[Raindropvampire]

I'm unsure about my shrink. She says I'm bi-polar but I just don't know. She says my confusion stems from the fact that I'm not classically bi-polar but just fall somewhere on the spectrum. What the heck does that even mean? If I show any emotion at all she ups my meds. Right now it's not so bad because she did start at REALLY low doses but it's only a matter of time until she has me zombied out. I'm going through a lot right now and would love to be able to just talk to her but our conversations consist of "How have you been feeling?" If my answer is ANYTHING other than fine her response is "Hmmmm. Why don't we notch up you're Risperdal and Lamictal? Next time I see you tell me if that helped." I've tried to switch shrinks but the next closest one I can go to that my insurance will cover is a 40 minute drive from my house and I'm not willing to drive almost an hour and a half both ways to see a shrink.

Does anyone else seem to have this problem where their doctor doesn't want any answer other than fine? Do all shrinks just push meds until the problem "goes away"? I'm just unsure if I even have this and more unsure of her treatments. Just curious about others experiences. I mean is this typical?

[kindachaotic]

Yes,Yes,Yes! Flat out scared. Have had 4 pdocs in 17 years & only left first one cause ins. changed, but he has been my favorite & my hero. Really miss the guy! Next two quickly made it known that "fine" was the only answer they wanted because they didn't want to be bothered with having to adjust anything even when I asked & knew I needed changes... Now am finally at a real free standing Mental Health Clinic & so far really like it.
Oh, just remembered this about the third shrink, was almost begging for something to help me sleep more than 2 hrs. a night. He gives me a prescription for an AD that seconds before I had told him that class of AD's makes me manic. He ignores me & says "just break them in half if they make you too sleepy?!!!". S--- just might as well admit me cause either outcome wasn't gonna be good. Anyway that's when I changed this forth time. I do feel blessed to live in a city big enough that I have a decent amount of choices in pdocs.

[astone131]

The first pdoc I had just pushed pills on me . He gave me whatever I asked for and in what mg. So I switch. The one I have now actually listens to me and we both agree on any changes not just one of us. Granted he does have me on a high dose of Geodon. I take 320 mg at bedtime along with adivan and some others

[manicminer]

When I got out of the hospital they kept my meds up at the same level. After trying to finish the semester I found myself not able to get out of bed to go to class. I told my shrink and he said to talk to my pdoc. He did another blood test. At my next visit he didnt even mention it so I angrily brought it up. He started to laugh and said "oh yea, we had your blood levels 3 times too high." I could have killed him on the spot. All I could think was " you motherf#@ker. you just ruined my semester with your damn zombie drugs

[mel80]

I once had a pdoc who just never listened.I was on an anti psych med along with other meds.The doc kept upping the dosage never mind the fact that I passed out every time I tried to get up.Anyway I passed out knocked myself out,I didn't even know what had happened.Luckily i spose I was in the psych ward and was rushed to the a&e then admitted as they couldn't bring my heart rate down it was racing at something like 300 beats a min I almost went into cardiac arrest very scary.Needless to say I changed pdocs immediately and the new doc listened to me and never once told me it was all in my head to do with the meds. I hope that you are find a really good pdoc.

[lad007]

I have discovered that the pdoc is not there to have a discussion about how things could be better, specifics on issues I have. The purpose is to see how we respond to meds, look at blood tests, etc. They are not hand holders. They just keep trying different combos of meds to see if it works. It is more trial and error than science. They try different combos until they work. If you need empathy see a therapist.

[zbmom]

I agree you really need a therapist if you want someone to talk to about how you're feeling. I would be uncomfortable with a pdoc just upping my meds all the time. If I were you I would speak up at next session and let her know you feel like she isn't listening to you and you don't want your meds automatically upped. You do have the right to say no.

[Phoenix_1]

I agree that a lot of pdoc's only want to hear "Fine" and nothing else. Dunno why, kinda makes their job superfluous, doesn't it, if we're all really "fine", what do we need them for?

I was in Day Hospital this spring, and it's a 4 week program. Then you're out - done, unless your pdoc lets you stay another week. One woman was really really struggling with her depression - the meds weren't working and she felt like crap all the time. She had felt like this for years and she had good reason to, because of what life dished out to her. She asked her pdoc to fill out disability papers and she (the pdoc) refused. I overheard the pdoc say "If she's disabled, then it makes me look bad". Really, that was the pdoc's biggest concern. So the woman went to her family doc to get the papers filled out, but I know that the disability people will phone and talk to her pdoc because they did that when I applied for disability 3 years ago.

So what are we supposed to do? Search high and low to find a pdoc who really cares what you're feeling and truly wants to help. And when you find that pdoc, keep on going to them. Best of luck to you all!