I Have a Question for Doctors and Other Drug Prescribing Personel?
Question by Nathan: I have a question for Doctors and other drug prescribing personel?
ok so im depressed and most likely bipolar among other severities and I am looking to see my doctor about some prescriptions, now would it be ok to ask for certain drugs that you want??
and if they ask me if i self medicate(which i do), would it benefit me to say no ? Or to just be honest and tell them that i do, which would be smoking pot, and other drugs lyk cocaine, meth, and maybe even exctasy?? i was just wondering kuz i do want and need the prescriptions but dont wana screw it up for myself.
can someone help me or shoot me their opinion??
Best answer:
Answer by aneurodoc125
You should tell the doctor everything you take- legal or not. It is privileged, so your secrets are safe. If you do not, it can lead to an incorrect diagnosis, and the wrong treatment. Some meds for psychiatric problems do not mix with the street drugs you mention.
” He who has himself as a physician, has a fool for a patient” Do not self medicate.
Taking street drugs can mess you up– why do you think you have a psychiatric disorder rather than the effects of the drugs you have used?
Answer by Mathieu
I’m glad you are looking for treatment, you are making a very smart decision and you also have the same concern as many people.
Firstly let the doctor (and try to see a psychiatrist) make the diagnosis. Often people have multiple problems and self diagnosis is often very wrong. Bipolar, depression, ADHD, and anxiety disorders in any combination can cause almost the exact same problems but a doctor should be able to see exactly what you have since treatment is not the same for each problem.
You will very likely be asked if you self medicate, if you use any prescription drugs, over the counter supplements, and illegal drugs. And you will do your self a GREAT disservice to yourself if you don’t tell the truth about what you use, how often, how long you have used, and why you use. Make sure you explain why you use what you use, if you take cocaine because of depression that is important information.
Drugs can mask symptoms, they can cause or aggravate problems, and if your doctor does not know you are on them he won’t have all the information to make an informed diagnosis and treatment plan. For example cocaine, meth, and to a smaller extent MDMA (ecstasy) can worsen or even cause anxiety problems, they can make it like like a person has bipolar, and they can worsen depression. So if your doctor knows what you use you will be able to get better care.
Also just because you use illegal drugs does not necessarily mean you are an addict. And most medications are not addictive so you will get prescription medication, if you need it (and you probably will), no matter what. There are also two types of bipolar- bipolar I, which includes mania, and bipolar II which has hypomania, a much less severe form of mania and most people with bipolar II have more depression.
None of the drugs approved for bipolar, for example, are addictive. The most used drugs are
Lithium, Depakote (divalproex sodium), Tegretol (carbamazepine), Lamictal (lamotrigine) and less commonly Trileptal (oxcarbazepine), and Topamax (topiramate).
These drugs are mood stabilizers, aside from Lithium the others are all also anticonvulsants. Also any beliefs you have about Lithium are probably very wrong, Lithium has been badly represented in the media.
Also in many cases, particularly in bipolar I and people with more problems with mania antipsychotics are used (the term antipsychotic is terrible, they have many other uses). Most commonly used are Risperdal (risperidone), Zyprexa (olanzapine), Seroquel (quetiapine), and Abilify (aripiprazole). None of these drugs are addictive either. If you are prescribed any of these make sure your doctor talks about the risks associated with their use.
Some people may be prescribed a hypnotic like Ambien (zolpidem) for sleep, sometimes anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs) like benzodiazepines are used, most commonly Klonopin (clonazepam) is used in bipolar. These drugs are schedule IV controlled substances and they can be abused. If you have an addiction then these drugs are typically avoided but since your drug use has mostly been stimulants these many be appropriate.
Is it OK to ask your doctor for specific drugs? I don’t recommend you ask however it is perfectly fine for you to mention a medication, say you have heard about it, or something. So it can be fine to ask if a drug may be appropriate like “I have heard about (drug name) and I just wanted to know what you think about it” saying something like “I want (drug name” is not a good idea. And remember the doctor is the expert and he can figure out what is best for YOU. What works for another person may not be best for you. However if you have ever tried a medication and it really helped tell your doctor, he may prescribe it or it may be a guide towards what types of medication you do best on. Always walk in to a doctors office thinking “I want to get better” not “I want these medications.”
You won’t “screw it up” but telling the truth. If you lied you might walk out of the doctors office with and diagnosis of a problem you don’t have and prescriptions you don’t need or that may even make you worse. And you want to have a good and trusting relationship with your doctor, if you say you don’t use drugs (especially if he finds out you do) there is be almost no trust.
And no decent doctor will be angry you take illegal drugs, drug use is very high in people with psychiatric problems specifically because most people never get treatment or they get bad and improper treatment so they just use illegal drugs to control the symptoms as best they can. If you get on the right medication you probably will not need illegal drugs to help your symptoms.
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