How many different pdocs have you had throughout your life?

Why did you switch pdocs? Was it because you moved away, did your pdoc move away, was it because of insurance, was your pdoc useless, etc.?

I've only ever had 1 pdoc, but I'm switching pdocs soon because everyone has been telling me to switch. (Everyone says he's bad.) So I'm just curious about you.

[hopeless2015]

I've only had one, but just DX last April, was thinking about switching but now I'm seeing her more often so I'll let this play out a bit longer. Going every 3 months wasn't working out very well, kept ending up IP

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[seoultous]

I've had 2. The first moved to a new practice. The second was recommended by my first. Then my original pdoc switched practices again so I switched back to him. He's great - probably the best in my area.

[violetgreen]

Had 2. First one took phone calls and texts during my appointments. He also misdiagnosed me and prescribed medicines that made me depressed, apathetic, then hypomanic. This ones a keeper. He's respectful, listens carefully, asks me if I'm comfortable with a med change. Having a capable Pdoc has made a positive difference for me.

[Skeezyks]

The Skeezyks has been seeing the same pdoc for a number of years now. I'm no longer on Psych med's. So, currently, I just plan to see him once a year just to keep my foot in the door so to speak in case I need him again. I like him because he never tries to push anything on me. He'll offer suggestions. But the decision is always mine. Prior to seeing him I saw a nurse practitioner at another clinic. I quit going to the mental health clinic I saw her at because, although she was a pleasant enough person, the clinic as a whole was worthless. I was also seen by other pdocs while I was hospitalized.

[gina_re]

I've lost count. I want to say eight, but that's because I've moved from St Louis back to Virginia and then changes in jobs and insurance.

[wildflowerchild25]

I can't even say. I don't even remember how many there have been since I was 14. Since I got sick again three years ago I've only seen two if you don't count all the IP and PHP doctors.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Since I was 17... 6, (12 years) but I'm switching to #7 who was my IP pdoc and I love him! He's amazing!

[furiousfever]

I've had four in the last two years. One switched me because she couldn't handle me( she was an np), one over medicated me and said horribly inappropriate things in her office, and another np looked at me blankly every time I questioned anything

[pirilin]

I've had 2 shrinks.

Just 2. There was a 3rd I saw just for a few months when I was home on summer break in college, but he was just a fill-in so I don't really count him. I've been with my most recent for about 10 years or so. Awesome doctor.

[Icare dixit]

5. Never (ok, once shortly) saw number 2: he had trainee minions.

The first 3 had no idea about BP or SZA/BP (or SZ) other than from textbooks and the DSM. They couldn't spot (severe!) mania and chronic psychotic problems. I might be a master at façades, but this was ridiculous.

Edit:
Oh, I forgot to mention that a month into "treatment" the professors at my university had yelled me into finding I figured out it was between BP and SZ (or SZA/BP, whatever) and I kept telling them that.

But the textbook said no insight, so there!

[Miss Laura]

I'm about to see Psychiatrist number 17 I have seen in 6 years of being diagnosed. Our NHS system in Scotland can't seem to keep Psychiatrist's. I'm getting frustrated now as you have to keep telling your story again again and again

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[Nammu]

Had just one for the longest time....then I went down the rabit hole and kept moving from place to place and states. Now, they do things different since going to the county's mental health center 2 yrs ago I've had 4. I really liked the first one but he was just emergency, the second one I saw once before transferring to a office closer to me. The third quit. The fourth told me she's planing on quitting too but said she'll be accepting my insurance so we'll see. So my answer is I have no idea I was diagnosed back in the 80's

I've had 4. I had one briefly who made the diagnosis but prescribed medications only - apparently the wrong ones because I nearly immediately was hospitalized.

I was assigned a new psychiatrist at this point and saw her for about 2-3mos. I saw her weekly, which actually meant sitting in her office listening to relaxtion music while she did her own business. Not only a waste of my time, but the government's money and I believe she was completely hoodwinking the system. When we DID talk it was all about her; her deadbeat husband, her recipes, and that I ought to accept Jesus in my life. Needless to say, I brought a complaint about her - and actually won.

I have been with my current primary Pdoc now for near 3yrs and I am quite happy.

Finally I just completed a 12wk therapy program with another psychiatrist separate from my primary one. What a difference between the two of them but they are equally terrific.

I've had about ten in my 25 years since diagnosis. One was helpful and got me on disability benefits right away. One i could have lit myself on fire in front of and she wouldn't have done anything. In general, i'm pretty dissatisfied with the lot of them and now just see my GP who is aces.

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

5. Never (ok, once shortly) saw number 2: he had trainee minions.

The first 3 had no idea about BP or SZA/BP (or SZ) other than from textbooks and the DSM. They couldn't spot (severe!) mania and chronic psychotic problems. I might be a master at façades, but this was ridiculous.

Edit:
Oh, I forgot to mention that a month into "treatment" the professors at my university had yelled me into finding I figured out it was between BP and SZ (or SZA/BP, whatever) and I kept telling them that.

But the textbook said no insight, so there!

Wow, that's bad. I don't know how they can call themselves "pdocs" if they can't even spot severe mania.

Originally Posted by rcat

I was assigned a new psychiatrist at this point and saw her for about 2-3mos. I saw her weekly, which actually meant sitting in her office listening to relaxtion music while she did her own business. Not only a waste of my time, but the government's money and I believe she was completely hoodwinking the system. When we DID talk it was all about her; her deadbeat husband, her recipes, and that I ought to accept Jesus in my life. Needless to say, I brought a complaint about her - and actually won.

What a useless pdoc. I can't believe she prescribed you religion.

Glad to hear you complained about her and won. Pdocs like her are the reason people get sicker. Also, I don't know how she doesn't feel guilty, because she obviously knows it's wrong to talk about her personal life like that unless it benefits the patient.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

4. One died, one was horrible, one was a clinical trial (so several doctors with the same treatment plan) and 12 years with my current, awesome pdoc. Really one more but I only saw her once after the first died and that was only memorable because she recognized the bipolar before anyone else did but I was terrified at the diagnosis and left and did not return (and moved away 2 months later). So she doesn't really count although if I had been with her longer she probably would have.

And of course numerous ones IP over the years.

[scatterbrained04]

I've had just one in the 4 years I've been seeing a pdoc. Although, he's older, so I would not be surprised if he announces retirement in the next couple years. I'll be sad when he does because he's great.

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[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

Wow, that's bad. I don't know how they can call themselves "pdocs" if they can't even spot severe mania.

Strangely enough, they did put me on an antipsychotic. But they just had no clue.

They put me on 75% of the dose I now take as prophylactic treatment and/so it didn't help at all. So they must've figured it was something else. But no idea about the actual expression of symptoms. I gave them 10 arguments a minute, before I got serious thought blocking, as to what was "wrong"/happening and they just didn't connect the dots.

I thought and said I could read their minds. It was absolutely absurd! Completely Kafkaesque.

It instantly gave me insight (mania helped) in the labyrinth they call

.

Edit:
Oh, and I prescribed them religion. The one I had come up with thanks to the mania. I could tell you exactly how God tied his shoelaces, as it were.

[cashart10]

Originally Posted by furiousfever

I've had four in the last two years. One switched me because she couldn't handle me( she was an np), one over medicated me and said horribly inappropriate things in her office, and another np looked at me blankly every time I questioned anything

I had a therapist once who told my mom I was too much for her and told her I needed to be IP.

I always thought that was cowardice. To refuse help because I was too much for her was hurtful, especially since I really liked her and thought we had a connection. I was only 16. Anyway, it sucks!

[cashart10]

I've had 4 pdocs. The first was one my mom found when I first fell apart at 14. She was, out of my mom's uncharacteristic words, an idiot who never got back to my mom about anything.

My second was wonderful (at the time) and I only stopped seeing him because I thought I was healed.

Fast forward several years and I am back to that doctor. He isn't quite as wonderful as he was before and when I got pregnant I wasn't sure about the advice he was giving me.

So I sought out the help of my third pdoc who I adored but who moved her practice an hour and a half away. I would have followed her but my husband refuses to let me drive that far for a doctor.

When she left, I went back to my old pdoc who continues to make lousy and detrimental decisions. Needless to say, as soon as we have our new insurance (a month and a half to go), I will be on pdoc number 5.

I have also seen several different pdocs while hospitalized.

[tbird20tv]

I have had 7. The first one said I was okay before I left for college. The 2nd and 3rd ones I quit going to. The 4th closed her practice. I fired the fifth. The 6th closed her practice and I am on #7. Not bad for 26 years.

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[furiousfever]

Originally Posted by cashart10

I had a therapist once who told my mom I was too much for her and told her I needed to be IP.


I always thought that was cowardice. To refuse help because I was too much for her was hurtful, especially since I really liked her and thought we had a connection. I was only 16. Anyway, it sucks!

I feel you. I felt a bit insulted though I didn't have a great connection with her, and I also know she did it for good reason. She had very little experience with bipolar and gave me an antidepressant that made me wildly manic on my starter dose (2.5 mgs) within oh about two hours. I texted her to ask her if that was normal and she freaked out. She replied that it absolutely wasn't normal and that she was in over her head. After that I frolicked very dangerously into the night. She said she would help me find a new doc and she didn't. That was the worst part. Luckily I had a good friend who could help, but I felt deserted.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by cashart10

I had a therapist once who told my mom I was too much for her and told her I needed to be IP.

I always thought that was cowardice. To refuse help because I was too much for her was hurtful, especially since I really liked her and thought we had a connection. I was only 16. Anyway, it sucks!

I had the same happen. It is very hurtful. I knew I was quite bad, but not really a nuisance I thought. That was number four, but I am glad I get quite good and flexible treatment now: when mania might persist I get very intensive treatment and otherwise my appointments are spread out over months. I like it: never makes me feel too much.