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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 alan on November 30, 1998, at 12:19:10
1. Thanks Toby for the info on stopping lithium. I do
indeed feel somewhat strangely normal, mood partially
excepted; even my students (such is my job) are happy
to be able to read my writing, much of it math symbols!
2. My second question is probably better posed to my fellow psychiatric patients. Do you have any understanding with your doctor about calling between appointments. My doctor seldom responds to my calls, which are not all that frequent, I think. I do not tthink any of my calls were over trivial matters, and one was quite important: my desipramine level was much (?) too high (checked with internist who faxed psycDoc-no, internist did not tell me); but PsycDoc took several days to respond. In another case I ended up getting colonoscopy for side effect of Wellbutrin.
(Admittedly, therre was some occult blood and a hemmorhoid (sic?)--my $3000 hemoroid. But had my internist been informed, had I stopped the Wellbutri.... In all other respects, I think my psyDoc is good; certainly, his reputation is.What experiences
have others had in this regard? Are there any tacit conventions governing this aspect of the doctor-patient relation? Personally, BTW, I think being billed for calls would be quite reasonable; a doctor's time IS a valuable commodity, and I understand that.
Posted by Nancy on November 30, 1998, at 20:35:10
In reply to Phoning doctor, posted by alan on November 30, 1998, at 12:19:10
...Do you have any understanding with your doctor about calling between appointments. My doctor seldom responds to my calls, which are not all that frequent, I think. I do not tthink any of my calls were over trivial matters...
Alan, I think you raised good points on the matter of phoning doctors. One should come to an understanding with the doc regarding phones calls and messages. Perhaps, one could agree that when leaving a message that it include a rank of severity (ie. a "10" means one is in a very serious or life threatening crisis...a "1" may mean, "...do I take one or two of those little pink pills..."). A message indicated with a "10" would alert your doctor to call you immediately. I think including a "10" is important, because during a life threatening crisis, in terms of psychiatric illness unlike cardiac patients, some of us can be so psychotic that the doctor is the only person we are capable of phoning. He may direct us to the hospital, anyway. But, some of us are too "far out in space" to have awareness other than to babble, "call my doctor".
As psychiatric patients, we are in a position of being chronically and, at times, acutely ill. We are often prescribed powerful neuroleptics that have the potential for very serious side effects.
One should work this matter out individually with one's doctor.Hang in there, Alan.
Nancy
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 30, 1998, at 22:45:43
In reply to Re: Phoning doctor, posted by Nancy on November 30, 1998, at 20:35:10
> One should work this matter out individually with one's doctor.
I agree. Hopefully, you two will be able to come to
some sort of understanding. Sometimes, however,
there are trade-offs between how good doctors are
with medicine and how good they are with people.Good luck,
Bob
This is the end of the thread.
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