My most recent “OMG you have to be kidding me moment” in the medical profession was a few months ago. I couldn’t get in to see my regular doctor and took an appointment with another that I’d seen for sinus infections and such.

I’ve been REALLY depressed before, and I was heading in that direction and wanted to get help before I entered the danger zone again. I was taking Effexor, my Rx was almost finished for the year and it wasn’t working on the depression anymore, plus the sexual side effects were getting to be too much, so I asked her to switch antidepressants.

She took out the little questionnaire that they give you to find out “how” depressed you are. I gave her little “vanilla” answers like “I think the trigger this time is that my daughter has gone off to college and she’s the first one to leave the house.” On and on with the questionnaire we go, and I’m beginning to think “hmm, I should have been a little more honest with her, she’s going to think I don’t need them at all.”

She did the math at the end of the questionnaire and looks at me and says “I can’t write you a prescription for antidepressants, you’re TOO SEVERLY depressed for me to treat.”. ?!?!?! She said “I cannot in good conscience write you a prescription for antidepressants, you’re too severely depressed, it’s outside my comfort zone to treat you.” I said “ok, don’t write a prescription for a new one, just write a refill for the Effexor that is going to run out next week.” She said “No, I can’t do that, if I write you a Rx and you go home and harm yourself, I’d never be able to live with myself.” I said “I’m not suicidal and I’d very much like to keep it that way , which I don’t see happening without ANY antidepressants!” She said “I’m sorry, I just can’t do it.”

THEN as I’m getting ready to leave she says (SWEAR TO GOD) “Do you feel that all of your concerns were addressed today?” UH NOOOO!