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Tips on getting your doc to take you seriously?


Ghormeh Sabzi

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I'm getting absolutely nowhere trying to convince my doc that I have altered my brain as a result of drug-use - and it is proving incredibly frustrating. <_<

Apparently all my symptoms are as a result of "anxiety". Even a communication from Dr. Abraham won't help - "he's just some guy who I don't know".

I'm going to change to a different doctor, but fear the new one will say the same thing.

I don't have the money for private treatment.

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Yeah this is what im going through right now. I actually managed to convince my doctor i have HPPD, but he has no idea what it is really and has no experience treating it. That and he read a paper written by David Kozin on it in the harvord magazine by accident.

Honestly your best bet is to go to a new doctor and lie. I have found that MOST doctors do not give a shit about there patients. The first doctor i went to nearly 10 years ago before i knew about HPPD and was struggling with anxiety and depression as well told me to man up and get a job. He than called my mom and told her that if i dont get a job within 2 weeks to kick me out of the house. Needless to say i did not go back.

For my last doctor i told him i was diagnosed with this by 3 other doctors before him. I was never officially diagnosed, but KNOWING i have it, i feel no shame in lying about it to get him to beleive the disorder really exists. Otherwise he will thank i am psychotic and give me risperdol (which he tried to do anyways).

Also what you should do is CALL the doctor before hand and ask if he is familiar with HPPD and explain that you HAVE been diagnosed with it but do not want to see a doctor that is not experienced enough to know what it is. If they say no he doesnt know chances are you DONT want to see him.

Bottom line do not go in seeking there approval, come off confident that you KNOW you have it, and if he tries to convince you that its something else stand your ground.

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Thanks for the advice. I think it would help being more confident that I have it. I wanted to rule out some other things first though and said that, but unfortunately I think that made me seem like a hypochondriac.

Some of that isn't really an option - I am going through the NHS in England so all records will be on file. I can change my doctor and/or practice but can't speak with a doc until I have the appointment.

I've asked to be referred to someone who I know is aware of the condition, but even that is proving a hassle.

But if I am diagnosed with HPPD by Dr. Abraham that should help - at least then I can say I have been diagnosed with it.

Had an appointment today but left feeling totally frustrated and stressed that I wasn't being taken seriously, which is only making matters worse.

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Fuck it man, its not like there is any medicines besides benzos that can really help with your HPPD. At this point I would just order some benzos (valium, xanax, klonopin) from the website Lucid listed on this forum and kiss these so called doctors off. Just be sure to not abuse them, obviously.

Otherwise, if you have depression or anxiety, you dont really need to tell them about HPPD just focus on that alone, they will give you the wrong meds if you dont.

You dont need there symphathy man. Psychiatrists especially are bad about giving a fuck. All they care about is giving you medicine and pushing you out the door. They do not want to hear your `problems`.

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I'm not sure benzos are for me. I want to try something with less side effects like Keppra.

I don't have DP/DR. My main problems are my visuals, headaches, tiredness and cognitive impairments. I study a pretty intense and intellectually challenging course at a top institution, and it's proving impossible to keep up. I worked my ass off to get in and now it feels as though I'm going to drop out.

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3 psychs have tried to put me on Antipsychs, one neurologist ran tests, found nothin, said i just need to get my act together and stop drug use, one dumbass doctor said all my symptoms were a result of depression...gave up on em...i realized it was for the best anyway, I wanna cure myself, not become dependent on some drug

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yeah be careful with benzos, i mean i personally do buy my own valium n such but i have a mate round the corner that sells em me for cheap its too easy living in a main city in manchester to get benzos, but ive always even before any of this been super careful with them i know alot of people that hav had problems with them so i know how easy it is to end up addicted. but yeah im in the UK too i honestly think your best bet is to ask to be referred to a mental health professional, im in the uk as well and thats what ive had to do! my hppd seems to come in waves though so i keep thinkin its gone and cancelling all my appointments n stuff lol

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yeah be careful with benzos, i mean i personally do buy my own valium n such but i have a mate round the corner that sells em me for cheap its too easy living in a main city in manchester to get benzos, but ive always even before any of this been super careful with them i know alot of people that hav had problems with them so i know how easy it is to end up addicted. but yeah im in the UK too i honestly think your best bet is to ask to be referred to a mental health professional, im in the uk as well and thats what ive had to do! my hppd seems to come in waves though so i keep thinkin its gone and cancelling all my appointments n stuff lol

lol i've cancelled 2 appointments so far for the same reason

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Wow, it's crazy this is coming up right now. I just read some of my old med. record and it has psychosomatic all over it. It makes me so angry I could scream. I had one doc who in a sarcastic manner would ask, well what do you see, exactly. I answered something like geometric patterns on the wall and he rolled his fucking eyes. Do they understand how painful it is to be treated like this? I had something like a psychotic break and finally in the hospital a doc who really cared dx me. The docs I have now pretty much have let me explain it to them and they are almost letting me prescribe my own meds. We are basically experimenting. What worries me is how many young people are being locked up for psychosis when they could have pretty normal lives with the right care. I hope this gets out there soon.

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Wow, it's crazy this is coming up right now. I just read some of my old med. record and it has psychosomatic all over it. It makes me so angry I could scream. I had one doc who in a sarcastic manner would ask, well what do you see, exactly. I answered something like geometric patterns on the wall and he rolled his fucking eyes. Do they understand how painful it is to be treated like this? I had something like a psychotic break and finally in the hospital a doc who really cared dx me. The docs I have now pretty much have let me explain it to them and they are almost letting me prescribe my own meds. We are basically experimenting. What worries me is how many young people are being locked up for psychosis when they could have pretty normal lives with the right care. I hope this gets out there soon.

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Hello Boogres, I'm a lot better than I was and doing very well actually. Glad someone, somewhere remembers me, thanks. Hope you're good. I had stopped driving, but I'm driving again. I can't deal with the highway though. Getting out of self really helps and playing music. How have things been with you? By the way I take a good deal of medicine. Neurontin, clonodine, Cymbalta, and Wellbutrin. Together these meds seem to be helping. I can't take benzos. Take care

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Oh yeah I am the one who got this 30 yrs later or maybe it was just dormant. One reason for that I think is that I stopped doing drugs and alcohol in 1983 and then when I had surgery and was in ICU they pumped me full of drugs. I don't think anyone really knows. For this to happen is the rarest of things so don't worry. I also have ptsd, maj. depression, learning disability etc. I don't pay particular attention to these dxs, because most everybody these days has some combination of these things. Sorry I get long winded at times.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Presented a bunch of articles to my doc including that visual snow abstract I posted - she is now finally on board. She said we could trial Keppra but Sinemet may have to be prescribed by the neuro. Although I'm not going to use any meds for the time being, this is positive news.

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