Psychiatrists in MN, covered by HealthPartners?

[Deja Q]

Can anybody recommend one to me, in the Twin Cities area?

I'm fed up with my current one. He never takes notes. Every time I visit, he asks me if I'm on drugs which, on the last occasion, I told him I was not on or had not been on FOR A LONG TIME, et cetera. (Hell, I should be taking notes documenting everything to create a malpractice case against him, but I didn't, oh well...) On the last visit, he screwed up a prescription refill (1 pill less than what I am normally supposed to take) and, despite significant depression, decides to agree to my request for Stratera (which he spelt wrong too) and drop the Effexor. He also didn't understand what I was talking about as he gave me this big angry spiel about wanting to golf but decided to go to work and listen to me anyway (I'm having a nervous breakdown because they keep piling more and more work onto me, going beyond my tolerance level and ability to stay on top. Also note, I have 15 work tickets open when the next busiest person only has 5. I am worked very hard and they give me more and more and I'm about to fucking blow up. And I never said or implied I didn't want to work so I have no clue why I deserved his rant about making a choice to work...)

And to think I'm going to be spending much more next year to pay for this shit level of service. Fucking Bushbastard*, fucking medical industry. Bunch of god damn scoundrels who deserve to suffer and DIE. Not me or any other customer looking for help. (I can't relate, LadyHawk, but I understand your pain.)

His office is 35 miles away. I have followup appointments scheduled, but I'm going to cancel them. Even for my counselor, who I do like, but I've complained to him before about this crackpot psychiatrist and nothing happens. I'm tired of wasting my car's life and fuel resources just for what amounts to nothing every 2 weeks. I've tried explaining what's wrong with me, but he thinks it's something different. It isn't. (he finally agreed that ADHD, albeit ADHD despite tests which had shown it was not ADHD but ADD, but that took 2 years.)

Thanks.

[liberalhistorian]

1. Check with your health insurance plan,

their service department should be able to help you find another psychiatrist in your area that is covered under your plan. DO NOT put up with this asshole masquerading as a doctor anymore, that is absolutely inexcusable! And I would seriously consider reporting him to both your insurance company and to the psychiatric committee of the state medical board. If he's that way with you, he's likely that way with other patients and one of these days his mistakes are gonna cause a tragedy or, at the least, some real damage.

I've suffered with depression for years and will be on anti-depressants for the rest of my life. I'm lucky to have a really good psychiatrist, and I wouldn't put up with an incompetent one. You definitely shouldn't put up with it, either. I'm in Ohio, so I can't recommend anyone else, but hope you get it straightened out!

[Deja Q]

2. Stratera

I just did some more research into it. Looks like it could be spelled the way the psychiatrist had.

But those side-effects. The drug sounds like it'll help me with my focusing problem, but those side-effects scare the living daylights out of me. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000727.html How exactly did this drug get passed the approval procedure?!

I wish I could go back on Wellbutrin. That helped until the seizure problem began (of which the psychiatrist still doesn't fully believe me and I doubt he'd written it up anyway.) Unfortunately, the seizure problem still exists, even without being on wellbutrin. :-( My counselor did... I've an appointment with him on Tuesday. It'll be interesting to see what he has to say but I'll surely be speakin' up too.

I'll contact my insurance provider, thanks!

[liberalhistorian]

3. You're welcome!

I wouldn't worry too much about the side effects. Usually, they're minimal or not very common, but the drug info has to list all of the possible side effects regardless of whether they're likely to happen or not. Good luck!

[newyawker99]

5. Congrats HypnoToad!! 900 posts

:toast:

[Bossy Monkey]

4. Recommend you contact the best medical school nearby

(psychiatry department, of course) for referrals. You can cross-reference this with the list you get from your insurance provider.

Here's the results of clinical trials on Strattera/Atomoxetine
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/strattera_ad.htm
This stuff is more or less scanned directly from the Physician's Desk Reference. It isn't a good idea to trust most of what you read on the internet about any psychiatric medication, as much of this stuff is generated by Scientology; it's one of their major axes to grind.