Docs keep putting me on different meds but never have diagnosed me. Is this norm!
Question: They have put me on effexor, cymbalta, risperidal, seroquel, and many others but never actually been told whether I am bipolar or just suffering from depression. Is it normal for docs to not really "diagnose" someone in my position? I have seen 4 different doctors and they all just keep putting me on different medications, but never tell me what is really wrong with me.
Answers: They have put me on effexor, cymbalta, risperidal, seroquel, and many others but never actually been told whether I am bipolar or just suffering from depression. Is it normal for docs to not really "diagnose" someone in my position? I have seen 4 different doctors and they all just keep putting me on different medications, but never tell me what is really wrong with me.
You've been diagnosed; your physicians probably just didn't tell you what your diagnosis was. You have a right to know this diagnosis, so ask your physician.
Unfortunately the "hit-and-miss" method of prescribing antidepressants is the way most doctors use. The doctor simply has you try different medications (usually for about 3 months each) until one of them works. Not a very scientific way to go about it, but everyone reacts differently to antidepressants so it's impossible to predict what will work. There aren't any lab tests that will predict what antidepressant you need; most physicians have a few "favorites" they prescribe first.
Most doctors also recommend "talk therapy" along with medication. If you aren't seeing a counselor, or if your doctor isn't a psychiatrist, you may want to ask for a referral to one.
I have taken at least half a dozen different antidepressants myself over the last 20 years. I'm not taking anything right now, but I'm one of those fortunate people who apparently becomes less depressed with age.
Ask them. They may just assume the other doctor told you.
yeah, ask them. i'm suprised they havent told you. that sounds kinda funny...
U should ask them, the meds u are taking are to prevent psychotic episodes and alot of doctore use them to keep u calm. Cymbalta is for depression but the rest are anti-psychotic so I would defo ask what each one is supposed to be for. Some doctors just want to dampen your emotions etc so your calmer so u should ask because u dont need to take all them at once if its depression
You probably could just ask them, and it is in your chart.
Some psychiatrists do not like to make a diagnosis, because the list of diagnoses in the DSM (the manual psychiatrists use) is designed just for insurance and research, and was never meant to reflect reality. Not that many docs remember that. My brother had a doc like that at a university clinic.
The doctors should be giving you some idea what's wrong with you. I saw 11 psychiatrists before they agreed on bi polar and am on cymbalta and seroquel among others now. You should have some input as well as to which drugs you take. As you know, most of them make you feel lousy anyway. A diagnosis should be made and then they'll mess around with your meds which could, I'm afraid, take years. Don't let them fob you off. Ask questions, they shouldn't be prescribing anti-psychotics without telling you why. Good luck.
Unfortunately this has become normal practice for lots of physicians. Patients who have depression issues can prove to be particularly difficult to diagnose until doctors have a list of clinical symptoms or side effects resulting from experimenting with different medications. Bi-polar disorder is one step deeper as it can have varying degrees of severity and can be that much more of a challenge to properly diagnose & treat. The best thing you can do for yourself is to start keeping a journal. Record all of your physical and psychological symptoms along with your health status such as age, weight and diet. Make notes about how you feel on certain medications, versus when you're not on meds. Also, make sure to consider your environment. Stress, poor health, smoking, drinking, constructive drug use, etc. can all have an impact on your state of depression. Try to develop positive, healthy habits that will help to increase the hormones that stimulate proper emotional stability (such as exercising regularly, eating right, getting enough rest, surrounding yourself with positive people, etc.) I'm a firm believer that drugs can sometimes mask the symptoms preventing us from really being able to diagnose the real issue.