[JustMelancholy]

Not sure where to post this..

This is the first visit I have ever had here since I moved to the Houston area, I have been off my meds for 6 months now while trying to find a new doctor.. etc.. First time I've been off this long in over 20 years. I'm Bi Polar, with Severe anxiety/panic disorder, and I knew going in to see this new doctor I would not get exactly what I asked for, but the doctor kept reminding me she had a "Responsibility to the tax payers" or what ever that meant.. I was slightly manic and my mind was ALL over the place, not to mention I was extremely nervous. I give the doctor a list of meds that I have been on most of my life, what worked and told her what didn't.. She again said, "I have a responsibility to the tax payers" what ever that meant.. That is just about the only thing I remember.. It did not feel like I was talking to a doctor and I felt like I had to justify myself way over what a patient should.

I knew I would have to go through a process and show the doctor over time on what works and what doesn't, but she shut me out though she did write me a prescription for Seroquel, she said no one will ever write me a prescription for panic/anxiety, then said I could see her again in 3-4 months..

In all my life I have never seen anything or experienced anything like it.. She said I could continue with taking the Saint Johns Wort I was taking and take a 200mg tablet of Seroquel and see her in 3-4 months??? What kind of quackery is this? I'm dumbfounded.. I'm not looking to get high or anything, I've been taking meds all my life, being Bipolar she didn't even give me a mood stabilizer.. I didn't get the feeling she was there to help, but just to get paid and say NEXT to the next person going in.. I never felt so humiliated.. I didn't even bother to secure a follow up..

[Nammu]

Sounds horrible, some people shouldn't be doctors.

[Wander]

What a quack. So sorry you had to experience that and didn't get the support you need. I would suggest looking around for another pdoc asap.

[HALLIEBETH87]

It doesn't sound like she listened to you or assessed you fairly at all! I would definitely get a second opinion.

Sorry you had to deal with that!

[JustMelancholy]

I'm on Medicaid and there are no other places in 4 counties I have been told by many sources that this place is the only facility that would accept me. They seem to focus on the people who are LOW function and I'm mid to higher functioning. I never felt so inadequate before, I wish I could afford medical insurance, but if I could afford 400 a month I would have to pay for a deductible and I'm on SSI so its not something I can afford. I have seen this coming for years as everywhere I have been going to (Chicago, Nevada and Texas) have been going downhill mental health wise. My appointment was supposed to be an hour long, but it was 20 mins and it blew my mind, not in a good way.. As for finding another facility/Doctor I would have to either move or spend every penny I have on insurance and kiss rent, food goodbye..

EDIT: The facility mainly focuses on those under 18.. and Low functioning adults..

[JustMelancholy]

Originally Posted by HALLIEBETH87

It doesn't sound like she listened to you or assessed you fairly at all! I would definitely get a second opinion.

Sorry you had to deal with that!

I appreciate the sentiment.

[Naynay99]

Ugh. I'm sorry you had to experience that. It's frustrating when you encounter people in a helping profession who suck at helping!!
Screw her responsibility to the tax payers, whatever that is supposed to mean. What about her responsibility to you??! Even though I am not fond of my current pdoc at least he is ethical. He says seeing a patient any less than every 3 months is malpractice. Never mind a NEW patient; You should be seen a heck of a lot sooner than that.
Sigh. I hope you can find somebody better.

[bizi]

Maybe you could follow up with a letter voicing your concerns about not having a mood stabilizer. You could call also. You were so taken back that you could not defend yourself. At least this is what it seems like to me.
I had to do that with my pdoc one time last year.
I was hypo at the time but at least I got my feelings across.
bizi

[Moiraine]

I am so sorry that you experienced that. This person seems concerned more about the bottom line that the people that she is treating. You are worth everything. She is the piece of work!

Do you have a PCP yet> Try asking him or her to write your scripts. S/he might or might not but it's worth a try. After you tell the person your situation they might be willing. My PCP writes my scripts for my antidepressants.

Good luck, and chin up.

[JustMelancholy]

Originally Posted by bizi

Maybe you could follow up with a letter voicing your concerns about not having a mood stabilizer. You could call also. You were so taken back that you could not defend yourself. At least this is what it seems like to me.
I had to do that with my pdoc one time last year.
I was hypo at the time but at least I got my feelings across.
bizi

I'm not to good with confrontation, the last time I stood up for myself years ago and I wasn't even disrespectful, the one doctor from another office called the police and tried to have me arrested at my home and tried send me to a facility he runs in another state.. I'm not very aggressive and I don't do well when talking back. Yeah they are excuses, fine.. Maybe I don't need mental help, maybe its all in my mind.. Perhaps I am faking and there is nothing wrong with me.. I have officially given up, I won't fight it anymore..

Originally Posted by Moiraine

I am so sorry that you experienced that. This person seems concerned more about the bottom line that the people that she is treating. You are worth everything. She is the piece of work!

Do you have a PCP yet> Try asking him or her to write your scripts. S/he might or might not but it's worth a try. After you tell the person your situation they might be willing. My PCP writes my scripts for my antidepressants.

Good luck, and chin up.

I have never tried going to a PCP for psych issues as in the past I have been told to see a PDOC through out my life, and when I was much younger things were much better, I got the feeling that people cared and wanted to help. However in the last 10+ years every time a new doctor comes through I feel I have to fight, fight and fight some more to get what I have been taking all my life.. Sure some meet me half way and all I need is an opportunity to prove myself, but the last PCP I had was bringing me in every week at one point and saying I had thyroid issues, and Renal failure... where another doctor said I was fine after he did the same tests, then a few years later I moved again and that facility was very similar to the one I'm talking about now, they would see hundreds of patients and I was just one of them like cattle..I wasn't taken seriously and I just didn't go back. I'm no wimp here, but when it comes to being in a position of weakness, I have to see a new doctor almost every time I walk in, PCP wise.. I miss the days when I had my own PCP not seeing a different one every time.. Maybe I should just accept my condition and be happy I'm not worse.. Maybe I have been lying to myself, maybe I'm not mentally ill at all, maybe I'm just a *****..

[JustMelancholy]

I did some research on this doctor, based on some ramblings she was talking about regarding her "Responsibility to the Taxpayers" when I was talking about anxiety and having been on Klonopin for more than 20 years, she said to me they don't prescribe Narcotics that they like to go with "Natural" methods. I googled some of the stuff I could remember once I got my head somewhat together and I found this:

Ruth Netscher: Whistleblower Claims UT-Health Science Center Used Mental-Health Patients As Guinea Pigs | Houston Press

I originally thought she was FOR the patients on this, what she was saying to me before I looked this up, it made no sense why she was trying to justify her actions, I am beginning to feel its the Policy of the facility she works for a well. I don't like calling people out by their name, but this is on a very well known local news provider, I thought I'd share it, feel free to remove is this violates any rules here.

Edit: The so called Unlawful activities that was mentioned from what she told me and she spoke and spoke about the topic to me for what ever reason, she said the place she worked for previously was over billing Medicaid, to where I was wondering where I fit in all this, she was a mess and I was wondering why she was telling me all this..