ALWAYS get a second opinion

[jonghee]

I have been through 5 psychiatrists in my life. 3 were absolutely terrible and didn't know what they were doing. This is very common in psychiatry. The quality control is probably the worst of all fields of medicine. It is a guessing game. No lab work to refer to, no ultrasound or biopsy. It's a trial and error process. And most psychiatrists are stuck to certain "go to' medicines. They all have their biases, such as addiction and recovery doctors will look at you as druggie first, psych patient second. There is a lot of misinformation out there. And many prescribe not based on what's best for you, but also what is best for them in terms of their licenses and reputations. I have confirmed this with a doctor online and my therapist, who all agreed that doctors are much more reluctant to prescribe benzos because of harsh government crackdown on prescribing controlled substances. There was a time I had 3mg klonopin/day. Now, almost every doctor has a limit of 1mg/day, and many will cut you off and make you try something different, not because it's better for you, but also because it's better for them. My last doctor all of a sudden wanted me off klonopin. He said we need to get me off it. Why? It's no bothering me. I'm not abusing it. So he reduced it to .5mg. That was a terrible month. Luckily, my pharmacist talked to him and the doctor raised it back to 1mg/day. He wanted me on attarax, which is an antihistamine with anxiolytic effects. On top of the seroquel, you want to make me sleep even more? I used to be on 60mg adderall. He said that's too much and lowered to 20mg. Based on what? It was arbitrary. After getting second opinions online and finding a new doctor, I have found out that I am in avery group that metabolizes adderall based on liver enzymes, genetics, and a fast metabolism. My new doctor prescribed adenzys max dose on the first visit. And it changed my life completely. It lasted long and the dose was high enough to relieve my adhd symptoms.

I have bipolar depression. When I couldn't afford latuda, the doctor prescribed Depakote. Depakote is for the manic symptoms of bipolar. It does nothing for depression. Latuda is indicated for bipolar depression. Think about it? Replacing a med for depression with a med for mania, with the reasoning probably being that they both are used for bipolar. Yes, but in completely different ways.

Take the time to educate yourselves. Research says that psych patient self diagnosis accuracy is comparatively equal with a professional's. We know our bodies and minds the best. Of all areas of medicine, psych meds has the biggest variance of effectiveness and side effects among individuals. What works great for one could be disastrous for another. I used to take abilify. I spent my whole savings and credit like water. Financially ruined. This happened to countless people who gambled their entire finances away and stole to support their gambling habit. Once they stopped taking the medicine, they stopped being compulsive, me included. It works for many, however, some people are susceptible to the negative side effects more than others. Haldol works wonders for some people, yet it gave me a seizure like side effect and allergic reaction that I basically had to be stabbed with cogentin.

If you aren't making progress, or are having bad side effects, research, talk to your current doctor, and get to know your pharmacist. They are underutilized and taken for granted in our community. They know way more about drugs than your doctor ever will. If you need links or resources, please let me know. I have a bunch, and after speaking with a doctor online, he complimented my knowledge of the biochemistry of my medications. My saying is that I've been in this game for 8 years. I know what works for me and have picked up a few things. The doctors who wrote me off and invalidated my research ended up prescribing me what I had originally asked for. Or after treatment failure with one, I switched to a better educated doctor, and my research and self diagnosis were correct. I'm not saying everybody should self diagnose, but do self refer. Research, educate yourself, keep a daily journal and record your symptoms and side effects. And consult a psychiatrist online. There are some services that cost $40 for a short second opinion session. And lots of blogs from top psychiatrists who do q&a, either through a comments board or via email. Hope that helps. Good luck and stay safe!!