Meds Review With My Own Doctor Tomorrow

[taurean]

My medical centre is a large practice covering a very large area and with the number of doctors available high. 

I haven't had a great experience there when needing to see doctors who don't understand OCD too well and don't know my story. 

So I have made sure I am seeing my own doctor for this review. 

With the SSRI that I have managed to tolerate, Citalopram, it doesn't have for me any specific perceivable effect on my OCD itself, but it definitely has that "water wing"  effect which helps keep my mood up and enables me to work my therapy. 

And the propranolol in 10mg dose I am able to take thrice a day when anxiety may become uncomfortable also plays its part for me. 

I expect he will take my blood pressure which is likely a little up at the moment after two challenging weeks with my phoneline and resultant broadband issues, and some major refurbishment works going on in our home. 

But from my part of the doctor /patient partnership I feel the meds have an important part to play in my treatment programme for OCD, plus I have gained from my forum friends some additional psychological tools, in addition to those from my CBT therapy, to help me tackle the disorder when it flairs up. 

My doctor is very supportive  and has gained awareness about OCD from our previous discussions so it will be an interesting catch-up tomorrow morning. 

Edited August 7, 2017 by taurean

[lostinme]

It sounds like it will be a pleasurable review with your doctor Roy and he's knowledgeable about OCD which is always good ? 

It sounds to me that your meds are serving you really well Roy so a straight forward review and a catch up with a supportive doctor 

[taurean]

Yes I reckon so. I think that is wise certainly until we have been able to move and settled into our new area. 

He is a great doctor and been so helpful, including with  some nasty things which have plagued me over the years - including at one point a short - but painful - spell of trauma-induced gout, caused when I bashed my big toe severely against a bed at my Mum's home.

And this other trauma-induced injury in the Y joint of my right thumb caused when I overpressed with secateurs when trying to prune in the garden. I should have got treatment earlier than I did, my fault, as it has now become arthritic. 

There's a pattern there - Roy not stopping to think, and not being careful enough. 

I would like to drop my Citalopram dose down from the 20mg dose to 10 mg but won't consider that till after the move. 

 

Edited August 7, 2017 by taurean

[taurean]

All went well. He wanted to understand the repetitive thoughts problem so I explained to him about Brainlock.

Also we discussed how he likes it when fellow sufferers of conditions help each other - so I told him about OCD-UK and the forums and how helpful they are - he has put a computer tag against me to bring that information up in the practice if the doctors are searching for information. Great educational help, awareness- spreading and helping others

We are carrying on with the current medication. 

[SB21]

That's great Roy, really pleased it went well. Thanks for all the helpful advice you've posted over the last few months. It's really useful to read and gives me the strength to keep going when I'm having a tough day.  

[lostinme]

That's great Roy, i was looking at the notice boards in both my gps and my sisters gps there is lots of information on these regarding different medical issues including anxiety, depression etc and numbers to call if you would like some advice and support. I think it would be useful if all medical boards had leaflets regarding OCD and the OCD U.K. website and numbers to call also, I think so many people would benefit from this into seeking help, which I feel so many sufferers are afraid of doing. 

[taurean]

What a great suggestion lost

It might be ideal for everyone. If those of us who are up for it mention this when they are seeing the doctors, more OCD sufferers like us can be helped. 

I really appreciate the support I get at my practice and if the doctor himself spreads awareness within the practice well that is splendid.

I didn't at all mind being "tagged"  when others may be helped as a result 

 

[taurean]

2 hours ago, SB21 said:

That's great Roy, really pleased it went well. Thanks for all the helpful advice you've posted over the last few months. It's really useful to read and gives me the strength to keep going when I'm having a tough day.  

Oh thank you SB - such feedback warms the cockles of my heart and makes my efforts - and of course those of others seeking to pass on what they have learned - so very worthwhile

 

[SB21]

I agree, the forum has a fabulous group of members who work tirelessly to pass on the skills and info needed to help sufferers get through their day. They all deserve a personal thank you as I'm sure they don't realise how their kind words change the lives of the many and not just the recipient of the advice.  An amazing quality of the forum. Enjoy the rest of your day Roy. 

[Caramoole]

12 hours ago, lostinme said:

That's great Roy, i was looking at the notice boards in both my gps and my sisters gps there is lots of information on these regarding different medical issues including anxiety, depression etc and numbers to call if you would like some advice and support. I think it would be useful if all medical boards had leaflets regarding OCD and the OCD U.K. website and numbers to call also, I think so many people would benefit from this into seeking help, which I feel so many sufferers are afraid of doing. 

I've always thought that the charity should have an A5 poster that members could easily print off and issue to their GP practice to display 

[taurean]

17 minutes ago, Caramoole said:

I've always thought that the charity should have an A5 poster that members could easily print off and issue to their GP practice to display 

What a terrific idea Caramoole

And when we hand over the poster to our doctor, we can suggest they and their colleagues take a look at the OCD-UK website and read the great educational material which explains OCD and how it works. 

The doctors and their OCD patients would I think greatly benefit from this. 

[Caramoole]

My GP confessed she had limited & basic knowledge of OCD (washing, cleaning, checking) and was very interested and open to the work of our charity, a downloadable poster would be such a simple resource to have available

[taurean]

There have been downloadable posters during OCD awareness week, so it would I reckon be possible to produce one suitable enough for GP surgeries with minimal amendment. 

From the response from your GP and mine, I think it likely that many GPs would welcome a simple way to extend their understanding about OCD. 

When we bear in mind that, statistically, just over 1% of the population have some manifestation of OCD which significantly affects their daily life, then amongst the patients of every GP surgery there will be sufferers. How many of those have felt able to mention their upsetting thinking to their doctor, get a diagnosis and get on the road to treatment and recovery? 

[lostinme]

7 hours ago, Caramoole said:

I've always thought that the charity should have an A5 poster that members could easily print off and issue to their GP practice to display 

Yes Caramoole in my gp there is posters or leaflets regarding different health issues from diabetes, anxiety, depression etc on their notice boards, which I think most people sit and read whilst waiting to see the doctor. I was just thinking that it would be a good idea if there was an OCD one there to. Quite often many sufferers like ourselves are to afraid to seek help from medical practitioners or family and friends and even some of us don't realise it is OCD. This would give them the option and privacy to be able to either ring or join the forum and not feel so isolated and alone. After doing so they would hopefully gain more understanding regarding OCD and in time maybe able to seek some help because they feel they have a better understanding of this disorder. 

I think this would not only benefit the charity but also many sufferers who can be feeling desperate, isolated and alone and who quite often feel to afraid to turn to someone for help. 

 

[PhilM]

The A5 poster idea is great. The problem in my surgery? The practice manager is such a jobsworth it would have to be bi-lingual.

[snowbear]

11 hours ago, PhilM said:

The A5 poster idea is great. The problem in my surgery? The practice manager is such a jobsworth it would have to be bi-lingual.

I couldn't help laughing (inappropriately)   at this.

It's so true that in Wales progress is often held back by the lack of translators to make the information available in both English and Welsh.

But my favourite solution to any problem is to get practical. So:

Step 1. Let's devise and design a poster in English ready to hand out during this year's Awareness Week in October. 

Step 2. Once that's ready, we contact some Welsh speaker volunteers, or even the official Welsh language promotion team, and get it translated. 

Where there's a will there's a way.  

[lostinme]

Wow feeling so glad I brought this up, I've been thinking about it some time now and it seemed appropriate to mention this in Roy's post  it seems we are all in favour of this and a little team work can make this possible 

Where there's a will there's a way 

 

[taurean]

On 9/8/2017 at 22:03, lostinme said:

Where there's a will there's a way 

And so far as two of my great nephews might think, where there's a way there's a Will (William) 

 

[PhilM]

The issue in Wales is that although only around 20 per cent of the population "siared Cymraeg" (speak Welsh!) It's a hot potato and the promotion of the language (which I support) is a really politically correct issue due to decades plus of suppression in schools etc. until the last couple of decades.

However I know a lot of people who could translate a poster from English to Welsh.

Best wishes, Phil.

[PhilM]

Sorry if I went off on a tangent.

[taurean]

It's an emotive subject and as a former language student I can understand the desire to keep the language going.