Wellness

[abbycat]

Hi all. I guess I'm just venting my frustration, so please bear with me. Probably since I was a child - around 10 or so - I've struggled with depression - it's a genetic, chemical thing. I never really got any help for it until I was in my 40's when each time I'd get in the shower I would start to cry uncontrollably. Then I knew something was wrong. My Internist was very wise and told me that she didn't work with these medications, and gave me the name of what she considered "the best Psychiatrist in Montgomery County." OMG, you can imagine - just the word Psychiatrist conjured up pictures in my mind of a long-hair, weirdo, dressed in some kind of sack with the words over his head saying "we're all weird." But I was desperate, so I made the appt. and went. Well, he has been a God send to me .... he is a very kindly, dear man who is always listed in the Washingtonian Magazine as one of the 5 top Psychiatrists in the D.C. area. He listens, and he's conservative in his prescribing. Well, about 3 years ago I had a breakdown right after I'd gone through a horrible divorce (married 40 years) - I was not hospitalized because I was not suicidal (at least I didn't tell them that), but went to an out-patient group for 4 weeks, which turned out to be the best thing I could have done. All through this, my doctor was listening very closely, and as a result, since then I have been on 4 psychotropic medications which have done wonders for me. But, as those of you know who have been there, they need "tweeking" periodically, and I noticed that this summer I just was not myself. This is normal for me in winter (SAD), but not summer. I saw him yesterday for my 6 month med. check and told him. Rather than putting me on something else, or changing my regimen, he gave me a mood chart to keep for 2 weeks, and then go back in 2-1/2 weeks to see what it showed.

I don't know why I'm telling you all this, except to say, if you are not feeling like yourself, definitely get the name of a truly good Psychiatrist for the meds. They are the ones who really know Psychopharmacology and can more accurately figure out what would be the best medication, or not, for you.

abby