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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 59 to 83 of 83. Go back in thread:
Posted by Vincent_QC on September 19, 2010, at 18:09:54
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Conundrum, posted by Maxime on September 19, 2010, at 15:36:01
> People abuse the system here. When you are on Welfare you get all your meds for free. So why would you try to get a job. I hated being on Welfare. I only started my new job a week ago and I feel better about myself. When I am welfare I feel like a parasite of society.
>
> It's hard to look for a job because there are not many out there. I hope you find something soon.*************************************************
Maxime, I think you have to be carefull and not generalise here... not everyone abuse of the system... and having meds for free is not a good reason to be on the wellfare... I admit that some peoples tend to abuse of the system, but they are not sick...just lazy...and it's maybe only 5% of the peoples on the wellfare... REmember that a lot of peoples loose their job in the last years because of the bad economy... i'm sure they didn't wanted to ending on the wellfare but sometimes they have no choice...
I felt guilty for a long time in the last 2 years because i'm on the wellfare... but I worked for almost 20 years and I had money retrieve from my pay check every week at the time and it was to cover those kind of social programs... so now I don't feel guilty!!!
Some peoples in the last 2 years treat me like sh*t because i'm on the wellfare... some of them said that I didn't want to work, that I was coward and lazy, that I was just a piece of sh*t living in the hook of the society, that I didn't had any human rights... Trust me, hearing this is not helping you to get better...
Peoples who are not sick and work are often frustrated when they see someone on the wellfare... But they don't understand what it is to be depressive, anxious, bi-polar or whatever the disease you can have... they have no idea of what it is and they judge us... I hate those peoples...
It's like the TV announcement that play 1-2 years ago... where you see a guy in an hospital bed and all his co-worker go to see him and told him he choose a good time to take some holidays... That the best example of how peoples have bad jugdments and poor opinion about mental diseases...
Find a job when you can't get out of the house will not make me more happy... I understand that you can feel better about yourself and i'm proud of you that you have a job now, and I can understand that you now feel better because of this... but for some peoples, working is impossible...
When I will get better, I will start by doing volunter work, will have my own work schedule, just to put me again into the work world...will respect my limits... will return to school for sure at the same time and with hope I will be heal or stable and will be able to find a good job in my study field...
Posted by Vincent_QC on September 19, 2010, at 18:18:32
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Vincent_QC, posted by Maxime on September 19, 2010, at 18:02:52
> For the new meds that aren't covered you can get your doctor to fill out an exemption form and send it to the RAMQ. They usually accept the request. For instance, I can get Dexedrine no problem, but not Adderall. So my doctor has put in an exemption form so that I can get the Adderall. Although now I am thinking that Dexedrine is doing the same job as the Adderall XR. When I got Cymbalta my doctor had to fill out the form. It seems that new drugs aren't covered and then you have to fight to get them.
>Yeah, was on the Cipralex for 3 months with the RAMQ programm(Patient d'exception)...PDoc was out of samples box for it...
> I think you are allowed to earn up to $200 a month and it won't affect your Welfare. Perhaps you could start with a part time job for a while.
Yes 200$... but can't get out of my house (only for PDoc appointment and Therapy), have to work on my exposure, who is not easy... don't have the energy and the cognitives abilities to have a work for sure, thanks to the Clonazepam, just take a shower is making me so tired... can't imagine to have to deal with a work on the top of my anxiety disorders... I do it one step at the time... that's something I learn over the years...
Posted by Maxime on September 19, 2010, at 22:12:52
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Maxime, posted by Vincent_QC on September 19, 2010, at 18:09:54
Sorry, I didn't mean to generalize. I have been on Welfare a few times since 2001. It saved me. I couldn't work because I could barely function. So I know what it's like.
I am working now but have only worked 1 week. I still don't know if I will be able to keep my job. This is a test run for me. I really don't know how my body/brain will react to the stress of the job. I don't want to have a meltdown but it's at the back of my mind all the time.
Before I got this job I was volunteering and that helped me get out the house and face my fears. I am going to continue with my volunteer work even though I have a job. I really enjoy the volunteer work that I do. I think it's an excellent idea for you to try and do some. I know it's scary, but I find that when you volunteer, the organization is so appreciative and it feels good to receive positive comments.
So I am sorry if I offended you in any way. That was not my intention.
Take care.
Maxie
Posted by Maxime on September 19, 2010, at 22:21:47
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Maxime, posted by Vincent_QC on September 19, 2010, at 18:18:32
> Yes 200$... but can't get out of my house (only for PDoc appointment and Therapy), have to work on my exposure, who is not easy... don't have the energy and the cognitives abilities to have a work for sure, thanks to the Clonazepam, just take a shower is making me so tired... can't imagine to have to deal with a work on the top of my anxiety disorders... I do it one step at the time... that's something I learn over the years...
Have your doctors looked at the possibility that you have something in addition to the psych problems? Have you had your thyroid tested and all that fun stuff?
Anxiety is scary. It feels like something is swallowing you whole. I am glad to hear that you are doing therapy in addition to seeing the psychiatrist. What do you find helps the most? Therapy or meds? I imagine a combination of the two.
Do you feel like your pdoc is trying appropriate meds for you? Is there a med that you would like to try but your pdoc doesn't think it will work?
Sorry for all the questions.
Posted by Vincent_QC on September 20, 2010, at 10:28:50
In reply to Re: oh canada!, posted by Maxime on September 19, 2010, at 22:21:47
> Have your doctors looked at the possibility that you have something in addition to the psych problems? Have you had your thyroid tested and all that fun stuff?
>Yes Max, had several blood test since 2008... I had anemia with low hemoglobin level last year because of internal hemorrhoids, but the problem is solve now, i'm still loosing a little bit of blood, once in a while, and have one external hemorrhoid, but the Surgeon who do the surgery last november to remove the hemorrhoids will look at that next month...
They also test the thyroid (TSH, TS3, TS4) and it's ok. I also had an big blood test last may, everything was ok at the time, Vit B level are good, testosterone level is high, all vitamins as ok, just the Vit D who was low but I double my dose now and it's ok.
Also all the other stuff like some infections or intoxications to silver filling (mercury) or anything else important has been rulled out...
Last year I was also often exhausted and tired. The Doc told me it was because of the low hemoglobin level and the anemia... since I had the hemorrhoids surgery and stop loosing a lot of blood, the iron level and hemoglobin level are perfect and my energy level is lower than before, I have no energy and don'T know what happen, sometimes I blame the Benzo meds for the sedation, but it's not sedation, I feel physically weak.
I don't know if it's possible, but I had anemia and low hemoglobin level for 2 years (had to wait 2 years to have the hemorrhoids surgery), had to go to the CLSC every week to receive IV iron treatment (Venofer)... and when that happen, the blood don't get enough oxygen so the heart beat faster...and the brain is also affected by the low oxygen level.
Since I had the surgery last november and that my iron and hemoglobin level are ok, my heart beat is most of the time very low, above 55 beat per minute, even if I smoke ... It was never like that before, I always had a heart beat of 80 at rest...
The only time I will get fast pulse rate now will be when I do a panic attack OR when I take my shower... Is it possible that since I have more oxygen in my blood and brains that my heart decrease his pulse rate naturally?
Is it possible that the pain from the surgery I had last november trigger extreme panic disorder and agoraphobia with chronic symptoms like tension headache, dizziness, depersonalisation, numb scalp of the head, eyes pain, numb left arm, sweating hands???
> Anxiety is scary. It feels like something is swallowing you whole. I am glad to hear that you are doing therapy in addition to seeing the psychiatrist. What do you find helps the most? Therapy or meds? I imagine a combination of the two.
>Therapy don't help... Exposure is not working on me, i'm worse than before I start the Therapy. Free therapy are like that most of the time, the Psychologist don't have the time to talk with you, they only explain to you how to do exposure exercises and they only talk about that, they don't listen to you... if you start talking about your symptoms they stop you and say it's not good to talk about that!!!
I succeed last week to explain to the Psychologist that exposure was to agressive for me and that I needed to talk... I have at least 3 personnality disorders that waiting to be treat (avoidant personnality, dependent personnality and antisocial personality) and talking about my problems to someone who is not a friend or a member of my family help me more than exposure...
I hate being rushed and forced to do things, and I find it not logical that a Psychologist told me to continue to drive my car when I have a panic attack and don't stop my car or don't call someone with my cellphone when that's happening... First of all, i'm taking high dose of Rivotril, who decrease my cognitives abilities and reflex, so drive is already hard to do so if I add the anxiety on the top of that it's harder to drive... secondly, I don't want to do a car crash and kill someone because I do a panic attack, I don't care about my car or my self, I care about the others... I understand that the Psychologist don't want that I stop driving because she think it will help me to face my fears but too much exposure is not good!!! Yeah, we do a list with more easy exposure situation like taking a walk or stay in the shower when I have a panic attack... but for now just the word exposure make me sick...
I don't just have a panic disorder problem, I have chronic symptoms, some of them are weirds and they affect me every day... I'm expose to anxiety and fears 24 h a day... so I already do exposure...Anyway...
> Do you feel like your pdoc is trying appropriate meds for you? Is there a med that you would like to try but your pdoc doesn't think it will work?
>No, the PDoc do the best he can, having another one will not help me...we try everything with the exception of the Luvox, lithium, lamictal and some of older anticonvulsives meds like the Tegretol who are not good for panic/social anxiety... and by everything I mean everything, not just antidepressants meds...
The choice of meds are now limited, extend release are not digest in my intestine because I had a gastric by-pass, and sadly the newer meds are most of the time time release... So will have nothing to help me before new meds will be out in the Canada... Maybe the Valdoxan or the other one Vildazone???
For now i'm trying to be back on the Paxil but for an unknow reason, I can't take more than 0.5 mg of it... last summer I was at 20 mg without any major side-effects except the weight gain... and my panic disorder was under control, I stop it because of the weight gain and before the surgery panic stay under control...and I see now that it was a mistake to stop the Paxil... I was thinking also that the sedation and the extreme fatigue was linked to the Paxil + anemia but I see now it was not the Paxil... I was already tired before it...
> Sorry for all the questions.That's ok for me ! I like to write! lol
Posted by emmanuel98 on September 20, 2010, at 19:36:43
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Maxime, posted by Vincent_QC on September 20, 2010, at 10:28:50
Vincent - A pulse rate of 55 is a little on the low side, but not really below normal. Probably because you are young. Younger people tend to have slower pulses than older people. In the 80s is actually on the high side and you tend to find it in people who are older or out of shape. So you should cross that off your worry list.
Posted by Vincent_QC on September 20, 2010, at 19:46:57
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Vincent_QC, posted by emmanuel98 on September 20, 2010, at 19:36:43
> Vincent - A pulse rate of 55 is a little on the low side, but not really below normal. Probably because you are young. Younger people tend to have slower pulses than older people. In the 80s is actually on the high side and you tend to find it in people who are older or out of shape. So you should cross that off your worry list.
**************************************************
Thanks for your support ;-)
Well, i'm not in shape and I don't do physical activities since more than 1 1/2 years now and of course I smoke, so I was just wondering if it was normal that my pulse rate at rest decrease from 80-90 pulse rate to 55-60... BUT the pulse rate also tend to increase to more than 120 when I take my shower or do a small physical effort...
I guess the anxiety can do that also, I mean decrease the pulse rate... Anyway thanks for your answer!
Posted by Conundrum on September 20, 2010, at 21:42:41
In reply to Re: oh canada! » emmanuel98, posted by Vincent_QC on September 20, 2010, at 19:46:57
would you guys trade your health care system for health care in the U.S?
Posted by olivia12 on September 20, 2010, at 22:06:10
In reply to Re: oh canada!, posted by Conundrum on September 20, 2010, at 21:42:41
I would...in a minute:)
Posted by Deneb on September 20, 2010, at 22:41:56
In reply to Re: oh canada!, posted by Conundrum on September 20, 2010, at 21:42:41
No, I would most definitely not trade in the health care system in Canada for one in the U.S. I see my pdoc twice a month and she has helped me a lot. I've been unemployed and I wouldn't be able to get this level of healthcare in the U.S. while unemployed.
Posted by olivia12 on September 20, 2010, at 23:01:28
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Conundrum, posted by Deneb on September 20, 2010, at 22:41:56
Well, then we are both happy:) I don't want yours and you don't want mine--win-win:)
Posted by Vincent_QC on September 21, 2010, at 7:03:18
In reply to Re: oh canada!, posted by Conundrum on September 20, 2010, at 21:42:41
> would you guys trade your health care system for health care in the U.S?
Not really... I think both US or Canada health care system have their problems...
The god parts of the Canadian health care system is that if you can't work and didn't have private inssurance, the Government will take care of you and pay for most of the meds and you will have extra money with the wellfare because your PDoc fill out a medical report...
Posted by Conundrum on September 21, 2010, at 7:05:35
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Conundrum, posted by Vincent_QC on September 21, 2010, at 7:03:18
So you're saying that you can get more money from welfare because your doctor filled out a report? Am I understanding that correctly? I think we have the same thing but its called SSI. Where you are deemed unable to work due to physical or mental disabilities.
Posted by Vincent_QC on September 21, 2010, at 7:24:38
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Vincent_QC, posted by Conundrum on September 21, 2010, at 7:05:35
> So you're saying that you can get more money from welfare because your doctor filled out a report? Am I understanding that correctly? I think we have the same thing but its called SSI. Where you are deemed unable to work due to physical or mental disabilities.
Hummm interresting!!!
Well, the medical report is studied by Doctors who work for the wellfare and they sometimes refuse it, even if they approve the previous one... Also, if the medical report is approved, normally it's for a short period of time of 3-4 or 5 months... and you need to ask the PDoc to fill out another medical report after that period, if not, they stop to pay the extra money (118$) and put you on a list of peoples who are able and ready to work and they start calling you at home ( very insistant, they put pressure on you) and you have to search for a job, have to meet employers and give 10 CV each week and bring to the Wellfare office the proof that you give your CV's each week...
Each time I send to them a medical report, I always wonder if it will be approved... they don't approved 3 of them in the last 3 years and I write complaints and take action against them and they finally approved the 3 medical reports!
It's just adding more stress and anxiety to the problem... just for 118 $ of money...
Posted by Phillipa on September 21, 2010, at 19:34:21
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Conundrum, posted by Vincent_QC on September 21, 2010, at 7:24:38
Our Medicaire is based on the amount of money you have earned in your lifetime. So the amount is different for each person. Phillipa
Posted by Maxime on September 21, 2010, at 19:51:52
In reply to Re: oh canada!, posted by Conundrum on September 20, 2010, at 21:42:41
> would you guys trade your health care system for health care in the U.S?
I would not. I lived in Washington DC for about a year and a half. When I worked at PBS I had no health coverage so that was very hard. Then I worked I Greenpeace and had coverage. But I found dealing with insurance company very hard to do especially when I was not well.
Posted by Maxime on September 21, 2010, at 19:59:06
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Vincent_QC, posted by Conundrum on September 21, 2010, at 7:05:35
> So you're saying that you can get more money from welfare because your doctor filled out a report? Am I understanding that correctly? I think we have the same thing but its called SSI. Where you are deemed unable to work due to physical or mental disabilities.
I can't remember what the basic amount is, it is around $575. If you cannot work due to disability (physical or mental) your doctor fills out a form so that you can receive around $850 a month. Even though I have mental illness, I never had my doctor fill out he form because I am able to work. I didn't want to go on disability because I don't see myself as such.
Posted by Deneb on September 21, 2010, at 20:15:11
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Conundrum, posted by Maxime on September 21, 2010, at 19:59:06
I've had major problems with my mental illness too, but I've never gotten money from the government. I can work, but I've had a lot of problems with finding suitable work. My most recent stint was working at Tim Hortons. It didn't work out for me.
I just learned there is a program to help people with disabilities find work. I really hope I qualify! I want to find work so bad!
Posted by Conundrum on September 21, 2010, at 21:58:01
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Maxime, posted by Deneb on September 21, 2010, at 20:15:11
I was gonna eat there when I was in Ontario but they didn't accept visa!
Posted by Conundrum on September 21, 2010, at 21:58:51
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Maxime, posted by Deneb on September 21, 2010, at 20:15:11
Oh in my last post I didn't state that I have never been to Tim Horton's before.
Posted by Deneb on September 21, 2010, at 22:04:20
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Deneb, posted by Conundrum on September 21, 2010, at 21:58:01
Yeah, it's stupid! Once I almost couldn't pay because they didn't accept VISA or debt! I was lucky to dig out enough change to pay for my freaking coffee and donut. LOL
Posted by Deneb on September 21, 2010, at 22:05:29
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Conundrum, posted by Deneb on September 21, 2010, at 22:04:20
Posted by Vincent_QC on September 22, 2010, at 7:13:40
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Conundrum, posted by Maxime on September 21, 2010, at 19:59:06
> I can't remember what the basic amount is, it is around $575. If you cannot work due to disability (physical or mental) your doctor fills out a form so that you can receive around $850 a month. Even though I have mental illness, I never had my doctor fill out he form because I am able to work. I didn't want to go on disability because I don't see myself as such.**********************************************
For your information, it's 582 $ for someone who can work...
For the medical report fill out by the Doc, it'S only a temporary situation, that's not a permanent situation that's why they only approve medical report for short period of 3-4-5 months... and the money allow for temporary disability is only 582 $ (basic wellfare) + 118 $ (Temporary disibality).
Peoples with diseases who are permanent, mean that can't be heal or degenerative diseases receive the full disability wellfare plan who is around 850 $...
I also didn't wanted to go on the disability at first, but sometimes we have no choice and I think I felt guilty, frustrated and I felt shame A LOT when I first go in disability... But I learn to accept my life now... In my family, being on the wellfare is something unacceptable, i'm the first one to be disable from work... that was hard for me at first to hear bad comments from my own family... after I hear bad comments from peoples around me (friends and others peoples that I meet...)... anyway...
Posted by Maxime on September 22, 2010, at 18:51:38
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Maxime, posted by Deneb on September 21, 2010, at 20:15:11
> I've had major problems with my mental illness too, but I've never gotten money from the government. I can work, but I've had a lot of problems with finding suitable work. My most recent stint was working at Tim Hortons. It didn't work out for me.
>
> I just learned there is a program to help people with disabilities find work. I really hope I qualify! I want to find work so bad!
>
>Hey Deneb, that is how I got my current job. There is an organisation that helps people with mental illness find jobs. They usually have jobs for which they will send in your CV and if it's a good fit ... a job!
Posted by Maxime on September 22, 2010, at 18:56:41
In reply to Re: oh canada! » Maxime, posted by Vincent_QC on September 22, 2010, at 7:13:40
From what I know about how you suffer every day, I think it's a good idea to be on Welfare and to get the extra amount. I mean, you can't leave your house! There is no way that you can work right now. Hopefully you will find relief some day from a regime of meds that works better than you the one you are taking now.
You won't be on Welfare forever and if you are, well, so be it. But suspect that you will someday be able to leave the house and take on even a part time job to begin with.
Hang in there!
This is the end of the thread.
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