[CopperStar]

This might be silly, but I have weird anxiety issues. My current pdoc is the first pdoc I've actually tried working with in adulthood. The last one was years ago, and I never went back after the first session because he was a d-bag.

I like my current pdoc, but I'm not sure when I am supposed to call her or what I am supposed to say. She scolded me last session for trying to tweak my dosages on my own (understandable, it was foolish of me to do), but then she said to call her if I start feeling depressed or anxious or something.

But I was sitting right there in the session, telling her that I have been depressed and anxious lately, and that it feels like the olanzapine makes it worse, and she didn't change or add anything.

So when is it time to call your pdoc? What do you even say? I feel weird bothering her outside of a paid appointment, and I don't want to come across as a whiner.

[raspberrytorte]

Don't feel weird about calling. Just call and say you feel anxious and depressed. I'm assuming you'll probably end up talking to a nurse, nurse will talk to pdoc, and then nurse will call you back with what your pdoc recommends.

I understand being anxious. I hate making phone calls! I kind of have to talk myself into doing it. I get so frickin anxious.

Good luck!

[BastetsMuse]

I call my pdoc when the feelings I have can't wait till my next appointment, or when I think I need to see her sooner than my next appointment is scheduled. I call her if I have any suicidal ideation, or if I suddenly ramp up into mania or down into depression. Sudden mood swings get reported.

I also say things like "I can't live with this, can we make a med adjustment" so my pdoc realizes that something is important to me and not just *****ing.

I call my pdoc when I am experiencing symptoms that aren't being adequately helped with my meds and that I suspect a med adjustment will improve. (I only use him for meds, not therapy.) I simply tell him what is going on, and if he feels a med adjustment can easily be done or something changed/added without needing an appointment, he will do so.

I asked him once about calling after hours because his answering service are kind of like gate-keepers, asking if this is an emergency (I completely understand why they have to do so; some people call for non-emergency reasons which is an abuse of that system.) His reply to me was that I have never contacted him when it wasn't an emergency in his view, and to just tell them it is --- that I have never been one to abuse that privilege, so he will always take calls from me. That was reassuring to me.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

My pcod was willing to give me her email address a long time ago and that makes it much easier if I need to reach her between appointments. I still have to call and leave a message if it is something important that she needs to be sure to check her email to find (she gets hundreds of emails per day so they don't stand out unless she's had a message to look) but that system works well for us. Otherwise I'd rarely let her know things because I hate calling and trying to explain to the receptionist. We still have phone calls sometimes but email takes away a lot and doesn't take so much of her time I don't think.

[BipolaRNurse]

If I'm desperate enough to use a phone to call my pdoc, I don't have any trouble spilling my guts. And he always calls me back personally because he knows I never call unless I AM desperate.

[Moogieotter]

I try to be professional and clear. I am nice, but stick to the facts. In your case, I would call her and say "I am still struggling with depression and anxiety. Could this be a side effect or exacerbated by the Zyprexa? I am really hoping we can change my treatment to address these uncomfortable symptoms or side effects."

That's how I would start the conversation. Good luck and keep us posted. If you are bored, make some more memes!

moogs