# My would be doctor is a quack!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 13, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696 "2012-04-13T20:07:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/21 "2012-04-13T23:32:59Z")
Repeat after me; _**Professionals work for you. If they don’t work for you, Find another.**_ ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/22 "2012-04-13T23:42:06Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > So at worst his new doc is a jerk. But I see no evidence of quackery. While it may not rise to the level of quackery, this doctor’s recommendations don’t sound like standard medical practice for essential tremors and anxiety: > [@Shakes](#): > > Well apparently all that shit is just in my head. I need to take up meditating and listening to “peaceful” music. I am not a doctor though. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/23 "2012-04-13T23:56:05Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Repeat after me; > > _**Professionals work for you. > If they don’t work for you, > Find another.**_ Just don’t expect a doctor to do whatever you want them to do. I’m there to give my opinion about what will meet my patients’ legitimate medical needs. I’m not there to give them whatever they ask for because they think I work for them. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/24 "2012-04-13T23:57:02Z")
Being that I’m on _3_ anti-depressants in addition to my dementia meds, you may want to take a look on the net to see what will happen if you run out. (Sorry if that’s been addressed already). I used to work in the medical field and learned to keep myself informed as to contraindications, side effects etc. Is this guy an **MD** or an Osteopath (DO)? If he’s a DO it makes a difference in what they prescribe, if anything. They seem to like to go the holistic route, no offense intended, docs, but that’s been our experience down here. Good luck, Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_W](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@Phil\_W](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phil_W)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/25 "2012-04-14T00:37:23Z")
A general practitioner has _ **no** _ right to prescribe drugs for the the problem you have. Granted, Xanax will lessen the anxiety and the “shakes”, but it does not get to the root of the problem. Believe me, I know as I went through the same problem many years ago (1980 or there about). As for anyone saying: “It’s all in your head” is nonsense albeit understandable as I underwent the very same thing. The problem you have (anxiety/shakes) is actually a complicated problem that feeds upon itself and is more often than not related to a chemical brain imbalance, i.e. serotonin,etc. Yes, you definitely need the proper drug regime, but it must be gotten from a psychiatrist and not a GP albeit they are hard to find. Forget about ever going to a psychologist as, for the most part, they are simply doctors who could not make the grade to become a psychiatrist, are a dime a dozen, and are more often than not people who could not find their own butt without a flashlight and a map let alone help you, albeit I’m sure there are a few good ones. That , and aside from the fact, they (psychologist’s) are not allowed to prescribe any type of drugs that you might be in need of. Don’t get me wrong as although a psychiatrist will more than likely prescribe the proper drug regime (which may take some time as in trial and error) they will also require cognitive therapy while you are on them. Do some good research on psychiatrist’s in your area, and if at _all_ possible, try to get some good references first. All in all…the best of luck as I can totally relate to your problem. Hang in there and get the _proper_ help. It may take time but it _can_ be done. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/26 "2012-04-14T00:52:59Z")
It’s attitudes like quack doc and some here that make me hope my GP never retires. I’ve had to bounce around among specialists but over the years have had the same GP and he knows that I take Vicodin, Soma and Tylenol #4 among other things, and have never taken them in anything close to addiction amounts. I can’t imagine having to “break in” a new GP - addicts have made that a scary idea. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/27 "2012-04-14T00:54:09Z")
Sorry. I missed the part where he’s a GP, but you can check his credentials (and even reviews) online. I suggest you do that. Please check me out on this, but can a DO still specialize as a GP? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/28 "2012-04-14T01:05:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Well apparently all that shit is just in my head. I need to take up meditating and listening to “peaceful” music. :rolleyes: Now, the doctor might very well have reservations about prescribing your regular medicines. However, when a doctor starts giving me New Age advice like this, I start looking for another doctor. I had one (internist/internal medicine) doctor tell me that I needed to read my Bible daily, meditate on it, and that I shouldn’t eat anything after 3 PM. He knew that I was a diabetic on insulin, and I told him that I was an atheist and didn’t believe in most of the Bible, but he insisted that this regime worked on EVERYONE. I found a new doctor. ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/29 "2012-04-14T02:00:24Z")
Essential Tremor is a condition most GPs have absolutely no concept what to do with. After having a couple of bad experiences with GPs trying to treat mine, I got myself to a neurologist who specialized in movement disorders. Getting a doctor who understands ET and related disorders is key. Most neurologists are perfectly capable of prescribing antidepressants, anxiety meds and other medications if appropriate and needed - these are often used to tread neurological conditions. Getting to a neuro who specializes in this kind of thing can only be to your advantage. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/30 "2012-04-14T02:02:32Z")
> [@Patience\_Jones](#): > > Is it really that unusual for a Family Medicine doctor to prescribe anti-depressants? Since we’ve moved around a lot, I’ve had them prescribe them to me in multiple states over the past twenty years with no hesitation. It depends on a lot of factors, I think. At work (where I read shitloads of medical records every day from all over the country – but mostly concentrated to the south) most family docs seem to be ok with what I call “cream puff” AD’s - Prozac, Lexapro, and they’re ALL about pushing Wellbutrin on smokers. If you need something stronger than that, they’re gonna balk. A GP is not gonna give out Lithium or Geodon, for example – and probably not Seroquel, either. Benzos? Not happening, usually. My family doc gave me some Klonopin after my mom died but made it clear up front I could have 1 mo with 2 refills and after that I’d have to find a shrink. It doesn’t take much, IME, for a doctor to simply write “drug seeking” in a patient’s file – especially when they waltz in and start asking for benzos right away. It’s sort of bullshit - particularly in cases like yours where it could easily be proven that this is the combo that works for you and you’ve never doctor shopped, etc. – but OTOH I understand their fear. He readily admits to being a bit of a pussy about anything that screws with the brain, though. OP – the doc you saw is a dick, but I understand why they freaked out when you said the X word. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/31 "2012-04-14T02:03:09Z")
This is not a reference to the OP’s situation, and I certainly respect Qadgop’s opinion on a physician’s duty to do the right thing for the patient (even if the patient wants something else); however — In my household we place a high value on having a physician whose idea of seeing to our medical needs also includes getting us the drugs we require in a timely manner. In the beat vernacular\*, it’s finding a croaker who’ll write scripts. \*as I recall, I first ran across this phrase in William Burroughs’ _Junkie_. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/32 "2012-04-14T02:39:27Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Just don’t expect a doctor to do whatever you want them to do. > > I’m there to give my opinion about what will meet my patients’ legitimate medical needs. I’m not there to give them whatever they ask for because they think I work for them. **Quadgop** , this is not a gotcha - I’m being serious here (I have doctor issues, and I am trying to work on them by learning as much as I can). If you had a patient present as Shakes’ did, and he asked you for that combo, and he had his medical files transferred over for you, with the records of the trials-and-errors and the requested drug combo being prescribed and shown to work long-term, would you be more likely to accede and give him that prescription because another doctor originally prescribed it and it seemed to work? Or would you still want to do a little trial-and-error of your own, and if so, how long would you go before you would be willing to try that particular combo? For whichever choice, would you also be so kind as to explain \*why \*you chose that way? My own dear ancient GP is, well, ancient, and I am really anxious about eventually having to find another doctor to try and trust. Learning more about medical mindsets (I hope) will make me more optimistic or at least better prepared for the eventuality. Many thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/33 "2012-04-14T03:00:13Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > **Quadgop** , this is not a gotcha - I’m being serious here (I have doctor issues, and I am trying to work on them by learning as much as I can). > > If you had a patient present as Shakes’ did, and he asked you for that combo, and he had his medical files transferred over for you, with the records of the trials-and-errors and the requested drug combo being prescribed and shown to work long-term, would you be more likely to accede and give him that prescription because another doctor originally prescribed it and it seemed to work? Or would you still want to do a little trial-and-error of your own, and if so, how long would you go before you would be willing to try that particular combo? > > For whichever choice, would you also be so kind as to explain \*why \*you chose that way? My own dear ancient GP is, well, ancient, and I am really anxious about eventually having to find another doctor to try and trust. Learning more about medical mindsets (I hope) will make me more optimistic or at least better prepared for the eventuality. > > Many thanks! Lotsa variables there, but I can’t say I’d be completely closed to the prospect of continuing the meds. However, there would be a controlled substances contract drawn up between me and said patient if I did decide to go that route, and it would specify (among other things) that consumption of alcohol with that particular med combination would not be considered favorably, given the known interactions and contraindications to throwing it into the mix. I am _really_ not a fan of long-term benzo use. The risk-benefit ratio all too often falls on the “risk” side. With a lot of poor outcomes resulting. My actual decision-making process would be far more complex than I’m inclined to outline here. Many variables unique to the patient and circumstances would come into play. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/34 "2012-04-14T03:13:07Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Lotsa variables there, but I can’t say I’d be completely closed to the prospect of continuing the meds. However, there would be a controlled substances contract drawn up between me and said patient if I did decide to go that route, and it would specify (among other things) that consumption of alcohol with that particular med combination would not be considered favorably, given the known interactions and contraindications to throwing it into the mix. > > I am _really_ not a fan of long-term benzo use. The risk-benefit ratio all too often falls on the “risk” side. With a lot of poor outcomes resulting. (snipped) Thank you for that. Is most of that hesitation due specifically to your specific dislike of Xanax, or is a controlled substance contract something that you consider doing for most of your patients on long-term medications with known high risk factors? Also, (and this is probably a stupid question) if the patient has been taking this combo AND drinking regularly already - if there were to be negative effects from them mixing, wouldn’t they have happened already? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/35 "2012-04-14T03:57:32Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Lotsa variables there, but I can’t say I’d be completely closed to the prospect of continuing the meds. However, there would be a controlled substances contract drawn up between me and said patient if I did decide to go that route, and it would specify (among other things) that consumption of alcohol with that particular med combination would not be considered favorably… [/QUOTE] Not to mention how alcohol consumption may land your patients in Ad Seg. 😃 Speaking as a patient, the whole “go to a new doc and have to start all over again” bit is maddening. Just as abrupt changes to psychoactive drug dosings can be harmful, making radical changes to thyroid replacements can also do awful things to a person, yet that’s what a new doctor did to me. They thought the dose I’d been on for the past two years was too high, so they cut it by more than half, taking me from 450 mcg to 200. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/36 "2012-04-14T08:37:38Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Repeat after me; > > _**Professionals work for you. > If they don’t work for you, > Find another.**_ That is a terrible attitude to have towards medical personnel. They are there to provide what you need, not what you want, and they know better than you what you need in most cases. Now it may be that the OP’s case is one of the exceptions, but suggesting meditation and quitting drinking as part of a solution to anxiety is the sign of a good doctor, not of a quack. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/37 "2012-04-14T13:22:16Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > ``` > > Originally Posted by **Qadgop the Mercotan** [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/images/buttons/viewpost.gif](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14964024#post14964024) > > > > ``` > > > > And a good psychiatrist would want to know a lot about a patient, and review old records, before dispensing long-term prescriptions for such a combination. > > And doctors are very experienced with drug-seeking behavior. You may feel you know what you need…and may be mistaken. You may have just chosen another in a long line of doctors to try get a prescription out of. You may be conscious of the fact you are gaming the doctor for a dose, or really believe that you cannot do without this medication, the heck with what other doctors think. > > I don’t mean you _personally_, just a generic ‘you’. And if the patient has a multi-year history with the single doc, it would indicate to me that he and the doc had worked to find a drug cocktail that works, not that he was hopping around looking for a doc feelgood. [sort of like it took my doc and I almost 3 months of experimentation to tweak my meds to make my BP and heart rate stable.] ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/38 "2012-04-14T14:02:19Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Sorry. I missed the part where he’s a GP, but you can check his credentials (and even reviews) online. I suggest you do that. > > Please check me out on this, but can a DO still specialize as a GP? > > Thanks > > Q DOs can be any specialty that an MD can be, **Quasi**. And the vast majority of the specialty training for MDs and DOs is pretty similar, if not exactly the same. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/39 "2012-04-14T14:08:51Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > (snipped) > > Thank you for that. Is most of that hesitation due specifically to your specific dislike of Xanax, or is a controlled substance contract something that you consider doing for most of your patients on long-term medications with known high risk factors? > > Also, (and this is probably a stupid question) if the patient has been taking this combo AND drinking regularly already - if there were to be negative effects from them mixing, wouldn’t they have happened already? Benzos as a class are problematic meds, even moreso than opioids (which at least have a clear cut ability to help with significant acute and malignant pain.) Benzos were pushed heavily in the 1970’s as the “answer to nearly every problem” but in reality they caused an awful lot of problems for doctors and patients. And no, just because mixing alcohol with benzos and SSRIs hasn’t caused a problem _yet_ doesn’t mean it won’t cause one in the future. Past avoidance of being burned while playing with fire doesn’t ensure future success at avoiding being burned while doing so. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696/40 "2012-04-14T14:20:36Z")
It seems to me that this is the sort of thing that requires a specialist. This is a huge pet peeve of mine: some doctors are bizarrely resistant to farming things out. I have known several cases where things were poorly treated for years and then resolved in a single visit with a specialist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-would-be-doctor-is-a-quack/618696.md?page=3)