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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by leo33 on July 13, 2011, at 12:39:57
I am being told at the clinic I go to that because I have a low tolerance for meds and their side effects, I have been on all SSRI's/SNRI's Wellbutrin, lithium, all 2nd Generation AP's, etc..
that I must have personality disorder. It seems that what is being taught is that if a person doesn't respond to Meds then they have an Axis 2 disorder, hence I am now labeled with borderline, dependent, histronic and several other pesonality disorders. Interestingly enough Klonopin worked well for many years but they will not prescribe at the clinic since I medicated with Medical marijuana when I had no meds. So too everyone who has trouble being cured with meds, you must all be suffering from personality disorders and there is no meds that are gonna work, so I am being told by the clinics. What do you guys think??
Posted by Phillipa on July 13, 2011, at 12:55:02
In reply to If meds don't work, posted by leo33 on July 13, 2011, at 12:39:57
Well I disagree. I don't respond to meds anymore but also responed to benzos. So I guess I'm the same as you per your clinic. Phillipa
Posted by floatingbridge on July 13, 2011, at 13:11:54
In reply to If meds don't work, posted by leo33 on July 13, 2011, at 12:39:57
Hi Leo,
I dunno. I think it's a default position people/providers can adopt when they are they themselves feeling at their wit's end with patients. There is a point where psychological issues need to be looked at AND a point where that needs to be put aside. I have finally told some people with that agenda to f*ck off. But I had to have some people who really know me advocate for me.
I think I am going to a private wholestic shrink (hear the sound of hemorrhaging money :-/). I freely confess to being neurotic, but....with my med sensitivities and current state, not having any psychiatric treatment period is unwise.
What else is the clinic saying? Are they referring you to therapy? As long as they treat you in a medically sound manner, decent therapy is a good adjunct. But not if it's done pejoratively....
:-/
> I am being told at the clinic I go to that because I have a low tolerance for meds and their side effects, I have been on all SSRI's/SNRI's Wellbutrin, lithium, all 2nd Generation AP's, etc..
> that I must have personality disorder. It seems that what is being taught is that if a person doesn't respond to Meds then they have an Axis 2 disorder, hence I am now labeled with borderline, dependent, histronic and several other pesonality disorders. Interestingly enough Klonopin worked well for many years but they will not prescribe at the clinic since I medicated with Medical marijuana when I had no meds. So too everyone who has trouble being cured with meds, you must all be suffering from personality disorders and there is no meds that are gonna work, so I am being told by the clinics. What do you guys think??
Posted by Christ_empowered on July 13, 2011, at 13:17:22
In reply to Re: If meds don't work, posted by floatingbridge on July 13, 2011, at 13:11:54
dude, shrinks did the same thing to me. I'd been on everything (largely because I discontinued a lot of meds b/c of side-effects) and still had problems, so...Narcissism. Must be Narcissism, right?
Wrong. I discontinued meds and ended up in a psych ward 2 years later, only to discover--surprise, surprise--that a common med combo was just the ticket to keeping things on an even keel.
So don't feel bad. It sounds like you already know what works for you (Klonopin) and so do they, but since you're not getting better on their terms, it must just be some axis 2 crap. Can you go anywhere else? I mean, its just a benzodiazepine. I don't see why they won't give you the 1 thing that actually works.
I will say that there are also supplements that, though not as potent in the short-term as Klonopin, can give you comparable effects over the long haul. For me, that would be 3 grams niacinamide+6 grams taurine, plus a bunch of other helpful stuff. Just throwing that out there for you.
Sorry about your situation; good luck to you.
Posted by sigismund on July 13, 2011, at 13:47:15
In reply to If meds don't work, posted by leo33 on July 13, 2011, at 12:39:57
Nonsense, self justifying nonsense...that is what I think.
Posted by floatingbridge on July 13, 2011, at 16:30:06
In reply to Re: If meds don't work » leo33, posted by sigismund on July 13, 2011, at 13:47:15
> Nonsense, self justifying nonsense...that is what I think.
CE & sigi,
I am finding both of your posts refreshingly sound and helpful.
Posted by jono_IN_ADELAIDE on July 13, 2011, at 20:01:46
In reply to Re: If meds don't work, posted by floatingbridge on July 13, 2011, at 16:30:06
It used to be pretty widely accepted that there were two types of depression, one type (endrogenous) was helped my antidepressants, the other type wasnt.
What name they give the type that isnt helped by meds doesnt realy matter much, its extremely sad for people with that subtype that current drugs dont help them, but that cant be changed by indignation alone.
If you find Klonopin helps (and you can use it sensibly, as directed, with no self advised dose increases etc) then I would go to another psychiatrist and see if s/he is willing to prescribe, and basicly, keep seeking other opinions un til you find a sympathetic docotr who will help you. Sure you will become dependant on it, but if it helps you live a better, happier, fuller life, so what?
Posted by Phillipa on July 13, 2011, at 20:12:01
In reply to Re: If meds don't work, posted by jono_IN_ADELAIDE on July 13, 2011, at 20:01:46
I feel or think could be exogenous? Phillipa
Posted by Christ_empowered on July 14, 2011, at 0:56:39
In reply to Re: If meds don't work » jono_IN_ADELAIDE, posted by Phillipa on July 13, 2011, at 20:12:01
I think they called it reactive depression or neurotic depression. These days they just lump everybody into the depression category and throw reuptake inhibitors at them. I guess that's progress in psychiatric circles.
Posted by bleauberry on July 14, 2011, at 20:17:39
In reply to welcome to psychiatry, posted by Christ_empowered on July 13, 2011, at 13:17:22
> dude, shrinks did the same thing to me. I'd been on everything (largely because I discontinued a lot of meds b/c of side-effects) and still had problems, so...Narcissism. Must be Narcissism, right?
>
> Wrong. I discontinued meds and ended up in a psych ward 2 years later, only to discover--surprise, surprise--that a common med combo was just the ticket to keeping things on an even keel.
>
> So don't feel bad. It sounds like you already know what works for you (Klonopin) and so do they, but since you're not getting better on their terms, it must just be some axis 2 crap. Can you go anywhere else? I mean, its just a benzodiazepine. I don't see why they won't give you the 1 thing that actually works.
>
> I will say that there are also supplements that, though not as potent in the short-term as Klonopin, can give you comparable effects over the long haul. For me, that would be 3 grams niacinamide+6 grams taurine, plus a bunch of other helpful stuff. Just throwing that out there for you.
>
> Sorry about your situation; good luck to you.I just wanted to say I agree with this poster. Well said. It is weird, I actually think alternative strategies (supplements/herbs) should be first line treatment, and prescription meds second line. I just wanted to echo the above poster in that the potential and the potency of various plants and supplements are generally much more than people might think. Some common ones would include valerian root, passion flower, lemon balm, skullcap. If it is a hormonal issue involving cortisol, then eleuthero, cordyceps,, rhodiola. Gaba, taurine, glycine, niacinimide, magnesium. And others. Mix two or three of these after trying them singularly and you've got a decent chance of not needing meds.
Posted by mtdewcmu on July 18, 2011, at 13:10:39
In reply to If meds don't work, posted by leo33 on July 13, 2011, at 12:39:57
You would think they would be smarter about Personality Disorders than to just throw the label around with almost no evidence. I think PDs are an interesting and potentially useful part of psychiatry, but they require more evidence to diagnose than just non-response to a few ADs. If you have highly chronic and refractory depression, then it makes sense to look for possible underlying causes, including non-psychiatric conditions and Axis II disorders. But there is no justification to reach for a PD diagnosis on the basis of such flimsy evidence as you doctor apparently did. I asked one of my previous psychiatrists for documentation of my ADHD once a couple years ago, and I received a list of diagnoses that included "rule out Hypochondria." I have no idea where that came from, as I had none of the characteristic symptoms of that disorder.
This is the end of the thread.
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