Doctors/Psychiatrists

[schizaphonic]

[rant]

I have had 6 government psychiatrists in 7 years, i know for experience that they are over worked, make mistakes and sometimes just don't care, only 3 of them have been decent 2 didn't really care and my current one is a bit of a bitch and the worst professional i have ever had the displeasure of dealing with.

Believe me despite their 11 years of tertiary schooling psychiatrists do make mistakes, in fact a lot of experienced bluelighters would give better advice, on certain subjects, than a psychiatrist ever would, for example a couple of months back i went to a session with some of my uni mates, and took along a very attractive young lady who just happened to have graduated with honors in psychology (not psychiatry) that's 5 years of tertiary education on the human mind, did i mention she did honors! (for those who don't know that's exceptional grades and and an additional year of a research project which is presented to the medical community for peer review and publication) anyway she had one cone, freaked out had no idea what was happening to her, we had to reassure her and give her a glass of orange juice, no offense to the chick (cause shes pretty cool otherwise), but for all her study and research she could not explain or rationalize what was happening to her psyche or maintain her composure. Comes down to one thing, first hand experience.

I ALWAYS seek medical advice about problems I'm having but it's just that, advice, not law. Doctors are worshiped cause they give reassurance, but the truth is, 60% of the time they don't know or are taking an educated guess, sometimes the truth is hard to swallow. I'd rather go to war with a veteran than someone who's watch platoon a few too many times. the best advice i could give as a veteran of the health system is do your research so you have some idea what your talking about and of what your doctor is saying and pay for a quality doctor/psychiatrist and contemplate their advice and not follow them like sheep, they are very far from perfect.

"Put healing back into the hands of the common man!" - How High

[/rant]

has anyone out there experienced difficulties with their medical professional? I'd very much like to hear your stories


Much Love and Peace...............
"Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." -Friedrich Nietzsche

-Schiz

 

[Sappy_6794]

I went to a behavioral health place that my insurance company sent me to, its Kaiser, if you know who that is and theyre fucking stupid. I went in knowing damn well that I had more wrong with me than just my anxiety. I was losing every piece of myself back then (this was around 3 years ago) and I felt like I was just watching a movie of my life and someone else was at the wheel. I went in, thinking that i had dissasociative disorder, i looked it up, knew that i fit all the symptoms and the stupid fucks didnt even know what that was when I mentioned it to them. They just went ahead and threw me a prescription for Prozac and thats when I decided id just ride it out and see if i could fix myself by myself. These people that are supposed to help dont know shit

 

[Alex000]

Let me let you all in on a secret, and the scary part it is that it IS a secret, almost all doctors don't know what they're doing, and a good deal of them are cunts. Why is this a secret? Well, because the doctors control the patients ensuring them they know what they are talking about or doing, seeming to know everything. Patients quickly fall for it rationalizing that they must know due to their extensive schooling and licenses to practice. Patients don't know that doctors don't know! That is an issue. Doctors can't be perfect, but MANY are very far from it spewing their bullshit. You know it is bullshit when each doctor contradicts the other, and nothing makes sense. Personally, my goal in life is to be a doctor, yes a psych doc, because I want to be that exception to the rule, I want to do right for others.

 

[blurrrxx]

some years back when I was in a children's psychiatric hospital, i had one psychiatrist who was not people-friendly one bit, and told my peers/other "clients" some pretty nasty (rude) things. 12 years of ivy-league schooling may make you one smart motherfucker but in the end you still have the ability to be an inconsiderate prick if you so wish.

 

[swmo]

i asked a dr while he was sewing my split eyelid shut if he graduated from CJU? he said no & asked me what school i was referring to. i replied, Cracker Jack University, a doctorate in every box. he had to stop sewing for a sec to gain his composure.

 

[Missykins]

Let me let you all in on a secret, and the scary part it is that it IS a secret, almost all doctors don't know what they're doing, and a good deal of them are cunts. Why is this a secret? Well, because the doctors control the patients ensuring them they know what they are talking about or doing, seeming to know everything. Patients quickly fall for it rationalizing that they must know due to their extensive schooling and licenses to practice. Patients don't know that doctors don't know! That is an issue. Doctors can't be perfect, but MANY are very far from it spewing their bullshit. You know it is bullshit when each doctor contradicts the other, and nothing makes sense. Personally, my goal in life is to be a doctor, yes a psych doc, because I want to be that exception to the rule, I want to do right for others.

Good luck to you.

 

[skillz~4~thrillz]

not all therapists-or doctors are idiots. granted I understand bad experiences with bad health professionals can be traumatizing and damaging. However there are many of us out there who benefit from the RIGHT doctor. I am one of those many. Over a decade in Psychotherapy w/ the same brilliant Psychiatrist and I am very much still here because of the work WE did and continue to do in that office. I have a major mood disorder among others and have been successful in managing these through proper medication cocktails-that do change from time to time. Not every Dr./ patient is a match nor does every medication work for everyone with the same disorders and other psychological problems. They key is to find a Dr(I am mainly referring to Psychiatrist when I say DR. as I personally do not believe that GPs should prescribe medications for Psychological problems-even for off label use-but again-that is just me).
Having the right chemistry w/ you r Dr,and the right cocktail of meds-which can take months-even years to find the right comb-cannot be understated. I am not trying to downplay any of your feelings,experiences,opinions,ect...only offering a good take on the state of Psychotherapy and the importance for people to pursue careers in such a field...I happen to be one of those people. Having first hand experience in what positive therapist,meds/patient matches can do,I hope to realize my dream of earning my PhD in Psychology and become a Psychologist who works in conjunction with Psychiatrists(as after a near fatal car accident my plans for medical school no longer appealed to me)in hopes of being someone who gives back and does so well and with a high satisfaction and success rate. I hope you all find the matches in Physician and medication alike and that yours mental pain,suffering and unasked for disorders and syndromes will eventually find relief.

Much peace and love to you all......................skillz

 

[schizaphonic]

^ of course your right skillz, it's just that being in the public system (in Australia) the psych's leave every 9 months or so, so if you get a good one, that you get along with, they eventually leave cause of being overworked and underpaid (relatively speaking of course, the money they make ) though not to worry, i have had enough of it and am moving my case to a private clinic, don't know why i didn't do this years ago............

 

[SoWhat!]

I despise the medical profession.

I've seen countless GP's including one specialising in Drug & Alcohol along with a Psychiatrist and all they do is write out more and more scripts, instead of delving into the underlying issues they'd rather write scripts, earn there $100-300 and see the next patient.

This is my experience but i think it is appalling.

 

[Dave]

And not an uncommon one, unfortunately.

I've been lucky though. After I got rid of my horrible old GP-- he fit the stereotype, tried to prescribe me zoloft for a stomach disorder!-- I've been with a first-rate GP who won't hesitate to order tests if needs be, but is also pretty handy at diagnosing in his own office. Plus, I totally hit the jackpot with my psychologist: she was busy, as she had a full practise and lectured at the University, but she was amazing. Instant rapport, no-nonsense when I needed it, coddling when I needed that, and was unafraid to suggest some pretty far out there (for me, at the time) treatments.

The big thing is that doctors are professionals, and like any other profession there are going to be good ones and bad ones. Often more of the latter than the former. But the good ones are out there.

 

[34-dihydroxyphen]

Let me let you all in on a secret, and the scary part it is that it IS a secret, almost all doctors don't know what they're doing, and a good deal of them are cunts. Why is this a secret? Well, because the doctors control the patients ensuring them they know what they are talking about or doing, seeming to know everything. Patients quickly fall for it rationalizing that they must know due to their extensive schooling and licenses to practice. Patients don't know that doctors don't know! That is an issue. Doctors can't be perfect, but MANY are very far from it spewing their bullshit. You know it is bullshit when each doctor contradicts the other, and nothing makes sense. Personally, my goal in life is to be a doctor, yes a psych doc, because I want to be that exception to the rule, I want to do right for others.

They also get a lot of their information, if not most of it, from the non-college graduate pharmaceutical salesmen who have no idea what they are talking about, and offer bribes on behalf on the companies they represent in the form of offerings to do a short speech for massive amounts of money. Be careful for the bribes if you want to keep your integrity. Go into a doctor for anything and they will prescribe Seroquel. Fucking nasty shit.

They also just forget. How many people here have taken Calculus, and passed? If it has been three years since you have last taken Calculus, can you remember a damn thing about it? Or anything you learned in pre-cal or trig, for that matter?

Psych doctors are also notoriously lazy, and do not even bother to read the little notebook you receive when you first get a medication.

 

[schizaphonic]

Bit off topic, but it's unfortunate about the disparity between the US and other 1st world countries (Australia, Western Europe) in term of general health care and mental health care. All i know about the us is that the health care system is crap and it's almost a sin not to have private health insurance. In Australia (where I'm from) GP's are completely free and appointments are available within hours, mental health is free (but not very good quality care as mentioned above) specialists are all subsidized by the government (Pediatricians, Gastroenterologist's, Gynecologists) for example i get a 1/2 hour with a private psychologist (this is a quality professional who charges $460 an hour) total cost to me $110 out of pocket, the rest is subsidized. USA, when you gonna get your shit together?

 

[34-dihydroxyphen]

^A typical visit with a psychologist or psychiatrist usually costs about $120 here, sometimes as low as $90 or high as $200, but prices are negotiable.


It's the prescriptions that kill you if you don't have insurance. My insurance decided not to pay for my Suboxone for a month, and it cost me $500 out of pocket for 60 pills. I fought the company to death and they agreed to continue coverage for me, as they knew I would walk out and not pay them anything if they didn't, but I still lost 500 dollars. No way to recoup it. No idea if they will try and pull this shit again to attempt to make (or rather, not lose) a buck off me.

 

[littlepenguin]

I think it's truly unfortunate that people have had such bad experiences with doctors. I am going to school to be a doctor, and I am and always have been obsessed with learning about medical things and a great desire to help people.
I have been incredibly lucky with the psychologists/psychiatrists that I have had in my life. They touched me (emotionally) and helped me in more ways than I could ever explain. It is hard sometimes to find a good one - perhaps you could go on the reccomendation of a close friend or family member of a counselor that is in your area?

It is really untrue to say that doctors don't know what they're doing. Hell, even before I started medical school, anyone I knew would come to me with their "medical" problems because I had read so much about many things and have always taken a serious interest in it. I knew how to stitch somebody up because my grandmother, who was an incredible doctor (the first female doctor in the state that I live in - pretty awesome) taught me. I could give somebody a shot, and many other little things I was taught. Granted these are very small things, but they still take some skill to learn.
Being a doctor is being in a constant state of learning. Even a doctor who is 55 and about to retire is still learning. That is why doctors open places called "Practices," because in essence they are practicing all the time. No doctor on earth has seen and heard of everything. We are lucky to have vast technology now and other multiple resources to assist these doctors in figuring out exactly what is ailing us. I think people forget how much schooling doctors really go through - it's absolutely insane. 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of med school (which is hideously insane, mind you) then 3-4 years of residency (which are bazillion hour work weeks - little to no social life) and then for someone who like me, is going to be an anesthesiologist, there's ANOTHER 2-3 years of school plus more residency. That's damn near 15 years of extra school, just to be this "stupid doctor..."

So despite people's unfortunate experiences with their doctors, people should know that not all doctors are like that. Bad apples spoil the bunch. Like I said - do your research. There's plenty out there to find out about doctors, their reputations and specialties. Go see them once or twice after doing the research or reco's from friends/family, and if you don't like them, move on to the next choice. If you need help, you are worth that work - aren't ya?

 

[schizaphonic]

^ yeah I'm on a lot of shit, average cost is $30 a month, due to the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme), look i'm a bit of a socialist, you shouldn't need private health insurance, you pay your taxes and it's the duty of a government to look after the well fare of it's people, 2c

 

[paranoid android]

I am very grateful that you don't have to pay for psychiatrists here in Canada but sadly as with almost every other doctor here they are overworked and booked to near capacity (atleast the good ones are ) so finding a new one can be difficult. My psychiatrist does know her stuff but she just can't seem to be fucked at all. She barely even blinked today when i told her i felt suicidal but would never carry it out of course. Fucking fat cow that she is just upped my seroquel dose and that's all . So i think i am going to start looking for another shrink ASAP.

 

[Dave]

Isn't that what psychiatrists do though? Manage meds? Maybe keep her for the meds, and look for a good psychologist to talk to?

 

[34-dihydroxyphen]

Isn't that what psychiatrists do though? Manage meds? Maybe keep her for the meds, and look for a good psychologist to talk to?

Always a good idea. Psychologists are the shit in my book. Psychiatrists are complete and utter shit. Similar to the suicide story from a poster above, I once had a brief psychotic episode, and when I brought it up to my psychiatrist he pretty much doubted me.

It was one of the main reasons I switched. I loved my new one at first, but he became an apathetic little shit like the rest of them. He also does not understand how buprenorphine works, and I know better than to destroy his little ego. Once you challenge them and prove yourself right, they will hate you forever (especially if you are a little junkie twerp, all doctors know junkies don't know how to read 8( ). Book it.

Anyways, see a psychologist if you want to meet somebody who will take an actual interest in you and really care to get to know you. I haven't seen my doctor in a long time, because the economy is so shit and my family doesn't have enough money to afford both psychologist and psychiatrist, but I love the dude. He is like Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting good. A bad motherfucking former juvenille delinquent motherfucker who grew up the wrong way and turned it around, so we have a lot to relate to each other. Sessions have been wasted talking about the crazy shit we did as kids, and instead of looking at me like a maniac for sharing my stories we get along, because we are both crazy ass motherfuckers. It's cool.

I need to call him up and let him know I still exist, come to think of it.

 

[paranoid android]

Isn't that what psychiatrists do though? Manage meds? Maybe keep her for the meds, and look for a good psychologist to talk to?

The government does not cover the cost of a psychologist here so that's not a option for me unfortunately. My shrink just can't seem to be fucked at all but your right i have to keep her for the meds until i find another one.

 

[Dave]

They don't here either. One of my big beefs with the healthcare system. Psychs are far cheaper in the long run.

Bah!