[onomonapetia]

I never really understand any of my pdocs... Are they even real people?!! I always feel like they don't understand what I am trying to say and I still don't feel comfortable in my own skin. I don't think I have ever been properly medicated in 6 years! The best I have felt this whole time was during my pregnancy! Imagine that.

The one I see now is better than the rest have been; very thorough and all, but he seems to only prescribe me things that are the ONLY drugs that are fda approved for bipolar specific illnesses. I've been seeing on here all kinds of other meds you guys are using and I also called my insurance about alternatives (these brand meds are expensive, even with insurance!) and he basically gawked at me for asking about those at all. I have been a long time fan of that great website all about crazymeds, and other research that I have done tells me that there are other things that I could be taking (off label use, of course) and they might help me even better than what I am on now.

Anyway, I digress. My question was how do you find a pdoc that actually gets you and you feel comfortable around? One that you are actually convinced is not from some far away galaxy(they are so weird!)?
One that listens to you instead of plugging your responses in a computer?
Maybe I am up a creek without a paddle and stuck with what I've got. I dunno. Maybe you can tell me if I am just being ridiculous? Does such a creature exist? I just want to feel normal. I just want to tell the difference between blind rage that is fueled by a "rational" argument, or the blind rage that is just because I am not right yet. ANY help is greatly appreciated!!!!

[sugahorse1]

I've been going through these same issues recently. My one big concern was the high cost of the initial consult, so trying out a whole lot of pdoc's was not relly an option financially for me. I took to getting a list of pdoc's off the internet and e-mailing them my requirements - if someone then still bothered to get back to me, I thought it was worth my time to go see them.

I told them that I need someone who has time in their diary for emergency consults as I sometimes don't feel I can wait 4 weeks for an appointment.
I need someone who I can phone when things get really bad.
I preferably wanted someone that worked closely with a T, so I could also attend therapy.

Then you need to decide if gender or race matters to you. Speak to people from your area about who they can recommend. My GP recommended the pdoc I now see. I met a lady online who lives in my area, and she's recommended a T I'm going to see, and she also recommends her pdoc (But I'm not going to change pdoc's just yet)

I gave a short write-up in my e-mail about what my current dx is, and what I feel I battle the most with.
My current pdoc also understands the issues of finances in treatment, and helps to find generic meds where possible, or write motivational letters to the medical aid to pay for my meds.

I do think the pdoc you are looking for exists out there. The "good" ones are usually busy, so slotting you in will be difficult. Their calendars are very full, so they sometimes rush through your appointment (But from what I hear from people on here, a med check-up only takes +- 15mins). I see my current pdoc for about 1 hour at the moment, as she does a bit of therapy and wants to know what's going on in my life and consequently my head.

[onomonapetia]

Thank you! I didn't even know that you could do all that stuff. I went to the pdoc yesterday for a med check and ended up spending 15 extra minutes and I had to pay $16 more than usual! Kinda sucked.

[Special-K]

what does pdoc stand for? psychiatrist? psychologist? physician?

Pdoc is psychiatrist (can prescribe meds),
T is short for psychologist (aka therapist-- hence the "T"-- doesn't prescribe meds) and
GP (general practitioner) is what physicians are usually called.

Hehe, if you aren't already up to your eyeballs in new terms , there is also PNP... Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, who can usually also prescribe.

(Sometimes Pdocs also do therapy, but that's pretty unusual these days.)

Study up, there'll be a test!

[sugahorse1]

Lol @ Innerzone!

Ono - I don't know if one can do all those things - but that's what I did!

[BlackPup]

I got recommendations from some pysch registrars, then went to one of his lectures (on bipolar pharmacology), decided he was ok so got an appointment.. he is really great - even if he laughs at me and doesn't trust me, he worries too much!

[onomonapetia]

Thanks! Mine is so strange. He brings his poodle mix dog with him to the office. Sometimes she sits with me.

[owllover99]

I like mine because he's all business. How's the meds doing. Go for a lithium blood test. He stays in one office so I think if I needed him I could get ahold of him. I've had one in the past that moved around a lot. Very bad. I just got a new T and I think he likes me too. I have to go back next week. But I'm not your average bipolar. I'm stable most the time. Years at a time. But when I'm depressed, I'm sucidial. And I've only been manic once and that was 16 years ago, but it was like psychosis.

[sugahorse1]

owl - what were your psychosis symptoms then? I also mainly get depressed. Never had real mania (Except last night I was losing the plot, bouncing off walls, threatening to fix the treadmill as I needed to burn off energy..) It stopped after 3 hours or so

[Fresia]

Onomonapetia,

It can be hard finding a good fit and I too have had my share of good and bad matches. I am fortunate at the moment.

I asked the same things Sugahorse did in looking for a pdoc, as well as:

How comfortable were they in working with a T and specific T's b/c I didn't want to have to explain everything 2x. So notes are sent back and forth btn the 2 of them, they work well together. He also sends med updates to all my other docs. I appreciate them all working together.

I also asked about dosage adjustments and if it is a required visit or could be done with a phone conference.

I do ask their belief if visits were just for med checks or if they want to know what was going on as well, b/c I don't believe they can fully make decisions all the time just based on response to meds and symptoms. The first approach has not gone well for me in the past.

I never know though until meeting with them and initial consults are expensive, especially w/o insurance. It's nice many questions can be sent ahead of time so neither person's time is wasted but sometimes you have to have an initial consult.

If not comfortable with current doc, it may be just a matter of having a conversation with them about what's on your mind or possibly exploring another physician. I wish you the best in your decision. -Fresia

[sugahorse1]

Let us know what happens please!