After 40 years meds are to be stopped...

[budgiesinmyhair]

I have an appointment with a psychiatrist for Tuesday 8th September. His secretary told me that he's not overly keen on seeing someone without a letter of referral but I explained what the GP had said. There's a little bit of light showing at the end of the tunnel, although I'm feeling so 'churned up' it's making me nauseous. The nights are not getting any better so I have to clutch at the hope he might help me.

Jan.x

[jo61]

Try to take it easy until Tuesday - I know it's easier said than done. However, the fact that he is prepared to see you without a GP referral is a real positive (very unusual as the GP is the guardian of your health). Well done for being assertive enough to go down this route and let us know how you get on

[budgiesinmyhair]

Thank you Jo, it means so much that people have taken the time to reply to my posts with support and understanding. I was like a quivering jelly when I rang but maybe the fact that I've done so is a positive and something to hang on to. I certainly will let you all know how I get on too.

Jan.x

[ElizabethJane]

Jan if you are feeling that desperate that you might consider doing something then it is definitely time to see a psychiatrist. If you have never seen one before then it might reduce anyone to a quivering jelly. I returned to the private hospital where I had previously had treatment three years on my psychiatrist had retired. They had muddled up my appointment and I was kept waiting twice as long. It worked out well but there were tears to start with. I hope your appointment goes well.

[budgiesinmyhair]

I agree Elizabeth Jane, I was just so frantic on that first night everything going around in my head spiralled out of control because I just couldn't think straight, I didn't know where to turn. Touch wood it hasn't been that bad since, just churned up anxiety that's keeping me awake so I have to do something about it. I'm thinking a little more positively in the day but the nights aren't as easy. I can just imagine how you would have felt too with the mix up at your hospital. It seems as if we have to get over so many obstacles before a positive result. Thank you too for your good wishes and I'm glad your appointment went well, I will hang on to that hope for Tuesday.

Jan.x

[budgiesinmyhair]

Just an update after my appointment. The physchiatrist that I have seen is 'semi retired' and knows my GP. He was happy to see me without a referral but rang my GP while I was there for permission to treat me. I did expect to talk more about things that had happened in the past and what has been happening recently but maybe have misconceptions after watching films and television showing psychiatrists listening to their patients. He did take in what had happened re the meds though and agreed they shouldn't be stopped too quickly. Although I explained that the Citalopram I have been prescribed is possibly giving me horrendous 'night sweats' and indigestion he has upped the dose from 10mg to 20mg per day as he said they are very good for anxiety. He would have preferred that I cut the Oxazepam down too but after talking to my hubby has agreed to get my GP's to 'back off' and leave me on them for now. He does want to see me again for another 2 or 3 appointments. I still feel a mess but think that's maybe down to getting into such a state over the last couple of weeks. Nights particularly have been hell and I fully expected to end up losing it completely and being taken into hospital. The mind is a very powerful frightener isn't it but when backed up by reduction of these meds it's a pretty potent combination for total melt down.

Thank you to everyone who 'talked' with me through all of this, I really don't think I would have come through it all if I hadn't received the understanding replies to my predicament.

Jan.x

[ElizabethJane]

Dear Jan I'm glad that you have been to see a psychiatrist and that he has put your mind at rest a little? I feel more comfortable about changes in my meds once I have seen my psychiatrist. I had been well for over three years but was experiencing a crisis and my psychiatrist had retired. My psychiatric medical insurance had run out and I elected to see this particluar person as I had seen me once before. He immediately upped all my meds and put me onto to mirtazapine as well. That was two years ago. Now I go to see him once every eight weeks or less. I am glad to have his support. I hope that you continue to gain help from your psychiatrist. Well done to have got this far. Jane

[Alabasterlyn]

Hi Jan, glad to hear you have managed to find a psychiatrist to help you.

You posted earlier about if you changed your GP that your husband and son would have to also, in fact they don't. My partner and I were both registered at different practices for a long time and then both changed to a totally different one, whilst my son stayed with his original one and there was never a problem.

I hadn't realised you were prescribed Celexa and wondered if that could be making your anxiety worse? As it's an SSRI they do have a recognised side effect of increased anxiety when you first take them and some GP's do prescribe a benzo for a short time to relieve this increased anxiety. Considering the fact that your GP was trying to get you off benzos I'm amazed that he didn't realise that a combination of SSRI's and coming off benzos at the same time could be a recipe for disaster.

I really do feel for you with this situation as it just makes me very angry the way you have been treated. What is wrong with leaving someone on a medication if they feel better on it!

[budgiesinmyhair]

Thank you Jane and Lyn

Jane I understand the worry your medical insurance running out would cause as I've had to pay to see this psychiatrist today. It's not easy when desperate for help having to worry about money too but the sad fact of life is that an NHS appointment would take forever to come through so 'going private' is the only option. After asking what my hubby did for a living (now retired) he reduced his fee for me which was very good of him. I agree 'support' is what gets us through a crisis and I'm glad he's going to be available for another 2 or 3 sessions. Thank you too for the 'well done' as every supportive word here has been like a boost up the ladder out of a pit of despair.

Lyn, Thank you for your good wishes too, I'm just amazed at the difference talking here has made. I am very tempted to change GP's now as the one who helped most is getting older and I worry that if he retired I would be left with the younger Doctor who 'mis-treated' me in the first place. It's reassuring to know that I wouldn't have to uproot hubby and son too. I did feel that 'Celexa' was making me worse as I have never been as bad at night as over the last couple of weeks. I'm hoping if this is the case that the anxiety will lessen now that I've been taking them for almost 3 weeks but I'm very wary of taking the extra 10mg the psychiatrist suggested. I honestly feel that the younger GP hadn't much of a clue as he should have known that reducing Oxazepam by 2 x 15mg per day was way too fast and yet he wasn't interested when I explained (politely) that it was. I fully agree about leaving us alone when we function on medication but believe some of us are falling foul of the new wave of radical young GP's ideas on treatments.

Jan.x

[Alabasterlyn]

Hi Jan, you are certainly right about the new wave of young radical GP's and their ideas on treatments, but all the same they should all be aware of the BNF which is on their desks and which they should read before making stupid decisions about prescribing of benzos. The practice I go to has about 8 GP's and quite a few of them are young, however not once have they threatened to stop my benzos and I can only reiterate that I feel it's just inhumane to put anyone through the stress you are now suffering through no fault of your own.

You will hopefully find the Celexa starting to work soon as I believe the SSRI's can take 4/6wks before they really kick in. If you aren't happy about increasing the dose yet then perhaps you should ask if you can stick with the present dose until you feel able to increase it. I have never taken an SSRI but I do know it can sometimes take a bit of trial and error before you find the right med and the right dose that suits you.