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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Bonnie_CA on June 27, 2006, at 23:07:52
So I had a panic attack last night, and I called the doctor's office again about my medication. I was told to take the 20 mg of Prozac everyday and give it another week. I'm so frustrated, because I am firmly convinced that this isn't working. The nurse (whom I have to speak with as a middle man between me and the doctor) doesn't even listen to me. I was concerned and I was asking about when does a person get hooked on Xanax (because I'm trying not to be!) and she suggests that I attend a group for substance abuse. I'm so freakin' irritated by that, I want to scream. They won't listen when I tell them my medication isn't working, and they won't listen when I express my concerns about them. I feel like I'm just bounced around. I must be Charlie Brown's teacher when I talk to them or something. I'm so sick of hearing from them "Oh, give it one more week!" TODAY the nurse says that maybe I was just having withdrawal from the Effexor a couple weeks ago. I don't think so, I am quite certain of when that withdrawal ended, and I had to taper myself because those morons said it'd be okay to just quit taking it cold turkey. Why can't they admit when a drug isn't working? Why is that so hard to imagine? And why do they think I'm so stupid that I have no clue what is going on with my own body? I have been on enough medications to know when something isn't working, and I don't suspect that a miracle is going to happen in a week's time. So, I called again and asked if I could get another doctor's second opinion. Their procedure is that my request for a second opinion goes through the doctor that I am seeing currently (whom I don't trust because of all this), and that doctor chooses someone for me to see for a second opinion. I'm thinking, "great, so he can send me to someone that will agree with everything he's done so far." So fabulous that I'm being treated like a mushroom.
So, I say that January won't come fast enough because that my husband (my poor, sweet husband that is having to deal with me being improperly medicated) is going to switch our insurance back to Blue Shield so at least I can CHOOSE a psychiatrist and when that person isn't doing a good job, go to a completely different office, if the need be. I am sick and tired of calling Kaiser and asking for an appointment, and only getting half witted help from the medication nurse, so it would be a welcome change to actually be able to SEE the doctor when I think I need to.
The floaty feeling in my head has evolved to straight up lightheadedness and dizziness, which are the symptoms of my anxiety that I was being treated for in the first place. But no, give it one more week, it might miraculously start working. Pssshh. I just about may as well not be taking anything at all if I'm going to feel like this. I'll keep taking it, since I'm certain it could actually be worse, but I wish I didn't feel so trapped by my HMO.
Posted by Karen44 on June 27, 2006, at 23:57:46
In reply to January won't come fast enough., posted by Bonnie_CA on June 27, 2006, at 23:07:52
This may be a stupid idea, but would your doctor be willing to let you email him or her? I don't know anything about Kaiser as I have BC-BS PPO and can choose whoever I want to see. I have a psychiatrist who is okay with me emailing him, but he has made it clear he will not necessarily email me back unless it does have to do with a medication issue (he is also my therapist). This has helped a lot and allowed me to get immediate feedback when I have had an adverse reaction or terrible negative side-effects from a medication.
Karen
Posted by Bonnie_CA on June 28, 2006, at 0:08:19
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough., posted by Karen44 on June 27, 2006, at 23:57:46
> This may be a stupid idea, but would your doctor be willing to let you email him or her? I don't know anything about Kaiser as I have BC-BS PPO and can choose whoever I want to see. I have a psychiatrist who is okay with me emailing him, but he has made it clear he will not necessarily email me back unless it does have to do with a medication issue (he is also my therapist). This has helped a lot and allowed me to get immediate feedback when I have had an adverse reaction or terrible negative side-effects from a medication.
>
> KarenIt's not a stupid idea, and I appreciate your feedback, but it's an HMO, which is aimed at keeping costs low, not necessarily aimed at doing what is best for the patient. The only thing the doctor would give me was the direct line to his nurse, who I am thinking is a complete idiot. The avenues that are available for communication are what Kaiser uses, so it's a system failure in my opinion. I have NEVER talked to the doctor directly on the phone, and I've only seen him twice in almost 6 months. It's quite pitiful, and I won't be sticking with this plan. If things get worse with Kaiser, I might appeal to my grandma (who has money LOL) for help in getting help from another doctor outside of Kaiser, at least until I can get insurance that will cover a doctor of my choice. The email idea sounds awesome, but I don't think this doctor would be interested.
-Bonnie
Posted by Phillipa on June 28, 2006, at 13:18:46
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough. » Karen44, posted by Bonnie_CA on June 28, 2006, at 0:08:19
You're telling my story but I don't get to change drug plans. I never talk to a doctor either and mine suggested the second opinion when I refused to take 80mg of geodon the highest dose available. I've never taken an antipsychotic and I'm not psychotic what's he trying to do kill me? Oh and I got the list of three people too of his choice. So Friday we traveling five hours to my old pdoc. Pray for me I need it. Eversince I moved here and started seeing this guy I have gotten worse.Love Phillipa ps oh and the first appointments for the second opinions were in six weeks.
Posted by Karen44 on June 28, 2006, at 23:26:12
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough. » Bonnie_CA, posted by Phillipa on June 28, 2006, at 13:18:46
I have family in California, and this stuff with Kaiser sounds almost unethical to me. I would want to get an attorney and sue the hell out of them. I don't think I could deal with this myself. You two must be really strong to put up with that crap. I am in the Chicago area and though Illinois ranks 48 out of 50 for providing mental health services to it's citizenry, I am very lucky to have a job that provides BC-BS insurance HMO or PPO which ever we choose. Obviously my contribution is higher with the PPO, but I get dental and eye glasses too. I should count my lucky stars. With all the problems I have had with psychotropic medications, I am so glad to be able to not only actually see a psychiatrist every week, I can email him about med's too. Actually, I have several medical doctors as well who are fine with me emailing them too--my pulmonary doctor, my neurosurgeon, my primary doctor, and my ENT doctor when I was seeing him. My medical doctors are all at the University of Chicago, and my psychiatrist used to be there but is not any more. After reading others' experiences, I am grateful every day to have what I have here. The best I can offer I guess is to do whatever you can to get away from Kaiser. Haven't they been sued in the past for their practices?
Karen
Posted by Bonnie_CA on June 28, 2006, at 23:38:23
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough., posted by Karen44 on June 28, 2006, at 23:26:12
Yeah, I've lost count of how many times I've seen a headline "Kaiser being sued for...". They're always doing something stupid. I talked to a lady online whose son was put on Prozac without the doctor even seeing him. He was 13 at the time. She said she kept calling Kaiser, saying he was acting weird, and he wasn't right, and they kept telling her to keep making him take it. Finally, after about 6 months, he attempted (and failed) suicide. At that point, she switched. The worst thing was, the prescribing doctor was supposed to be the head of child psychiatry! She says she wants to sue, but hasn't taken action. But, I've heard the phrase "Kaiser Permanente = Kills People". So, I think Kaiser takes part in many unethical practices, mostly because the majority of their patients A) don't know any better and B) can't afford to go somewhere else. Unfortunately for them, I HAVE been to other mental health facilities, and I am QUITE aware of their shortcomings. If my schizophrenic uncle had to use them, I think he'd rather just stay crazy. LOL. Yep, I'll get away from them ASAP, which is looking like January.
-Bonnie
Posted by Karen44 on June 30, 2006, at 21:32:48
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough. » Karen44, posted by Bonnie_CA on June 28, 2006, at 23:38:23
Bonnie
Are you going to be okay until January to see a psychiatrist of your choice for meds????
Karen
Posted by Bonnie_CA on June 30, 2006, at 21:41:11
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough., posted by Karen44 on June 30, 2006, at 21:32:48
Well, I have an appointment for Friday, and hopefully that doc will give me something works, at least well enough that I can get through the rest of the year. I'm also going to run the idea of getting in touch with him in email, because I want to switch docs within the system almost entirely because of that nurse. I really don't like her. I don't have confidence in him either, but he's not nearly as annoying to me as the nurse.
Worse comes to worse, my GP is very cool, and if I asked him to write me a script for Paxil, he would, especially if I tell him about my experience with psychiatry in Kaiser. He's actually the one that prescribed me the Xanax, because he made a judgement call on my character and figures I won't abuse it (and I don't).
Today, I feel especially crappy. I don't know what another week on Prozac was supposed to do, but all I know is, they are wrong wrong wrong. So, I'll hang in there 'til Friday, and we'll see what happens. Then, I'll just have to hang in there until January. Thanks for the concern Karen!
-Bonnie
Posted by pulse on July 1, 2006, at 11:41:16
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough. » Karen44, posted by Bonnie_CA on June 30, 2006, at 21:41:11
take it from an extremely ethical lawyer's daughter, it's rarely - if ever - worth the stress of the years it would take to win nearly any lawsuit. triple that against some big robotic machine like kaiser hmo.
i don't have kaiser. the only way i lucked out w/my hmo is i have a great gp/ $5 per visit, on the very few occasions i even have to go in. he trusts my character, also, as well he should. lol. i'd gone to him before he was included in my hmo's list of docs. this lousy hmo, is otherwise good for 'catastrophic' only. no mental health, everything they find excuse for calling pre-existing, even when my doc and my pharmacy go to bat for me against them.
my do not sue advise is for a 'normal' person, btw.
add in us mentallyinteresting types, fuggetaboutit.
pulse
Posted by Bonnie_CA on July 1, 2006, at 18:14:36
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough. » Bonnie_CA, posted by pulse on July 1, 2006, at 11:41:16
LOL I'm not going to sue. I'm not even that type. I am going to switch away from them, however.
Posted by pulse on July 2, 2006, at 7:05:38
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough. » pulse, posted by Bonnie_CA on July 1, 2006, at 18:14:36
glad to hear on both counts.
pulse
Posted by Karen44 on July 2, 2006, at 23:14:25
In reply to Re: January won't come fast enough. » Bonnie_CA, posted by pulse on July 2, 2006, at 7:05:38
> glad to hear on both counts.
>
> pulse
>I was certainly not advocating suing Kaiser, but I think it is too bad that they haven't been sued more in class action suits. To not see a doctor for psychotropic medicaitons is outrageoous. How can one ethically prescribe medication if one has never seen the patient. I feel for Bonnie having to put up with such crap. And, I hope her doctor will let her email, and Bonnie please let your doctor know about the nurse.
Karen
This is the end of the thread.
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