What help have we all recieved from the NHS?

[FRANKIEISBACK]

I am talking about CPNs, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Health Visitor, District Nurse?

And have any of them been any good?

I once asked my GP if there were any support groups locally and she said whats a support group ??!!!!

[nomorepanic]

I initially had counselling at the GP surgery who taught me breathing and relaxation techniques, then I did a woman's self-esteem course again at the GP surgery.

Following a car accident I was referred to a psychotherapist and spent 9 months with her.

All on the NHS

Yes they were all very good.

Nicola

"Nearly all happiness comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open"

[vixstar]

i am seeing a psychotherpaist through the nhs and he is great! it took me about a year of being on a wait list to see him though! in the end of was really in need of some help so i kept calling the place and suddenly i was top of the list!

it is good to know that i have a certain time each week when i will be able to get things off my chest with someone who is there to listen. i have been going for about 10 months now so i think i am coming to the end of the time with him, which i am sad about....

[Quirky]

My doctor referred me twice for CBT on the NHS and twice I've been turned down as they said I wasn't bad enough! My ME specialist managed to get me onto a 2 year waiting list eventually, one year into wait so far, so I had some private CBT therapy (very expensive).
I am having breathing therapy (respiratory physiotherapy) on the NHS though at the moment, I read about it in a magazine and asked my doctor to refer me.
I do have a great gp though, she is always very understanding, and the NHS have been great for other problems and tests I've had.

[stimpy]

Hi Frankie

In my own personal experiences

GP :D Fantastic

CPN :D Fantastic - how ever there was a waiting list

Psychiatrists :D Fantastic - how ever there was a waiting list

Psychologists :D Fantastic - how ever there was a waiting list

Health Visitor [V] No use what so ever - pointless.

There are support groups available, however not all Gp's know about them, because they are not told they exsist.

If you contact your local MIND they will be able to tell you what services and support groups are available in your area, if any.




Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx
With hard work and determination and all the things you know.
The world is there for you to take. There's nowhere you can't go.


[:p]Scatty Eccentric & 'Poet Laureate to panic and anxiety'

[clickaway]

Good question Frankie.

Since the GP is our first point of contact when we need specialist help, my health centre have really let me down I feel.

When medication did not seem to work, my GP was very slow to react. It seems she could only dispense pills and sign sick notes. It took about three visits to her before she referred me to a psychaitrist for a one-off and then a referral to the mental health team - it took me 10 months before I saw them (other than my initial assesment).

I had to ask my GP about any form of self-help group - she gave me a print out that mentioned First Steps to Freedom (they're similar to No Panic), but no other group.

Between May 2004 and February 2005, the NHS did not help me at all.

I'd never heard of the term CPN in relation to this unlike so many here, and my GP was very unwilling to suggest options to get me better.

Since February I have been seeing an occupational therapist and have just one more appointment with her.

I see a psychotherapist privately and that is my main means of recovery.

So there you have it.


Ray



Don't wait around for other people to be happy for you. Any happiness you get you've got to make yourself.--Alice Walker

[alexis]

HI,
Well reading through your posts makes me realise how lucky I am.
I have had 100% support right the way through and have not had to wait to see anybody, my GP would even tolerate everyday visits to give reassurance if she thought it would help me on the road to recovery.
I would like to know if there are local support groups but Ive never asked ,
Love Alexis,xxx

[Karen]

My experience is that my GP has been good and very supportive, but mental health teams have been useless really.

First I was referred to see a psychiatrist but while waiting for this some people and my private therapist became concerned and my doctor referred me to the CMHT for assessment. They focused on completely the wrong issue which wasn't the one causing concern, rather than my anorexia which was out of control. They basically did nothing but tell me to wait to see the psychiatrist.

Appointment came with the psychiatrist who offered me a choice of medication, day hospital or inpatient treatment, none of which I wanted. I had gone there in order to get referred to a psychologist for CBT or some other solution focused therapy.

While waiting to see her again, the anorexia deteriorated and I was assessed by a crisis team who concluded I wasn't bad enough for them to take me on, and then the day hospital rejected the referral because I'm not bad enough.

However, when I saw the psychiatrist again she wanted me to agree to go into hospital. And yet the social worker from the CMHT didn't think it was necessary for me to have their input.

So basically in my experience they can't even agree amongst themselves how to treat people and I feel I've been pushed from pillar to post, so have now given up on NHS help.



Karen



It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.

[Piglet]

Hi Frankie,

Gp very nice and willing to listen.

Counsellor lovely - but was only given 4 sessions as maybe at that point I didn't look like I needed anymore - not given any coping techniques or anything like that so consider it a bit of a waste of time.

No other recommendations despite telling my Gp about my agoraphobia (maybe because I do have patches and then seem to plod along somehow just about getting out with other people I don't look like I need it).

I wonder if to get the support you need depends on perhaps where you live and if you ask the right questions. Before I came on here I didn't really know what cbt was etc and its certainly never been suggested to me.

Love Piglet

[FRANKIEISBACK]

I went to see my first gp, he said he would refer me to a counsellor based in the surgery, a week later I got a letter from the community mental health team , went down and it was an assessment in front of a CPN and nurses, I felt very intimidated.

The CPN said hello paul you have been referred here by your gp because of your longstanding history of manic depression????

I said there must be a serious misunderstanding here, I went to see my GP for a referral to a counsellor at the surgery and here I am a week later in front of a mental health team who think I have been suffering from Manic depression !!!

I thought what incompetance, went to see a different GP and now I have a psychiatrist who is willing to see me every 3 months, she is working with me to find an effective medication, has suggested lifestyle changes and that I read books on cognative techniques, she says therapy in the traditional sense of the word is really not available on the nhs, it focuses on short term simply because of the cost....many people with illnesses like Cancer do not recieve the care they would wish for on the nhs and go private, It appears thats the way it is sadly.

[Laurie28]

Originally went to doctor (when I didn't know what was wrong with me) and got Beta Blockers

Then went back (throat tightening very bad) and got an inhaler!
Then went back - mad panic on inhaler and got anti-biotics
All different doctors in my surgery

Then realized it wasn't throat that was problem was me!
Couldn't get an appointment for 2 weeks for any GP

Then phoned health visitor who came out and was brilliant, she got me a doctors appointment that afternoon - doctor gave me antidepressants and put me forward for counselling

I went back to doctors soon afterwards as was petrified of anti depressants and he pushed me on for counselling which I got very quickly afterwards

Once i was 'diagnosed' service was very good but I thik the problem was that you can't see the same doctor all the time at my surgery (unless you want to wait for weeks!) so they never picked up i had anxiety .

l