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Getting a new pdoc. Suggestions please

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Getting a new pdoc. Suggestions please

Postby Manitou Metis » Thu May 21, 2015 10:27 pm

i was diagnosed with bipolar four years ago by my Family Doctor. She has managed my medication since that time. Despite a lot of medication I continue to have considerable symptoms and functional impairment. Mind you there has also been a lot of improvement. Since reading threads on this forum I am thinking it would be a good idea to link up with a psychiatrist. I don't see anyone else on the specific meds that I'm on. I'm thinking that a psychiatrist may be able to tweak my meds to help decrease the remaining symptoms I have. Thinking that I should see a psychiatrist is the easy part. The hard part for me is raising the issue with my Family Doctor. I live in Canada so health care is totally covered. Also the Family Doc plays a cm central role in accessing specialists like a psychiatrist. I have to have a referral from my Family Doc to see a psychiatrist. I'm not sure why she hasn't referred me already. I think my case is kind of complex. She seems pretty confident and up to now I have had a good amount of trust in her treatment decisions. I guess I'm afraid of offending her by saying I'd like a referral to a psychiatrist. I know it doesn't make sense to have this fear but I do. Its strong enough that I know it would stop me from raising the issue. Has anybody had any experience with this type of thing? Thank you in advance.
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Re: Getting a new pdoc. Suggestions please

Postby quietgirl2538 » Thu May 21, 2015 10:44 pm

Manitou Metis
She seems pretty confident and up to now I have had a good amount of trust in her treatment decisions. I guess I'm afraid of offending her by saying I'd like a referral to a psychiatrist. I know it doesn't make sense to have this fear but I do. Its strong enough that I know it would stop me from raising the issue. Has anybody had any experience with this type of thing? Thank you in advance.


I went through something similar to this but not with psychiatrist. It was concerning my diabetes. I had a terrible A1C of 11 and the doctor I was seeing was a Physician Assistant. She was doing everything she knew how but all that time I could have seriously damaged my organs and I was at high risk for a stroke. That seemed to wake me up knowing that I was close to having a stroke with such high triglycerides of 700 or higher (150 or less is normal). I talked it over in therapy and I used the same words you use here to the therapist. She pushed me to ask for a referral. I got an Endocrinologist and my A1C came down considerably. Recently it was 6.9, which for me is excellent. I excercised and started taking less insulin. I eventually got down to my current medications that I now take. Even if it's not bipolar the same thing applies, that you need to get the help you need. Wishing you the best! :D
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Re: Getting a new pdoc. Suggestions please

Postby Manitou Metis » Mon May 25, 2015 3:05 am

Hello Quietgirl. Thank you for your response to my post. I think you are right that your situation is very similar to mine. It sounds like it helped you to talk it through in therapy. I'm not in counselling, although it would be good for me, but I think I can rehearse what I could say to my Family Doc. Thank you for the suggestions. Manitou
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Re: Getting a new pdoc. Suggestions please

Postby CrackedGirl » Mon May 25, 2015 9:10 am

In the UK we have a similar referral system. I think that the main thing to do is just to ask. I dont think your Dr will be offended by that, rather than welcome the input if they are struggling to control things for you. One thing I would say is be prepared either for a no or a wait as if things are like they are here, then access to psych is not that easy to get unless you are barn door unwell. It does sound reasonable from what you have said though to see someone so I would just ask straight out

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Re: Getting a new pdoc. Suggestions please

Postby BrainStorm » Mon May 25, 2015 4:27 pm

There is a wonderful book called Your Perfect Right which tells you how to be assertive and effective in situations like this. Here is what it suggests when making a request that may be difficult for one or both people in the conversation:

-Speak in "I" statements. Avoid starting any sentences with "you."
-Have a clear point
-Keep your voice calm and steady
-After you make the request, find a way to thank the person you are talking to (in your case you could say something like I really appreciate how much help you have given me along the way.)
-Rehearse what you are going to say.
-Keep it short and simple.

Hope that helps. I'm in the U.S. but we still have to get referrals from family docs/primary care. It can be difficult to ask for a specialist without making the other person feel like you're accusing them of being incompetent, but it's nothing like that. It's just that there are doctors whose specific skills and expertise are available for many conditions, and who doesn't want to see an expert if they can?
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