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[post_functional]

Anybody have it?

I've had some very bad experiences with some aggressive doctors who threw all kinds of pills at me, and put me on a roller-coaster ride of really weird and really intolerable side effects.  We're talking blurred vision, double vision, immediate gastritis so bad I thought I'd been poisoned, and wanting-to-scratch-your-skin-off akathisia.

My doctor thinks I have a hiatal hernia and I've been in a good deal of pain.  I'm on a double helping of prevacid, which helps some but not enough.  So she's prescribed an anti-spasmodic that is allegedly so gentle it practically rhymes with "gentle".  But I read about side effects having to do with drowsiness and blurred vision, and it brings back all my unpleasant negative experiences.

With the med that gave me immediate gastritis so bad I thought I'd been poisoned, I had my very first panic attack and wound up in the emergency room.  Since then I've had several panic attacks. 

I'm in a good deal of pain and I think the med could help, but I'm scared to take it.

Anybody else ever have this problem?  Coping strategies?

[mountainguy]

Sorry to hear it, P_F. Are you comfortable telling your current physician about your past experience with medicine?? They might be able to offer you a more detailed explanation that could put your mind at ease.

Also, have you thought about seeing a psychologist or counselor??? Talking abou issues with my current therapist has definitely helped me to better cope with some of my own medical fears.

[post_functional]

Good thoughts, MG.  I'm "in between" therapists right now.  I've relocated because of my new job, and I've just been kind of reluctant to go through the rigamarole of explaining my life story to yet another new therapist.  I know it's not much of an excuse, but therapy-fatigue has definitely set in for me.  I saw one therapist for depression for about six years; then moved to a new city; found another therapist who was more of a gestalt guy, and who also understood academia very well.  He was very good for me too.  But then I moved yet again and now I'm looking at finding yet another one, seeing if there's a good "fit" (because nothing is worse than wasting one's time and money with a therapist that is a bad fit).  

Fortunately for me, however, the PPIs are finally kicking in and I may not even need to try the new meds.

But in the long term I know I probably need to get a new therapist because of anxiety issues--- it looks like I'm being hired in full-time at my school for the next few years and the transition is stressful.  Also knowing that VAPland comes to an end after a finite period is also the kind of background anxiety that can come to rule my life if I'm not careful.

(I already anticipate a spate of one-offs saying, "Oh, you need a therapist?  That certainly explains a lot."  I'll save y'all the trouble.  Feel free to just copy and paste it from here.)

[dellaroux]

There are also some places (states) where a position known as a "continuity of care" counselor exists: a Physician's Assistant or RNNP may be able to do a closer analysis of the meds you're already taking and the ones you're prescribed for occasional issues and offer a better assessment of the likelihood of unwanted drug interactions, the exacerbation of side effects, etc.

[post_functional]

Good idea; thanks.