[travelbug2015]

I went to the dentist almost two weeks ago. I filled out the forms necessary in the waiting room. You know forms..the dreaded 'Are you under current medical care and any medications?' boxes. I reluctantly checked off the appropriate boxes and listed the current medications I am on for my bipolar disorder. Of course, I didn't write ANYTHING about my diagnosis. But there was the check off for 'Psychiatric Care'...and stupid me, I check it off and listed my doctor's name in the blank next to it.

Well, it was my turn to go to the hygienist. I sat down. Now, I'm facing the tv screen away from the lady. (The tvs are just one reason why dental care is so darn expensive...I dont want to be entertained, just do my damn teeth).

Anyway, I heard a giggle. She came over to me and said, 'So you're on what medication?'. I quietly told her the medication I was on. I didnt want to blurt it out for the whole world to hear. 'Ok....', she said. Then, she called for another hygienist. I turned my head around and saw them looking at my screen and file. He started to laugh. I know I don't have the best set of teeth. But I know they see all kinds of teeth everyday. So what were they laughing at??

The hygienist came back to me and smiled...she said she had to leave because they were swamped. I sat there for about 15 minutes. Another hygienist came by. She didn't laugh or giggle...she got to work on my teeth.

About an hour later....the dentist himself came in. He said hi..and without any introductions or anything else, he said...'so you're on seroquel, topamax, and wellbutrin?'....He jumped right into it. I mean...it felt VERY VERY awkward...Between the laughing and giggling of the hygienists and the VERY direct questioning of the dentist about the medication, I felt like a freakshow.

Am I being overly sensitive with this? Honestly, this was the first time I have every encountered this since my diagnosis back in March. I go back in about 4 months. But truthfully I really don't feel comfortably going back.

Thank you...

Joe

[Blue_Bird]

I've had a hygienist ask me about the medication I'm on and they asked if it helped, it didn't really bother me but people weren't whispering or laughing either. That seems unprofessional and would make me very uncomfortable

[travelbug2015]

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

I've had a hygienist ask me about the medication I'm on and they asked if it helped, it didn't really bother me but people weren't whispering or laughing either. That seems unprofessional and would make me very uncomfortable

It wouldn't have bothered me if they had asked about the medications after an introduction and whatnot. But with the laughing and all it just made me feel very uncomfortable. And you're right, it was unprofessional.

(The dentist even talked to his assistant about getting out before 3pm for a trip IN MY PRESENCE...It was already 2:25pm...and I was paying $300 out of pocket...insurance was paying $250. He was getting a handsome sum to do a job and he was more worried about getting out. That irked me as well.)

[travelbug2015]

I forgot to mention...After she giggled, she tried to pronounce the medication and messed up. She giggled a little bit more. Then she asked me to pronounce the medications for her. That really startled me.

[gina_re]

I'd be pissed off too. That is very unprofessional and I would be extremely hesitant to go back. I'd look for another professional office.

[raspberrytorte]

You're not being over sensitive. They were being jerks.

Last time I went to the dentist, I listed my meds and felt very uncomfortable while doing so. It felt like I was being judged and measured. I had to keep reminding myself that it's there job and responsibility to ask about medication. I felt like they were treating me differently and looking at me differently. In my case, I don't know if I was being overly sensitive, or if they really were looking at me strangely.

If they would have constantly giggled, I know for a fact I would feel as you do now. I don't think you are being overly sensitive at all. I think they were being insensitive. I'm sorry that happened to you.

[Edgar's Mom]

I'd be very pissed off about that. It was completely unprofessional and inappropriate.

I would probably be pissed off to write a letter whatever governing body looks after them.

At the very least I would fire that dentist and never go back.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I have a lazy eye that wasn't diagnosed until adulthood. When I went to an eye dr trying to explain that I couldn't focus on certain forms for work and wrote that down beside my list of psych meds I overheard him laughing at my making this up. When they called me back I refused to do anything until I had told him off and made him apologize. And when he found the lazy eye I really made him apologize because I knew something was wrong and there was; I have abnormal depth perception and some other things and that form made it impossible for me to read straight across. I told him he should never laugh at someone because they were on psych meds again. I hope he didn't see how much I was shaking because confrontation isn't my thing. Then he used the worst possible way to compensate for my problem (but it was the most expensive way....). I had a hard time trusting eye drs for a while after that but found a great one who just moved away and now I have to go through this again.

[*Laurie*]

Hi Joe, If I were you, and I felt uncomfortable with my dentist and his staff, I wouldn't go back there. There are plenty of dentists...go somewhere else. That place sounds weird to me.

[Shadesofdark]

Very unprofessional. If you live where there a lot of dentists, I might think about switching. it's so sad that we are forced to list medications every time we see a doctor, dentist, eye doctor, whatever. I find it very embarrassing when I have to do that. I also would have felt like the giggles were very inapropiate and then the dentist was the last straw. I would have had a fit right there.

[BlackSheep79]

That's BS. I would have gone off like a firecracker, even though those actions don't help the negative stigma about MI. But you know we're not allowed to be angry like human beings and show it cause then we are crazy.

[BipolaRNurse]

Last year I had to go to an urgent care center for a broken toe. No sooner had the doctor come in than the questions began about my psych meds---not my blood pressure and diabetes pills, JUST the psych meds. I don't know what on earth all this had to do with my toe, which he didn't even look at until we'd played 20 questions about my meds, but it made me feel stigmatized...as if I were somehow less of a person, or not to be trusted, simply because I am bipolar and take meds for it.

Originally Posted by ElsaMars

...I don't think you are being overly sensitive at all. I think they were being insensitive...

Well put. And yes, it was definitely unprofessional. I'm sorry that happened to you, travelbug.

I'm struggling with the med list thing right now too. Filling out the paperwork for an upcoming appointment has got me pretty hinky. The wording struck me... funny. Not as in haha. For starters, in the conditions list, it's listed as "psychiatric problems". That feels judgemental. None of the others are listed that way. Then in the section for listing your meds, they also want to know why you are taking it(!) It has absolutely NOTHING to do with what I am seeing them for! I'm usually good about it, but I have a bad feeling about this case. It's a specialist I've been referred to. It's an ongoing condition that has majorly negatively impacted my life for 3 years now. I just want answers. I simply can't risk judgement on such an important thing.

I debated it and decided I would treat it as I have treated the putting of my social security number on job applications in the past. Information shall be given upon relevance. And not until. I'm not mailing it ahead of time. We'll see. I'm nervous, but this is VERY important, and I refuse to chance being judged or not taken seriously.

That was kind of a jerky way to act….the only time a doc has ever questioned my meds is making sure that my current issue isnt medication related..

[kimber1234]

Originally Posted by BlackSheep79

That's BS. I would have gone off like a firecracker, even though those actions don't help the negative stigma about MI. But you know we're not allowed to be angry like human beings and show it cause then we are crazy.

I have never been able to figure out why dentists/optometrists, etc. need to know our meds. If they are going to give us some medication, they always ask us then anyway. I know it's probably legal stuff, but stigma runs rampant!

Find another dentist and if you can't, next time ask them if there's something unusual in their chart that is funny. They can deal with it!

[travelbug2015]

Thank you for responding. You guys made me feel much better!!!!

This was my first time to experience the whole stigma thing. It wasn't pretty. The good is that I will only see this dentist maybe twice a year.

I guess this is something that I'll just have to deal with step by step, stigma that is. The first dose of it was a bit of jolt.

[travelbug2015]

Originally Posted by Innerzone

Well put. And yes, it was definitely unprofessional. I'm sorry that happened to you, travelbug.

I'm struggling with the med list thing right now too. Filling out the paperwork for an upcoming appointment has got me pretty hinky. The wording struck me... funny. Not as in haha. For starters, in the conditions list, it's listed as "psychiatric problems". That feels judgemental. None of the others are listed that way. Then in the section for listing your meds, they also want to know why you are taking it(!) It has absolutely NOTHING to do with what I am seeing them for! I'm usually good about it, but I have a bad feeling about this case. It's a specialist I've been referred to. It's an ongoing condition that has majorly negatively impacted my life for 3 years now. I just want answers. I simply can't risk judgement on such an important thing.

I debated it and decided I would treat it as I have treated the putting of my social security number on job applications in the past. Information shall be given upon relevance. And not until. I'm not mailing it ahead of time. We'll see. I'm nervous, but this is VERY important, and I refuse to chance being judged or not taken seriously.

Ahh, thank you

I was very nervous about putting all that information down. I actually thought about skipping it. But honesty is the best policy, so they say....

Very unprofessional. You aren't being too sensitive at all.

[CopperStar]

I'd go back just to mess with them. Suddenly grip the chair and start making Hulk noises. "Oh god, ugh, I'm.. I'm going into a BIPOLAR RAGE!!!!" and then accidentally hit the overhead light into her face. "Oh gosh so sorry, that just happens from time to time. You never know when the BIPOLAR RAGE will strike. It's over, though, for now. You can go ahead and clean my teeth."

[Ripose]

Originally Posted by CopperStar

I'd go back just to mess with them. Suddenly grip the chair and start making Hulk noises. "Oh god, ugh, I'm.. I'm going into a BIPOLAR RAGE!!!!" and then accidentally hit the overhead light into her face. "Oh gosh so sorry, that just happens from time to time. You never know when the BIPOLAR RAGE will strike. It's over, though, for now. You can go ahead and clean my teeth."

Sometimes this is what I think too!

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by CopperStar

I'd go back just to mess with them. Suddenly grip the chair and start making Hulk noises. "Oh god, ugh, I'm.. I'm going into a BIPOLAR RAGE!!!!" and then accidentally hit the overhead light into her face. "Oh gosh so sorry, that just happens from time to time. You never know when the BIPOLAR RAGE will strike. It's over, though, for now. You can go ahead and clean my teeth."

Lol.

Whenever doctors or nurses find out about the bipolar thing I always get this kind of scared look from them, like I'm going to grow claws and lunge at them or something.

I have to pick up my prescriptions from the pharmacy at my work, and it's really embarrassing because they know me, but my husband told me I should just start messing with them, like act all crazy around them and ****. Haha. I don't know. I make him pick up my prescriptions. I'm too embarrassed! Which is sad. I shouldn't feel that way.