Don’t Be Fooled By The Packaging . . . Or The Marketing!!!

I fielded a call from a patient, complaining that I wrote XL instead of SR after my prescription for Wellbutrin. My bad. She is on the SR and not the XL. A quick call to the pharmacy and the problem was solved. But, was it a problem in the first place? For a small minority . . . → Read More: Don’t Be Fooled By The Packaging . . . Or The Marketing!!!

Advocating For Access To Mental Health Care . . . It Is Time For Us To Stand Up For What Is Right

I am encouraging you to go to Philmont Guidance Center’s Facebook page and listen to a 6-minute video I uploaded there. Get past the boring talking head thing (psychiatrists tend to be a bit dry sometimes) and LISTEN to what he is saying and THINK about what this will mean if the trend is generalized . . . → Read More: Advocating For Access To Mental Health Care . . . It Is Time For Us To Stand Up For What Is Right

Maintenance Treatment For Depression . . . Medicine . . . TMS . . . Whatever Works

I had to field a call the other day from a local Children and Youth worker. Nice lady . . . but not terribly informed about mental health issues . . . specifically Major Depression. She was calling about a patient of mine who is trying to get custody of her grandchild after the child’s . . . → Read More: Maintenance Treatment For Depression . . . Medicine . . . TMS . . . Whatever Works

The Shortage Of Adderall . . . and the scramble for solutions

As most of you ADHD kids/moms/dads know by now, there is a shortage of Adderall products in the United States. It has simmered all summer . . . only to hit the big time now that school is in full swing (great timing, big pharma!!). It has created havoc across the area and quadrupled the calls to the already full in-box on my voice mail. Everybody is blaming everyone else . . . . . . → Read More: The Shortage Of Adderall . . . and the scramble for solutions

Klonopin is “Bad” and YOU are “Bad” for Even Thinking About It

None of the medicines I prescribe (including Klonopin) is a “bad” medicine. The people who benefit from the medicines are not “bad” people. They are people who have a problem that need our professional help. . . . → Read More: Klonopin is “Bad” and YOU are “Bad” for Even Thinking About It

Accurately Diagnosing ADHD–Using The Quotient ADHD Testing System to Avoid Unnecessary Exposure to Medicine

The ambiguity of psychiatric diagnosis does not make anything easy. Especially when there is a complicated mish-mosh of symptoms that easily fit into more than one diagnostic category. And, you ARE allowed to have more than one psychiatric diagnosis. But how can I be sure that a child who presents with ADHD symptoms . . . and anxiety, and depression, and a complicated home life, and a complicated school picture . . . actually has ADHD and that the “ADHD symptoms” are not just a result of the other stuff????? . . . → Read More: Accurately Diagnosing ADHD–Using The Quotient ADHD Testing System to Avoid Unnecessary Exposure to Medicine

Ask Three Docs . . . Get Four Opinions . . .

I have been on medications for almost 11 years. I have been through so many. and At the present time I am on Effexor xr 150mg, Prozac 40 mg as the Dr. was trying to wean me from 225 of the effexor xr and add the prozac. 1 mg of xanax 4 x’s a day, . . . → Read More: Ask Three Docs . . . Get Four Opinions . . .

Dancing With The Devil . . . or . . . How Did I Allow Klonopin (or Ativan . . . or Xanax . . . ) To Rule My Life

I have been taken aback with the number of severe comments I have gotten from people who have had such a difficult time with Klonopin and other benzodiazepines over the years. In my practice, it has a central role in symptoms relief for many people with generalized and panic anxiety. When starting them, they always . . . → Read More: Dancing With The Devil . . . or . . . How Did I Allow Klonopin (or Ativan . . . or Xanax . . . ) To Rule My Life

Adderall vs. Vyvanse and Dealing With a Difficult Doc

I have a question for you pertaining to Vyvanse and ADHD in general. I’m 23 years old and currently living in Fresno, CA, and have been diagnosed by a couple psychiatrists here and elsewhere with ADHD. One prescribed me Provigil, which seems to work alright, but also gives me bad anxiety at the doses I . . . → Read More: Adderall vs. Vyvanse and Dealing With a Difficult Doc

Vyvanse For Young Patients–Give ’em a Break???

Anne writes in with a common worry:

I have a 7 year old son that has just received a diagnosis of adhd (combined type). we adopted him when he was 4 years old. our psychiatrist has said that she feels that his severe adhd and pattern of his other behaviours are typical of someone with . . . → Read More: Vyvanse For Young Patients–Give ’em a Break???