I Need To Recommend A Medication To My Gp

[EveHarrington]

This seems wrong to me. Patients don't recommend drugs in Australia. Surely, if the doctor doesn't kn...

Here in the USA the tv is bombarded with drug commercials. The point is to get patients to ask their doctor about the medication (all of the commercials tell you to do this). I read that there are only 2 countries in the world (us & NZ) that do this direct marketing to patients route, but I haven't verified this statement elsewhere. (Drug sales reps work on doctors directly here.)

I think doctors in different countries function differently. My doctor very much wants my input when it comes to trying new medications. He knows I like to do my research and be well informed. (And to me 'well informed' includes user feedback as some side effects are in much higher proportion than in initial drug testing.) I think it's a good thing that sufferers of the same disorder can talk about medications that have worked for them. I found my best medication through an online website and my anxiety specialist psychiatrist didn't use that particular drug as a first line of defense (or even second or third) medication. Because I knew what helped others, I was able to ask for it directly and found immediate relief instead of having to blindly trust that my doctor knew the best medication for me.

 

[GG2489]

Here in the USA the tv is bombarded with drug commercials. The point is to get patients to ask the...

Hi thank you for your message. It is very encouraging.
Can I just ask what medication it was that you asked for?
I also feel it's in my best interest to do my own research. For years I suffered with medications that didn't work or that had awful side affects. One made me a complete zombie and I put on 2 & a half stone in just three months. I couldn't live like that. I dribbled and stared into space.
Making informed decisions for myself helps me feel a little more in control.
Many thanks.
Stay strong my friend.
G ..

 

[joeylittle]

Cymbalta is known to lose effectiveness beginning after 5 years - it was my first med, and it was a real bummer when it totally stopped working. I don't think they have any hard data on whether people can go back on it.

Are you looking for something that will help lift your mood, or something that will make the bottom of your depression not quite as deep/uncontrollable?

 

[GG2489]

Cymbalta is known to lose effectiveness beginning after 5 years - it was my first med, and it was a r...

Hi joeylittle,
Thank you for your message.
At the moment something to lift my mood. I am housebound at the moment as to scared to leave.
But over all something to keep me on an even path so that I can be part of this world..
Any suggestions will be greatly received.
Many thanks
G x

 

[Ed Norton]

I'm stuck on zyban...there's nothing else for me. I think it may be tired but it's also possible that it's situational. I agree that it may be beyond a gp.. Shoot sometimes it's beyond a psychiatrist!

 

[Ed Norton]

Just another thing nothing is wrong with being proactive with doctors and doing research. Honestly, I chose all my meds whether they work or not lol...well propanalol was a suggestion during a hard time but I jumped on it.

 

[void]

Hi everyone.
I am currently taking Zyban but it is no longer working for me. I am seeking advice and inf...

If your GP does not know what to do, then perhaps you need a Psychiatrist (with expertise in Psych meds) to take over your case.

When a GP is out of his/her depth, they are REQUIRED to refer to an expert.

You and this community are not responsible to find a medication solution.

I have a buddy in Leeds(a cardiac surgeon) he would SH*T if I told him what your struggling to deal with.

Ask for a referral, you deserve qualified help.:hug:

 

[Ed Norton]

Unfortunately with psychiatry there's no simple answers though...different than nonstop cabgs...I see nothing wrong with getting people's experiences on different meds...otherwise this forum would be called "just ask your doctor/ psychiatrist" but it's "medication and substances"..psychiatry is very different from CT surgery or other fields..believe me...you shouldn't be passive with treatment..

I have a good psychiatrist but here in the U.S. many are shit. Luckily, because of improved pay/ lifestyle it is a much more competitive residency match here than it was. I agree that this is beyond the scope of family practice and that the experience of a psychiatrist is usually a huge benefit but being too passive with mental health is something that I can't endorse.

 

[void]

Unfortunately with psychiatry there's no simple answers though...different than nonstop cabgs...I see...

Pt.'s ought to self-educate and share their unique responses to different med's.
Pt.'s ought to work with an experienced Physician who can balance the complexity of psychotropics and idiosyncratic biochemical responses within the context of General Medicine...giving feedback at all points to achieve optimal functioning.

Many Psychiatrists have difficulty with this delicate dance and some outright FAIL the pt.
If many Psychiatrists struggle with the challenge, how many GPs should we expect to succeed?

The OP stated "
I Need To Recommend A Medication To My Gp" (pls forgive font)

That implies that the pt. is either directing treatment or that the GP doesn't know what to do next.
The pt. isn't qualified to direct treatment and if the GP is unsure how to proceed, a referral is prudent.

I am not and have not endorsed passivity nor suggested that a pt. not attempt to be informed.

Void:happy:

 

[EveHarrington]

Hi thank you for your message. It is very encouraging.
Can I just ask what medication it was that you as...

I'm a bit hesitant to say as the symptoms I used it for do not seem to be the same symptoms you are experiencing. It was not an antidepressant. (I'm guessing you're looking for an antidepressant?)

I didn't initially understand the implications of asking a GP for medication. I think it's in your best interest to see a specialist at this point. My doctor likes my input and feedback, but he's a psychiatrist. He knows the ins and outs of most psychiatric medications. He understands how they work. He is experienced with side effects. He knows the maintenance blood work I need to check and see if the medications are impacting my body negatively. We are able to have in depth conversations about medications I'm interested in and why or why not they would be a good fit given my symptoms. My GP is not comfortable prescribing any of my psychiatric medications and hands that responsibility over to my psychiatrist. I applaud you for being proactive in finding a medication that would be a good fit.

 

[Queen Boudica]

Can I ask is your consultant a medical professional or is it just one of these systems where they have non-experts who are responsible for deciding if you get any services or not?

Have you tried upping your dose of zyban? My psychiatrists said that normally above 300 mg is the optimal dose so 370 mg. So he told me to cut half a zyban in half. It did not work for me I got headaches, but might be worth a try for you and easy to do as you already have the pills.

BTW you do know Wellbutrin is buproprion which is the same as zyban, just wellbutrin is an XL and zyban an SR

It is good to look at what you are being given. Sounds like the first med you described that turned you into zombie and put on so much weight would probably have been antipsychotic such as seroquel. It is well known to do that and should only be prescribed after antidepressants have been prescribed. The PBS here refuse to ratify it for depression as it is associated with so much weight gain and hence health problems and my psychiatrist says it is associated with sudden deaths and being over and wrongly prescribed, especially by GP's who in my opinion should not be handing out such a powerful drug anyway, should be a psychiatrist.

 

[Ed Norton]

my psychiatrist says it is associated with sudden deaths

Sudden death..oh yes, misuse of seroquel by a 'doctor' nearly took me out before. Luckily I didn't have some anatomic substrate*. All atypicals can result in sudden death. I really believe that they should be used rarely if nothing else works.

*Sudden death = anatomic substrate + trigger