What to ask a psychiatrist?

My psychologist has recommended I meet with a psychiatrist to discuss the possibility of going on an anti-depressant. I am meeting with one next week to learn more about it, but I'm not sure what to ask. I know to ask about things like major side effects, and do I really, really need to go on one, but is there other stuff I should be asking about? What do you wish you had asked your psychiatrist when you first talked about medication?

I am also supposed to ask my cousin about his experiences on anti-anxiety medication, which I'm really nervous about doing. What am I supposed to ask him? Just things like is it helping, are there any really bad side effects, has it helped and how?

Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated.

How long it might take to see effects? What specific effects they think it will have on you and what changes they'd hope to see? [I mean, what they plan to make "better" with the drugs.]

How long they think you might be on them for and how hard it is to come off their recommended prescription? [There's commonly a tapering both on and off the drug. Quitting cold turkey is often really bad.]

Is talking to your cousin really about his medication? Since there's quite a range between ADs and anti-anxiety meds. Or might it be more about getting wider family support for taking meds yourself? In which case it doesn't matter too much what you ask, as long as you have an open conversation about it.

I know that this is probably too late, but I thought that I should post for people who might look up this subject at a later date.

One of the questions I wished I had asked my psychiatrist before going on psychiatric medications was, "Am I going to have to take these for the rest of my life, or is there a plan to get off of these medications in the future? If so, what is that plan?

How is my diagnosis made? Is there a medical test my dx is based on?

Cheze2 wrote:One of the questions I wished I had asked my psychiatrist before going on psychiatric medications was, "Am I going to have to take these for the rest of my life, or is there a plan to get off of these medications in the future? If so, what is that plan?

It took me years to ask the first question, and when I did, I already had a plan in mind. As for the second question, I very much doubt that a psychiatrist has the time/ability to taylor a plan to discontinue meds. Maybe you can get super lucky thoug. At best, most docs can make a few suggestions and approve it. I had to search a while to find a doc who would agree to eventually discontinue meds. From my experience, the majority will not want to pursue that goal.

WiseMonkey wrote:How is my diagnosis made? Is there a medical test my dx is based on?

I wouldn't ask that becuase it puts a lot of pressure on a doctor and none of them can answer this with a concrete definition. It is not productive though it may be interesting to see what the doc says in response - I doubt any two doctors will have the same answer. As for tests, there are no medical tests for bipolar disorder and I doubt there is one for many other illnesses.

Ian Reynir wrote:As for tests, there are no medical tests for bipolar disorder and I doubt there is one for many other illnesses.

Exactly