rmschaver wrote: "I would call his office and ask for a copy of his notes and findings.

Yes, please do.
(If it is same in Canada as here in USA, you will likely have to sign a "Release of Information" form to get a copy.)

I routinely now, upon completion of seeing another Dr., request a copy of the notes to be mailed to me ... and they have me then-and-there fill out/sign the Release of Information form. No problem.

Wishing you well.

MsRrio,

I think this psychiatrist di you right. he did not want to complicate your PCS with meds that would not help you. They may mask some symptoms but would not make a substantial difference. WCB would like to see you medicated into passivity so you stop complaining. WCB in Canada does not sound much different than WC here in the states.

His comment about WCB paying doctors for favorable is dead on. Although there are regulations to try to prevent such 'hired guns,' there are plenty of ways the WCB payer can get around those laws and pay for the report they want.

His comment about situation depression and anxiety was dead on. You likely have anxiety from over-stimulating a brain that has minimal tolerance for any stress at all. This results in a roller coaster of anxiety with moments of depression or simply emotional exhaustion/sadness.

Do you have any way to seek distance consults from experienced professionals in a big town? I doubt you need hands on help. Finding the right skilled professional who can help direct you over the phone may be a big help. Your challenge will be getting WCB to support such an arrangement.

I completely understand the situation you are in. You give WCB more credit than they deserve. Maybe you need to find a WCB attorney who has experience with Post Concussion. Again, you do not need to find on who is nearby. Finding good experience and knowledge is far better even if you have to do most of your communication by phone, email, and mail. Email can be a good communication system when dealing with attorneys.

btw, If the psychiatrist has no experience with PCS, I wonder how much experience your PCP has. Is he really helping or is he just taking shots in the dark? The Ontario NeuroTrauma Foundation has done some excellent work with PCS. Maybe you can find some worthwhile referrals from them. Check them out at www.onf.org

It is sad that we have to do all of this work ourselves when we are the ones who struggle to make it through a day. But, you are not alone.

As other said, ask for (demand) copies of all notes and reports. I three hole punch them and put them in a three ring binder. It helps me not lose or misfile them.

My best to you.

I respectfully disagree with Mark. Your psych sounds arrogant, condescending, and patronizing. Just being referred to him should have indicated at minimal a evaluation and recommendations that could really help. Not offhand opined remarks that do nothing to serve your health needs. As a temporary aid medication properly administered can assist in getting over the hump so to speak until you can get your issues to a more manageable level. Of course you will need a competent Dr you trust to administer. I agree with Marks comment that it is possible to over medicate here. So exercise caution.

Thanks everyone. I respect all the views on this and thank you for taking the time to post replies.

I don't think I wrote my original post very well... But it was a true account of what was said.

I'm really on the fence about whether I would have benefited from a different approach. But it's neither here nor there, I've got to move on from it anyway.

As for the question of my PCP (as you Americans call them instead of GP's... Haha) I think... frankly, they are all clueless. I've seen now a total of four different doctors in 3 months including my usual family doctor.

I think I've finally found a decent one on the fourth try but time will tell.

I'm going to heed advice on the "copy" of reports. It's not standard practice up here. Didn't even occur to me yet, in 21 years of being an adult, to ask for my records.

Also the distance consultation is something I'll look into, and distance legal representation too. Thanks Mark. Another thing I hadn't considered. I guess I better gear up for some of these difficult conversations and find my inner strength.

Had no idea I was this subdued and mousy. I used to be a force to be reckoned with, I tell ya!

Problem solving is not my forte at the moment. Lol :) help is much appreciated.

rmschaver,

I think you missed my point. If the psych had tried to do an evaluation and even prescribed medication, even as a temporary help, WCB would be able to leverage that against MsRrio. It is amazingly difficult to undo even well intentioned temporary helps. I have been through the WC system and lost miserably. I have observed this same struggle in the lives of plenty of other injured workers.

FYI, The Work Comp system was established to protect employers at the expense of the injured employee. The 'gift' to the employee is a no fault process as long as the injury took place during working hours. As WC insurance companies complained, the WC rules got rewritten to favor the employer even more. This created an entire 'industrial medicine' industry. The statutes pay the doctors based on report pages. There are industrial medicine partnerships that have databases of boilerplate reports that paramedical writers cut and paste into reports to be signed by the 'reporting doctor.'

Some doctors write their own reports but the low pay causes them to become disenchanted with the system. It becomes worse when they see the way their reports get twisted against well deserving injured workers. The system is simple, play along and the medical professions will get paid as long as the injured worker does not get everything they deserve. The attorneys and doctors with their post graduate degrees deserve their big paychecks but workers who can get injured at work are the peons who deserve the leftovers.

In a few cases, the injured workers gets a just settlement, usually when the injury is obvious, like a broken leg or amputated finger or hand. Those of us with invisible injuries are labeled as driven by the chance of a big payout. There are lawyers and claims adjusters who fill conference halls to teach how to blame the injured worker for malingering.

All we need is a medical or psych report that questions the cause of our symptoms to have our claim crash and burn. A professional who does not know how to connect our symptoms to our concussion can open that door of question. Attorney Gordon Johnson addresses the serious risk of getting such an evaluation and report. My experience confirms what he says a www.tbilaw.com and www.subtlebraininjury.com

btw, No offense taken from those who disagree with this.

My best to you all.

Update
 

Remember the time I posted about the Acquired Brain Injury coordinator coming to my house to meet with me? (At least I think I posted that story, she was the one who said I'd have therapists come right to my house and then later said, no that won't happen, the ABI team won't see concussion patients).

Anyway... She did a follow up visit today.

I told her the account of the psychiatrist and she says he did me a favour. Because, she said that in her experience, anytime WCB can pin symptoms on depression instead of the injury they will.

She said the ideal healing for head injury patients is drug free for a year if possible.

I thought some of you may find that interesting.

Glad to hear you have someone who understands the WCB system. Having confidence in what the psychiatrist said is a relief.

Absolutely true but not the whole story. There is the legal side and no doubt about it if you are brain injured as any PCS persons are. It is a fight we are not equipped to deal with. As we all know anxiety, depression, emotional lability are all emotional components of this injury. What is the best for the legal interest is not the best for the health interest nor is it the best for the employment interest.


In a perfect system there would be no conflict and no equation to solve. We get injured, we get care, period. But I do not care where in the world you are personal interest is always at play. Be it a corporate entity, a doctor, a lawyer or our loved ones. It is a fact of existing in this world/plane. The tough part is attempting to balance those interest without compromising ones self or ones health. If you are very lucky a Dr. with good ethics and morals will weigh in favor of your health interest and that makes the balancing act, Oh so much easier.