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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by IsoM on May 24, 2002, at 0:55:27
Okay, Jon, how many fingers am I holding up now? Just count my fingers, no fair including the feathers.
Seriously, how are you feeling today & are you still hallucinating? Did you get ahold of your doctor & what did he say? Let us know, please.
Posted by JonW on May 24, 2002, at 10:54:28
In reply to for JON W. - how you feeling now?, posted by IsoM on May 24, 2002, at 0:55:27
Hi IsoM,
I really appreciate the concern. The hallucinations and paranoia have subsided, but I still see some spots and blotches which is annoying. I called the doctor and he was shocked by the 40mg. He said the spots should go away within a few days and that makes me feel much better. I misunderstood his instructions, but I think he's mad at me and thinks I'm an addict. I don't know if you'd call it a learning disability or not, but I have difficulty understanding people when they talk fast and not very clearly. He has a fast, laidback voice which is hard to understand, and I'll ask him to repeat something once but my social phobia keeps me from asking him again. In person it's not a problem, but this was over the phone. Anyway, I didn't understand him exactly when he prescribed it and this last conversation he said something in an "I don't believe you" tone of voice. I'm often overly sensitive, and it may not even be the case at all. And as I'm without the dexedrine, my mood continues to fall which is loads of fun! :)
Jon
Posted by katekite on May 24, 2002, at 13:57:26
In reply to Re: for JON W. - how you feeling now? » IsoM, posted by JonW on May 24, 2002, at 10:54:28
For the next time you go in, write down or print out what you just wrote above, or something similar, and give it to him.
Something like: "I really don't want what happened with dexedrine to happen again. I have a hard time sometimes catching verbal instructions, which I find kind of embarrassing. Sometimes if I don't hear I hate to seem like a pest asking over and over -- I know I should ask you to repeat it but sometimes I think I will figure it out later, and then make a wrong assumption. It would help me out to provide really detailed written instructions. If we're talking about changes on the phone it might be a good idea to get me to repeat back to you the plan, so that we're both clear that I'm clear. Or if you have another idea about how I can handle this, please let me know. Thanks.'
I'm terrible at saying things in person, I'm much more coherent on paper. So I think it was my therapist who said 'take a list', which you can read from or just hand to them. Once I even told them not to read it til after, LOL, which didn't help much for that appointment but at least I did tell them what I needed to. Shrinks don't bat an eye at this, they are used to it. Lists or reading from something you wrote is totally appropriate if it helps.
You know your shrink would rather know that you're bad with verbal directions and concerned it could happen again, rather than have to wonder if you took 40 mg on purpose. If you say (or write) nothing they are free to assume the worst.
They will be happy to remember to get you to repeat instructions back, or give more detailed instructions in the first place, in order to prevent future accidents.
Also, if you tell them that you have some trouble with verbal directions, it lets them off the hook too as then they don't have to wonder if they mis-spoke (which they'd feel really bad about).
I'm glad you have gotten through the worst of it. Didn't sound fun. Hope your mood lifts soon.
kate
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