Positive Psychiatrist Intake

[Panda Bear]

To start, I got off easy....sorta. My sons psychiatrist, that we've used for about 2.5yrs agreed to take me on as well. She is somewhat familiar to me and not as scary as a complete stranger. But I still had to talk :eek:

Anyways, I learned some very interesting things and wanted to share them with you all.

One, SSRI's...no no! She told me to stay away from them, as well as Welbutrin, Effexor, Cymbalta and the like. I have every f*cking side effect on SSRI's and the withdrawals are pitiful and horrid. She told me they just aren't a match for me and should never be an option.

She described my like this "a brain that is deeply souped in trauma" can be very difficult to treat. The PTSD brain is unforgiving, random and just plain hard to match to the right types of drugs. She also told me "smart brains mixed with that deeply souped trauma can also cause issues". I guess higher intelligence equates to higher rates of side effects and more places and connections in the brain for things to get stuck and lost. The downside to being smart and having a trauma ridden brain? It's a mess in there! I don't consider myself smart.

I will likely always experience harsh side effects from meds, unfortunately. And I do, but always though something was wrong with me. That I needed to try harder to be a friend to pills :tup: turns out my PTSD and trauma brain just doesn't mix with pills. It's common, I Guess?

Last, she hasn't treated may patients with as much "Long term, and layered trauma" as me. So, this is new for her. She isn't scare away, but just upfront. She's only had a few patients with as much exposure as me.

The ball is in my court as far as meds go, she went down a lot of options and why she felt we should try or not try something. I am the deciding factor, she is at my side to support me. She gave me two options that she felt would be a good place to start and they're cued up and ready to when I'm ready.

She was great! Open, honest, empowering, cautious, slow and down to earth.

Anyone have similar experiences?

 

[Deleted member 33052]

Thank you for sharing that, panda!

My experience is similar in that it appears my trauma started at or before birth. I've had the same psychiatrist for about 5 years and in that time I think we experimented with a dozen different antidepressants/combinations. It's tricky, but we have to figure out the right combination. My life isn't worth living without that buffer.

 

[joeylittle]

She sounds great, @Panda Bear - and she's very right, in that there are no medications that truly address PTSD. Medications for PTSD sufferers are really best focused towards management of specific symptoms that cannot be managed any other way, and are problematic enough to be serious impediments.

I'm on meds for depression, because I cannot manage it through other means alone.

My psych (who also does some therapy with me), is awesome that way, too.

 

[Sandstone]

I'm so glad you had that positive experience, and especially that she is effectively empowering you, by giving you both information and options.

I've also had the multiple side effects and tough withdrawals, and my psych. did eventually conclude I was very sensitive to meds, and they weren't worthwhile.

 

[Seasounds]

Anyone have similar experiences?

I have found an SSRI, pediatric dose, and lorazepam and clonazepam to be extremely helpful. Pediatric doses of my SSRI is the level that works for me; adult doses throw me into extreme anxiety (since it appears that I don't metabolize this drug class at the normal adult rate). My psychiatrist does let me decide if I want to use meds for my symptoms, and my psychiatrist (who does therapy as well) believes/relies on the therapeutic relationship to be the most helpful factor, for my process. I've always chosen to work with someone who had some experience with adult trauma.

On another note, I have avoided choosing to work with a psychiatrist, who is working with one of my loved ones, since it creates a conflict that may not benefit me; the psychiatrist is put in the middle of the relationship (unbiased perspective doesn't exist), and in the 'dual relationship' confidential issues, may be revealed, unintentionally. That potential problem is not respectful to patients. I believe it may be an unethical, or at the very least, not ideal, for any psychiatrist to work with two people from the same family.

 

[ms spock]

I am a sop @Panda Bear - it might be enough to take down an elephant but it doesn't touch the sides with me.

My psychiatrist is similar to yours - gives me the options and the power to make decisions and does the psychotherapy as well. I am also very lucky.

Like you I have had many different and serious side effects and it has taken along while to get it right. I am severely depressed again and I am going back up on medications again.

I am so glad you have found someone good.

 

[Sideways]

A little while back I had a shrink cover for my doc while she was on leave. I've crossed paths with a lot of doctors from numerous admissions to 4 different hospitals, and had dozens of stand-ins over the years (I spend a fair chunk of time in hospital!). But this doc blew me away.

She was clearly across the issues and the treatment options, she was working with me instead of telling me "this is best", and she was working damn hard. Most importantly, we were actually communicating from the first second.

At the end of the 3 weeks, I asked her to take me on as a patient, and I haven't looked back. If you find a doc that genuinely works for you, hang on tight with both hands:)

 

[Panda Bear]

Thank you for the positive replies! All in all, it went better than I had hoped for and I handled the new person and navigation of being able to build another trusting relationship.

@Saetva I can understand why you might think her working with me is unethical. My son is a monor(8yrs old) and has a laundry list of developmental issues, so it may be a bit different in our situation. He can't communicate my issues nor can he understand and communicate his own. He doesn't see her w/o me present, we don't discuss my issues during his appointments and we don't discuss him during mine. In reality, I feel that having some of my struggles and PTSD/trauma explained to the Psyciatrist can only help him! When I'm spiraling down, we often take out kids with us too. It's normal! I'm actually relived that she knows more, so when we are working through his behavior, she can better understand where I'm at and help me to know what is me pulling him down and him doing it on his own.

Aside, I've seen her for 2yrs with my son...the woman KNEW I was bonkers! Now she knows the truth and I don't have to hide it anymore. It's a huge relief!