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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Michael Bell on February 15, 2005, at 18:28:05
Maybe I'm preaching to the choir here, but you should research everything little thing about your condition, mechanisms of action of medications, alternative treatments, neurotransmitter and sub-receptor functions, etc. Doctors are generally smart, but they are not infallible. Make it so that you and your doctor have a relationship where you both have power over your treatment scheme.
Don't just rely on these boards, though they are amazing. Go to remedyfind.com, where hundreds of people rate meds and give their personal experiences. Go to ezboards.com, which covers every topic. Join medline/medscape and NIMH for free and keep updated on all the recent studies regarding medications, brain functions, neurotransmitters, etc. Read the Psychiatric Times, if possible. Gain a broad perspective on science and real life testimonials to get the most comprehensive info possible about dealing with your condition.
Go to the social anxiety, depression and bipolar chat rooms and discussion boards that are sprinkled all throughout the net. The power of research and the internet is incomparable.
Hope I don't sound condescending here, but you are your own best advocates. Good luck to all!
Posted by Phillipa on February 15, 2005, at 18:52:23
In reply to Bit of advice for everyone here, posted by Michael Bell on February 15, 2005, at 18:28:05
You're right! I'm going to remedyfind.com now. I've never been there. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Glydin on February 15, 2005, at 19:46:01
In reply to Bit of advice for everyone here, posted by Michael Bell on February 15, 2005, at 18:28:05
I agree with the basic concept of your post, but also I think there is alot of bias and information that isn't necessarily true that can be found when researching. I think one must be very careful in what sites one believes as gospel.
Also, I believe certain disorders do not benefit from more that a small amount of researching. Knowledge is power but I do think caution is required.
Posted by Nixon on February 15, 2005, at 20:08:25
In reply to Re: Bit of advice for everyone here » Michael Bell, posted by Glydin on February 15, 2005, at 19:46:01
> I agree with the basic concept of your post, but also I think there is alot of bias and information that isn't necessarily true that can be found when researching. I think one must be very careful in what sites one believes as gospel.
>
> Also, I believe certain disorders do not benefit from more that a small amount of researching. Knowledge is power but I do think caution is required.I agree with this. Although there are some fantastic factual sites, often times on the ratings sites people just out and out trash proven effective medications. I am sure they are justified complaints but one who is looking for advice though could get either scared or discouraged. This site is a good unique mix in my opinion. I agree wholeheartedly about educating yourself. JN
Posted by Phillipa on February 15, 2005, at 20:32:31
In reply to Re: Bit of advice for everyone here, posted by Nixon on February 15, 2005, at 20:08:25
How well I know, "a little knowledge is dangerous". When I was a new RN I thought I knew a lot. The next year I looked back in horror at my ignorance. Now I know I created a lot of my own problems by "thinking I knew it all". Well I don't. If I did I'd be rich and famous. I humble myself to those with more knowledge than myself. And that includes those of you who take the time to research your illness, take the time to weigh the odds of different treatments, and then ask others. In the end you make an educated decision based upon what you know and believe, and don't spend time second guessing your decisions. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by banga on February 16, 2005, at 1:08:21
In reply to Re: Bit of advice for everyone here, posted by Phillipa on February 15, 2005, at 20:32:31
I think research and knowledge are powerful tools, but this also means having a discerning eye, taking all sources with a grain of salt. I try to verify if I can from varied sources--people's reports, studies (though I have admittedly been very bad on keeping up on studies lately), my pdoc (though their knowledge on side effects is rather lacking often), articles.... Always be ready to modify your opinion in light of new evidence.
Posted by Caslon540 on February 16, 2005, at 4:19:22
In reply to Bit of advice for everyone here, posted by Michael Bell on February 15, 2005, at 18:28:05
My therapist doesn't like it that I read stuff related to my condition and meds, and acts as if there's no correct medical information on the internet (I disagree), and that even if there was, I shouldn't read it because I don't have the prerequisite medical education to understand any of it (I disagree). She doesn't want me to suggest meds I'd like to try to my psychiatrist, because she says that renders him useless (I disagree). It's kind of scary how much she wants me to be in the dark about my treatment, now that I think about it.
I don't know if my psychiatrist is amused, embarassed, or irritated (at me) when I ask him something to which he doesn't know the answer, or has to look up in a book and sometimes still doesn't know the answer. Then later I end up finding the answer on the internet. ;) I don't think that renders him useless or makes him look bad at all though; I know it's impossible for him to read EVERYTHING ever published on the subjects.
Posted by Willyee on February 16, 2005, at 12:25:45
In reply to Bit of advice for everyone here, posted by Michael Bell on February 15, 2005, at 18:28:05
Remedyfind is great! grat great!
That is where i first heard of parnate,not from a docter,never as an option ever,and i was in horrendous shape,i just ended up there.
I see this med with a high success rate,read into it,from there i have a med in mind,and saw other resources,but it began there.
THey are also usualy right on the money in general with there ratings,you see the most highle rated meds are klonopin and xanax,parnate,which umm happen to be the most possably addicting,...just part of my idea that anything that actualy works will have some type of addiction potential,it will be hard to have it both ways,but think of how many substances on ones day are addicting,cigarettes,that cup of coffee,sex,masturbation,guys come on now,etc
Addiction can be controled to an extent,untreated depression cant,i mean i hope for a lesser addeicting med,but those meds are tthe best for me as well,and yess i more than likly am addicted.Second,too much info can be bad,some people are at a unstable state in their thinking,and all these choices and comments can make them feel as if they are going mad trying to organize them and find what to do.
Best thing is to pick for urself what u consider the best resources,a few ,this way ur not relying on a bunch on a single biasis source,but also you dont wanna get ADDICITED to roaming the net in search for information,which can very well happen.
The sites i most value are
remedyfind.com
dr bob
article "good drug guide" it is linked to a site cant think of it,its a popular article that covers just about ever medication type.Also vault of erowid.......this website is a DATABASE of pharmacology,personal experieance,q&a,articles,news info etc on tons upon tons of mind altering substances.
They consider a mind altering substance just that,so you can find a entire database on a ssri,to a herb like kava,to a hardeneded street drug,they dont promote they just inform,and it is a gold standard of a site.
P.S stay away from chat rooms,there you have a mixture of people with clinical disorders looking for help,mixed with people having a bad day or two and hating life,mixed with people there for fun to see how much damage they can do,i never ever use a acutal chat room for depression or axniety or such,ur better off having someone from one of these groups add u as a friend on messagner service and buld support that way,chat rooms are terrable and people can be very very rude,and most people there arent gonna give much in the resource department.
> Maybe I'm preaching to the choir here, but you should research everything little thing about your condition, mechanisms of action of medications, alternative treatments, neurotransmitter and sub-receptor functions, etc. Doctors are generally smart, but they are not infallible. Make it so that you and your doctor have a relationship where you both have power over your treatment scheme.
>
> Don't just rely on these boards, though they are amazing. Go to remedyfind.com, where hundreds of people rate meds and give their personal experiences. Go to ezboards.com, which covers every topic. Join medline/medscape and NIMH for free and keep updated on all the recent studies regarding medications, brain functions, neurotransmitters, etc. Read the Psychiatric Times, if possible. Gain a broad perspective on science and real life testimonials to get the most comprehensive info possible about dealing with your condition.
>
> Go to the social anxiety, depression and bipolar chat rooms and discussion boards that are sprinkled all throughout the net. The power of research and the internet is incomparable.
>
> Hope I don't sound condescending here, but you are your own best advocates. Good luck to all!
Posted by Phillipa on February 16, 2005, at 17:23:13
In reply to Re: Bit of advice for everyone here, posted by Caslon540 on February 16, 2005, at 4:19:22
I think they feel "Threatenedd". So many of the pdocs are young that they probably are only taught briefly about the older drugs. Don't you think? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by jerrympls on February 16, 2005, at 19:12:10
In reply to Bit of advice for everyone here, posted by Michael Bell on February 15, 2005, at 18:28:05
> Maybe I'm preaching to the choir here, but you should research everything little thing about your condition, mechanisms of action of medications, alternative treatments, neurotransmitter and sub-receptor functions, etc. Doctors are generally smart, but they are not infallible. Make it so that you and your doctor have a relationship where you both have power over your treatment scheme.
>
> Don't just rely on these boards, though they are amazing. Go to remedyfind.com, where hundreds of people rate meds and give their personal experiences. Go to ezboards.com, which covers every topic. Join medline/medscape and NIMH for free and keep updated on all the recent studies regarding medications, brain functions, neurotransmitters, etc. Read the Psychiatric Times, if possible. Gain a broad perspective on science and real life testimonials to get the most comprehensive info possible about dealing with your condition.
>
> Go to the social anxiety, depression and bipolar chat rooms and discussion boards that are sprinkled all throughout the net. The power of research and the internet is incomparable.
>
> Hope I don't sound condescending here, but you are your own best advocates. Good luck to all!
I agree as well. The only reason I'm doing as well as I am today is because of MY tireless research on the use of opiates for depression. I got abstracts from folks on here, PubMed, Medline and other sites. If you find one of those docs who get "upset" when you bring research in - drop him/her and find someone else.Jerry
Posted by Michael Bell on February 16, 2005, at 21:00:43
In reply to Re: Bit of advice for everyone here » Michael Bell, posted by Glydin on February 15, 2005, at 19:46:01
True, you definitely want to stay away from any sites that use "science" promote a specific product and people should certainly not take every article out there at face value. God knows the internet is full of self-serving material. But self-help comes in many forms, and it never hurts to try and become knowleadgeable about symptomology.
> I agree with the basic concept of your post, but also I think there is alot of bias and information that isn't necessarily true that can be found when researching. I think one must be very careful in what sites one believes as gospel.
>
> Also, I believe certain disorders do not benefit from more that a small amount of researching. Knowledge is power but I do think caution is required.
Posted by Glydin on February 17, 2005, at 5:54:03
In reply to Re: Bit of advice for everyone here » Glydin, posted by Michael Bell on February 16, 2005, at 21:00:43
I very much agree.
This is the end of the thread.
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