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Need some advice on what to do


Guest joe_123

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Guest joe_123

Hi everyone,

I'm having quite a bit of trouble getting help on the nhs. I've had problems with my mental health since around 2000 (Even before that I had problems, I never had any friends at school, was physicallt bullied and used to each my lunch in the toilets etc..)

I went to the doctor around 2003, before I had been quite depressed for a number of years - The doctor kept sending me away and eventually after 7 visits they let me go for therapy. I only had 2 sessions and they were stopped because the therapist went ill, and I did not end up seeeing anyone else after that. I had a bit of a breakdown around 2006 and was put on fluxotine. Between 2006-2008 my memory is a bit hazy, but I was assessed for therapy, I couldn't make the second appointment and was discharged even though I tried to contact the therapist. During this time I went off the medication and on it again, went through about 5 doctors, went to a private therapist for about 2 years and also self referred myself to about 3/4 different courses (run by primary care I think).

Around 2008 is when the anxiety and OCD problems started. At the time, the anxiety was the main problem as I struggled to eat/sleep, and had to go on long walks to try and burn off the andreinle. I was put on citalopram and seem to remember going on some courses again as well. I was also assessed by a team (can't remember the details). During this time the OCD symptoms were starting. I remember going on the course again and having cbt around 2011. I also remember coming off the citalopram as I didn't think it was helping at all. Once again I was discharged after the 6 weeks of one-to-one (without feeling any better) and was told to contact them if I was still having problems.

Then in 2013 my OCD started getting really bad. My compulsions take up around 4/5 hours a day at least and I'm having trouble with the thoughts pretty much all the time. I primary have problems with contamination, but also I have to do counting and it's intertwined with the contamination.

I once suffered heat exhaustion and started hyperventalating on the M25. I was taking my brother to pick up a car and it happened to be the hottest day of the year. I always drive with the re-circulation on and the windows closed because I don't want to be contaminated by the dust/dirt from trucks. This scared me a lot because the OCD had more power than my will to live.

My compulsions/thoughts are quite a mix and I've been trying to detail a "typical" day by writing it down, but it's gone on to loads of pages.

I self referred myself again to the IAPT scheme in 2014 (I actually had the form for about a year). I wrote about 2 extra pages detailing my problems and ended up getting a phone assesment. The woman on the phone hadn't seen the form and didn't have any of my history. In the end she thought I sounded "a little bit worried about things" and I got put down for the course and one to one (again!). I've gone through the course (for about the 4th time now) and I'm still waiting for the one-to-one (about 3 months waiting now). I went to the doctor before the course and she said to see how the course went before she would do anything, and she said there was no other help available.

I went back to the doctor again today (a different doctor, the other doctor is on maternaty leave). She didn't spend much time listening to my problems and she wanted to put me on fluxotine for 3 weeks before she will consider anything else. I asked to be assessed properly but she said I will be assessed during the one-to-one. I also spoke to people at the IAPT who said it may be best to wait rather than get re-assessed as I will end up at the start of the queue.

I feel at a complete loose end. Through the years my symptoms have got gradually worse regardless of the medication/courses and very short CBT I've had. It seems to be difficult to get to speak to someone thats not an admin staff and I can never seem to see the same doctor more than once. I'm going to phone the IAPT to try and see where I am on the waiting list, but it seems like I almost need a golden ticket before I'm seen properly.

What should I do? I'm reluctant to take the fluxotine as it hasn't helped much in the past and I'm relunctant to take the advice of a doctor who has only spoke to me for 5mins with me only explaining about 2% of my problems.

Have you got any advice? What should I try?

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Hi joe_123,

I'm sorry to hear of the messing around you have had at the hands of your local doctors, unfortunetly many doctors are not well clued up on OCD & what it entails.

It may very well be worth contacting the Moderators on here (use the Message Mod Team button at the top of the page), they have a lot more knowledge of OCD & may well be able to advise you on dealing with the NHS.

I wish you the best of luck :original:

Symps

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Guest joe_123

Thanks, I've decided I should try and document my problems better and I'm thinking I should email PALS. It seems that they are a good port of call for issues with my local Primary Care Trust.

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Yes, writing my thoughts & feeling down helped me to explain how I felt when I couldn't physically get the words out. In fact, when I got referred to a therapist it was because I handed my GP a note with how I was feeling on it (Nothing to do with OCD, just how I felt low, couldn't sleep, etc...) let her know how I felt.

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