The Pdoc Appointments Thread

[Luna]

I thought it might be nice to have a thread about what happened at our latest pdoc appointment(?) Goodness knows we wait a long time for them and they're often something we "hang on for". It might seem a bit sad to normals, that a medical appointment is an eagerly anticipated event, but how can they understand how critical that appointment can be to our well-being? And how hard it is to sum up where our chronic medical condition is 'at', when it is so entangled with 'how life is going' and when there is such a short time allocated.

Sometimes they're frustrating, sometimes clueless and sometimes they go really well. Some outrageous things get said to us. Sometimes we're treated like second-class citizens. And sometimes the pdoc is so understanding and so astute, that we feel heartened and validated.

Well, I guess we'll see how the thread goes. I'm due in 6 days.

[Native Arizona]

I like the topic.

At my last pnurse appointment I struggled yet again to explain HOW I feel as well as the bad side effects of Seroquel. I, for some strange reason, thought she would have a clue since I mailed a packet to her with my medical history, documented side effects of Seroquel, as well as lab reports to back up my findings. I guess I should have know better to have any hope that she is actually there to listen to me instead of pushing the same drugs. As usual, I left the appointment with the same prescriptions and in tears.

With my insurance changing in October, it does me no good to change psychs at this time so I guess come the end of this month I'll go in, get my scripts for my drugs, and ask her to double my Ativan, and be on my way. The only thing she is good for is writing those damn scripts anyway.

[wildcat]

my last pdoc was to see what to do after an episode of mania caused by Effexor.

The psych-hospital wanted to get rid of of the Effexor Overnite first, then over a week ... and I fought for 2 week. They also gave me a week off from work, 5 days. Good thing, since the family-medicine reform, my usual doctor is a family doctor and is Bipolar hopeless!!! I asked him for an extra week and had to wait to see my pdoc anyways!!

And when I saw the Pdoc I was blown away ! What has the anti-depressant done for me over the past 5 years. IT HAS EMPTIED MY POCKET. I had started taking it due to a depression with a lot of anxiety issues... and I got better! and I had issues since but never to be non-functional. But what systomes does it sooth??? I would say nausa, sore-throat, anxiete, vomiting ... the flu... the next time I see the pdoc is late sept.

[Spirit]

Hi , My last psycdoc appt. was last Friday. Lately I've been pretty stable on Topamax and mellarel but I had a question which she answered that I thought might be of interest here. I asked her why do I always expect the worst to happen when I know that something is coming up? It can be a visit (go sour), or about my car getting fixed (or not) or just about anything. She asked me if in childhood I had been rejected. I said yes, by my Mom. She then suggested that I see a therapist to deal with that. I'm hoping in the future that I can be thinking more positive thoughts about things that are coming up in my life.

[Native Arizona]

Had my pnurse appointment yesterday and I know the drill. I walk in, state that everything is the same as the last appointment, and stick out my hand for my prescriptions. This time I got 1 refill added to it so I hope that I have enough drugs to get me through to being able to get another pdoc.

The good news is that she was at least running on time for a change.

[Luna]

Saw both the pdoc and the psychologist on Monday. This entails a 1.5 hr drive to the nearest bigger town, so is a bit of an expedition. I'd love to see the psychologist more often (I only see him 6-8 times a year) but the price of petrol...

The pdoc is starting to tell me what changes I can make by myself with measurable indicators about when to do this. I appreciate that he is starting to trust me. During the holiday, I upped the Seroquel and Wellbutrin to help with the depression and he said that was fine, that's what he would have done. This, however hadn't made much of a change. He was thinking out loud and said "there's the risk of you switching, but we could try it..."

He then added Efexor 75mg and increased my Lamictin. Efexor has got me out of depression several times, essentially by causing a switch. (A switch sounded pretty good to me, heck, anything to keep me out of the pit.) I need to watch out now for it happening and let him know. It's a calculated risk but I appreciate him being prepared to take a chance, for the sake of getting me out of depression. He seemed fairly confident that I'd be out of this by Feb. I hope he's right.

I'm now drugged to the eyeballs on Lamictin 400mg, Wellbutrin 450mg, Seroquel 300mg and Efexor 75mg.

[Muddler]

Hope the new med mix works for you. Thanks for sharing about Efexor - good to know there's another med if I hit a bad downer. Your pdoc sounds like a good guy.