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why should I diagnose myself

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Posted 9/14/2014 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
H i folks

If SSRI is making me moody (with lots of ups and downs)why should i bother to diagnose myself ,that's docs job right or I am missing something ~

How do psychiatrists work by listening to us or by observing us<i do not understand this as i AM NO DOC and i fail to understand he keeps on changing my SSRI AND ANXIETY pill to find the best which meets my needs ,

i feel like LAB RAT~sorry its offensive by i feel sorry for myself when docs are not sure.

when will i be able to find right match smilewinkgrin to my medicine ~like a soulmate you know ~ rolleyes tongue smhair
Posted 9/14/2014 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
Well, you aren't self-diagnosing. A doctor cannot be with you 24-7. When you see him, he is trying to find a medication that works for you. You have to take a new med for at least a month, and preferably more, in order to know how it affects you.

Medicine is NOT an exact science. Yes, it is hard, but patience is required, which is why it is so important to develop coping skills outside of medications.
Posted 9/16/2014 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
Cilly what are you on now? I thought you were also taking brintellix, or did he change you? I have truly had some issues with medication since getting off of Zoloft, Zoloft was the first AD I took and it worked for me, so I went for quite a while without going through what you are going through.

Basically since January I have been struggling to get the correct medication, other than the zoloft, lexapro I was on for over 5 months, so I know for certain it was not right for me.

Some times it seems as if it is hard for a Psychiatrist to give you a definitive diagnosis, I was told by two other doctors(or 3) that I was bi-polar, my Psychiatrist that I see now does not believe I am bipolar(if I recall our conversation from last week correctly I believe he said that they really aren't even calling it bipolar anymore, not sure if that is correct)

He did tell me I suffer from Major depressive disorder, and severe anxiety disorder.
Posted 9/16/2014 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
This might be a better analogy. A mental health diagnosis and the resultant treatment is kind of like a recipe for stuffing/dressing and its ingredients. Corn bread, rice, regular bread are just the beginning of the discussion. Every cook will see a different outcome, based on their training and experience. They will of necessity use different 'ingredients'. Now, make that more complicated in that the diners won't eat or try some dishes.

It's not like a broken leg.

I also think since we look at the issue from the patient's perspective, it can be hard to understand a physician and their problems. How many patients does a physician juggle? With different insurances and far different needs. How long is it between visits? How many patients does your doctor's practice insist he/she see a day?

Specialists are far harder to schedule, and they have more PC doctors farming their patients into fewer practices.

Post Edited (Myself 09) : 9/16/2014 10:55:55 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/16/2014 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Brenda,

it has been my experience that bipolar is very hard to diagnosis, I have been tested for it twice. But as you can see by my signature below, I do not have that dx.

MYSELF is correct, mental illness is not like a broken leg, the mind is an awesome thing and no one can really tell you what is going on. meds are trial and error at the best educated guess of the Doc.

This is why it is SO important that we OWN our illness, not BE it, face it and learn coping skills to deal with our symptoms on a daily basis. No ones meds can do 100% of the job ALL the time.

Hope you feel better soon.
Peace
Trina
Posted 9/17/2014 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
Trina, I don't recall ever being tested, but from the symptoms I was having 2 doctors and one Psychiatrist said I was bi-polar, which I freaked out about because my daughter when she would get mad at me would always call me bi-polar and she used it as an insult.

I thought with bi-polar you had real high highs, and I don't have them, maybe back in my twenties I did, but I don't see them now. I won't say that I don't feel really great right now with my med change, but it just feels like a good place, no grandiose attitudes of any kind, just happy, which is a bit crazy because my situation is not where it should be, but I am handling it way better, not shutting down and sleeping 18 hours a day.
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