted by B2chica on January 11, 2006, at 9:16:35
In reply to Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 10, 2006, at 20:10:17
Hi phillipa
well, i don't know for sure what they will give you but here are some that i've taken:
MMPI (takes about 1 1/2 hours to fill out), a shorter version called MCMI, an intelligence test, the rorschach test (i liked that one a lot), and a substance abuse test.
i think those are the most common. then sometimes they do a generalized "history" or background questions. you know like do you love your father hate your mother...blah, blah kinda thing.all i have to say is that for the best results be absolutely honest, because those tests are a good beginning point for the therapist.
good luck! and relax and enjoy it, don't fret.
b2c.
Posted by Phillipa on January 11, 2006, at 18:07:04
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by B2chica on January 11, 2006, at 9:16:35
Well it turned out to kind of be a waste of time. The guy was more interested in talking with my husband about skiing. And he did ask questions. But went off on tangents about how benzos will screw up your brain. All while I almost in tears. And ready to jump out of my skin. He was from Poland and spoke about three experiemental hospitals there that when the first psych meds came out some floors used thorazine and others not as an experiment. He then told of a woman who had almost murdered her husband on benzos and escaped from a mental hospital and years later he saw here after she had been detoxed off the benzos and seemed quite well then. Now did I need to hear this!!!! Said since I had a thryroid problem and chronic lyme's disease it made me a very difficult patient to treat. I became even more anxious. Kept emphasizing that he didn't prescribe meds but was an MD. Said the meds were only by the pdocs. So I asked if I could speak to him for a few minutes before I left as by now I was almost dizzy well I was dizzy with anxiety. They had me fill out a form and state a reason for wanting to see the pdoc. I wrote Help!!!!! and even spelled it wrong. Waited in the waiting room and the girl said she would speak to the pdoc. She came out and said no he'll see you next week at your scheduled appointment. That maybe the high anxiety lack of concentration crawling out of my skin was just coming off only 7-l0 days of the cymbalata . I quit!!!!!! Fondly, Phillipa Too many pdocs and none of them know a thing. They are all alike.
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 11, 2006, at 18:52:48
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 11, 2006, at 18:07:04
(((Philipa))) I'm shocked at how poorly you were treated. When you feel better, please post and let us know what you are going to do from here. I'd be happy to help brainstorm.
Take care. I'm so sorry for your lousy experience. :(
Best,
EE
Posted by Phillipa on January 11, 2006, at 19:09:24
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect? » Phillipa, posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 11, 2006, at 18:52:48
EE, How come I keep picking these wierdo's? Isn't there a way to find a highly rated one. Aren't you in that field? You can Babble me if you don't want to say online. I will continue to post. But I do see him again Friday. We'll see what happens then and if he has really discussed me with the pdoc as he said he would. Thanks again, Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by blueberry on January 12, 2006, at 6:24:30
In reply to Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 10, 2006, at 20:10:17
Yikes! That's so scary the way they treated you. Oh my. Go back to that doctor?...NOT!!!
Seriously, I've mentioned it before...go out today and buy a book called The Mood Cure. It's an amazing detailed easy to read resource on amino acids, thyroid and adrenal glands and sometimes medications. I've seen your posts for over a year, and I would not be recommending this book to you if I did not think it would have some very eye opening and possibly dramatic surprises in it for you. At the very least, it will open up a whole new world of hope and possibilities, all of which are a million miles better than what you have received in the last year. Please get it today. There is LOTS of hope left! The book is not written by theorists. It is written by a clinic with real patients just like you. My physician recommended it to me and she is actually using it to treat me, beginning about a week ago.
Posted by Glydin on January 12, 2006, at 8:55:42
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 11, 2006, at 18:07:04
> But went off on tangents about how benzos will screw up your brain. All while I almost in tears. And ready to jump out of my skin. He was from Poland and spoke about three experiemental hospitals there that when the first psych meds came out some floors used thorazine and others not as an experiment. He then told of a woman who had almost murdered her husband on benzos and escaped from a mental hospital and years later he saw here after she had been detoxed off the benzos and seemed quite well then.
~~~ I beleive that discussion was way beyond inapproiate on any level.
Posted by B2chica on January 12, 2006, at 9:16:54
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 11, 2006, at 18:07:04
(((((phillipa))))))
i'm SO sorry to hear that you had such a terrible experience. i hope he doesn't charge you for an evaluation session- what he was saying was NOT a psych eval. it was an initial meeting (that obviously half of was not even about you) this 'doctor' (i use the term lightly) is bad.i don't know about pdocs but i "interviewed" about 18 T's before i found a good one.
i lucked out with my pdoc, but most importantly use your instincts. if you feel to run the other direction DO SO. go through the book and find another one. ask for referrals from you T if you have one, or from friends or such.i can't believe he talked about skiing and old mental patients...that's rediculous. he didn't even test you? what the h@ll???
i'm wishing you the best of luck in finding a new pdoc...there's one out there for you i'm sure.
b2c.
Posted by Glydin on January 12, 2006, at 11:25:53
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect? » Phillipa, posted by Glydin on January 12, 2006, at 8:55:42
Just to add -----
This is really a question of "Standards of Care" and "Scope of Practice" don't you think?
This was not your prescribing person, therefore, input was not needed from them to you. AND, moreover, it doesn't sound as if you were anywhere near properly evaluated - which was the purpose.
Most practices have those "Mission" statements with reasonable expectations of the practice and from the patients served. This is a big deal with every psych service I have dealt with. People treat those statements like it's just lipservice, but it really does mean something. I don't think what you described is acceptable.
I'm very sorry....
Posted by Racer on January 12, 2006, at 12:35:31
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 11, 2006, at 18:07:04
OK, I know that you are hurting, and you have every right to be, but Phillipa, WHERE IS YOUR ANGER??? It's time to get that anger out, rather than just internalizing it.
Here's what you do now, because that sort of behavior is NOT acceptable. Not only because you felt bad afterwards, but because that is simply NOT professional behavior.
1. You write down what happened, to the very best of your ability, without a single mention of emotion. Just a cold, stark recitation of the facts: "I went in for psych testing. The tester spent [x] minutes discussing skiing with my husband. Then he spent [x] minutes telling a story about a woman who tried to murder her husband, because she was taking benzos, in order to illustrate his view that benzos caused mental illness to worsen." etc. I recommend outline version, just boom-boom-boom. You end with the fact that you were unable to speak to anyone else after your session with him.
2. You then write, at the end, that you felt very anxious afterwards, that you take valium and had felt that it helped you. That you are now frightened about taking it -- if that's true, which I assume it is. Just a very, very brief comment, short paragraph, saying that you were considerably agitated, more anxious, etc, after this experience. Reiterate that you were unable to speak with anyone else afterwards.
3. And then request what you want them to do to correct this. Of course, to do that, you have to figure that out. My advice would be to ask that they reverse any charges for this session; that they assign you to someone else for psych testing; and that that someone else explain the psych testing to you, to help alleviate your anxiety over it.
What happened to you is NOT OK. And you have a right to your feelings about it. I hope that those feeling include anger, and that you will do something about it.
Good luck.
Posted by Phillipa on January 12, 2006, at 19:31:00
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect? » Phillipa, posted by blueberry on January 12, 2006, at 6:24:30
Husband just read your responses and he says that the guy was saying alchohol and benzos are readily absorbed by your brain so it won't produce serotonin and you become unable to let your brain do what it's supposed to do. God I'm getting more confused. He's defending him uggg! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by sleepygirl on January 12, 2006, at 21:42:34
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 12, 2006, at 19:31:00
Phillipa that was AWFUL, sincerely, what the heck was that?!! I'm frustrated for you. This kind of experience can really crush someone when they are feeling vulnerable. Really...what the F?
Posted by Phillipa on January 12, 2006, at 22:04:56
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect? » Phillipa, posted by sleepygirl on January 12, 2006, at 21:42:34
For anyone who is interested and wants to read about the doctors and practice www.eastoverpsych.com. My pdoc is Wallace, the one who did what was called psych testing is the PHD[thought he was an Md I was wrong.} Name is Polish last three letters ski. Let me know what you think. Fondly, Phillipa ps use google
Posted by Glydin on January 13, 2006, at 8:00:42
In reply to Re: Psych Testing Tomorrow What to Expect?, posted by Phillipa on January 12, 2006, at 22:04:56
I think trying to assess the tester’s comments and opinions is causing you to lose sight of the real core of the mistake. The mistake, in my opinion: YOU went for testing and this did not happen by the standards most would expect. I think of psych testing as a one on one evaluation – what was anyone else (even a husband) doing there with you? Did you request someone be with you? Family input might be very important but the evaluation was to be on you, correct?
The practice does seem to have a heavy emphasis on substance abuse treatment, although, that doesn’t seem to be their entire emphasis. That might explain the comments, but it doesn’t excuse them - as I feel they were inapproiate given the service that was suppose to be provided to you during the visit.
It appears to me, you got more of a medication sermon based on the evaluator's adgenda in lieu of psych testing.
Phillipa, I urge you to try and not let the specifics cloud the big issue – you didn’t get properly evaluated.
This is the end of the thread.
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