More threads by Andy

Andy

MVP
Hi Chell, I'm not use to this thread popping up to often. lol

I think a lot of Psychiatrists try to avoid telling their patients that they have a personality disorder and if they do they don't seem to be to forthcoming about it. I'm not saying all Psychiatrists obviously. A lot of patients take offense just to the name and I think with computers now and people being able to go home and search out that diagnosis, then they become the diagnosis,or pick it apart and dispute it etc. From what I gather (this is all my personal opinion and observation btw, not fact lol) they would rather keep the problem at the intensity it is at and treat it from there where as if say I went home and looked up AvPD I may subconsciously start to fall into that mold even more-become one with my AvPD. lol Anyway, I think they would rather just focus on the treatment but that's easy for them to do when you want to know what's wrong with yourself and want to know exactly what it is called. I asked my Psychiatrist once if he would want to know if he had cancer. He said of course. So I said "You mean you wouldn't be happy if I said you just have some bump thingy now lets discuss treatment? Don't mental health professionals always say that mental illness is an illness just like cancer?" Point taken. lol

I think your Pychiatrist saying PD's were harder to treat than Bipolar is a very generalized. lol Yes, I'm saying your Psychiatrist is wrong. lol Ya know, me and my psych degree. It depends on the person and the intensity of their illness. I am still trying to "treat" my bipolar over 15 years later, but I do have AvPD too so that doesn't help much. You could have PD traits. Not enough to diagnose. I also have Schizotypal and Paranoid traits but not the full disorders. Or you could meet the diagnostic criteria and have mild-severe problems with it. It all depends. So did you get an answer about your PD?

As far as medication. lol I have to disagree about that as well. Unless you have tried every single medication with every single type of combination. That can't be true. Like I said 15 years and I think I have done the same cocktail maybe 10 times in those years, if that. If this medication doesn't work and your still interested I really urge you to ask her to keep trying. Is she a MD? Or is this the same Psychiatrist?

As far as your therapist goes, I don't blame you. lol Personally, I find having someone younger than me as a therapist feels condesending (excuse my sp) and they are just discovering their own style for being a therapist as well. I know they need to learn somewhere, just not my preference as I relate to older people better and they have gone that extra mile further than I have already lol.
You can always look for a new therapist and make a preference for the type of therapist you would like. Tonnes of people do that. There is no sense sitting and getting nothing out of it. If your going to be speaking to someone about your personal stuff then it's totally understandable that you would want to have someone who you like and trust. It may take seeing a couple more people or maybe the next person will be the right one. It will be worth it once you find someone. Are you able to look for a new Therapist? I would really encourage you to stick with therapy. Once you can find someone you like then I am sure you will get more out of it if you really want the therapy. Plus, getting out and around people even if it's just one will help you so much more than sitting at home. I can tell you that. Sitting at home has made my "challenges" ten times worse. I am not happy at all. When I was in therapy, I had a person to talk to once a week, we may have spent a whole appointment just talking about the weather but to have communication with an actual human lol helped so , so much.

Is your mom capable of a lot still or is she just difficult in personality? Sorry, I'm not sure whether you meant you take care of her because she is less able or if you mean you make sure she is ok daily and help out with shopping etc.? If she isn't very capable anymore is there a way that you can get someone to come in and help with your mom once or twice a week?

Sorry for the babble. I really hope you can find a new therapist and get your medication sorted. In my opinion both will make a world of difference and it's always good to get at things before they get worse off. :)
 

chell

Member
You are not babbling at all. You had alot of good things to say here. l went to my Dr. Friday and l waited to post here until then. l asked my Dr. about using a different mix of drugs and she said she has used everything on me and cannot change anything because l will not respond as good as l am now.

My back pain pill that is called cesemet which makes me gain alot of weight, l asked her if there was some other drug that l could try and she said that the opiod family of medication l cannot use at all and the amitriptocylines will counter act with my depression pills and that there is nothing left for me to use.

l told her how l felt about the therapist and how he was starting to stretch the appointments out longer and longer like 2 weeks to 3 weeks to 4 weeks and that l did not find he was of any help and she said that for the moment he was all they had for me, because there is such a demand for therapists in the area. l told her my panic attacks were getting worse and the therapist was never around and she asked if l told him that and l said no, so she said she was going to have a talk with him.

Overall, l don't think that appointment went too well. l came out of there the same way l went in. The cesemet is a pill that causes me to have swollen ankles, problems urinating and the Dr. wanted to send me for an ultrasound on my kidneys to make sure everything was okay and l told her to forget the ultrasound because it was the cesemet causing all the problems anyways. Both of us were holding back our anger and l just jumped when she said that was the end of the visit and left the office very quickly because l was very angry.
 

Andy

MVP
Is there anyway you can continue to see this therapist but put your name on a wait list for another?

Well, it sounds like you and your Dr. butt heads. lol Sorry I don't remember whether or not you said you were doing ok right now. I mean feeling stable anyway. If your not feeling well then, well personally I wouldn't accept that nothing will make me feel any better. If your stable then that is great and you'll just have to see what you can do about that therapy.

I know nothing about cesemat, but I know one of my medications is really hard on my kidney's so maybe she just wants to make sure things are all good. Wouldn't hurt to get the ultrasound just to be sure things are ok? Better to be safe than end up on dialysis or something.

Did you find out what PD she had diagnosed you with?
 

chell

Member
Yes, the PD diagnosted me with PTSD, AvPD, dysthmia, Anxiety - Panic Disorder

---------- Post added at 01:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:25 PM ----------

By the way, l am doing stable at this point in time and have been so for quite awhile. l am taking wellbutrin,topomax,seroquel,gabapentin,clonazepam,citalopram,a green pill.

Answering your question about my Mom, she is doing well on her own and is quite independant. She had breast cancer about 10 yrs.ago and l helped her go through her treatments as she was alone and she was not strong enough and l did not want to see her go through all of that with no one beside her.
Now she is doing well, but making plans for when she needs help getting around or for her personal care and my sister who moved from Toronto to Nova Scotia is now way to far to help out so l am the only daughter left closet to her.
My Mom calls me every day. She lives near Huntsville and l am in Quebec. So we talk about our day even if nothing happened, l think she just wants to make that contact.
Near each other physically, my Mom often turns on the silent treatment making you feel as though you have done something wrong or said something.
When she visits here, she is under my roof and does not act up, but when you go to her house, that is when she acts up.
My sister is getting married on July 14th and my Mom is not going down to Nova Scotia from Ontario and is not talking to my sister which really hurts my sister.
My Mom either hates me or hates my sister and loves the other. That has been our whole lives and my sister is 53 and l am 47 and my Mom is 78. Pretty old to be repeating the same old pattern don't you think????
 

Andy

MVP
Sorry chell I did read that in your first post, by PD I meant personality disorder, only because I misunderstood I guess when you said you had to keep asking her what personality disorder(s?) she thought you had and she wouldn't tell you.

Well, i am glad your mother is a survivor of breast cancer! Very nice of you to stay by her side through the difficult time.
Sorry to hear your mothers relationship with your sister and yourself has been sort of a love/hate thing. It's never to late to try to change things or at least change how much you will accept or let get to you and all that jazz.

I'm glad to hear your stable chell.
 

Kathy R

Account Closed
I have found that after not receiving the proper care from my psychiatrist that as the problem is mine I will try to help myself.

Yes, I like to be left alone but I have made a pact with one of my friends that she will drag me out if necessary and my husband won't let me sit inside by myself much either.

I bought some relaxation CD's and I listen to them when I think things are getting a little intense. I do try to avoid large gatherings as I find all the noise very upsetting.

If you can get a cat or dog and then you have someone you can talk to and who will keep you company and you will never be alone again.Plus a dog will get you out for walks every day. They give unconditional love. My dog is with me all day and even if I have a nap he is right on the bed with me. Having a pet just calms the brain immensely. I used to be worried that people looked at me because I am short and overweight but not so anymore. I have realized that I am a good person and to *** with what other people think about me. That is there business not mine.

You can make a tape for yourself that you play every night after you get into bed. On this tape tell yourself that you are a good person, that you do the best you can with what you have and if others don't agree, that is OK. Tell your self I look Good. I will eat good food everyday. Make it all positive affirmations. When you are all comfy in bed put your headphones on and listen to your tape. When making your tape use a very soothing, quiet and floaty tone of voice. Then it will be even more relaxing. Don't worry if you fall asleep part way through as your brain will still be listening and ingraining your affirmations in your brain where they will stay.

I hope that this is a little help for you
 

Andy

MVP
Those are some great suggestions Kathy. :2thumbs: I think it's great that you have a friend and your husband to ensure that you get out. Dogs are great. Not only do they get you out but most people that have dogs are friendly with each other when they pass. It creates common ground and makes it a little easier to socialize for a minute. Even a few minutes here and there can make a huge difference.
Personally, I cannot have dogs in my building. I have a cat who keeps me company and it's a good thing.
I'm sure that tape idea with affirmations would be great.
I'm not sure it's something I could do as I think it would just keep me awake. That's me though. :)
 
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