Psychiatrist is forcing me to quit smoking

[helsabot]

I've been pondering this one over and over and it doesn't make any sense to me:

so after questioning me in my initial visit regarding drug use, and after being honest with him, i was prescribed Fluoxetine and Lamictal. He never directed me to stop using cannabis, after i was transparent about my occasional use.

I come in a month later, and when asked about my drug use, i honestly told him i had used cannabis three weeks ago. He then proceeded to tell me that Fluoxetine and Lamictal get "washed out" of your brain by THC, and that i was ruining the effects of the medication and furthering my mood disorder. He then said that if i did not stop smoking completely and submit to random drug testing that i would be suggested for rehab and/or drug counseling. I really had no choice, given some other circumstances.

(I don't think i am a good candidate for drug counseling, as the extent of my drug use has been occasional Vyvanse, marijuana and hashish, DXM, benadryl, amanita muscaria, salvia,and ambien, and many of these only once in the distant past.)

Does this seem fishy to anyone else? Especially to anyone with a psychiatry/psychology background? I've given up smoking for extensive periods before but this seems absurd.

Thanks for the help!

 

[beagleboy]

Naw, its not absurd. THe psyche knows a good deal of brain chemistry, drug interactions. Marj. might be illegal in your state too.

 

[dcraver877]

sounds like your psych is working for "the man". he's obviously spewing out biased facts on recreational drugs. he's probably gettin a kickback from the drug companies he is prescribing you. I wouldn't hold to much truth to what he is saying. Its impossible for either of those drugs to be washed out of your system by thc. If anything, the thc would act as a neuroprotectant and reduce side effects.

But if your only using in moderation and not everyday I don't see a problem with that and neither have any of my sensible psychiatrists and alternative medicine drs.

 

[weekend addiction]

Get a new doctor. Many pscyh professors did acid in the sixties and don't have their head up their ass. If THC interacts with the medicine he should have told you before he gave you the fucking medicine. I suspect it probably doesn't but I'm not a psychiatrist and for all we know it really does interact. Marijuana does have negative interactions with some drugs it may not just be propaganda. Regardless you still need a new doctor.

 

[Cannabinoid]

I would tell your doctor to 86 the Prozac. I really have never seen any good come from it. Read up on peoples experiences with taking the drug and you'll get an idea of what it does to people.

Seeing as how I am not a doctor I cannot tell you it is 100% safe, but the only negative effect I could imagine is that it may prevent the prescribed drugs to not affect you like they would if you were sober. Anti-depressants tend to not work at all or as well when the user is ingesting Cannabis.

IDK about you or your condition, but I hate to see the doctor tell you no to your medication and only a yes to his. Especially when I've read so many bad affects from Prozac and you're enjoying Cannabis responsibly.

Bring it up with him and be assertive. It's your body and your money.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

What sort of mood disorder do you have?

He may be right that THC will stop the Prozac and the other drug from working as effectively as they would if you didn't smoke or use other drugs since you mentioned DXM. I know that in my case drinking lots of booze daily made the medication I was on stop working.

You could just find another shrink? I've never heard of a shrink doing forced drug testing on anyone.

SSRIs and meds can help people but it depends on what sort of issues they have.

I had a psychologist who I'm sure wanted me to go to treatment for alcohol abuse but I didn't do that and instead I just drastically cut back binge drinking daily on my own and he knew that I slowly cut back and smoked herb instead of drinking at the time.

 

[dusty_dust]

Well it all depends on who the psychiatrist is IMO. If he says THC will wash out the other medication, he may be right(or completely wrong). But for him to tell you that you would be "suggested" to rehab or whatever, he's breaking doctor-patient relationship. I don't think he's aloud to tell anyone about your drug use. That is strictly between you and him. Or at least that's how it is where I live.

 

[toa$t]

Naw, its not absurd. THe psyche knows a good deal of brain chemistry, drug interactions. Marj. might be illegal in your state too.

fucking THIS.

I love how everyone on BL is an expert on brain chemistry just because they have done a handful of 5-4-deOp-7-25 and other molecules that you can't pronounce. How on earth do you guys know that THC doesn't negatively affect the treatment program put together by a guy who has probably been in school for like 12 years learning about this stuff?

 

[graugeist]

I'm going to guess that you are being prescribed Lamictal for bipolar disorder. If this is the case, that you have bipolar disorder, you should be aware that in some people with bipolar disorder cannabis can trigger a manic episode. Marijuana can also cause symptoms to worsen or reappear after remission in some people with bipolar disorder. For me, cannabis triggered very severe manic episodes, although I was smoking every day/night for weeks or a few months before that would happen (abusing it). These days I play it safe and I don't mess around with substances anymore.

If you really want to take your treatment seriously you should stop using/experimenting completely.

Basically any mental health issue + cannabis = trouble. Your individual mileage may vary, but you should be aware that smoking pot could make things much worse for you.

helsabot:
(I don't think i am a good candidate for drug counseling, as the extent of my drug use has been occasional Vyvanse, marijuana and hashish, DXM, benadryl, amanita muscaria, salvia,and ambien, and many of these only once in the distant past.)

That sounds like poly drug use to me and that would be reason enough for your psychiatrist to be concerned. It's a pretty long list even though you are downplaying it. Just please be aware that if you continue to use you could place your mental health in jeopardy. If you absolutely insist on continuing your experimenting/use try to do it with moderation and space things apart. Like I said, your use might not hurt you. Everyone is different. Just be careful. Chances are if you are seeing a psychiatrist and are prescribed medications you should probably not be using.

 

[hobhead]

in my experience with head shrinkers and mental problems; it varies from one quack to the next . some have no problem with their patients using cannabis . while others won't hear of it .

are you voluntarily seeing this doc ? that piss test thing sounds like court remanded psych evaluation .

 

[stuckinaloop]

I've been pondering this one over and over and it doesn't make any sense to me:

so after questioning me in my initial visit regarding drug use, and after being honest with him, i was prescribed Fluoxetine and Lamictal. He never directed me to stop using cannabis, after i was transparent about my occasional use.

I come in a month later, and when asked about my drug use, i honestly told him i had used cannabis three weeks ago. He then proceeded to tell me that Fluoxetine and Lamictal get "washed out" of your brain by THC, and that i was ruining the effects of the medication and furthering my mood disorder. He then said that if i did not stop smoking completely and submit to random drug testing that i would be suggested for rehab and/or drug counseling. I really had no choice, given some other circumstances.



(I don't think i am a good candidate for drug counseling, as the extent of my drug use has been occasional Vyvanse, marijuana and hashish, DXM, benadryl, amanita muscaria, salvia,and ambien, and many of these only once in the distant past.)

Does this seem fishy to anyone else?

dude your doctor is basically up on your dick..

You really only have 2 choices, stay with your current doc and quit weed as requested. Or find a new doctor. You could tell your current doctor that you would really like to continue marijuana usage and if he will not allow it then you will have to part your seperate ways.

"Suggested for rehab and/or drug counseling" is complete bull shit...there is nothin a doctor can say or DO to make you go to rehab. First of all, rehab isn't free, what's he going to force you to spend $20k lol.

If you WANTED TO GO to rehab, maybe he could suggest you and get you in..maybe, but I hightly doubt any rehab would even waste a bed on a weed addict lol.

Don't forget, you are paying this guy's bills, you make the calls.

fucking THIS.

I love how everyone on BL is an expert on brain chemistry just because they have done a handful of 5-4-deOp-7-25 and other molecules that you can't pronounce. How on earth do you guys know that THC doesn't negatively affect the treatment program put together by a guy who has probably been in school for like 12 years learning about this stuff?

If that is the case..the OP could try and find a doctor who will work around his marijuana usage, or at the very least a second opinion.

 

[Roger&Me]

Naw, its not absurd. THe psyche knows a good deal of brain chemistry, drug interactions.

Well obviously not if the guy is saying crap like weed will "wash out" the lamictal and fluoxetine. That doesn't even make any sense. The guy sounds like a quack.

Just find a new psychiatrist, man-- they're a dime a dozen, it shouldn't be hard.

 

[Outta Pocket]

Your psychiatrist is not your mom. Follow Roger's advice and get a new one.

 

[thespliff]

man i would have walked out on him.

 

[superelephant]

fucking THIS.

I love how everyone on BL is an expert on brain chemistry just because they have done a handful of 5-4-deOp-7-25 and other molecules that you can't pronounce. How on earth do you guys know that THC doesn't negatively affect the treatment program put together by a guy who has probably been in school for like 12 years learning about this stuff?

It may. I would still see a new doctor as this one obviously doesn't care about patient confidentiality.

 

[helsabot]

Thank you all so much on your feedback. NO, this was not court ordered, things were delicate because i would not allow him to disclose my treatment with my mom so he was trying to intimidate me into admitting to HER that i use marijuana/drugs.

I believe i am seeing a new one though, as my mother is unhappy with him.

 

[sunshinefix]

I'm not sure about your particular situation, but my psychiatrist told me to stop smoking and I didn't follow her advise. My program had a "no drugs" policy though. She told me it would make my depression worse, which is funny because I thought it was the only thing keeping me from killing myself. Anyway... find yourself a new shrink.

 

[Slapdragonx]

I'm not sure about your particular situation, but my psychiatrist told me to stop smoking and I didn't follow her advise. My program had a "no drugs" policy though. She told me it would make my depression worse, which is funny because I thought it was the only thing keeping me from killing myself. Anyway... find yourself a new shrink.

Likewise.

 

[double ewe]

fucking THIS.

I love how everyone on BL is an expert on brain chemistry just because they have done a handful of 5-4-deOp-7-25 and other molecules that you can't pronounce. How on earth do you guys know that THC doesn't negatively affect the treatment program put together by a guy who has probably been in school for like 12 years learning about this stuff?

little of this.

Well obviously not if the guy is saying crap like weed will "wash out" the lamictal and fluoxetine. That doesn't even make any sense. The guy sounds like a quack.

Just find a new psychiatrist, man-- they're a dime a dozen, it shouldn't be hard.

little of this.

this guy's not a bad shrink for telling you that continuing to use cannabis will negatively affect your treatment. if we're talking about bipolar and/or depression, you're definitely better off cutting back or quitting, at least short term while you get stabilized on your meds.

but he IS a bad shrink for threatening you after the fact about something you told him under the auspices of confidentiality. and he is being a jackass by saying something he likely knows is patently false just to coerce you into doing what he wants. talking about "washing out" meds was a pretty huge red flag for me as well.

glad to hear you've moved on to someone else.