Posted by Lorraine on July 23, 2001, at 10:40:03
In reply to Re: hand holding » Lorraine, posted by Elizabeth on July 22, 2001, at 14:54:36
> > > > > Have you had liver function tests recently?
> >
> > I think so as part of a general physical--nothing out of range.
>
> I don't know if that would be part of a general physical (it's been so long since I've had one < g >).tsk. tsk!
> > > What's a preventative medicine doctor? I mean, I've heard of preventative medicine, but I didn't know it was a recognised subspecialty.I don't know if it is a recognised subspecialty. It represents an approach where the doctor will explore a possible functional deficiency that hasn't yet risen to the level of pathology. When you have a disease of unknown etiology (like depression or chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromylagia), this type of doctor will look at the various functional system that might be involved with the disorder to ascertain and shore up problem areas. For instance, in depression the rate of osteoporosis is significantly higher than it is in the normal population. You can have a bone scan done periodically, but by the time it detects loss of bone mass, the amount lost is high. A functional approach would be to try to measure calcium loss by looking at urine, saliva and hair sample analysis to nip it in the bud before it is detectable by bone scan. Just an example. I want this person to look at my liver function, adrenal function, thyroid function, and estrogen/progesteron levels, among other things. It took me a year to find a doctor in this area that I was confident in (because you do have to watch out for quacks). This one came highly recommended by two people I know and respect. In addition, the doctor had either cfs or fms about 5 years ago, retired from practice for a couple of years and when she got her own body back on track, reestablished her practice--all of which makes me feel good about going to see her. She has a waiting list, but I go in next month.
> > > It may not be the case. Just keep in mind that it *could* be. Sometimes our intuition is mistaken.
I'm open to possibilities. Discounting my physical feelings is just not something that I would do casually. When I was a child, a lot of my physical and emotional reality was discounted. Learning not to discount my feelings has taken time.
> > > I have a high intrinsic tolerance. Benzos at usual doses don't do much to me, and it's not due to acquired tolerance
That was my assumption. Are you then, a fast metabolizer?
> > I remember having doctors tell me that my endometriosis was "all in my head".
>
> I hate that! I mean, in a situation like that, I'd call it malpractise, not just unprofessionalism (and perhaps more than a little bit of sexism).It gets worse. I once went in for surgery--plastic surgery to remove some burn scar tissue--and the doctors gave me an experimental anethetic that didn't really knock you out but was supposed to make you forget what had happened in the surgery. They then gave me a local for pain. When they started to make the incision, I told them I could feel it. They insisted that I could not, maybe I could feel the pressure only, they said. I was strapped down on the operating table and they proceeded. It wasn't until I absolutely started freaking out, that they relented and gave me a general.
> > > Placebo side effects are quite possible, though. Consider this: in clinical trials, the rate of occurrence of various "side effects" is usually lower in the placebo group, but most often it's more than zero.Yes, but if you keep a mood diary and track meds and supplements and so forth on a day-to-day basis you have different effects that happen. The difference is that when you are in a trial you "attribute" these effects to something when they may actually just be random actual occurences that are not attributable to the med. It's not that the effects aren't real.
> > > "Somatic symptoms" is a non-dualistic term for the "physical" symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, hyperventilating, etc.This is good to know. You increase my vocabulary daily < vbg >
> > > Do you would think that the jitters could have been a rebound anxiety response?
>
> Yes, that's exactly what I was getting at.
>
> > I take my dose in the morning and started having trouble around 2pm.
>
> Yup! You just need to take it more regularly.I'll try this. Thanx.
> > >. And my experience has been that Parnate is effective in preventing panic attacks, although I wouldn't say it's *more* effective than Nardil.It's not clear "what" I have. I don't fall in either GAD or panic attack diagnostic categories.
Do take care of yourself. How the despramine going?
Lorraine
poster:Lorraine
thread:67742
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010720/msgs/71497.html