Ron,

 

First let me appologize for not explaining the whole situation and all of the steps that made me leave the office. I did not "run" out of his office exactly. I went to his office like a normal first appointment and filled out the usual paperwork. He called me in and asked me why I was there and I explained it to him. After every statement I made, he asked me to repeat what I said over and over including interupting me and asking me to repeat it again. He appeared to have a lot of difficulty hearing me. Then his phone rang and he picked it up and continued for atleast 10 minutes in a conversation about some watch repairs. I just sat there waiting patiently but becoming very agitated that he would take a phone call during my appointment. Eventually he got off and acted as if nothing happened. So, I confronted him on this. I asked him why he needed to take a phone call in the middle of my appointment. He then said "I answered your phone call when you called in another person's appointment". I told him that I didn't expect him to do that and was shocked when I did get him on the phone. I told him that I thought it was extremely rude to answer a phone call that is not an emergency and continue to take the phone call. I am a psychology student and I know their procedures for the most part. He acted like he did nothing wrong and that I was the one that was wrong, which I wasn't. He then tried to change the subject back to the interview w/o answering my questions or even appologizing. I said it obviously seems that you don't have time for me as a patient so I asked him for my testing report orginal that I gave him polietelyand he just stared at me without saying anything. I said it again, a little louder. Again, he said nothing and just stared at me. I said it even louder this time almost yelling, again, he did nothing. At this point, I was very scared and furious at him. I told him that he can't keep that report and I need it back. At this point, he again didn't say anything and I started to pull the report out of his hands. He kept holding on to the report and not saying a thing. THis really scared me b/c this was my own personal copy that the psychologist in Indiana that I saw gave me and I told this psychiatrist that I needed it back at the end of the appt. Eventually I got the paperwork, left his office and walked into the waiting room and telling my mom that we are leaving. We started to exit the office door, when he grabed my mom's attention asking to speak to her and that we should all sit down and try to resolve this issue. At this point, i hadn't had a chance to tell my mom what happened inside, I was just starting to when we were leaving. So, my mom, like any mom would do, went inside and took me with. I sat, without saying a word, biting my tongue. This psychiatrist then decided to explain to my mom what I told him and that I had some serious problems. My mom knew that I was doing very well and the only reason why we went to another psychiatrist is so that I could get my medication for the ADHD previously prescribed by two other psychiatrists. One back in Indiana at my previous college and one in Hinsdale who was extremely rude and took phone calls, answered emails, and read through his mail during my appointments. My mom sat there and listened and he asked if I would give him a second chance. Eventhough I wasn't willing, I said I would think about it. I never went back to him. As my mom and I walked back to our car, I explained everything and she was furious and felt so bad for going into his office. Let me tell you that I left his office quickly, but not running. Wouldn't that scare you with the way he acted? He really scared me and left a lasting impression on me and my view of psychiatrists.

 

The very first psychiatrist I had put me on so many medications without allowing me to really have a choice, so many that I slept through my junior and senior year of high school. I was on so many antipsychotics, antianxiety, tranquilizers, etc. Either I was bouncing off the walls and not sleeping for months(Zoloft) or sleeping all the time including through all of my classes(all the antipsychotics,etc). The psychiatrist in Indiana through St. Mary's College in South Bend took me off most of my meds except for my antidepressant and put me on Ritalin. Instantly I felt better and we continued on and I got evaluated by an outside psychologist. The tests determined that I did in fact have ADHD and a processing disorder. Ritalin(actually on generic) worked very well but comming off of it after 4 hours was very tough and I had a tough time rembering to take it 3 to 4 times a day. So, my psychiatrist then put me on Concerta. Smaller dose didn't work, higher dose caused heart problems. Finally he put me on Adderall and that's what I have been on since. I have been more successful in the last two years than I have been in a very long time or even ever. I feel for once I am working to my full potential. Yes, I did have very severe depression, family issues, and social issues back in high school, but I have overcome this stuff and doing better than ever. For the first time I can honestly say that I am happy. It has taken a lot of therapy, fighting, hospital stays, treatment programs, and time for me to be able to be where I am today, but I am so happy. I still struggle w/ social and family issues(Dad is somewhat abusive) but I so much better equipt to deal with these issues. So, yes, I have underlying issues that have been taken care of and I have been tested through a psychologist and have the report.

 

Thanks for your help and I'm sorry this is so long, but I wanted you to understand the full story. I could write a whole book on this stuff.....yikes!

 

Keara

RLScoma@... wrote:

In a message dated 5/27/2004 1:19:41 PM Central Daylight Time,
keara786@... writes:

Dear Keara:

I feel I should make a few comments based on my experience. Please don't take
this as criticism but look at it more as someone who has been there before
and would rather you didn't make the same mistakes I did while seeking out
treatment.

<<  I saw a previous psych once in Oakbrook-Dr Benezra and he scared the sh%^
out of me...I literally ran out of his office to my car on the other side of
the Oakbrook mall.>>

I am curious as to why you felt he scared you?
Most adults will have differing opinions on the same topic and reasonable
adults will disagree, sometimes vehemently. But hardly ever does it get to the
point where a rational person would be scared.
If you were looking at this as an outsider and a person ran out of a doctors
office what would you think?

<<He wouldn't give me back my records after I demanded them back and I hda to
literally repeat everything I said to him over and over>>

There MAY be some legal reason as to why he didn't return the records.
Usually records are requested in writing to protect everyone involved. This prevents
a patient from saying something in a court of law like "I never requested my
records and now they are missing." There are liability issues and he's
protecting himself and his practice.

<<and he took phone calls about a stupid watch repair during my appointment
w/o appologizing... just completely forgetting that I was there.>>

No excuse for that at all. Unless it was some sort of "test" to see how you
would react.

<< Then he brought my mom in and tried to convince her that I was seriously
mentally ill and needed to be in a hospital b/c I was mad at him for taking a
phone call during my appointment that lasted 10 minutes!>>

In his assessment he may have thought that you were ill and was covering his
ass if you hurt yourself in the future. That may be why he suggested
hospitalization. It was a judgment call and reflects nothing more than one person's
opinion. there are 6 billion people in the world and everyone one of them has an
opinion. His opinion was one of 6 billion, nothing more, nothing less. He may
be right or he may be wrong. This is why any and every competent professional
will encourage someone to seek a second opinion. That is unless they feel that
one is an immediate threat to ones self or to others.

<>

Just hang up if he calls. Follow it up with a letter requesting that he has
no further contact with you in the future. He will stop. Changing numbers
because you're afraid of what someone MIGHT do is not rational unless he has
repeatedly called or threatened you, then it should become a Police matter. You
should not have to change your life because of what someone else does.
 
<<Would another type of MD treat ADHD too? Manage medications? What about a
Neurologist? >>

Depends what type of treatment you are seeking or need?
ADHD/ADD rarely exists in a vacuum, there are often other situations; such as
depression, relationship problems, anxiety, and employment issues to name a
few, that are present.
The progression of treatment is usually as follows.
You must get a diagnosis by a recognized professional in the field.
He/She will recommend a Psychiatrist for you to see. When that person feels
comfortable they may prescribe medication. The medication of choice is usually
some type of stimulant. It may take a while for the Doctor to get to that
point because those medications are abused by some members of society. Another
factor is your age. Unfortunately that is working against you when it comes time
to write a script. Someone younger is more likely to abuse the medication than
someone older. At least many people believe that, true or not. It shouldn't
matter but in reality it does. I can walk into a doctors office and request
Desoxyn (Methamphetamine) and probably get a prescription, someone 20 years old
would be sent on his/her way so fast... it's not fair and it shouldn't be like
that. Then again war and hunger aren't fair either, but we have them.
Anyway, after the Psychiatrist sees you for a while, maybe 6 months to a
year, you can talk with your PCP about getting on medication management, tell
him/her you're going broke from seeing the shrink (which wont be far from the
truth). At that point they MAY feel comfortable just giving you the medication. It
would help if you were to save your old prescription bottles to show your
doctor, no doctor want to be the first to prescribe a medication that he/she is
not familiar with.
I went through all of the above and it took years to get to the point where I
was just able to call my doctor and request another months supply of
medication. "Hello, it's Ron and it's controlled substance Monday."
Since I have finally managed to get that down to a science, I changed
insurance carriers ... oh well.
Getting the proper treatment isn't easy and you have to be your own advocate,
running out of an office and getting upset at a doctor hurts your ultimate
goal IMHO.
Sometimes one has to bite their tongue, which for us people with ADD is most
difficult.
You will also have to be patient. For people with ADD that's almost
impossible.
Good Luck,

Ron

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