Doctor interested in mental health issues

[compsports]

I am curious what thoughts come to SA members' minds when they read about an internist online saying he/she is interested in mental health issues. I had the worst thought regarding a doctor I was reading about locally who said that. But then I saw that she had given talks in reversing diabetes so than I wondered if maybe I was prejudging her.

 

Thoughts, comments?

 

CS

[GiaK]

I wouldn't make any assumptions if that is all I knew...(meaning just a declaration of interest) 

[GiaK]

although to be fair most people who say that are going to have mainstream beliefs...still beyond understanding that as a reality I would allow for just about anything...

[mtnbkr]

I really think that only psychiatrists should be prescribing psych meds. 

[GiaK]

psychiatrists are specially trained to prescribe really badly. I have to laugh at that...sorry...

[Meimeiquest]

I am developing a serious phobia of psychiatrists. Besides my drama, both my dad and MIL were grossly mal-prescribed by psychiatrists, and general practitioners had to ID and fix the problems.

 

Just "interviewed" a pdoc and told him my BP had spiked to 180/110 as I am 2 months off an AD and I can feel the benzo shifting. He said, "I wonder why that would happen." I am going to try to convince my PCP to take over my care...at least he's scared of these drugs!

[GiaK]

yeah...I think when coming off drugs it's often a very good call to just get a prescriber that won't impede your progress...most psychiatrists won't believe what we've learned in communicating with 1000s of people coming off of meds...

[Juju8o8]

I am developing a serious phobia of psychiatrists. Besides my drama, both my dad and MIL were grossly mal-prescribed by psychiatrists, and general practitioners had to ID and fix the problems.Just "interviewed" a pdoc and told him my BP had spiked to 180/110 as I am 2 months off an AD and I can feel the benzo shifting. He said, "I wonder why that would happen." I am going to try to convince my PCP to take over my care...at least he's scared of these drugs!

 

Wow! same symptoms as mine!.. Escitalopram caused my BP to go almost that high 140-170 or even close to that... and of course the pulse 100+.. I was traumatized by that and now i'm even scared to check my BP lol..

[Altostrata]

I had blood pressure spikes off Paxil, too, caused by exaggerated reactions to other drugs and supplements. Welbutrin and rhodiola were a particular potent combination.

[Barbarannamated]

I have a serious phobia of ALL doctors now, especially because the majority are under the umbrella of the 2 hospitals whose outpatient psych programs I admitted myself to in 2008 to fill my days.

 

When I hear the TV commercials warning of stolen medical identities, I think "PLEASE steal mine!".

[Aria]

I have a serious phobia of ALL doctors now, especially because the majority are under the umbrella of the 2 hospitals whose outpatient psych programs I admitted myself to in 2008 to fill my days.When I hear the TV commercials warning of stolen medical identities, I think "PLEASE steal mine!".

 

Thank you thank you for making me laugh.

My old pdoc put in open hosptial records I was crazy so I'm officially outted to everyone who has access to my records. I can hope time and paperwork will hide this and if one day I have to go back in (surgery or very ill) I won't be treated as horribly as I was on an ICU step down unit by the staff docs who saw my psych diagnosis. Being called mentally ill by them was just wrong.

[compsports]

I have a serious phobia of ALL doctors now, especially because the majority are under the umbrella of the 2 hospitals whose outpatient psych programs I admitted myself to in 2008 to fill my days.When I hear the TV commercials warning of stolen medical identities, I think "PLEASE steal mine!".

Same here Barb. That is why I haven't sought treatment from another sleep doctor in spite of continuing to struggle with pap therapy.  I just fear they are going to blame it on insomnia and throw a pill at the problem when as soon as I take off the mask, I can fall back asleep although obviously, sleeping with apneas is not a good thing.

 

Regarding your situation, I definitely understand why you would be afraid.  Even though I never was in any hospital programs, I still have a fear that electronic medical records will out my past psych med history.

[compsports]

I am developing a serious phobia of psychiatrists. Besides my drama, both my dad and MIL were grossly mal-prescribed by psychiatrists, and general practitioners had to ID and fix the problems.Just "interviewed" a pdoc and told him my BP had spiked to 180/110 as I am 2 months off an AD and I can feel the benzo shifting. He said, "I wonder why that would happen." I am going to try to convince my PCP to take over my care...at least he's scared of these drugs!

Everyone thinks that psychiatrists are alot more knowledgeable about psych meds and your situation proves that once again, this theory is so wrong.

[Jemima]

I really think that only psychiatrists should be prescribing psych meds. 

 

I think that NO ONE should be allowed to prescribe these poisons except in extreme, suicidal emergencies, and then for only a short period of time while the person's environment and/or attitude is improved past the point of danger to self or others. I also believe the reasons for prescribing these drugs should have to be documented at least as extensively as the requirements for prescribing opiates.

 

Psychiatrists are the absolute worst, IMO, when it comes to whipping out the prescription pad as a first resort for any sort of complaint.  So often there's a real but undetected reason for anxiety, depression, and other manifestations of what is usually and carelessly deemed "mental illness". But it's cheap and easy to just write a script and let the underlying cause fester and worsen.

[compsports]

Great points Jemima. But sadly, I think maintream doctors are giving them competion as to presribing drugs for any type of complaint in light of the fact that they can't spend an adequate amount of time trying to figure out the problem. The worse example I read of was on NPR when a doctor prescribed an antidepressant to an elderly patient who was despressed over his cognitive deterioration.

 

The poor guy commited suicide over what seemed to me to be adverse affects from the med.   So what this physician do?  He advocates more screening for depression:

 

Anyway, one reason why I tend to make assumptions that I realize may be unfair about doctors who express an interest in mental health is that several years ago, I went to see a potential primary care physician who had done this on his website.   When I told him I was tapering off of psych med, he said in reponse that he felt many people with depression needed to be on meds for life. Even though I think he would have been a great physician in many ways, that response was a complete turnoff to me.

[Meimeiquest]

My experience has been that the primary care docs screwed up small issues and the pdocs screwed up big, complicated things. I think a big part of the problem goes back to our culture...we believe we should feel good all the time, and our doctors think they are doing a good job when they help us feel good. We don't have a mindset that suffering has meaning, either in alerting to a deeper problem, or teaching and maturing us. And we should always be well enough to function in our roles, no matter how many chemicals it takes.

[Karma]

Back to your original question - I would be willing to explore an internist who had indicated an interest in mental health issues.  It is possible that such a doctor might be aware of the role that vitamin B12, thyroid and other internal things play in symptoms identified as mental health issues. 

 

But I may be an exception ... when I meet with a health care provider, I'm in charge.  It is like the time they thought I had sarcoidosis ... I asked what the symptoms were, and it turns out I didn't have any of the symptoms.  So the doc wanted to do a chest x-ray to be sure that I either did or didn't have it and I asked what the treatment would be if the chest x-ray indicated that I did have sarcoidosis.  He said that they only treat the symptoms.  So I said since I don't have any symptoms then there is nothing to treat and therefore no reason to expose my body to radation.  He had to agree - no chest x-ray.

 

All this to say that you have to be your own advocate.  Sometimes the best we can expect is to have a doc that will at least allow us to manage our own health and supply the needed lab requisitions and prescriptions.

 

Karma