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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lonely on January 23, 2005, at 21:50:29
My hubby finished his neuropsych study on Dec. 23rd. The psychologist said she would call him and me (his wife) back for a feedback session but never did. This was of some concern as he was just diagnosed w/MS and getting worse. I called her 3 times and the referring physician twice plus a letter before we finally got an appt. I vented to the clerk that I had no confidence in the psychologist and thought she was unprofessional. Probably not the smartest thing I've ever done. I still think one month to get a 4 hour test report together is way too much. Any insights from anyone?
During the feedback, basically, the neuropsych said that things are the same as 2 years ago when he had the last test. That really surprised both of us as my hubby felt he had memory loss and so did I. In fact, his neurologist (referring physician) called on Fri. am ready to give him a memory drug - Namenda - and I know he had the report. My therapist tells me that early stage dementia is an on-off thing so I don't know if the neuro-psych didn't do the right tests or if it was a "snapshot" of him at the best time. What SHOULD be done in the way of evaluation??? And, for that matter, what about some sort of theraputic interventions. He's had 6 years psychotherapy and 8 years of med therapy and it hasn't significantly helped.
Psychologist (alias neuropsych) said his "cognitive abilities appear well preserved and adequate for effective daily functioning. However, he did demonstrate relative weakness in auditory and visual attention. ... mild impairment in fine motor performance in the right hand. ... mild impairment in word fluency. These focal neurological deficits are consistent with a history of stroke or a demyelinating process."
At the end, she informed me that the marriage is on its last legs and she recommended marriage counseling (which insurance will not pay for and is not possible) or divorce was a good idea. We've been married 30+ years - my hubby is bipolar and has a history of attempted homicide, bankruptcy, suicidal ideation (in the report) and a history of bad family and interpersonal relationships and I would say some delusional thinking. She said his bizarre behavior at home is due to stress and that I was trying too hard to make the marriage work and mothering him too much. However, I've learned the hard way that if I don't take charge, important things will not get done - i.e., bills paid.
It seems my hubby (per later conv.) never trusted people because he's afraid they're going to leave or hurt him. No historical basis for it. My therapist suggested that's part of the manic depression and I do know that manic depression often goes with MS. So, I'm totally bewildered, hurt, and angry. Anyone else have any insight into this type of behavior and BP or other mental illness? I really don't think this neuropsych has the credentials for the neuropsych part even though she is credentialed as a psychologist.
Somehow, I don't think that 4 hours with my hubby quite gets it in terms of really accurate and thorough diagnosis.
A question I have ... on one page of the report they give "General Intellectual Ability (WAIS-III) in which he scored high average on Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, and Full Scale IQ. It says "Verbal .............SS) and below that "Vocabulary" 14 then Similarities 15, then Arithmetic 11, then Digit Span 7, then Information 15, then Comprehension 17, then Letter-Number Sequencing 8. Beside that column there is Performance SS and Picture Completion 12, Digit Symbol - Coding 9, Block Design 12, Matrix Reasoning 11, Picture Arrangement 14, Symbol Search 11.
So, does anyone know what "SS" means and what the numbers mean? I do know that he scored at a 7th grade level in spelling and an 8th grade level in arithemtic (he knows more than that - just uses calculators and got rusty). What does the rest mean?
I'm still mad as all get out, and not sure what to do. BAsically, the psychologist took a bad situation and made it worse. I will complain to the referring physician but beyond that not sure what to do.
Anyone else have these experiences?
Posted by gardenergirl on January 23, 2005, at 22:16:02
In reply to Upset w/psychologist, Questions on neuropsych test, posted by Lonely on January 23, 2005, at 21:50:29
Hi, I can help with the WAIS-III questions. SS means scaled score. They take the raw score he got on the test and compare it to the scores of the hundreds (if not thousands) of people who took the test in order to develop normal scores, and then translate the raw score into the scaled score.
A scale score of 10 is the mean or average. If you get 3 above or below 10, that is significantly higher or lower than the average.
Feel free to turn on your babblemail and babblemail me if you want more info. about intrepreting the WAIS. And you could also complain to your State Board of Psychology if you feel the psychologist is not qualified to be doing the kind of testing you had.
Good luck,
gg
Posted by Lonely on January 23, 2005, at 23:22:20
In reply to Re: Upset w/psychologist, Questions on neuropsych test, posted by gardenergirl on January 23, 2005, at 22:16:02
> Hi, I can help with the WAIS-III questions. SS means scaled score. They take the raw score he got on the test and compare it to the scores of the hundreds (if not thousands) of people who took the test in order to develop normal scores, and then translate the raw score into the scaled score.
>
> A scale score of 10 is the mean or average. If you get 3 above or below 10, that is significantly higher or lower than the average.
>
> Feel free to turn on your babblemail and babblemail me if you want more info. about intrepreting the WAIS. And you could also complain to your State Board of Psychology if you feel the psychologist is not qualified to be doing the kind of testing you had.
>
> Good luck,
> gg
Thank you so much, Gardener Girl! Please, tell me how to turn on the babblemail !!! I didn't know there was such a thing! Yes, would love to hear/communicate re these technicalities. Sounds excellent. Again, thanks.
Posted by alexandra_k on January 24, 2005, at 0:48:05
In reply to Re: Upset w/psychologist, HOW TO TURN ON B-MAIL? » gardenergirl, posted by Lonely on January 23, 2005, at 23:22:20
Hi.
If you go to 'register' (there is a link near the top of the page) then you can 're register'. From there you should be able to change your settings to turn babblemail on.
To send somebody a babblemail just open a post they have posted. Their name should appear as a blue link at the top of the post (mine should be like that now). You just click on that and babblemail from there. The babblemail will be sent to the email address that the poster registered with. They will not be able to see your email address, and you will not be able to see theirs. You cannot reply to babblemail by hitting 'reply' but you can send them a babblemail back by following that same process.
Hope this helps...
Posted by Lonely on January 24, 2005, at 2:01:46
In reply to Babblemail » Lonely, posted by alexandra_k on January 24, 2005, at 0:48:05
Posted by bimini on January 25, 2005, at 10:45:54
In reply to Upset w/psychologist, Questions on neuropsych test, posted by Lonely on January 23, 2005, at 21:50:29
>"cognitive abilities appear well preserved and adequate for effective daily functioning.
I understand how this is upsetting. With a span of 10 scale points your husband functions to me seem more difficult to deal with than if the range was narrower. I don't know really, just my logic.
For example I have Process Composites from the 1 to the 126 percentile. The report put me in the intarct functioning range, compared to the scale of 1000 other people, not my own.
"adequate for effective daily functioning" for whom?Also some test components I find biased culturally or outdated. Others don't incorporate language and vision differences and more, for example the STROOP NST.
I don't know what should be done or what therapeutic intervention is recommended. Try contacting MS support groups, people who have walked in your shoes.
bimini
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