What an :censored2: psychiatrist! I am fuming!

ROE

New Member
I am glad that there may be some other options for you. I read your post earlier today but was unable to respond-I was furious for you. If I was in your place, I would've lost my cool for sure.

I have found that the online physician finder for my insurance provider is not all that reliable. With difficult child's old insurance, even the book I received was useless because I could not tell who was a pediatrician. p.doctor and who wasn't. I had to call the insurance company-and even that wasn't reliable because they gave me names of p.docs that were not taking new patients, or children as young as he was.

I like the idea of writing a letter to the new p.doctor with all of the pertinent information. I did this after the first consult with p.doctor #2. For one thing, the initial 60 minute visit wasn't long enough to give difficult child's history for the past 4 years. I had all of difficult child's records transferred to the new p.doctor but neither one of us could read the previous p.docs notes.

Got my fingers crossed that you will find somebody who can work with you. If you do try to go out of network-ask about a reduced fee. difficult child's second t.doctor was not covered by the insurance plan that we had but they charged us on a sliding fee scale. Not sure if this is an option for you-it's still money out of your pocket.

Good luck!
 

Wiped Out

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I'm so glad there are other options because when I read this I was steaming. How dare he disrespect you. :grrr: We had a psychiatrist that didn't like to listen and we didn't stay with him-we now have an awesome psychiatrist and I'm so glad we made the switch.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Alison

I'm not trying to pop your bubble, but make sure when trying to make the appoint for a new doctor you mention difficult child's age. You'll be surprised at how many psychiatrists won't go near treating a child.

If you can find one your insurance won't cover can you afford to pay out of pocket? You could also check with your county mental health and see how their docs are. (they usually have at least one who will see kids)

I'd be hard pressed to take my child back to that office. But I might try a second visit just to see if maybe psychiatrist was having a really horrible day. If you do go to him again, type up difficult child's history and simply hand it to him. Let him know you know he's busy and that way he can read it when he has more time. (he can also glance over it while you're there)

Also if you have a children's hospital near enough to drive, they might have a psychiatric clinic you can use.

((Hugs))
 

neednewtechnique

New Member
It seems funny to me, thinking about it, because when our difficult child first came to us, she was seeing a private practice psychiatrist and I HATED the woman with the BLIND RAGE that our difficult child has!!! She was HORRIBLE...and after I could not handle it anymore, I finally decided to IGNORE the stigma and give our county services a shot, since it was covered by her insurance to use the "government" agency. This woman has been AMAZING since our difficult child started seeing her. She has an AMAZING grasp of the concept of ACTUALLY TREATING our CHILD, and her REAL SYMPTOMS, with NO REGARD whatsoever to TREATING "DISORDERS"... The ONLY time she has even MENTIONED our difficult child's diagnosis's was when we had a follow-up appointment, she wanted to discuss some of the changes that could occur with some of her Disorders as she goes through puberty. Our difficult child does not exhibit ALL the symptoms of ANY of her diagnosis's and she was trying to do US a favor by bringing us in and doing a comprehensive "overview" of all the possible symptoms of each of her disorders, so that if things change as she goes through puberty, we will know what to watch out for, and that BY ITSELF impressed me, because she is saying to me, we don't talk about this in terms of a diagnosis, we talk about this in terms of the behaviors your child exhibits, but we want to make sure you are aware of what CAN happen, just in case things change.

I know the county services don't get much respect, and some of them really can be shady programs, but you could at least give it a shot. Sounds to me like ALMOST ANYTHING would be a STEP UP from this clown you seen!!!!!!!!!!!
 
F

flutterbee

Guest
Ugh! What a jerk! It's so important to have a doctor that listens and that you trust. Definitely explore your options.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
I admit I haven't read other posts in detail, but some points jump out at me, that others have suggested:

1) Talk to your insurance provider. Let them know how unsettled you found this and how you're concerned that continuing to see this psychiatrist could not only mean inappropriate treatment (due to the doctor failing to take a proper history) but subsequent problems from this, PLUS failure to treat appropriately, leading to longer treatment and higher overall costs. Always use the relevant selling point, depending on who you're talking to. For an insurance company, it's costs of A vs costs of B.

2) Go elsewhere. This guy was running an hour late and didn't want to be slowed down by the usual rigmarole needed for an initial consult (ie take a careful history; take the time needed). Out of curiosity, how long was the actual appointment? An initial specialist consult is usually an hour, for us in Australia.
If you go elsewhere and have to pay privately, it still could be a better option if your son is treated appropriately and with consideration. Surely it's better to pay more for a doctor who gets it right, than to waste time and insurance money on a doctor who is not only not getting it right, but who is causing damage?

3) Write it down in detail. Copy what you posted here and add in everything you can remember. Where you are certain you can remember what he said verbatim, put it in quote marks. You may never need this; but on the other hand, you might. And having it written down in detail while it's fresh in your mind is the absolute best thing you can do.

4) If you want to give this guy another go (and maybe make absolutely sure he's a "richard cranium") then write a summary of difficult child's history. Do one anyway, it's a good idea to have this on record, it saves you having to dredge your memory every time you see a new doctor. Have the long, detailed hx and also a shortened, one-page version. For a dolt like this, I'd hand him both and tell him the short one is for now, the longer one is to make sure he has access to the detailed info.
And for now - send him the short version, with an added note, "I was left with the clear impression that you misunderstood some aspects of difficult child's history and I would like this rectified on his file. it is most important that information is complete and correct, which I do not feel is currently the case." Say no more than this and be careful to not hint that you feel he didn't take the time needed, or the care needed. Just indicate that information is still lacking and don't say whose fault it is.
Then see how he responds. If you indicated absolutely no fault, but he comes back with a "how dare you!" then you know he's too touchy on the subject, probably knows darned well that he's slack and has a revolving door approach to pediatric psychiatry. The guilty conscience, attacking when he feels threatened. If you get this response, get away from him as fast as you can and consider you had a lucky escape.
on the other hand, you might get a considered reply (or none) and next appointment an effort to give you more time and straighten out misunderstandings. In which case, you saw him on a really off day and it could work out. I would still be wary, though - such doctors do have other off days too, it will happen again. There have to be a lot of really good reasons to stay with a doctor like that.

Good luck with this one. I have a lot of Aussie adjectives I'm working hard to not use, about this bloke. References to his mother's marital status, for one.

Marg
 
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