Pdoc? Meds?

My T has been henpecking me to get me to talk to a Pdoc. I scheduled an appointment for a few weeks from today. Since I have been having trouble sleeping for nine months and lots of crying spells, I think this is a good idea. What is it like to talk to a Pdoc? How often does one see a Pdoc at first? T said that the initial appointment is similar to the assessment/Dx appointment of talking to T. Is that about right? After the first appointment, if I decide to try it I would see her again after two weeks. Is that another 45 minute appointment or what?
I am returning to school the day after the first appointment and don't want this crap to interfere with school. I have read about the side effects. I don't want to feel drugged or have trouble at work. My manager has decided that noone is allowed to drink on the front end. A co-worker of mine tried to say that her drugs make her drink. Since she takes anti-depressants, I assumed that this is a reference to the fact that they can dry your mouth out. My manager doesn't seem to care. This might not effect me because he doesn't seem to want me upfront anymore. I sometimes wonder if he thinks I will cry again if I am upfront. It requires a person to do photo, answer phones and run the cash register. I prefer lower stress jobs with only one duty at a time. I have a one track mind. What is it like to take a drug? Since I work at a drug store, my insurance requires me to get any prescriptions at one of our chain stores. My store is the only one that I can get to on the bus of our chain. I am not sure I want to let the pharmacist that I have worked with for over two years think I'm depressed or something. I really don't even want the insurance thinking of me as mentally ill. Does this thought bug anyone else? Or is my love for labeling myself greater than even depressed people?

The psychologists and psychiatrists that I have seen was just like seeing a therapist. The only difference was they gave me a prescription at the end of the first session and then I saw them weeky for the first 4-6 weeks and then they moved that to monthly for a few sessions and then every 6 months I had to see them for a med check. That is if the medication was a match which happened only once. I needed some sleeping pills and was prescribed Chloral Hydrate. Which did the job.

I have very little luck with medications through psychiatrists and psycholgists because they don't know me other then that first 50 minutes during which they write out the presciption.

So this time when DHS wanted me to try medications I instead saw my family physician, who got it right the first time by prescribing paxil. He was able to get it right because he know my reactions to any kind of medications over the past 12 years that he has been treating me.

So I no longer see psychiatrists and psychologists for my medication needs.

as for how does it feel to be on medications - that depends on your own reactions to taking medications and the type and dosage of the medication that is prescribed.

your first visit to a Pdoc is for assessment. your next one is to discuss how you're doing and to check on your progress.

a pharmacist has taken an oath to never divulge to anyone your prescription.......none of my meds cause me to have a dry mouth. i think that elavil causes that, but it's an older drug and rarely prescribed.

nothing that i take makes me feel drugged. i take four meds. i am bipolarII, so i have to take a "cocktail" of meds to balance my "moods".......bipolarII means that i get depressed more than i get manic.

i really don't think that you're going to have the problems that you're worrying about. try to not project. talk to the Pdoc open and honestly and tell him/her exactly how you're feeling. they can't help you if you're not honest with them.......it isn't a bad thing to see a Pdoc. it is a good thing......xoxo pat