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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Psychopoppy on January 7, 2004, at 9:46:39
My pdoc is seeming more and more incompetent as time flies. Initially he seemed really good (in the first session) and then ever since the quality of my meetings with him have declined. He spent 15 minutes with me on each of the last 2 visits. And its not because I was in a rush. He just asks me "So, how are you feeling ?" and then listens for about 2-5 mins and then says "well, since you did not react well to the dose increase, we will keep you at the low dose of AD and I will see you again in 1 month". He keeps saying that I should consider psychotherapy and that "they" (as in the hospital where he's at) can set me up with some but he never does anything about it. Everytime I mention it he says " yes, we can get you some here" and that's it. He's not very expressive or communicating. He's very passive and seems uninterested (or even depressed...if I may go out on a limb here !).
I'm seeing him again in a week and would appreciate any suggestions on how to tell him that I dont find him helpful and that I've had it with him and want to go elsewhere.
a very frustrated :-(
psychopoppy
Posted by dragonfly25 on January 7, 2004, at 10:01:17
In reply to How do I tell my pdoc that he sucks !?!?, posted by Psychopoppy on January 7, 2004, at 9:46:39
hi there,
that really sucks! but i am unclear, are you only seeing him for drugs? if so then that isn't all that unusual. but if he started out amazing and has turned into a jerk i would go in next week and tell him that you "don't feel he is thinking of your best interests anymore, and that you feel he has changed." or whatever the case may be. that will have an effect him. how able are you to speak up for yourself? and pursue the therapy idea, maybe ask him why he keeps throwing out teh idea and not doing anything about it. let him know you are upset. it WILL have an impact. and it is very possible that he is depressed. alot of people who go into psychology/psychiatry have issues themselves, issues we hope they have already overcome :)
good luck with your meeting
Posted by Poet on January 7, 2004, at 12:16:40
In reply to How do I tell my pdoc that he sucks !?!?, posted by Psychopoppy on January 7, 2004, at 9:46:39
Hi,
I don't have any experience with pdocs (I see a family medicine doc for meds) but I told the head of dermatology at a medical college to go back to school after submitting me to multiple patch tests for an allergy I didn't have.
Maybe your pdoc thinks that meds should be able to do it all for you, and suggests therapy, but doesn't believe in it himself, so he conveniently forgets to set you up?
I would politely ask your pdoc why says he can set you up in therapy, but doesn't do it. If you feel aggressive ask him if he'd set it up while you're there, because you're tired of reminding him each time you see him. I'm curious as to what his answer is.
Poet
Posted by ann72 on January 8, 2004, at 8:22:30
In reply to Re: How do I tell my pdoc that he sucks !?!? » Psychopoppy, posted by Poet on January 7, 2004, at 12:16:40
My pdoc does the same thing, but I cant afford a seperate therapist. My insurance will only cover one or the other. So, I choose the pdoc. But I think therapy in conjunction would really help. Try that.
Ann
Posted by Psychopoppy on January 9, 2004, at 2:12:16
In reply to Re: How do I tell my pdoc that he sucks !?!?, posted by dragonfly25 on January 7, 2004, at 10:01:17
> hi there,
>
> that really sucks! but i am unclear, are you only seeing him for drugs? if so then that isn't all that unusual. but if he started out amazing and has turned into a jerk i would go in next week and tell him that you "don't feel he is thinking of your best interests anymore, and that you feel he has changed." or whatever the case may be. that will have an effect him. how able are you to speak up for yourself? and pursue the therapy idea, maybe ask him why he keeps throwing out teh idea and not doing anything about it. let him know you are upset. it WILL have an impact. and it is very possible that he is depressed. alot of people who go into psychology/psychiatry have issues themselves, issues we hope they have already overcome :)
> good luck with your meeting
Thanks for the advice.
The thing is I know that my pdoc is just supervising the drug part ( he did say that from the beginning ). But I still think that he could be spending a bit more quality time to determine whether the drug is really working and if not then what can be done help it along and if, as in my case, a dose increase has been tried but with bad results then what other drugs could be tried given my specifics. Its clear that some drugs are more suited for the anxious types and whereas other maybe better for the sleepy-types and so on and so forth. Its not an exact science and I know that and I think most competent pdocs should too.
My complaint is that he's just not taking the time to listen and make an effort to understand how the drug is effecting me. Thats what I find frustrating. How can he determine whether the drug is working or not he wont even take the time to look at the data in detail ?!I can speak up for myself without any troubles but its harder when the person is not really a jerk but just being dull and incompetent. Its so much easier for me to tell-off an a**hole than someoone like my pdoc who's not a jerk.
I will have to try to communicate my dissatisfaction in some nice way. Its not in my nature to put anyone down.
This one's gonna be tricky !keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll let you know how it ends up.
Posted by Psychopoppy on January 9, 2004, at 2:31:25
In reply to Re: How do I tell my pdoc that he sucks !?!? » Psychopoppy, posted by Poet on January 7, 2004, at 12:16:40
> Hi,
>
> I don't have any experience with pdocs (I see a family medicine doc for meds) but I told the head of dermatology at a medical college to go back to school after submitting me to multiple patch tests for an allergy I didn't have.
>
> Maybe your pdoc thinks that meds should be able to do it all for you, and suggests therapy, but doesn't believe in it himself, so he conveniently forgets to set you up?
>
> I would politely ask your pdoc why says he can set you up in therapy, but doesn't do it. If you feel aggressive ask him if he'd set it up while you're there, because you're tired of reminding him each time you see him. I'm curious as to what his answer is.
>
>
> Poet
That thought did occur to me as well, that he might not be high on psychotherapy and hence just doesn't feel the need to pursue that avenue.
Well, I have to admit that I personally have not pushed that subject with him either, mainly because I've heard from other friends who saw therapists at the same hospital that they tend to be mostly CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) types and I know already from a couple of experiences that CBT ain't my cup o'tea. Of course, if my pdoc were interested at all then we could have talked about all of this and maybe he could have directed me towards someone who is more multi-approach than one or the other. And therein lies his incompetence.I will have to figure out a good way of bringing all of this up with him.
I've had awful experiences in the past with a first-rate a**hole psychiatrist-psychoanalyst-in-one and didnt have too much trouble telling him what I thought of him. As empowering as it sounds now, I came away from that meeting feeling very shaken-up, throttled and as if I'd been hit by a 100-ton-truck. A close friend said to me that I was actually hit by a truck, just an invisible kind, the kind that leaves psychological wounds rather than physical ones. Therapists and analysts sometimes have no clue or have forgotten what they're dealing with. They dont always realize the effort and intensity it takes for a person to come in to a strange room, render themselves completely vulnerable and unravel their most intimate thoughts, feelings and inner workings to a total stranger. And by not treating them as they should, ie. with delicacy and care, they can inflict abuse in ways that are cryptic and deep.
In any case, I hope that more people can stand up to them and not be afraid of telling them about their shortcomings and reminding them of their responsibilities.
As far as my pdoc is concerned, I guess I have to be courageous enough to ask for what should be rightfully mine ....ie. good medical advice and patient care.
Wish me luck
Posted by Poet on January 9, 2004, at 10:23:06
In reply to Re: How do I tell my pdoc that he sucks !?!? » Poet, posted by Psychopoppy on January 9, 2004, at 2:31:25
This is the end of the thread.
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