View Full Version : I have actually had enough of doctors
They dont have a clue how to deal with panic attack sufferes. All they do is probably type on their computer 'panic attack and anxiety' See what drugs come up, write me a prescription and hope to be done with me.
Just got home from having my 2nd ECG and yeah same as the last one heart racing which I could have predicted.
He basicly forced me to take tablets. I said I dont want medication as I have told the doctors for the past 5 or 6 visits I have been there and today I said I dont want them and he said well you have to becuase there isnt nothing esle.
I told him I have read that tablets do not cure panic only help it for periods of time and he told me thats a load of rubbish.
He said make an appointment in 2 weeks but I really dont see the point. Nothing ever gets done I just want to be put on CBT to give it a try. Im considering going private as Im at my wits end with the doctors Im seing :weep:
GPs are a lottery. I went through a few before I finally got one who was understanding. That was luck though as he only just started when I got him at the end of all the others. Its sometimes worth just asking for a diffrerent doctor when you make an appointment to see if they are more understanding.
Nechtan
sorry if their are any good doctors out their reading this. There are lots of posters up in doctors surgeries these days promoting understanding of mental illness but I truly believe you cannot understand it fully until you've been there.
You are right GP's just tend to 'consult the book' they dont care when we are worried about side effects because their not the ones who have to experience them.
I suppose in their view each human body is a machine and as anxiety represents no physical danger to your machine body they are not too bothered what happens. Your not going to drop dead no matter how anxious you feel so they are not bothered. Regardless of how much suffering it causes you mentally- unfortunately being an anxiety sufferer you are unlikely to develop a more serious mental illness (even though it often feels like it) as such you represent a low risk to both yourself and the general public so the docs basically just want to get rid of you.
Regardless of how unplesant (and some are really awfull) the side effects can be fromtaking medication its very very unlikely to kill you so again they just dish them out - its chepaer than CBT.
my first GP put me on cypralex even though I presented at the surgery with servere panick attacks i actually passed out while I was their. I said that I did not want to take the medication as SSRI's can make anxiety worse when you first take them. He said that was rubbish and i should go home and give them a go. took them for two days and was proptly admitted to the locak cardiac ward as I had a very bad reaction to them I spent nearly a week in hospital and I've never really been right since.
There is such a long waiting list for CBT in my area (18 months that I've given up waiting and have turned to self help books instead perhaps thats a route you could try) ot changing GP's may help but in my experience as soon as anxiety is mentioned they arenot interested in any physical symtoms you may have as they can be attributed to anxiety.
I had a great Doctor.He,s passed away now.But he seriously did try to help me.You know how it is though.I spent five years telling him he was lying to me!!Realised eventually he was right.Dr iqubal.Lovely guy.Different breed alltogether the Doctors now.So i hear anyway.I haven,t been in eight years.
I agree GPs are 'one-tracked minds' They've become more like robots. They don't listen properly look at the computer screen and write a prescription out before you've finished speaking.They are busy which cuts the time down on how long you can talk to them. but they are 'budget controlled' aswell like everywhere these days(Targets) I am losing faith. My wonderful GP who was so knowledgable has retired.Everyone misses him.He knew exactly what was wrong and how to treat things. ( a dying race) I asked at the Doctor weeks ago if my earache,headaches, trembling.hot flushes ,generally feeling ill etc could be my tooth.I had exactly the same last year to be told definately NO.
Well, dentist x-rayed tooth for the 2nd time and have infection, on strong antibiotics and having it extracted next week.(a family member had septicaemia from a tooth so I always think of that when I don't get better from things) Anyway good luck I think it's a case of pestering and not giving up . It's us that feel bad lv angel
I also feel like you. I took myself of tablets prescribed by my gp as they just made me feel depressed. I went to see my GP monday as felt panic still and he prescibed MIRTAZAPINE but im too scared to take them as the side effects sound awful.... Ive contact a wellbeing clinic today and im willing to try anything but not DRUGS....
:flowers:
Hi
I really dont like taking medication as for me it doesn't work. The side efects and withdrawral symptoms acctually make things worse. I have been put on over 20 different ones in the past. Now i have said NO to meds. Being persistant has worked and now the docs understand that i want to get better without drugs.
CBT is really helpful in addressing what is causing the anxiety but its hard work. You have to face your fears and situations that make you feel anxious and work through the toughts that you are having. This can be done by yourself though while you are waiting to get to see someone. Im sure there are lots of CBT worksheets and info avaliable online. Dont give up
Take care
blackie
I totally agree drugs just make me feel like my mind and body is out of control. Since ive stopped the meds the panic attacks have not gone away but i dont feel so depressed im just fed up with it more than anything. Im awaiting CBT and im doing self help books . they are okay but working with someone on CBT will be better. I found this website forum the best thing so far I feel there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am determined to beat this and lead a relatively normal life again. Just to be able to go out for lunch would be such a break through. Fingers crossed it wont be to long.:)
Thanks for all the words. Its nice and reassuring to ase other people feeling the same way about something I do.
Same as mickh555, There was one real good doctor at my surgery but tragically he diagnosed a young child with flu when it was something more serious and the child died. The doctor took his own life as he couldnt live with himself. Such a shame as he was easily the best and most understanding doctor there.
Going to make an appointment tomorrow see if I can see someone else, Ive already seen 3 different doctors there lol, They'll be fed up of me soon ha
sMINT
Yes it really is a lottery with gp's. They do seem to take anxiety very lightly in my opinion. I have a really good doctor now and I intend to keep him. That was so sad about your other doctor, very tragic.
If your symptoms like racing heart are worrying you badly then this just makes panics worse - the knock on effect. You worry about heart racing and then you start getting other symptoms. Racing heart is awful I had it badly. The doctor wants to make you feel better, that's his job and so he would probably prescribe a beta blocker like Propranalol which would slow down the heartbeat.
Thing is, if you really really don't want to take medication you don't have to. No one can force you.
As someone else said the waiting lists for CBT are very long and you may have to wait ages. Cbt is no magic wand, it takes a great deal of hard work but a lot of people benefit greatly from it. If you can afford to go private then that's what I'd do.
Take care.
Hi all,
My experience with my local GP(s) sounds a lot like everyone else's.
I have not actually been told verbally by my GP that I suffer from anxiety. One of them suggested I was over stressed at work and he prescribed me Diazepam to help me 'calm-down'.
Another GP at the same surgery told me to 'just deal with it'! Very helpful indeed I think you will agree (NOT) !
Thankfully I have private health care with my employer and so for the last five months I have been seeing a psychologist who has stated that I suffer with anxiety and am prone to panic attacks.
Although he is very helpful, I have found that everything he has told me about my condition, and all of the advice he has given me to help deal with it, is all available in books or online.
I am currently in the position where the realisation has kicked in that the only person who can really beat this thing is me !!
That acceptance in itself is daunting but nevertheless has taken me forward.
I now just have to work hard and finally put this thing to bed !!
Thankfully, this forum is always here as a crutch to support me when my willpower starts to wane :)
Good luck to all who suffer with this blight and heres looking forward to the day when we can look back and smile at our past and genuinely look forward to our future :yesyes:
Cheers,
krog.
I have made these points before and I feel they are very important so I will make them again here:
1. I have learnt after seeing several doctors - we are still in the dark ages about anxiety. They tend to know as much or even less about anxiety as the general public. But they have to appear knowledgeable otherwise they wouldn't be doing their job but often they are just as confused about it as ourselves. One day this will change and there will be a revolution and people will be offered viable alternatives to what is available on the NHS now.
2. If you go to the doctors with anxiety issues you can only expect to get the following responses.
a - Here is a bunch of antidepressants - go forth and multiply - job done - tick box - Its laughable about the randomness sometimes they choose these. This is a favourite one and doesn't require any effort for them or too much money. One day this will hopfully change....
b - Jabber on, make a few clever clever remarks and dismiss you.
c - Offer counselling or CBT - a good doctor will try and do this if they are taking you seriously. Unfortunately the NHS cannot cope with this and if you work forget it. I had to go private but it worked for me.
d- Offer blood tests - Often it takes a bit of pestering to get this but if you are clear about your physical issues and focus on them instead of the anxiety you are more likely to get a response. As soon as you mention panic, anxiety, or depression, the firedoors go down. Its best not to mention them if you want your body checked out otherwise they will defaut to a and b which requires little brainpower or effort and gets you out of the surgery as quickly as you go in.
****In short when talking about anxiety and panic to doctors one has to be clear and focused which is hard as it is part of the symptoms of the illness to panic and become confused. I had to take someone else into the surgery with me to make discussions more clear cut as I wasn't making too much sense as I was tired and disorientated. If I was on my own, I don't think I would have ended up getting what I wanted and probably be suffering side effects to antidepressants I don't even need.
When entering a doctor’s surgery - be sure what it is out of a,b,c and d you want from the doctor and aim for it. Fortunately, although I have had a run of very bad doctors over the years I am lucky enough to be look after by a knowledgeable, dynamic and modern team who talk to me like an adult. I'm not doctor negative, I just know that some parts of the NHS these days are finding it hard to cope with the pressure of a rising population and have very little money. Also mental illness is as still as taboo as in Victorian times but once the NHS realise that doctors are not nessessarily qualified to talk about anxiety related sickness and that drugs are one big red herring we might find some change happening. I went to CBT and it helped but it wasn't a magic wand - I'm afraid most of the work one has to do themselves with good support. There will be a revolution (possibly when the situation with antidepressants is investigated further) one day but sadly possibly not in our life times.
Tulip123
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/images/misc/progress.gif
HI ALL, WELL I WENT TO THE WELLBEING CLINIC AND IS PROBABLY THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE. CRIED FOR AN HOUR WHILST TALKING ABOUT MYSELF. HE GAVE ME A BALL TO SUCK .. DONT KNO WHAT WAS IN AND DONT WANT TO KNOW... (BUT WAS NOT DRUGS ALL NATURAL PRODUCTS) AND CAME OUT FEELING FANTASTIC. HE REALLY MADE ME UNDERSTAND WHY IM PANICKING AND HAVING ATTACKS, ALSO THE MECHANICS OF PA'S. i DONT KNOW WHETHER IS WAS THE BALL OR THE FACT THAT I LET IT ALL OUT THAT HELPED BUT I FEEL ABSOLUTELY GREAT. IM NOT SAYING IM FULLING BACK TO MYSELF BUT IM GETTING THERE .... IVE GONE FROM NOT GOING OUT THE HOUSE TO GOING UP TOWN AND TO ASDA ON MY OWN.
I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
:bighug1:
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