Fed up wasted GP appt

[Munchlet]

So I went to see the GP today as I've been on Clomipramine for just over a month now and the side effects have been horrible.

I asked if I could change and explained that I am sweating to the point it's embarrassing, have severe constipation, dry mouth etc and she said "oh I'll get your own GP to call you in two weeeks, and if it's no better he can look at swapping your meds.

I said I don't think I can stand another two weeks and she said well I'll give you some laxatives.

I almost left her office in tears, she's a fairly young and new doctor but I'd waited over a week for the appt, she was running nearly and hour late and to then get in there and be told " put up with it for another two weeks" was not what I wanted to hear.

I also spoke to her about my therapy and asked for some advice about what I should do but apparently it's my therapy so I should just speak to them about it????

Ever feel like some doctors don't give a damn!:mad:

[yenool]

They like you to give it about 6 weeks on antidepressants before considering a change, so that might be why she said to come back in 2 weeks?

The side effects you describe are pretty typical for that medication, but some of them might well improve over time as your body adjusts.

[spuder]

I was on mirt for a yr I had had sucidal thoughts my gp never tooke off them so I went to see another gp he put me on cipralax go to another doc

[Munchlet]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think I am going to speak to another dr I've got up this morning and I am sweating so much it's just embarrassing. I don't actually feel like I can go out at the moment as my face is dripping with sweat all the time, it's just awful x

[Serenity1990]

Why are you on antidepressants? Are you depressed?

[Munchlet]

They are classed as antidepressants but deal with other issues such as OCD, Anxiety, phobias etc.

[swgrl09]

That's really frustrating. I know that at the hospital where I work, frequently doctors who are covering for somebody else won't mess with what another doctor has prescribed because it is the original doctor's treatment plan. But honestly, if you are suffering that much, she could have given you a few suggestions or an explanation of why she was just pushing you off two weeks.

So I'm not surprised she really didn't have much to say about the therapy. I bet your usual doctor will be more helpful. Is there anyway they can get you in earlier?

[Munchlet]

Hi swgrl09 unfortunately not my GP is on hols so she's booked me a tel consultation when he returns.

She did say I can ring and speak to a duty doctor if I really feel it's not working but that's why I made the appt to see her so I was a bit confused about that one.

I just got the impression she's a new doctor and she kept flicking through her book so she obviously isn't that confident in making decisions yet. Probably just as you said about some of the doctors at the hospital.

[Serenity1990]

They are classed as antidepressants but deal with other issues such as OCD, Anxiety, phobias etc.

They really don't.

[Justinf]

They really don't.Absolutely they do. Cymbalta for example is a good drug for OCD.

[anthrokid]

Serenity1990 - I'm a provisional psychologist in my 5th year of training to be a clinical psychologist, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that "antidepressants" can be used to treat a wide array of issues, not just depression. I think it's just that the term "antidepressants" can be quite misleading.

---------- Post added at 09:02 ---------- Previous post was at 08:59 ----------

Munchlet, I'm sorry that you've had this experience. As yenool said, they do like to give you about 6 weeks on a medication to ensure they've given it the best chance to work and time for any side effects to subside. However, if you are finding the side effects unbearable and they are impacting on your life, you should persevere and further discuss this with another GP. It sounds like you are finding the sweating quite embarrassing, and if that's limiting you from going out and leaving your home then it is impacting on your recovery. It's important that you feel comfortable and able to do things during your recovery :)

[Serenity1990]

Serenity1990 - I'm a provisional psychologist in my 5th year of training to be a clinical psychologist, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that "antidepressants" can be used to treat a wide array of issues, not just depression. I think it's just that the term "antidepressants" can be quite misleading.[COLOR="blue"]


And I'm a statistician employed by one of the best universities in the world to design and interpret randomised control trials. I can tell you with absolute certainty that SSRIs only just about have a statistically significant affect on anxiety, and that result is very sensitive to experimental design. For example if you add an interaction term between depression and anxiety (and as they often appear together this is an absolute necessity) controlling for other explanatory variables no statistically significant affect on anxiety exists. With respect to tricyclics it's a similar story except virtually none of them have a statistically significant effect to begin with.

[yenool]

So antidepressants are barely statistically more effective than placebo. In other breaking news bears s*** in the woods and the Pope turns out to be catholic.

I don't think anyone is arguing that they can't be used for anxiety related problems, just that they don't actually work that well. Certainly in my study of 1 I have concluded antidepressants are useless for anxiety and don't help OCD either.

Having said that I am aware that many millions of people do claim they have benefited from these type of medications....... so I think pay your money and take your choice really.

Maybe if your anxiety is secondary to depression they can help. But even then from what I have read antidepressants aren't actually effective for anything other than the most severe of depressions.

[Serenity1990]

So antidepressants are barely statistically more effective than placebo. In other breaking news bears s*** in the woods and the Pope turns out to be catholic.



No that is the case anyway. What I'm saying is that small effect is only achieved through a very economical representation of the data.

[anthrokid]

If your research is published Serenity I'd love to read it. There is always an over-abundance of effective trials published due to journal bias. I do still believe that there is a positive effect to be gained by use of SSRIs in anxiety. I'm not saying that it is preferential treatment, but I have seen clinical patients respond well to them after non-response to other interventions.

[Munchlet]

Anthrokid thanks for the reply, I've booked to speak to another Dr on the telephone tomorrow. As I said to the GP last week I know that with medication comes side effects and on Fluoxeteine I always had to take them with food otherwise they'd give me indigestion/heartburn. Those side effects I can live with but like you say when it's having an impact on me being able to do social activities that's not something that's going to help me in the long run so I'm going to be firmer tomorrow and say I'd like to change.

Serenity you obviously have a lot of experience in this field but from my point of view and having tried several medications, I can tell you that they absolutely do help with my anxiety/phobias. Whether or not you choose to believe that is psychological on my part rather than the medication is your prerogative but I can tell you that without medication, I have on occasion been completely unable to function and having tried talking therapy etc , in my case medication seems to be the only thing that helps.

[swgrl09]

I also had a lot of help with my anxiety when I was on an SSRI. If it was a placebo effect, so be it, I was just happy to feel better. I'm all for whatever works.

[Munchlet]

Absolutely swgrl09 I couldn't agree more, as they say what works for one won't for another etc but I just feel that when I am taking a medication that agrees with me, those awful feelings of dread and panic do seem to subside and I am certainly able to rationalise things more. :)