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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Scheduling an MD appt / Re: Depression
Would love to get your opinions on this...
You call your MD regarding making an appt to discuss issues you've been having with depression and you'd prefer to speak with your doctor (or another within the practice) about the issues...not the NP. You have no history of depression, have never been treated for depression in the past and have been a patient at the practice for 10 years.
How long do you expect to wait for said appt? TIA.
Re: Scheduling an MD appt / Re: Depression
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Good point but I should've clarified. Appt is to discuss meds to treat depression and said patient is already seeing a psychologist. Psychologists cannot prescribe meds in the particular state in which the patient resides.
OK. Then I would ask the psychologist for a psychiatrist referral.
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Interesting. Why would this be your approach? Is it wise to wait for another referral and to see another practioner when the patient has a history with their MD and should be able to make an appt to discuss medicating? I guess I'm just assuming that for something as serious as depression, (in an individual with no prior history) their MD would schedule something asap - or handle a referral for them assuming they can get them an appt within a reasonable amount of time. Never in a million years would I have thought such a patient would get bounced around like this. And, having lost depressed friends to suicide, I can only wonder if this system is really that broken. Based on your SN, I'm assuming you're involved in the field. Therefore, would love your thoughts? Again, TIA.
A regular MD is not the person to see for psychotropic medications. A psychiatrist is.
Sure, your regular MD can, and will prescribe those drugs, but a psychiatrist is a specialist in that field, and is much more knowledgeable as far as creating a comprehensive treatment plan for a patient.
If the situation is so severe that the patient cannot wait one week for treatment, then they do not belong in a doctor's office; they belong in an emergency room.
ETA: fwiw, i do have a psych degree and was, at one point, a licensed counseling practitioner.
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First, I should say that my background is in psychology, but I am NOT a clinical psychologist. That said, I have a family history of depression and anxiety, and I spent about a year seeing a psychologist (who was a really good match for me ... I got lucky in that regard). I have no experience with being on meds or going to a PCP first. IMO, though, my family members' PCPs don't really understand the mental health issues. They're perfectly fine doctors. They just don't have the specialized training in psychological/psychiatric issues, so they'll give you meds and that's about it.
I don't mean to knock the MD. It's a place to start. Many people either don't get treatment at all or never get past an MD. Some people do get better with just meds (although there is a placebo effect with anti-depressants ... some people get better simply because they think the meds will work), but others need therapy and others need both.
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Thanks for the responses. The patient has been in IC with a clinical psychologist for well over a month now...and, while making progress, is still dealing with severe depression and feel they would benefit from meds of some sort. Rather than wait the 6 weeks for the referral to the psychiatrist to discuss medicating, it iis typically much easier to get an appt with their PCP. Unfortunately, for someone (again, who's been seeing this PCP for a good number of years) in such a dark place to have to wait 2.5 weeks for an appt with the PCP...well, I don't find that acceptable either. And, thus, there is another use of our emergency system - I guess I didn't realize how broken the system really is.
Again, thanks very much.