I doubt any of you really remember me -- I wasn't exactly super-poster! But I do think very highly of the community built here within the forums. I've been kind of active in the bipolar forum recently because I have been "re-diagnosed" but I'm still not 100% I can agree to it. Depression is my primary concern and this was my first forum to help me through some times. You are a great bunch.

Anyway, I was curious about your experiences with psychiatrists. I live in a very rural area and I don't have options when it comes to a psychiatrist. There is only 1 who travels to where I live once a month. How many of you actually sought out a psychiatrist that fit you and how many of you just got stuck with someone because of a situation like I have? Just curious.

[Skeezyks]

I'm not on psych med's anymore. But I still have a psychiatrist I typically see twice a year just so they don't close my file entirely. I first saw him when I attended a partial hospital program quite a few years ago now. I liked him & decided to stay with him. I still like him. But I have to admit all he does, at least for me, is to offer me a variety of medications I could take if I felt I wanted to. Prior to seeing this psychiatrist I only saw a nurse practitioner.

I still have no diagnosis that anyone has ever offered me. I suppose there must be something written down somewhere for insurance purposes... probably depression. One psychiatrist I saw while I was hospitalized the last time suggested there might be a bipolar element to my condition. There are lots of psychiatrists practicing where I live. But that doesn't mean it's easy to get in to see one. They all tend to be booked up; which is part of the reason I keep seeing the pdoc I have now. If his clinic were to close my file I might or might not be able to get back in to see him again if I needed to. Hopefully I won't.