Re:MMPI (was How would you handle this?

[Guest guest]

> So I was wondering what types of methods work for others in this

type of

> situation. They insist that no psychologist has ever requested

that the mmpi

> not be given.

This is a tough one. It sounds like this clinic is more interested

in test results than treating the patient individually.

The use of the MMPI as diagnostic criteria is a considered a gold

standard (widely accepted), but how it is used can be somewhat

controversial.

Many disability experts use it to detect malingering:

http://www.beachnet.com/~jobrien/Art3.htm

Other treating physicians use it to diagnose obsessive compulsive or

somatization disorders.

http://www.psych9.com/Articles/Challenging_the__Diagnosis__of/challen

ging_the__diagnosis__of.html

And many other clinics use it to reduce liability when prescribing

pain medications.

http://bama.ua.edu/~jcollier/Psychology_Pain_Management.html

One of the difficult things about EDS is that the pain *is* often

greater than the objective medical findings, so you can be shunted

into an incorrect psychological diagnosis or even considered to be

malingering for gain.

So far to date, in addition to having been diagnosed with EDS Type

III at the Mayo clinic, I have been told I may suffer from:

1. Post traumatic stress disorder.

2. depression,

3. A somatic form disorder (this is a disorder where your

subconscious creates a conflict and it manifests itself as physical

problems. It requires that your joint pain be *medically

unexplainable*- which in my case, had been explained by the mayo

Clinic), and

4. *Both myself and my husband* have been diagnosed as suffering

from obsessive compulsive disorder (by an endocronlogist, because we

had a list of questions and hubby was taking notes).

My suggestion is to ask if they would offer any alternatives to

patients who might have religious or other valid objections to their

specific diagnostic tools or treatments. if they do not, then you

might want to check out their bias as one poster has suggested -- in

other words, look to see if the treating MDs are writing articles

about malingering/pain addicts etc. I would also ask to speak to

the MD and ask how they plan to use the test and what your concerns

are. if you still get the " bad vibe " than I'd ask your current MD to

administer and interpret the test and give her findings (not the

test scores) to the clinic. If they still won't go for this, then

seek treatment elsewhere (but be warned, that doctor shipping is

considered a classic sign of a somatic disorder- or so I have been

told when seeking a second opinion for my tumor surgery :-)

Speaking of red flags: one of the red flags I look for when working

with health care providers is how much courtesy they extend to their

fellow colleagues. If they will not give any weight to anyone else's

opinion, then they'd better be ready to step up to the plate if they

make an error (as was the case when surgeon #1 misdiagnosed my

tumor - leading to the second opinion).

PS. Laxity - I bet my surgeon and your pain clinic might come from

the school of thought. :-)