Do you find doctors pretty useless?

[samtheman]

Any dealings I have had with doctors to do with anxiety has been pretty useless, When I look back to when I was 13 or so I started getting the racing heart and shaking, I didn't know anything about anxiety then, I went to the doctor she didn't know, she told me if it happened again go to hospital ASAP, so it happened again, of I went to hospital, it baffled them also, they gave me an injection and all was fine, they sent me for an ECG and dye test, all came back clear, they didn't have a clue what was wrong but put me on beta blockers and I have had no problems since some 13 years later.

When I look back now, I know clearly it was panic attacks I was having but at 13 I didn't know what that was, infact I have had to completely diagnose myself as having anxiety disorder as doctors didn't have a clue. A private psychologist confirmed my fears.

Have you found doctors this useless?

[yorkylover]

Alot of my problems I found out about from books,internet ect.I have a doctor now who understand a bit,but not alot.:lac:

[bottleblond]

Hi Sam,

I have to say that i really have had some doctors in my time that wouldn't know Anxiety if it jumped up and bit them on the stethosope. :huh: I too had anxiety from my teenage years but was lucky anough to have a brilliant doctor, but he has now retired and i was left to find myself another who could fit into his shoes. Not so easy!!!

I have to say that the majority of them listened to what i said, handed me a prescription and basicly shouted "next patient please"! but after many years of raised eyebrows and fake understanding, i have found a doctor who really really listens and does everything possible to help.

If your not happy with your doctor then it's your human right to go through as many as possible to you find one that you are comfortable with.

Best of luck

Lisa
xxx

[Bill]

In one word - YES!

It seemed to me that 10 years or so ago, doctors were taught more how to treat physical illness and were told to treat any mental condition with meds because it was the quicker easiest method. Also in those days there was less theraputic support available. I can remember that even with my wifes illness, schizophrenia, all she had was a psychiatric nurse and I had no support for me. I had to learn for myself.

These days doctors appear to be better informed, have more understanding and empathy for mental health problems, and they appear to know sufferers need therapy and not pills.

The difference I've noticed between my original "old school" doctor and todays doctor has been immense!

However, I know not all doctors are the same, some good, some bad, so if anyone is unhappy with a doctor they should ask for another.:winks:

[lorac]

I have just found out that the doctor who has been treating me, and not with much success, has sufferred two nervous breakdowns herself. I feel sorry for the doctor but have to ask the question is she really equipt to treat patients with anxiety and depression if she can't cope herself. I found more help and information about my illness in books and on the internet and vow never to return to the doctors for help coz it just wasn't there in my surgery.

[jo61]

I've had some pretty useless doctors in my day but found one about 15 years ago who has been fantastic. Some of the docs in the practice are awful but he, along with one other lady doctor who I see if he's not there, are the business. If you don't like your doctor, do everything you can to change that's what I'd say

[Livvy]

I totally agree with you. It's so hard to find a doctor who takes you seriously and will actually try to find a solution without just chucking drugs at you or say try this vitamin or another. I find when i go to the doctors i know more than them and that they dont actually have much of a clue. I have to say a have seen a few clinical psychiatrists and they were even worse.

[mirry]

this is a bit of a raw subject for me at the moment,
for the past 5 years I have had unbalance when walking , I describe it all to my gp and they said anxiety ,but I did get anxiety cos i felt so off balance with vision problems and floor moving.

I feel really let down ,now that I have discovered I have something wrong with me (after hospital tests). I will never "ever" trust gps again .:mad:

[samtheman]

I totally agree with you. It's so hard to find a doctor who takes you seriously and will actually try to find a solution without just chucking drugs at you or say try this vitamin or another. I find when i go to the doctors i know more than them and that they dont actually have much of a clue. I have to say a have seen a few clinical psychiatrists and they were even worse.

I know myself after suffering 10 years or so I know more on the subject than any doctor, Infact I would be confident enough to write a book on the subject. Anxiety disorder is the type of thing that until you've actually been through it you won't have a clue, Its all well and good in theory knowing what anxiety disorder is, but real life experiences are worth so much more than text book knowledge, you'll gain far more knowledge and support on the like of this message board than you will with any doctor.

Doctor will prescribe you a course of Sertraline etc and hope the problem will go away, but anxiety disorder is about so much more, its about helping people who have low self-esteems, who are chronic negative thinkers etc.

[nanny]

Lorac,
PLEASE don't take offence but i felt a bit miffed when reading your reply!
you pointed out that your doctor has had 2 nervous breakdowns herself and altho feeling sorry for her you doubted her ability to cope with her patients.

Thats the attitude too many people have about mental illness. They doubt the ability of people with mental illness to work etc in any field, yet all of us on here suffer from some form of it and most people are holding down a job and coping with it.

No doubt i'll have a few nasty replies to this, but in all honesty you are doing what all of us on here don't need people to do and that is labeling and segregating us.

sorry if i'm wrong but thats the way it has come across to me when reading it.

[shoegal]

I would be happy to be treated by a Doctor who had suffered a nervous breakdown because I would know they understood how I was feeling.

Love shoegal xxx

[nanny]

Thats exactly how i feel shoegal............

I think the majority of us that suffer any form of mental illness are very caring, sensitive and understanding.

So i would have thought that any doctor who has had to go through that and come through the other side and be able to go back to work and treat any untold number of patients would be one of the best doctors to go to.

"but, thats only my opinion":shrug:

[lorac]

Nanny

I would be the very last person to labell or segregate any person for having a mental illness and truly admire any person who can carry on with a proffession with such an illness. Truley sorry if you were offended by my post it was not my intention to upset or have a go at anyone with a mental illness. I guess the thing is that this doctor seemed to show me so little care and understanding and when I found out she too had suffered in much the same way as myself I was angered to think she didnt show me a little more understanding and maybe talk to me a little more. I am sure that this doctor can deal with her patients adequately and would wish her much success in her recovery but just wish she had had a more human approach to me, sometimes that goes alot further than a prescription.

Sorry if you were miffed by my post, it wasnt meant to offend anyone, it was just my personal experience with my doctor.

Carol

xxx

[lorac]

Nanny/Shoegal

That was the point I was trying to make, if the doctor had shown me more understanding and had been more sensitive towards my problems I wouldnt care if she had had the same problems as me and i would have been more than prepared to carry on seeing her knowing and hoping that she could help more than someone who has not sufferred in this way but she didnt.

Carol

[nanny]

:) Hi Lorac

Please don't get me wrong, i wasn't offended just a little miffed like i said. But on reading your one before last post i can now understand where you were coming from.

Like you said, had she given you the understanding you deserved (which is your right from a doctor) you wouldn't have felt the way you did.

Now i am surprised that as she has suffered and knowing what it's like to be ill in this way that she didn't give you what you need or been more understanding:blush:

so my apologies and you're right in not going back i think i would have felt the same.:hugs: :hugs: hugs for the misunderstanding.

[lorac]

Thanks Nanny, should have explained better in the first post

Carol
xxx

[nanny]

thats me carol not you, thicko here read it wrong:blush: :wacko: :flowers: