Asking doctor to try a med

Hi All,
I was just wondering how do I ask my doctor for a new medication? I would like to try Trileptal. I have heard nothing but good things about it and would like to try it to see if it will help stabilize my moods if she agrees, but I am very afraid to ask her about it. Any suggestions??

Dana

I get afraid asking my doc for new meds too. I don't really know why, I mean it's as simple as going to an appointment and saying "hey, I've heard good things about (Trileptal). I'm not doing so well on my current med cocktail so can I try it?"
Do you see a therapist? She/he might be able to help you with your fear in the mean time.

My Pdoc has always been fine about me bringing a Med I’d like to try. We talk and everytime he’s been been in agreement...

There are some Pdoc that think they are Gods and feel they have a right to ignore your ideas for meds ... I could never handle a Pill Nazi like that.

Do you have a good relationship with her in general ?!

I say, "I've been researching online and I've spoken with some people...I'm wondering if 'x' might be worth trying?"

She's usually amenable to trying a med (probably because she's desperate for some new medication to prescribe to me that might actually work).

I have a good relationship, but I would consider her to be a Pill Nazi. I am just a little intimidated by her which I know is not good, but I do like her otherwise. Thanks for all the help with this. I feel better with all of the feedback and I will definitely tell her I want to try Trileptal and that I have done my research.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gevansd I have a good relationship, but I would consider her to be a Pill Nazi. I am just a little intimidated by her which I know is not good, but I do like her otherwise. Thanks for all the help with this. I feel better with all of the feedback and I will definitely tell her I want to try Trileptal and that I have done my research.

Yeah - they seem to like the word "research" in there, as opposed to just "I googled..."

You are right.. I do google a lot, but I am a librarian which she knows, so saying I researched something is not far off. LOL

Hi gevansd. I like the suggestions above, too. I guess the only thing I'll add is maybe to offer some comparison reasons? For example, if the moodstabilizer you're currently on is weight unfriendly, you might say what others above have suggested, but also that you wish you could try a more weight friendly medication (or whatever the side effects in question might be).

i just ended up on trileptal because i didn't want to do labs for depakote or anything else. stuck with it till i got some bad drug-induced depression. anyway...

if you see it as a potentially safer, better replacement for something you're on, there's that angle, possibly. to replace latuda or (obviously, I don't know). but...

not to be all doom and gloom, but some shrinks take themselves and their authority a bit too far...not that they -should- Rx whatever anyone brings up, but...if the pdoc is intimidating and such, that's...well, that's going to be a problem. some of them...i dont know if it 'ego' per se, or its because they -are- MD/DO and that is supposed to mean...you are the patient and they are treating you for xyz valid, medical condition. i think when patients bring things up with -some- of them, it makes them feel as if they're being looked at a pill pushers...and then there's also ego, in other cases.

enough analyzing the shrinks (LOL)...my advice would be to talk to her about what she wants to achieve in treatment and what your goals are, adverse effects that you may have, costs involved, etc. if you cannot have an open dialogue -at all- , then...-sigh- it might be worth seeing about a 2nd opinion, depending on your coverage and such ((just my personal opinion, btw)).

What is a Pill Nazi?