Upset

Hi All,

I went to a new pdoc today and was somewhat impressed but very disappointed. She changed my diagnosis though she only saw me for an hour and has none of my previous records. She insisted that I get back on meds and wants to prescribe me Luvox which worked before for the O.C.D. but I'm not OCD right now. Plus it costs six times as much as the Celexa. She said she wasn't comfortable with me leaving the office not on medication. To me that sounds like her issues not mine. I'm doing pretty darn good without the meds. I don't know what to do. I want to drop her like a hot potato and screw the meds but what happens if she's right and I do need the meds? ARRGGGHHHHH! I'm so frustrated!

Love and hugs,
Tara

Well who has the degree you or her? Sometimes you just got to let it go and give the control up to someone who knows more. Take care!!

its like when I had my hip replaced. Could I do it...? well no.!!.....I had to give up complete control and allow that surgeon to take over

I used to be terrified of elevators..I asked my pdoc and he said it was about control. I had to give up controlling everything and allow that elevator to do its work!

Hello, tara_922. I hope this gets sorted in a manner that benefits you the most.

Hey,

did she say why she thinks you need the meds and what has caused her to change diagnosis? maybe thats where the answer is to if you need the meds or not? But your not under any obligation to take meds that you dont want to either.

I think taking meds is a purely personal choice. I also agree with you about her statement talking about her discomfort.

I do wonder, though, why you saw a pdoc if you aren't on meds, doing well without them, and don't care to go back on them.

Hey Tara...... not sure of what to say to 'ease the frustrations' but completely understanding about 'feeling better', sometimes though even when you 'feel' better the underlying issue or cause for medication is 'still' there. I'm sure you knew that....it's just, by personal choice, it's important to do what is best for your health and medically. I apologize for not remembering who said it on this thread, but if you are not sure, maybe you 'should' consider talking to the pdoc to see why she thought you needed to be on them. Anyhow, best wishes to you in the prospect that things go well with your situation.

Missbelle-she may have a degree but that doesn't mean she knows me better than I know myself especially after only an hour of taking history! Mental health is so not the same as hip surgery. There are things I can do to take care of myself mentally and I'm doing that, without the meds. Her having a degree really means only that she's licensed to treat whatever it is she thinks I have. But when she bases everything on an hour interview that's a bit dodgy. I would prefer somebody to have my records and my notes from other doctors who were there when I was that ill.

Echoes - I went to the pdoc at the behest of my spiritual advisor and friends who thought it would be wise to have somebody 'just in case'.

Byzantine - Thanks!

Dizgirl - She changed my diagnosis because she thought that the psychotic break was really my ptsd being triggered and not a psychotic episode apart from the depression. She thinks the depression is severe and recurrent and that it's just a matter of when the symptoms will reappear so I need to be proactive rather than reactive. I see that but why take meds when you're not symptomatic.

Brighid - thanks. I have worked in therapy for ten years and hence feel that i'm in a much better place to deal with my emotions sans meds. I feel like you said, that therapy is just as important as meds.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating that everybody stop their meds, just that they are no longer working for me. Meds had their place in my history but I feel that i'm much stronger now and able to deal with the emotions as they arise instead of masking them with meds.

Love and hugs,
Tara

My only concern is that I have also gone off meds when I was feeling better only to crash a short time later. Meds are a personal choice and if you feel that you don't need them, that is up to you. Personally, I would get a second opinion from someone who had my records, but that is just my thought.
I also agree that just because they have a degree doesn't necessarily mean that they know what is best for you after a one hour session. Some of my opinions may be tainted by years of misdiagnoses. I am currently on meds and I think they are right for me, but it took years to find the right combination (it helped to have a proper diagnosis!)

Hi, Tara! Just posted on your other thread. Found this one now, that you have already been to doc and are not happy. Sorry to hear that. I can understand why you are happier not on the meds. I have found, I need meds to stay undepressed, as I have MDD, recurrent. I'm hoping to reduce them when my depression is better. I suspect I'll always be on something though. Bad genes--depression runs in my family. I think I really cope pretty well unless I have extra triggers and stressors.

But I never felt as doped-up as you did. My meds just put me on a more even keel. I think I agree with the others--you might want to try someone else, get a second opinion on this rather than go back on meds youdon't want. I know you have been so happy to be off of them!

Tara, you visited a pdoc because you wanted to have someone you could go to just in case you have a problem again. Now you have established a relationship with her and can go back if and when you ever need meds again. If you don't need meds now and are doing fine without them, then great!

Hi All,

I am going to seek out a psychologist so I have somebody to talk to about the illness. The technical illness is Major Depression Severe and Recurrent with Psychotic Features. Either that or Schizoaffective disorder which is basically the same thing.

I'm reading a couple books right now by Peter Breggin, a Harvard trained psychiatrist who doesn't believe in medication. He actually helped a friend get off meds and I'm hoping that his philosophy will work well for me.

The main thing is my depression was caused by my step-father being a pedophile, twelve surgeries growing up that I never wanted for bilateral cleft lip and palate and a perfectionistic church that made me feel shame and like i was going to hell no matter what. I no longer have any of those in my life and have dealt with the consequences of all of them through extensive therapy. I think more therapy is in order to make sure i don't back track but so far so good.

The meds had a place in my life. I couldn't stop hallucinating with out them in 2008 and couldn't overcome my suicidal tendencies without them. But in the end I felt drugged and you all know. Now I'm in a better place mentally I'm ready to try to live without them. I truly hope it works. If it doesn't and the depression does come back then worse case scenario is I go back on my meds.

My contingency plan is to check myself into the nearest psych hospital if the symptoms come back in a disturbing way for a med evaluation. Where i can get on meds that are more appropriate to my situation. But for now, 21 days!

Love and Hugs to you all,
Thanks everybody for your input I appreciate it!
Tara

Good luck! I hope you do keep an eye on it and don't hesitate to contact a doctor if you start feeling a difference.

You have every right not to take meds. it is your life, your decisions. YOu have to deal with the consequences either way. good luck.

Sometimes a degree is just a degree, but sometimes that degree comes with years of experience with patients experiencing similar symptoms. This experience allows the provider to know pretty quickly what works and what doesn't.

The thing that worries me so much about depression (especially depression with psychotic features) is that it can quickly spiral into a life threatening condition.

I think most of us can pinpoint an event, or a series of events in our past that have led to depression as adults. IMO this doesn't necessarily fit the criteria for situational depression. I think the field is advancing to the place where we can say with some certainty that these events lead to both developmental and potentially biochemical changes in the brain causing the symptoms much much later in life.

If the symptoms that you experience are profound enough to merit hospitalization, then, IMO, it would be malpractice if a provider did not recommend some sort of therapy to manage the severity of and potentially prevent recurrence.

Sometimes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Obviously its your choice, if you aren't comfortable with luvox then there are other therapies out there.

Also, I think it is important to ask ourselves on occasion "Am I living the best life I can? Is there something that might make me feel better right now? and stay that way?"

Point to ponder IMO.

Hi Elliemay,

I agree, I think this doctor is a good one. A friend who is a therapist pointed out to me that if she diagnoses me with a condition it is her responsibility to treat that condition. I totally get that.

One thing i lack currently is a healthy fear of the diagnosis. It's been three years since I've been symptomatic and so I've lost that respect for it. A danger i admit.

I know how rapidly I go downhill once the depression sets in but it takes a while for the depression to take hold. Once I notice the depression coming back I will consider meds. I know the depression has been recurrent and severe and with psychotic symptoms and that worries me, but I have yet to find a mental health professional that will just talk with me about the diagnosis, what to expect etc. That's why I'm looking for a psychologist.

Thanks for your feedback, it's truly appreciated!

Love and hugs,
tara

Tara, now that you have established a relationship with a psychiatrist, would another option be to get an appointment with her if your symptoms come back? This seems less drastic (and probably less expensive!) than going to the hospital and would serve the same function--getting you meds if you need them again in the future.

What is 21 days? Whatever it is, it sounds like you are excited about it!

Best of luck.

Hi All,

So stubborn me is suffering now. I was a blubbery mess today at my 12 step meeting and honestly my anxiety has been through the roof. So I talked to my spiritual advisor today and talked at length about the meds. He said it was reasonable to only go back on one and one that worked well in the past. He pointed out that I could always quit it too but why suffer. So I'm taking the Luvox at 50mg and I'm gonna call my pdoc to see if I can stay at 50 for a while instead of increasing.

Thanks for all your support through this past 21 days.

Love and hugs,
Tara

"I went to the pdoc at the behest of my spiritual advisor and friends who thought it would be wise to have somebody 'just in case'.

I was just wondering what the "just in case" refers to - have you had problems before when not on medication?

I am so with you with questioning the label after just an hours appointment though - so many conditions have similar symptoms - good luck in making a decision you feel most comfortable with.

Heya,

Just in case really is because I've had horrible experiences off my meds before. I've had horrible experiences on my meds. It really was just in case the depression or psychosis came back.

Love and hugs,
Tara