• Doctor Patient Confidentiality — Relationships
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Doctor Patient Confidentiality — Relationships

My question is about doctor patient confidentiality. My husband and I are currently without health insurance and he’s been taking an over-the-counter anti-depressent called SAM-e, which makes him irritable and at times either whiny or overly-anxious — or both. His primary physician doesn’t know he is taking SAMe. But I feel I should tell him. My husband insists it is as good, if not better, than any of the expensive prescription antidepressants he took when we had health insurance, pre Obamacare. Should I just be happy that he is no longer depressed and grin and bear the whining and anxiety.

–Long-Suffering Wife, West Bath, ME

Thank you for your question about doctor patient confidentiality.
The US Food and Drug Administration doesn’t sufficiently regulate over-the-counter herbs supplements, so the jury is still out on whether antidepressants such as SAM-e are totally safe. What you can do is to persuade your husband to talk to his primary care physician about SAM-e to see if any medication he is also taking works with the SAM-e, or against it.
  • For instance SAM-e could possibly affect bleeding risk if your husband is also taking any drug that affects bleeding, such as aspirin or blood thinners.
  • Or if he takes a drug to control his blood pressure.
What you can say to your primary care doctor is this:  I’m concerned that SAM-e may not be working well for Jack. Can you please talk to him about what he’s taking, how much he’s taking and how often, so that he can get a reality check on his mood swings. 
 
His doctor may not know he’s taking SAM-e, so you want to assume for the safety of your husband that his doctor knows about the SAM-e.

~Didi

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