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GP's: Are they all useless?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Ok, so I need some decent help. Last month I went to my local GP's, as I am suffering from what I think to be severe depression, paranoia and I cut myself. Very frequently.
I'm 19. I went into the doctors, and he took no interest whatsoever. It took me enough time to pluck up the courage to book an appoinment, and when I was in there I was REALLY anxious.
He put me on low end anti-depressants called Fluoxetine, 20MG. After 1 month treatment on that, nothing. In fact, I feel WORSE. 4 more doses and I have to renew. I should book a doctors appointment today.
With a doctor that questions whether I am just attention seeking or not, tosses me aside and treats me like a statistic, why should I give a damn anymore? I'm starting to think maybe I don't need to change. I cut; so what? It helps me feel better.
I'm going to stop taking those meds. They don't help.
Just had to vent here.
Hi btw, this is my first post. My name is Joel.
I'm 19. I went into the doctors, and he took no interest whatsoever. It took me enough time to pluck up the courage to book an appoinment, and when I was in there I was REALLY anxious.
He put me on low end anti-depressants called Fluoxetine, 20MG. After 1 month treatment on that, nothing. In fact, I feel WORSE. 4 more doses and I have to renew. I should book a doctors appointment today.
With a doctor that questions whether I am just attention seeking or not, tosses me aside and treats me like a statistic, why should I give a damn anymore? I'm starting to think maybe I don't need to change. I cut; so what? It helps me feel better.
I'm going to stop taking those meds. They don't help.
Just had to vent here.
Hi btw, this is my first post. My name is Joel.
0
Comments
Generally sticking you on a low dose of fluoxetine is the standard first appointment procedure. If the low dose isn't working tell your doctor and they can either increase the dose or give you another drug and refer you onwards to other sources of help. But you have to give them something to go on.
Some GPs are better than others at "getting" depression, but I seriously doubt that you were treated as "another statistic". But it's pretty hard to get to the bottom of everything in a 10 minute appointment.
Go back to your GP, continue the conversation. From what you've said, they've done nothing wrong so far. Unfortunately treating a complex illness can't happen overnight.
Edit: P.S. if you need more than 10 minutes you can always talk to your GP about having at least 1 double appointment. Usually they have to do that themselves, the receptionists often won't, but you should ask.
So, if you aren't happy with yours, I'd say try another GP, there are some nice, caring ones out there!
It's not true. That is a very dangerous accusation you are making.
Any GP receiving money from a drug company for prescribing a specific drug would be struck off.
:yes:
Some GPs are very hesitant to medicate a first episode of depression at all, although it is increasingly standard practice.
You should have been asked to complete a questionnaire, this is designed to "score" the level of depression/anxiety (often they will use GAD7) and from this they determine the treatment which you should offer.
This is where clinical guidance comes into play.
The GP will usually start you on an SSRI, which one depends on this score. Each SSRI takes about six weeks before it has some impact. This is what is called "First Line" treatment. If this medication doesn't work then they will try "Second Line", or in otherwords an different SSRI, usually slightly stronger.
When it comes to depression/anxiety (hard to separate the two), treatment isn't straight forward. There are many SSRIs and there are alternative treatments including "talking therapy" (counselling) but each depends on the individual patient. They can also take some time before they work fully.
:yes:
My doctor asked me to fill out the questionnaire before anything else, then when I went back to see him he went through the questionnaire with me and went from there. He gave me the option of counselling and medication and asked me which I would prefer.
That fucking questionnaire :yeees:.
I am having mixed feelings about GPs right now. I saw one yesterday because I needed various things done, and even though I got seen fairly close to my actual appointment time, I still felt a bit rushed. I got everything I went in there for easily, with very little argument, and he even gave me antibiotics for my stomach, but the whole time I was in there I felt like I wasn't really being listened to. It was like, 'here, take the questionnaire, fill it in, yes you can double your ADs, yes you can have sleeping pills, yes I will refer you to get that lump removed, ok you can leave now'. Eh.
mrsa infection
His advice was always to make an appointment as soon as you think you need one and use the little-and-often principle to manage long-term needs. Also to try and see the same doctor regularly if you can.
He was just rubbish.
Any adverse effects at all, it goes without saying that you should just take an emergency appointment and go back. I ignored an allergic reaction to Prozac for a couple of days and that was silly.
Nope, not a penny. Like I say, they would be struck off.
They cannot enter any arrangement where their clinical approach might be undermined by financial gain.
I've had the opposite experience - GP didn't offer me any medication and said he wouldn't. This is the same GP who actually bothered to send me for tests on my neck instead of just giving me painkillers.
So do I though and I can't prescribe anything.