anxiety?...academic prep?

[cali23]

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Hey,

Just wanted to know if anybody has been on meds for anxiety/depression while in med school. What are the advantages/disadvantages. Does it make med schl harder/easier. Is it true that they can make you worse?

Most impt ?....Do you have to take these medications for life or can you take them for a few months or a year and stop?

Also, if you do not feel that you have grasped the material from years one and two well, partially due to anxiety reasons, would you say it is worth taking a year off to build your knowledge base before jumping into third year or taking the boards. Will a poor foundation affect your performance in third and fourth year and as a physician?

I'd appreciate any help or advise.

 

[Darth Vader]

Antidepressants/anti-anxiety agents such as the SSRI's are perhaps the most benign drug they have out there. Particularly if you take a drug as well studied as Prozac. They have never been shown to increase morbidity (in terms of developing new diseases) or mortality in any way. There has even been some thought, though currently unproven, that taking them may decrease mortality in certain types of patients such as heart failure patients. You do not have to take them for your whole life if you do start them, most would reccomend a course of ~1 yr, but if they help and you want to stick with them, I can't think of any reason why that would be a problem other then your insurance company whining to your doctor about it. If you have passed the first two years and step I of the boards, then by all means, go onto your clinical years. Your basic sciences knowledge will only decay after this. If you are talking about taking a few extra months off before taking step I, then that might be reasonable to make sure that you scored decently. You will never have a comfortable knowledge of all there is to know in medicine though; if you think that you do, you aren't keeping up with the recent research enough.

 

[xxdczz]

DONe.

 

[cali23]

Do you mind me asking how these withdrawl symptoms affected her academics?...for instance, i have heard of individuals sleeping long hrs after stopping meds...i wouldnt be able to do this in 3rd/4th yrs.

Also, I have failed pathobiology and microbiology this year. I feel my background is poor. I can retake these exams over winter break and take the boards in a rush, or take a year off, retake the courses, study like mad for the boards for 3 months, take them and relax a bit before 3rd year. What do you think is the best option?

I am also about to take Pathophysiology which if I fail, will further affect my academic record. Do you think I should take time off now or try to gut it out. I do not know the importance of the academic record vs. board scores. I aim to enter internal med or general surgery, so would like advise on the best course of action.

thank you very much for u're help.

 

[xxdczz]

Done.

 

[daisygirl]

Cali-

Could you send me an e-mail address? I wasn't able to pm you.

 

[dstn2bmd]

Originally posted by daisygirl
Cali-

Could you send me an e-mail address? I wasn't able to pm you.

ditto 🙂 I wanted to reply but not on the board. If you don't mind pm me so I can share my story with you.

Heb

 

[ubiquitous]

Originally posted by cali23
Do you mind me asking how these withdrawl symptoms affected her academics?...for instance, i have heard of individuals sleeping long hrs after stopping meds...i wouldnt be able to do this in 3rd/4th yrs.

Also, I have failed pathobiology and microbiology this year. I feel my background is poor. I can retake these exams over winter break and take the boards in a rush, or take a year off, retake the courses, study like mad for the boards for 3 months, take them and relax a bit before 3rd year. What do you think is the best option?

I am also about to take Pathophysiology which if I fail, will further affect my academic record. Do you think I should take time off now or try to gut it out. I do not know the importance of the academic record vs. board scores. I aim to enter internal med or general surgery, so would like advise on the best course of action.

thank you very much for u're help.

If you're sure you won't do well on the pathophysiology exam, is it possible to talk with your academic advisor/class counselor about it in advance? I'm not sure how things work at other schools, but at mine our advisors are willing to extend some "slack" to you when you really need it.

Good luck to you, and I wish you all the best!

 

[cali23]

email me at [email protected]

another thing, my psychologist i went to today fell asleep on me 4 times!! for all u future shrinks, how not to treat a patient, what an dingus.

also counselor at my school told me to get my **** together or take a leave of absence, no slack.