advertisement
Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
anxious gemini
Junior Member
 
anxious gemini's Avatar
anxious gemini has no updates.
 
Member Since: Feb 2019
Location: Tacoma, Washington
Posts: 11
5 yr Member
Default May 09, 2019 at 12:56 AM
  #1
Currently, my meds are managed by an internal medicine specialist that my primary doc sent me to because she's so heavily booked.
My primary put me on seroquel and prozac for bipolar, and I actually felt better. I've always been a rapid cycler, but I noticed distinct cycling on the prozac, and initially was going to ask to raise the dosage - on my therapist's suggestion.
My primary sent me to the IM doc, and he immediately took me off the prozac as he pretty much refuses to let bipolar patients use SSRIs. He put me on wellbutrin, but it gave me terrible stomach pain and my depression was awful.
So he took me off that, doubled my seroquel dose, and now I am on lamotrigine. I haven't noticed anything really, except that my depression is back to my pre-medicated state, meaning I'm having random anxiety, want to cry for no reason, feel empty and am vaguely considering self-harm.

I understand a lot of doctors (understandably) do not like bipolar patients on SSRIs or antidepressants, but if I had to pick any medication I've been on - I'd want to go back on prozac. I felt less weighed down on it, I felt more comfortable being honest and communicating with others, and I generally felt in a good mood most days. I think it could really have worked out for me if I hadn't been taken off it.
I'm scared to even suggest it to my doctor. He's usually perfectly polite, but I get the sense that I'm becoming an annoyance or just a difficult case for him. He also ignores my anxiety as he believes it will "clear up" once my moods are stable, despite my social anxiety being separate from my bp.

Does anyone have any advice on how to talk to my doctor about this? It almost feels like this doc doesn't take me seriously or believe I truly just want to manage the depression in order to live a better life. (I'm already looking at seeing a psychiatrist/psychologist outside of this clinic because they don't have any within 45-70 minutes of where I live.)
Sorry for the lengthy post!

__________________
Control what you can | Confront what you can't.

DX: Bipolar II with Rapid Cycling
Social Anxiety Disorder
Depersonalization Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder
Maladaptive Daydreaming

RX: Lamictal 200 mg
Zoloft 50 mg
Wellbutrin XL 150 mg
Seroquel 200 mg
Prozac 20 mg
anxious gemini is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote

advertisement
WastingAsparagus
Student of Life
 
WastingAsparagus's Avatar
WastingAsparagus is trying to enjoy life.
 
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: South America
Posts: 4,641
10 yr Member
2,909 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default May 09, 2019 at 06:22 AM
  #2
I would tell him basically exactly what you wrote here. Key: you said, "It almost feels like this doc doesn't take me seriously or believe I truly just want to manage the depression in order to live a better life."

So, I would tell him that, but maybe leave out the part that you feel like he doesn't take you seriously if you're uncomfortable with saying that.

Say you want to manage the depression to live a better life.

Say the best way you know to do that would be to go back on Prozac because that's what worked before.

Also say that what you're doing right now is not working, so it's time to consider a change.

You can pick and choose the order of those statements, but I'd recommend that you say your most important concerns first.

It sounds extreme, but maybe don't even let the doctor speak that much before you state all of your concerns.

Like, you can greet each other, but then after that, I would dive directly into what's bothering you.

Doctor's appointments are challenging, but this is the best way to approach them so you get what you need out of them.

This method has worked the best for me in the past. Also perhaps you could write out your concerns and bring them in on a sheet of paper so that you remember to state all of them.

I hope this helps.
WastingAsparagus is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
anxious gemini
Junior Member
 
anxious gemini's Avatar
anxious gemini has no updates.
 
Member Since: Feb 2019
Location: Tacoma, Washington
Posts: 11
5 yr Member
Default May 09, 2019 at 07:01 PM
  #3
Thank you for your reply! It actually helped me gather my thoughts a bit. I often have a hard time getting my concerns out, and this seems very helpful.

__________________
Control what you can | Confront what you can't.

DX: Bipolar II with Rapid Cycling
Social Anxiety Disorder
Depersonalization Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder
Maladaptive Daydreaming

RX: Lamictal 200 mg
Zoloft 50 mg
Wellbutrin XL 150 mg
Seroquel 200 mg
Prozac 20 mg
anxious gemini is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
still_crazy
Grand Poohbah
still_crazy has no updates.
 
Member Since: Oct 2016
Location: United States of America
Posts: 1,792
5 yr Member
3,342 hugs
given
Default May 09, 2019 at 08:40 PM
  #4
ive had doctors (usually psychiatrists) who treat according to APA recommendations, not -my- symptoms...frustrating. sometimes, the best thing is to try to get the to rework the diagnosis, since...you know....some doctors are gung ho about getting the exact correct diagnosis, blah blah blah. an easier approach, honestly, might just be to check your insurance (or your own fund$, if cash docs are an option) and see someone else. personally...im getting good treatment from a psych nurse practitioner. she knows her stuff, but she's not big in the ego dept., so she'll look things up if she feels the need, etc. i think she's reworked my diagnosis (all.my.shrinks do that), but...whatever....im on 2 daily meds, 1 as needed, good results, life is better. :-)

the cash only psych doctors semi-local to me usually have a good bit of experience. the cash only is really because insurance companies are making some psych docs crazy, plus it helps protect patient confidentiality. also, some of them are big on doing talk therapy, or at least...taking time to actually apply the bio-psycho-social model, to whatever extent possible.

hope this helps. have you had manic reactions to antidepressants in the past? if so, that might explain why prozac seemed like a bad idea...but, really, each -person- is different, is the thing. people can go manic, even psychotic, on wellbutrin...right now, it just happens to be the 'it' antidepressant for some doctors treating bipolar.
still_crazy is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
LabRat27
Poohbah
 
LabRat27's Avatar
LabRat27 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Mar 2018
Location: CA
Posts: 1,009
5 yr Member
2,354 hugs
given
Default May 10, 2019 at 09:50 AM
  #5
Would it be possible to find another doc?
I would not see a doc who wasn't engaging in a discussion with me about my meds. When doing med changes it feels very much like a collaborative process. He may have some idea of what he thinks will be best, I may have some opinions, we discuss them, I express preferences that inform his recommendations, and when I walk out it's with a prescription for what we agreed to try.

I do have more background knowledge about psych meds and brain stuff than most people, but even when I was 13 and seeing my first psychiatrist and knew absolutely nothing about any of this she still made me feel included in the process and like my opinions mattered rather than just telling me what to take.

It's your body and your brain. IMO you have every right to hear your doc's justification for decisions, including why he won't put you on Prozac, and if he's not at least taking your opinions and preferences into consideration then that's a problem.
LabRat27 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:09 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.



 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.