[AtivanAddict]

I met with a new psychiatrist because I needed medications for my anxiety.

I told her I have anxiety and I need medications, she replied no you don't, then I tried explaining to her that I do have anxiety. She said you don't have anxiety you are Bipolar which I replied saying I'm not Bipolar and questioned her why she would say such a thing.

Then she asked me what is Bipolar? I replied saying it's when you have mood swings and you go from being happy to angry, which most people would say who don't know about the disorder. She said I was wrong and said I was Bipolar type 2. Her office was full of samples of SEROQUEL XR which she gave to me and wrote a prescription for more Seroquel medication.

This session with her lasted about 8 minutes or less and I left her office with a bag full of Seroquel XR and a prescription. Is this even possible? I don't know if I should be concerned or not.

[MagicsMom]

I would be very concerned. My new psychiatrist spent 45 mins with me, explained everything and explained medication changes. I just read an article about the 9 traits of a good psychiatrist and one of the red flags was handing out samples. It said they have a good relationship with a particular drug rep. I've worked in the pharmaceutical industry and this is true.

I'd find a new doctor.

[marmaduke]

Well. If diagnosing pi polar is that easy I think I should be a psychiatrist!

Agree with above find a new doctor.

[jesusplay]

seroquel works great for anxiety. If you really have anxiety you'll love it.

keep seeing the doctor, I'm sure the doctor has been doing his or her job for years.

You don't need a hour long session to get diagnosed.

if your condition doesn't improve over the next couple months, get a new doctor.

I was diagnosed as anxiety by my regular doctor then 3 months later diagnosed as bipolar by a pdoc.


you can have both like I do, I take lithium, seroquel, and klonopin when I'm dizzy.
Bipolar I, current depressed.
GAD.

[wildflowerchild25]

I would be concerned. She may be influenced by Seroquel reps to dispense the medication. Seroquel XR is new and very expensive. No generic available. Sounds fishy to me.

I really would get a second opinion, especially if you don't feel that bipolar applies to you. Do some reading on the disorder to see if it sounds familiar to you, but till gt another opinion. I think doctors are far too liberal with the BP 2 dx.

Seroquel can work for anxiety so if you feel comfortable taking it then you can try it - but read up on it so you understand all the risks and possible side effects.

[Curiosity77]

That sounds like poor care to have such a short initial meeting. Initial assessments usually between 45-90 minutes. They need to take a history and get to know a little bit about your life and who you are, along with the symptoms, to give a good diagnosis. I don't know if you have BP 2 or not, but it sounds like neither does the pdoc if she was that quick. Samples are concerning, but they aren't always bad. My pdoc keeps lots of different samples to hand out to patients who don't have insurance and can't afford their meds. When I first started with her she wanted to try abilify because she was involved in some research on it. So we tried that, but it gave me akithisia so we stopped and changed to another med that she wasn't researching (lamictal). I don't know if abilify would have been her first choice, but I was a student then, so free meds were good. But I agree with the others that a 5 minute assessment and an Rx to a med she has advertisements all over the office for is concerning.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by jesusplay

seroquel works great for anxiety. If you really have anxiety you'll love it.

keep seeing the doctor, I'm sure the doctor has been doing his or her job for years.

You don't need a hour long session to get diagnosed.

if your condition doesn't improve over the next couple months, get a new doctor.

I was diagnosed as anxiety by my regular doctor then 3 months later diagnosed as bipolar by a pdoc.


you can have both like I do, I take lithium, seroquel, and klonopin when I'm dizzy.
Bipolar I, current depressed.
GAD.

no offense... but BAD ADVICE.

YOU NEED LONG SESSION TO DIAGNOSE SOMEBODY. YOU NEED LOOOOOOONG SESSION BEFORE YOU THROW DRUGS THAT HAVE BRAIN ATROPHY OR METABOLIC SYNDROME AS SIDE EFFECT.

Doctor should indicate WHY she prescribes that. Only reason she prescribed it might be "I really liked that trip to Hawaii and I would love to go to Carribean too!"

[awebb198488]

I would definitely seek a second opinion. Even if this Psychiatrist is correct, I think you will feel better being evaluated by someone who took their time. When you said this person said, "no, you have bipolar 2", a red flag went up in my mind because it would appear they were not interested in listening to what you have to say. I strongly recommend getting a second opinion.

[jesusplay]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

no offense... but BAD ADVICE.

YOU NEED LONG SESSION TO DIAGNOSE SOMEBODY. YOU NEED LOOOOOOONG SESSION BEFORE YOU THROW DRUGS THAT HAVE BRAIN ATROPHY OR METABOLIC SYNDROME AS SIDE EFFECT.

Doctor should indicate WHY she prescribes that. Only reason she prescribed it might be "I really liked that trip to Hawaii and I would love to go to Carribean too!"

not really, my advice is just as good as the next persons.

None of you have M.D.s, none of you have gone through years of being a pdoc.

OP is mad he didn't get the drugs he wants. Seroquel is prescribed off brand for anxiety also.

ANd he can always get a second opinion.

[punkybrewster6k]

Having worked for a surgeon, I can tell you that drug reps come to the office, buy expensive lunches for all staff members along with pens, and other various "toys" with the drug brand on it and push the doc to use the med they are peddaling that week. A doctors office will be packed full of that med sample and handed out like candy to patients. And some docs get paid in different ways to do this.

Now...This can be done responsibly as a sample for someone to try and see if it helps them, it can be handed out for free to those without prescription coverage or money for the illness it treats (as my doc did), or it can be abused by being handed out and prescribed to patients for the benefit of the doc and drug company.
Just my experience.

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[venusss]

Person who diagnoses anybody in FIVE minutes and throws SAMPLES at them, without any explanation should have their M.D. taken away, cause that is pretty much a malpractice.

If you went to doctor, he said "you have cancer, here's round of chemo" as soon as you enter the office, would you follow them cause they are doctor? Would you just trust the doctor merely because he's a doctor?

You don't have to have degree in something to realize somebody is doing it wrong.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Five minute diagnosis? I don't think so! That's no good. Seroquel can help alleviate some of your anxiety symptoms and I feel I can say this because I *am* bipolar and I *do* have anxiety and I have *taken* Seroquel......but....FIND A NEW DR! GET A SECOND OPINION. You do NOT want to be in this treatment plan if you don't need it. Drugs affect the way your brain functions and even Drs. do not know exactly how. You don't want a Dr who just hands you something in five minutes. I have been to a bad psychiatrist and ended up in the hospital...guess what? THEY KNEW WHO SHE WAS and the hospital told me to stop seeing her.

Get a new Dr! You know you. The Dr only knows what you tell them.

[hamster-bamster]

Your userid suggests that you are addicted to Ativan. Seroquel is not addicting. There are many bad things about it, but it is not addicting. I agree that she practiced bad medicine with her drive-through approach, but since you got a sample, try it, because maybe Seroquel would be the lesser evil. A more useful question would be - what non-pharmacological means of coping with anxiety have you tried?

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[Trippin2.0]

I would not go back to any doctor who gave me a diagnosis, and hands me pills without an explanation in 5 minutes.

My GP appointments for the flu are longer than that, because I'm actually being examined!

That being said, I was diagnosed pretty quickly by my first pdoc, but I came in armed with a journal, spoke in depth about how symptoms first manifested 10 years prior and filled out a questionaire. He also took the time to explain to me exactly why the dx fit me and what it means. Not only that, he didn't try to push the dx on me as I sat there with my jaw dropped to the floor in disbelief, instead he suggested I chart my moods and have a full physical to eliminate any physical illnesses and in so doing give his swift dx more credibility.

The point of this ramble?

Even if your pdoc is clairvoyant, and she didn't need you to tell her what's wrong, a good doctor would take the time to listen and explain.

Even my last quack of GP atleast explained what was wrong with me and why I needed the meds he gave me before he sent me on my way.

Anywayyyy, its completely up to you if you want use the seroquel for your anxiety, but I would not trust her, and would definitly be seeking out a new pdoc.

[Alt77]

My local doctor did the same thing to me. In about 10 minutes. I asked him if he sponsored the company that makes or sells the drugs he was telling me I needed.

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[venusss]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

Your userid suggests that you are addicted to Ativan. Seroquel is not addicting. There are many bad things about it, but it is not addicting. I agree that she practiced bad medicine with her drive-through approach, but since you got a sample, try it, because maybe Seroquel would be the lesser evil. A more useful question would be - what non-pharmacological means of coping with anxiety have you tried?

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it may not be addictive, but APs for anxiety is like shooting fly with an AK.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

it may not be addictive, but APs for anxiety or like shoot fly with an AK.

If it breaks the addiction, it may be worth it. I don't know if it can, though. I would try and see and should it work, start introducing non-med skills in the hopes of tapering off the Seroquel.

To the OP - when you go for a second opinion, phone the new dr. Ahead of time, telling that you are looking for an in-depth intake interview and not a sample giveway. And be honest - tell the new dr that you have a benzo addiction. While the psychiatrist you described did a bad job, you also did a bad job - instead of saying that you have a benzo addiction, you just said that you have anxiety.

I don't know much about benzo addiction, but I do know about rebound headaches, so let me tell you and you can decide if it rings a bell. I have migraine headaches and the prescription medication that aborts migraine attacks if I catch them early, Imitrex, is very expensive. It is a medication specifically for migraine attacks and nothing else. It does not cause dependency.

Last year I was without insurance and tried to treat migraines with OTC drugs. It was horrible because these drugs - aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol - make the pain better, but then withdrawal causes more headaches and more frequent headaches, with a horrible downward spiral. So I stopped using OTC anti-headache drugs that actually CAUSE headaches. In September I got medical insurance, so now I have Imitrex, but if I ever face the situation of unavailable Imitrex again, I would not take anything for the pain. I'd rather suffer for a day or two, knowing that afterwards I would get a migraine-free period for at least a week than have 3 migraines a week.

I am afraid your Ativan does the same as Tylenol in that your anxiety attacks become more frequent. So my question again is - what have you tried to quell anxiety without medications? Maybe sauna or just standing in a hot shower could help quell the anxiety temporarily, and then you can add other means to expand the anxiety-free periods. Success breeds success - if you find one thing that works, you will be more likely to search for another to expand your repertoire.

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[mysarip]

There is a huge difference in being dx Bp2 and having Anxiety. One major concern is insurance, also it can impact your personal life having this dx. I have been on Seroquel for 7 years and I can tell you if I was able to get by on something without the side effects I would do it in a second.

Pdocs have an entire list of requirements to complete before starting someone on a med like Seroquel. You need to have your blood drawn so your dr can assess if your liver and kidneys are functioning properly. You should have a thyroid test because thyroid disorders can mimic many psychiatric disorders. Do you have a therapist the pdoc talked to prior to meeting with you? Do you have a primary care doc that has already done your blood work?

If not that psychiatrist was entirely negligent and you defiantly need an appointment with a doc that will take all the proper measures to protect your health, both mentally and physically.

[Victoria'smom]

Honestly it didn't sound like she treated you with respect or you felt like you had say in your treatment. Do you trust this person would do the right if your life was in their hands? At some point your will be.

Would you go back to a “Sit down” restaurant that when you walk in told you were told what you were eating. Then argued that no you really want what they decided. They brought it to you long enough to for you to think your eating there. Then they picked it up put it into a to-go box and told you to pay.

I'll tell you about my and then my families most resent evaluation but most people it's not this extensive:

Intake for treatment

We brought our former medical records with us.

Me- My intake was 4 hours even though they had my past medical records and being what I thought stable was but they insisted mania. All of that information was entered into the computer while I talked. Boy were they wrong, I can get so much higher. They did not know whether to send me home. Then that was handed over to a psychologist to double check and diagnosis. She later became my therapist. Then all the records were handed over to my psychiatrist to review. Initial diagnosis: Bipolar with psychosis, history of anorexia

My Husband- His intake was about two hours but it was right after a extended sick leave because he was hypo mania and had crashed. They also had all his passed medical records. Then that was handed over to a psychologist to double check and diagnosis. Then all the records were handed over to his psychiatrist to review. Initial diagnosis: BP II

My son- His intake was about almost three hours. Again they had his medical records. His record's were triple checked also. Initial Diagnosis: ADHD

Then about month later we each met with our therapist who took more history and talked about goals. Each of our treatment plans were made. My husband and my crisis plan were made. We both had the option to release our info for all of our doctors to work together and whether information can be released to each other.

Then we met with our psychiatrists for 45 min.

Mine: went over my diagnosis, offered 3 choices of meds, I said no,, we talked about why we talked ****, he offered new choices again, I said no, we bartered to give him a year, I asked him if he had to what med would he take?, I walked out with a script for lamictal and an appointment for a month. That was 3 years ago.

My husband's: She was very quiet and wanted to know why he was there. Why he couldn't work. She said she was going to take him out of work for a year anyway. He left with a script for celexa and lamictal but felt crappier than when he went in. Added diagnosis: OCD

My son: We went over his history and meds that we have tried. She decided that she wanted a second opinion and scheduled a second opinion. She said that she is going to keep his current dx.

Since:
My dx added to my former: ED NOS, SAD. Tons of anti-depressant changes and small tweaks to current meds

My husband: New psychiatrist, med adjustment added an anti psychotic

My son: Had a 4 hour exam. While we filled out 4 hours of papers. Added DX: Mood disorder nos (she doesn't want to put bipolar), ASD. Med change.

All of our appointments with our psychiatrist are 20 mins. They have our therapist notes as well as all of our former notes.

[BipolaRNurse]

My first pdoc appointment was over 90 minutes. He also gave me only a provisional dx of BP-NOS because there were a lot of grey areas and he just wasn't positive I was really bipolar. (That changed fairly quickly when I waltzed in for our 3rd appointment a couple months later wearing bright clothes and makeup, and bouncing off the walls.) It took over a year to get a definitive dx of BP 1. I can't even IMAGINE a real doctor giving someone such a potentially devastating diagnosis in a single 5-minute interview......where'd she get her license, out of a bubble-gum machine??

[sweepy62]

My intake with pdoc was two hours , was treated for mood disorder depression anxiety, tried different meds officially got diagnosed Bp 1 with psychosis after 8 months I'm more on the manic hypo manic side.

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