=>PLEASE FORWARD TO FRIENDS, FAMILY AND LOVED ONES <=
Hi,
Today I want to talk about doctors.
Yeah, I know, whenever anyone mentions
doctors, everyone tenses up and starts
thinking, “oh no… not that again…”
But seriously, and I know you know this,
there is a difference between good doctors
and bad doctors.
I know that sounds too simplistic, but I’m
just using it as a foundation for what I
want to talk about today.
Actually the idea of a good doctor can be the
foundation of success with bipolar disorder
while the idea of a bad doctor can be just the
opposite.
If you have a bad doctor, it can realy make
a difference in your care. First of all, he
won’t even know who you are from
visit to visit.
In my courses I teach about the
95%/5% Rule:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
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HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
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http://www.survivebipolar.net
But basically,that 95% of people just get
assembly line treatment when they
go to the doctor. These doctors don’t
pay attention to their patients, they
just hurry them in and out.
They don’t really care about you as
a patient, they are just basically a
prescription writer, quick to get you
out of their office so they can see
the next patient.
You may get the medication you
need, but you will feel like cattle,
being shuffled around.
This is a bad doctor, and believe
me, they exist, as some of you already
know.
The worst thing about a bad
Doctor, a doctor who doesn’t
pay attention to you, is that he may
not give you good medication, and
won’t work with you to give you the best
medication for your bipolar disorder,
so you won’t get better. And to me,
that is the worst thing.
But then there are good doctors,
too. So let’s not throw the baby out
with the bath water.
A good doctor works with the 5%
of the people. For example,
Michele, who you know works for
me, has a doctor who she goes to
and she brags on this doctor
because she says this doctor knows
her by name…
Always asks about her family,
and her husband, who she also knows
by name! And always remembers
about her last visit.
The thing Michele likes most about
her doctor is that she doesn’t
“play God.” She isn’t afraid to
send Michele to another doctor
if she (the doctor) isn’t sure what
is wrong with Michele.
She doesn’t want all the glory by
pretending she knows what’s
wrong or giving possibly the
wrong diagnosis.
Plus, the other thing Michele likes
so much about her doctor is that
when she looks at Michele’s list
(we’ll talk about that in another
Email), she doesn’t treat Michele
like she’s dumb or anything – she
goes down the list with Michele
and makes sure she covers
everything on that list.
And she treats Michele with
respect, even though Michele
isn’t one of her “rich” patients –
Michele is just on Medicaid.
For those of us who have
Bipolar disorder or supporting
someone who does (and have to
take them to their doctors), we
understand the difference in the
way we feel when we’re treated
with dignity and respect and when
we’re not just because we’re not
a “regular” patient because we
have Medicaid and we’re not rich.
We deserve the same treatment.
We deserve the best treatment,
just like anyone else. Like a good
doctor would give us.
Well, on that note, I have to go.
Have a great day!
Your Friend,
Dave
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I think my husband has a great Dr. His Dr. may schedule him for a 15 minute appointment but often there is no body behind and his Dr. will all the time he has to with him. One time after having some issues he spent over an hour with him simply because his appointments after my husband did not show up. Although my husband has both a psychologist and a psychiatrist his psychiatrist has stepped into the role of his therapist many times just because of the timing of things. Not many Drs will do that. Also I think it is important for both the therapist and the psychiatrist to talk with one another and make sure they are on the same page. My husband Drs do that and that has been a reason for his success in getting well.
It is scary to think about finding a good Dr. When you are just starting out it is hard to know just the right questions to ask and to make sure you are getting the most care you can to meet your needs. I wish there were some good questions that would be beneficial to ask to help the process of getting the best help.
Cheri
I’d just like to add one point to David and Tracy’s posts. Many people think that ‘Private’ treatment (if they can afford it:) )is better than the NHS. This, in my experience, is dealing with ‘Mental Health Problems’ can be a hinderence, not a help. If your GP (or your local Mental Health Team) have no knowledge of you, then they find it difficult to help (especially if you need help at 3am !!!) as they do not have a file on you and have no records of your ‘history’. So if you, or someone you care for has Bipolar AD, or other Mental Health problems….make sure your GP/Mental Health Team is aware of your problems.
I have 5 years experience of dealing with Bipolar etc. (not my own, but my girlfriends) and could write pages and pages on the subject, and my experiences, but I’ll contibute to other threads about that!! Take care, johnboy 😉
Dave,
I agree with you in gender, number and case, that is, in everything about you commented.As the situation of may loved one is stabilized I d’ont have the courage to seek another doctor,despite having a list in my hands.Yesterday I was with a cousin second degree, Bp that indicated the doctor that she considers very good. She told me of one doctor that simply expelled her of the clinic, in the moment that she was enter in an episode.He was her doctor of trust and treated her a long time.I think that my first doctor might have done an undiagnose of my loved one. The only thing that appears of BP in her is that the change of medicine give relatively right.You see, in my contry many persons are taking prosac like water…Lilian P.
I had a doctor who would ask me what i needed for medications. Plusses and minuses. Having substance abuse issues, along with a severe anxiety disorder, in addiontion to my bipolar diagnosis,I truly beleived that after 30+ years of med. management, I knew what I needed and what worked and what didn’t. Yet my relationshiip with the doctor was a horror show and I had to give atleast half a day up when a had an appointment with him…as he was extremely busy making money & in my eyes feeding the addicts of surrounding cities,yet he stated he didn’t know how to treat me and on 2 occations told me to get the F out of his office in front of everyone and that I was hopeless. It was so insiteful for me to read this email today, as I cancelled my appointment with him, because I’ve found someone in my counselors office who genuinely seems to care and takes time with me. We’re stabalizing my manic episodes right now with a new med.,but{yes, there is a big but] she wants me off of valium…I’m too anxiety ridden and have been on benzodiazapines for over10 years. She’s adamant and so am I. Although I ‘ve never seen a doctor who was more caring…even though she’s a nurse practioner. What a dilema. Why suffer when there’s a med. for treatment of a certain disorder??? Right now I’m “Off The Hook”Thank you for your insight.
First, I would like to say that I think that my husband has both a good psychiatrist and a good therapist, they are without a doubt the leaders in our area.
I would like to stress that if you are a supporter, you HAVE to to go to the appointments with your loved one. You have to be there to make sure that your loved one is being truthful – which is the wrong word to use, but I am not sure what else to say to make my point. My husband was mis-diagnosed for over a year as having post traumatic stress syndrome. His therapist even said to him that he did not think that he was bi-polar. He was prescribed Effexor to help with the PST, which did nothing but aggravate the bi-polar, which in turn made our home a living hell. My husband did not lie to his therapist or psych, he answered their questions, however he has been this way all of his life and doesn’t know that his behavior is out of the ordinary – or even remember exactly what he did in every situation.
After going through this for a year, we had some very stressful events happen that threw my husband into a full blown manic episode, which made me do a lot of research to find out why he was doing the things that he was doing. At that time, I convinced him to go back to his therapist, who he hadn’t seen in several months, and decided that I would start attending these appointments with him. During this appointment, my husband did honestly answer the questions that he was being asked, but the answers were different from my perspective – not completely different, but the severity of the events were definitely perceived differently. For example, my husband was asked if his sleeping habits were different lately – his answer was well I’m sleeping less. My response was he sleeps every second or third day. While these are drastically different answers, from my husband’s perspective was not incorrect or not truthful. When you typically only sleep 2 to 3 hours a night, not sleeping at all is not a significant change.
As a supporter you MUST attend these appointments as often as you can to assist these professionals in helping your loved one. Any help that you can give to the doctors will assist tremendously in your loved ones treatment.
I know how this is. My son is ADHD with the very good possibility that he is bi-polar as well. We just switched from one child psychiatrist to an old one that has now moved to wheere we are living. The old one just, basically, talked to us for about 10 minutes and wrote out the scipts for him. She rarely listened to what we wanted to try in his treatment. His doctor has already started modifing his meds in a an attempt to try and get better control. She spent time talking to us and to my son as well and listening to what we had to input as far as our desires in see the best treatment for him. My son is only 7 years old but we were able to get him diagnosed early on through a research study and it has helped keep him out of the special education classes that most kids are shoved into due to a lack of a diagnosis. The right, good doctor is the most valuable asset in helping the person that is bi-polar.
My grandson, 13 years old, has been diagnosed as having BP ever since he was 9 years old. We have had a terrible time finding a doctor that would listen to anything either he or I said. After 3 psychiatrists and 4 hospitilizations we now have just a regular medical doctor, no shrink, that spends at least 1 hr. with him each visit and listens to have both he and I have to say. Since finding this doctor we were able for the first time since he was diagnosed that we got thru Dec. and Jan. without hospitilization. The search has been heart breaking but finally we found one who cares.
Katherine
I could really relate to all you said about good versus bad doctors. We have a great family doctor and a good psychiatrist. We end up waiting past our appt. time for both of them because they truly listen and care and we don’t mind too much because when we go in we feel truly understood, cared about, and like we have a better handle on our problem when we leave. Angela H
I have a good Nurse Practitioner who DOES know me by name, my history, and keeps up-to-date on how I am reacting to my medications. Although it’s not like having a REAL psychiatrist, she’s the “next best thing.”
Working out of a busy Community Mental Health Clinic, you can’t expect to be assigned to one of the few psychiatrists on staff. I’m treated just like everybody else – 20 min TOPS is all she will give me. I have to give her the “Readers Digest” version of what’s going on in my life at that time, and hope for the best.
She leaves the BIG STUFF for my therapist to deal with. She asks about my “mood,” my daily situations, and takes my weight. Sometimes, she schedules blood tests for the following week, to monitor the meds.
I’m NOT dissatisfied with her at all; it just seems to me that if I dealt with a REAL psychiatrist, I would be able to more adeptly tell him/her HOW I FEEL and WHAT’S going on. But – I shouldn’t complain – so far, so good!
BIG HUGS to all bipolar survivors and those who love us. Please say a little prayer for me during these hard times. Thank you.
Can anyone recommend a good Dr. or Psychiatrist in Oregon or the Eugene area?
Hello Dave. I am Tadasu from Japan .I received you message as good letter. because you and I have similar situation .Now I go to see a doctor im my Town . He is little bit busy but he does very good treatment. I am not doctor so I don’t know detail of medical situation . He gave me medicine. I drink every day three times. Morning, noon, evening. Thanks to his treat , I can be better now. now we know ,the most good idea is having rule in life, and trust doctor. and treat selves under good one rule. we can go better . we can do accept doctor’s wise advises. and we can be friend! working group? we can talk each other, we can tell how we can have better personality. hm in life we need each other . because we are humanbeings. i need you. and neighbours are good people to help each other.
we can be good. At first we need to understand doctors treatment.
Thnanks David. I need more letter from you .of course I also send my information. Ah, now I am becoming better than used to do. because we are not alone. we are humanbeigs. we are heliping eachother as freind on earth. Thanks oliver. ok we are friends!
Good Morning, Everybody!
I went to the Wholesalers and got hold of a load of Limes and Sage Herbs for my Mother to brew up natural hot Teas to de-toxify and help cure my Sister’s Cold yesterday and thankfully, after her narrow escape in Hospital, she’s making good progress now. It WASN’T because she’s got a ‘Bad’ Doctor – far from it, as we ALL have an excellent Medical ‘Back-Up’ Team, but as she’d been feeling depressed more from the Cold symptoms, she’d consistently taken ‘Over-The-Counter-Cold-Remedies’ (many of which contain ‘Paracetamol’) as well as “Self-Medicating” by increasing her intake of her other Pills, which resulted in her getting confused, so that she forgot that she’d already taken her Medicines and took extra doses which built up to a level of Poisons that nearly killed her. So, as it’s easily done, please all of you out there on Medications, be extra careful not to make the same mistake. (David has mentioned safer Methods of Pill Ingesting many times before.)
Well, after all my previous ‘Forward-Planning’, I STILL annoyingly arrived five minutes late to the Induction Meeting yesterday morning and as I was dying to have a pee, I accidentally used the Male Disabled Toilet. However, I saw a sign attached to the wall which made me laugh, as I’ve not seen it for ages: – “If You Sprinkle When You Tinkle, Please Be Sweet And Wipe The Seat!” (Snigger!)
I’ve always been extremely proud of how friendly and accommodating my City has been over the years to new Immigrants and, being Multi-Lingual myself, I find it both fascinating and interesting to learn about different Cultures and Faiths. In a recent Survey of the ‘Top Ten Cities To Visit In Europe’, CARDIFF came 7th, which I consider to be quite an achievement, when one considers all the many other Cities and obvious ones like PARIS and LONDON. We’re also rated as one of the most COSMOPOLITAN CAPITALS throughout the Globe.
These facts were brought heavily home to me as I had a mini “Tour Around The World” at the Course, because out of thirty women, I was the ONLY White Welsh one there. (Even the Trainer’s from Cyprus.) I managed to make those who could understand English well enough to laugh and I particularly liked an Italian Woman, who appears to match my sense of humour, as she promised to carry me out of the Gym next week if I collapse, as she’s “stronger” than she “looks”! (I can also practice my Italian with her, which is great.)
I guess that I’m in real danger of making quite a few new friends from the Course. Good news, too! As long as I keep enlisting for Courses that I’m too over-qualified, which run alongside the Keep-Fit Classes, I can use the Gym facilities for free and for as long as I like. So, besides Gym Work-Outs, I’m going to learn how to put a Shelf up properly over the next three months as I complete a D.I.Y. Course for Women.
I took my Mother out shopping later to give her a break from Nursing my Sister and bought some Medicine to treat my Fish Tank to prevent any infection happening after I removed a large piece of broken Glass from the mouth of one of the oldest Fish. The Aquarium Shop Owner was amazed at how big the object was and said that it would have killed most, because lots of people don’t know what to do in emergencies. Anyway, he’s back to swimming happily with his fins up again and once his mouth stops feeling sore, he’ll soon be eating his favourite varied mixture of Pellets, chopped up Prawns and frozen Peas or Cucumber.
David, my Server’s still ‘playing up’ – one of my Brother’s told me that thousands of people are being affected with their Internet Connections, but I saw that horrid e-mail directed at you the other day. I was watching ‘Billy Connolly’ last night, the famous Scottish Comedian who now lives in Los Angeles and he said that he often has pompous old ladies approach him stating that they think he’s very funny, but could he just ‘tone down’ his ‘Bad Language’. He commented that they’ve NEVER been to see him “LIVE”, just “sitting on their fat arses watching me on Telly” and that he always simply tells them to pick up the Remote Control and change Channels, if they don’t enjoy what they see. I suggest that if you get nasty E-mails, that you offer forcefully the Offenders the chance to UNSUBSCRIBE from your Web-Site, because the brilliant, daily Service that you’re offering us all for free is OPTIONAL and nobody’s FORCING these foolish individuals to read your advice. Also, it’s totally unfair on you to have to tolerate this abuse, so DON’T!
I’m taking things easy today to regain my strength, because although I’m tired, it’s the weekend and Martin rarely lets me get much sleep and he’ll probably be more demanding tomorrow as it’s his Birthday. (That’s one of the main reasons why I won’t let him stay over during the week nights and I’ve NEVER eaten or slept over his place because it’s so full of junk and dirty, as he’s a messy Mechanic.)
Have a great day. Love,
Sue and all the animals. x
I believe that my daughter’s Dr. or should I say Dr’s? as when you are on Medicaid you get one Dr to talk to and another of six others to prescribe medication. My daughter has bad side effects to most meds and she’s already been on at least 35 different ones. These Dr’s look at her as if she’s dumb or something. All I know is that this world better change real soon for people suffering with mental health and by changing I mean our government. There has to be a better way to connect with a Dr. when you only have Medicaid.