Doctors...sometimes great, or not..

[purplesky]

Just when you think your doctor is great, they don't seem to be listening..he was having a busy day, appointments running 30 mins late, I get in there, he apologises which is nice..

..then suggests CBT, which is great, but I tell him I have been through this service twice already (local NHS funded and organised). The first time I waited 40 minutes, the guy didn't turn up.

The second time I go through a long telephone interview with a stranger asking me personal questions that are tough to answer...this is followed by an assessment a few weeks later...by the same guy who didn't turn up first time. So I already harbour some resentment towards him, and I have issues with relating to men anyway..! Another hour of invasive questions about my PTSD, depression, panic disorder, anxiety etc etc..and I get told I MIGHT, yes MIGHT be eligible for some counselling...gee thanks mate, so I go through all that for the chance of some talking therapy when I find it damn difficult to talk about stuff in person anyway...

So...I get an appointment another few weeks later and its with a MH nurse...ooh good...but he proceeds to go through sleep therapy with me, which is fine, but I think I need a little more than that please..!

So...anyway back to the GP this week. I don't get the chance to tell him all that, but its as if he isn't listening, or has no other option...so he persuades me to contact them again and if no joy (how many times do I need to surrender myself to them) come back and he will refer me to a mental health team specialising in anxiety. Cheers mate, why can't I have that now..? Needless to say I didn't say that...next visit I'm taking my own advice and going with someone else for support, it really helps I find...

Sorry for going on if you have read all this... but thanks if you have too..!

[Baggs]

I like your style.
Baggs

[kittikat]

Oh no! What a shambles...it seems some docs just don't get these types of issues I am lucky, mine has been brilliant and my CBT therapist is too. Poor you, like you really need all this agro I hope you don't have to wait too long to get some proper help...you'll probably have cured yourself by the time they get round to it......

Good luck Kitti x

[purplesky]

Thanks both for your replies. Much appreciated.

CBT is good (if I can get it) but it's tough at the moment. Feeling a bit like there is a better medication out there for me. I'm almost medication free at the moment, or 'inbetween' meds having tapered down Citalopram to nothing over many months (free for a week) and easing into Mirtazapine in the next few days to hopefully smooth out my anxiety and general mood.

I've just got this nagging feeling a mood stabiliser might be good for me. I really think a proper psych assessment is in order, whether thats referral through the GP (difficult) or privately.