Lame Psychiatrist :(

So today I went to my Psychiatrist for a typical follow up to get refills. Figured it would be easy in and out.

He never remembers much about me. He acted again like I never told him about my back problems, or that the man who lives with me is not just my friend but parnter. 'You are homosexual?' he asked for the third visit in a row. It is very weird and starting to creep me out a bit, honestly.

But that isnt the biggest issue. The issue is that when I had to explain AGAIN how I have back problems from scoliosis (he said go to Korea, they will help with scoliosis there. It is your posture.) he asked if I took meds for it, and I said yes I did, but I tell them to the nurse every visit. So I listed them to him anyhow and he was like
TRAMADOL?

YOU NEVER SAY YOU TAKE THE TRAMADOL!

Me: "Y-yes, I tell all my doctors everything I take...even over the counter stuff. I told you last time."
Dr: "No, you no tell me last time. This first time. First time you tell me of Tramadol. That narcotic. Addictive. No good. And with prozac, very dangerous with serotonin syndrome. Why am I just hearing this now?"
Me: "I, I don't know...I tell everyone I am on it. I even knew that it could interact with Prozac, so when I was perscribed it I asked specifically every doctor I saw if it was bad to take both. They all said the risk was minimal and I should take it."
Dr: "Well not me! Why you wait till now to tell me?"
Me: "...I didn't, I..."
Dr: "Well if you no tell pain doctor to change meds and check with me, I can no prescribe Prozac any longer. I will not give it to you.
Me: "o-ok, but what do I do? I need my prozac..."
Dr: "That is your responsibility to tell doctors of the interactions and that you take other medications."
Me: "I did...they all said it was fine. Why would I assume I should stop it if everyone said it was fine. Even your nurse should know I take it."
Dr: "No, you never said."
Me: "...ok, so what should I do if he perscribes a different med?"
Dr: "Ask him about its interactions."
Me: "...I did before, and he said I would be fine. So how is me asking him about a new drug gonna be any different?"
Dr: "well That is your job, to ask."
Me: "....ok?"

So Then I went to the nurse, who I see sometimes instead of the doctor due to my insurance. I told her while she took my blood pressure, (which was so high from anxiety) about how I knew I told them about all my meds before. I had been on Tramadol for about a year now.

Me: "There's no way I didn't tell you guys I was taking that, is there?"
Nurse: "Oh, well there is no way for me to know unless I look at your file." (As she puts the blood pressure paper IN MY FILE.)

I am about to flip out. My anxiety was soooo bad. I have had it with this doctor for so long and it was bearable because all I needed from him were refills. But if he is going to start stepping into the shoes of my Pain Doctor then he is out of line and I need to switch. I'm going to explain all this to the pain doctor and my PCP tomorrow. When I see my therapist I am going to ask her to help me see if I can switch Psychiatrists.

I am all for docs wanting to be safe, but this guy is NOT being safe. If he was he would have asked me every visit of any med changes. He would have remembered his notes. He wouldnt have simply jumped all over me because he THINKS I neglected to tell him something.

Post Edited (misterkatamari) : 2/27/2013 1:06:48 AM (GMT-7)

I agree with Jamie, switch psychiatrists. This one don't know one day from the next. He shouldn't just drop the antidepressant like that. I am sorry for what you have gone through.

Hugs, Karen...

Thanks everyone.

I have nothing against this guy as person or anything, but he just seems very...off. I live in a rural area with state insurance aid, so it is hard for me to find mental health professionals. However, I do know there is another guy in the same office who takes my insurance. It might be strange to switch within the same office, but if the doctor is going to have a vendetta against me for switching, then he has even bigger problems. lol!

I should also say he did NOT cut off the Prozac. He gave me enough till I see my pain doctor. But if I don't get off the Tramadol, he said he will no longer prescribe me prozac. So yeah, he didn't really leave me high and dry but he was really rude about it. I would have zero problems with this if he had told me about it when I first started the Tramadol! I always ask about med interactions, and I always read up about any new meds I get online in addition to asking doctors. I consider myself a very educated patient, and I always ask questions instead of just blindly nodding my head and taking whatever pills are shoved at me. So to be talked to like I was being dishonest was beyond insulting to me.

One time when I told this same doctor about my herniated discs and how I couldn't get surgery for it, (Which he apparently forgot since he asks everytime I go to him) he said how due to my age I should have no problem exercising and losing weight because his 70 year old wife runs four hours a day on a treadmill. How insulting is that, to act like I am just some bump on a log who chooses to be unable to be active or have a life. He knows nothing about my chronic pain conditions, and to act like I am pathetic because old women can do more than I can is really harmful. I mean I see the guy for low self esteem, depression, and social anxiety! How is that supposed to make me feel? lol!

Thank God I am at least a bit logical. I feel bad for the people who have a bad experience with a provider like that and then never continue to get help again. It's really sad.

Thanks, Avrielle.

I've had bad experiences with them before too, so I am used to taking things with a grain of salt. I was managing well on my current meds and stuff for about a year now, so as long as I could get refills I could put up with him being a bit aloof and not really remembering me much. I also gave him slack because it is a rural area and he is undoubtedly swamped with patients from different counties. But yeah, threatening to stop my meds which I actually do well on was ridiculous, so I'll be checking out my other options.