Useless GP - Getting my own meds?

[crackdown]

@nomorepanic

well I did consider CBT but the waiting list seems to be huge, I took multi vitamins n all kinds of stuff a while ago for a couple of month period but there was change in my anxiety/behaviour. I will buy myself some inline skates and plan to go around skating the parks, which I think counts as excercise, looks fun and I can just roll away when things get too much.

@jo61
The therapy was as expected, all I did was talk about my childhood and about my anxiety/panic attacks, when I asked her if she knows anything about medication she said she doesnt know that much about meds and I should talk to my GP again. I must say it was a nice lady and I did feel comfortable talking but I think I won't go back anymore, my next appointment is in 1 month time, she is only in on fridays, so if I do decide to go there I will always have to wait 3 - 4 weeks for another appointment which I think is pretty much useless, with the therapy sessions being so far apart always I feel I got not enough time to "bond" with her and open myself properly. Also I believe 30minutes every month won't help me much with my anxiety etc... by the time my next session starts, I probably already forgot what I said or she said in the earlier session.

I think I'll be better off with the audio CBT tapes/handouts I got laying around here, which I got on the internet, the problem is just that I lack persistent after reading one or two sheets of the handout I usually can't be arsed to do read anymore for a couple of weeks. I'm losing interest too quickly. I know it's just me to blame but for some reason my mind just wants to block out those CBT things I should do and then after a week or so I forgot about them completly.

Well the tablets arrived only today (had expected them already last week), so I think I'll go ahead with the 5mg and see what happens. I think now is a good time to take them as I feel quite good today (and yesterday), so probably better to take them when I feel good, incase it increases the anxiety it won't be as bad as if I feel low already and feel even lower.

I also saw you can buy the cipralex tablets from the US or Canada (no not india as somebody said earlier), surely if these can't be bought without prescribtion in Canada, they can't be too bad?

[Jimbo]

I can only reiterate what I said before, taking meds without your doc's supervision is not a good idea. I seriously recomend you think again before taking these tablets.

Yes you can buy drugs in US/Canada, as they don't have an NHS and you have health insurance instead to pay for them. However, I'm certain that you require a prescription.

Most of the internet drug order companies get round this by asking you to fill in an online questionnaire that is supposedly reviewed by a physician who issues a prescription. While these companies may be based in the US, where the drugs come from is unknown. Mostly far eastern countries where patent laws on manufacturing brand name drugs do not apply.

I urge you to have a read of this article on the BBC website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2190217.stm

Jim

[crackdown]

Cipralex is the best thing that could have happend to me. Already after the first tablet (5mg) I felt quite calm, it took almost 6 hours before I took it, as I was scared of side effects and that I might die or some bs like that, however, I was so calm and relaxed after about 1 hour, I went out on my own, all alone to the park and sat down, read the newspaper, layed in the grass for hours and just relaxed. Normally I can't even go out the house without massive attacks, messed up thoughts and anxious feelings all over. Today after almost 14 days of taking cipralex (10 days 5mg, 4 days 10mg),

I'm such a happy and relaxed person, my family came to the UK to visit, I was their tourist guide, talked to tons of people and just smiled at the ladies (normally I look on the floor constantly). Everything is great, had one or two nightmares (I read that could be a side effect) but they didnt bother me, I havent had a panic attack ever since. I almost fell down the stairs on the bus while looking at some ladies, normally I would have died of shame, but I just didn't care, spilled a drink all over me in middle of oxford street, I didnt care, screamed across the supermarket to ask my family about some food, everybody looked, I didnt care. I'm feeling soooooooooo free inside, its unbelieveable.

I do things I thought I never could do, thanks to cipralex. I must say from time to time there are anxious thoughts, but most of the time they just stop automatically after a few seconds/minutes, rather than going on for hours and hours and driving me mad.

Self medication was the best choice for me, f*ck the GP and his lousy attitude, I'm sticking to cipralex.

[Jimbo]

Glad things are working out for you, but I still urge you to go and talk to a doctor about this.

If things are serious enough for you to be on an AD you need to be under the care and supervision of a professional.

Possession of a controlled substance without a prescription is illegal in this country and you could face up to 7 years in prison. Also I've no doubt that your brother could end up in trouble for sending them to you.

Just because you are doing ok now, it doesn't mean you wont have problems in the future. Things can change on a day to day basis with mental illness. Escitalopram can cause lots of problems in the long run. Sexual dysfunction being very common (very important for a young guy, tmi ), and whole host of other things.

One important thing to think about is that meds don't solve the root of the problem they just help cover it up and relieve the symptoms. Unless you plan on possibly taking them for the rest of your life, looking at other treatment options is a must. You should try to to address the root cause of this anxiety so you don't need to rely on meds or you could potentially end up with a much more serious illness in the future.

Your profile doesn't say how old you are? Is relying on your brother to send you tablets for the rest of your life an option you want to take?

I'm not a medical professional so I don't know what is best for your health and neither are you. You could end up making yourself very ill by taking these tablets.

Please give it another thought and go see the doc.

Good luck,

Jim