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Off meds and not coping
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I'm wondering what I have to do to be seen by a psychiatrist in this country. I'm from the US, so the system is different.
I was given a referral to a psychiatrist but very disappointed when instead of seeing the dr at my appointment, it was a nurse. I left the appointment feeling invalidated and as if she didn't listen. When I got a copy of the assessment, she had put words into my mouth and decided I won't try to harm myself. She also said my eating and appetite were normal which they aren't. She questioned me when I said I was bisexual. She made it sound as if my issues were just situational and that once my kids will go back to school I'll be fine. Honestly she made me seem like a bored housewife who wants attention because it's summer and I don't want to deal with my kids.
The reality is, I have tried several meds to no avail. I have no formal diagnosis but suspect I know what is wrong with me but I need to see a psychiatrist so we can work together on figuring out what's going on.
While at this appointment with the nurse, she mentioned she would talk to the dr about changing my meds. I assumed this would take a day or two, so I didn't ask for a refill of my current meds. It was almost 2 weeks later and I realised they still hadn't gotten back to me about the meds, and I'd long since run out of my current ones, when I called the GP. I also realised the meds the psych nurse wanted to put me on is one I've tried before and became violently ill, so can't take those.
We're now back to square one, I'm totally unmedicated, and last week had an episode so severe I was on the verge of a breakdown. I hurt myself. But according to the psych nurse I wouldn't ever do that.
I finally admitted to the GP for the first time ever that when I have these episodes, I am afraid I will hurt myself or my kids. He is trying to get the doctor to triage me and give me an urgent appointment.
But why has it come down to this? Why do I have to have a breakdown in order to see a psychiatrist?!?! Why is mental health care such a joke here.
And what happens now that I said I'm afraid I could hurt my kids? Have I just triggered a referral to a social worker, and to having my life and home invaded? If I could have gotten an appointment with a psychiatrist right away to get a diagnosis and on the correct meds I wouldn't be feeling that way!
I was given a referral to a psychiatrist but very disappointed when instead of seeing the dr at my appointment, it was a nurse. I left the appointment feeling invalidated and as if she didn't listen. When I got a copy of the assessment, she had put words into my mouth and decided I won't try to harm myself. She also said my eating and appetite were normal which they aren't. She questioned me when I said I was bisexual. She made it sound as if my issues were just situational and that once my kids will go back to school I'll be fine. Honestly she made me seem like a bored housewife who wants attention because it's summer and I don't want to deal with my kids.
The reality is, I have tried several meds to no avail. I have no formal diagnosis but suspect I know what is wrong with me but I need to see a psychiatrist so we can work together on figuring out what's going on.
While at this appointment with the nurse, she mentioned she would talk to the dr about changing my meds. I assumed this would take a day or two, so I didn't ask for a refill of my current meds. It was almost 2 weeks later and I realised they still hadn't gotten back to me about the meds, and I'd long since run out of my current ones, when I called the GP. I also realised the meds the psych nurse wanted to put me on is one I've tried before and became violently ill, so can't take those.
We're now back to square one, I'm totally unmedicated, and last week had an episode so severe I was on the verge of a breakdown. I hurt myself. But according to the psych nurse I wouldn't ever do that.
I finally admitted to the GP for the first time ever that when I have these episodes, I am afraid I will hurt myself or my kids. He is trying to get the doctor to triage me and give me an urgent appointment.
But why has it come down to this? Why do I have to have a breakdown in order to see a psychiatrist?!?! Why is mental health care such a joke here.
And what happens now that I said I'm afraid I could hurt my kids? Have I just triggered a referral to a social worker, and to having my life and home invaded? If I could have gotten an appointment with a psychiatrist right away to get a diagnosis and on the correct meds I wouldn't be feeling that way!
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Comments
I'm sorry you feel so let down by mental health care. Unfortunately many people do. It's sadly really under funded. And need to keep asking for it to get anywhere. I know I have felt many times I am not being listened to or my problems are not being taken seriously enough.
I knew someone who also had thoughts of wanting to hurt her kids. But she would never do it it was just a fear of losing control or a fear of her kids being hurt. And knew she was capable of doing it. But would never do it. I think she told her gp and they understood.
But that being said I think it depends on yourself, if you actually want to hurt you kids or if its just a fear and just imagining. But you know your own thoughts and if you are really scared off yourself then seek all the help you can in order to keep yourself and others safe. And ask them what they can do to help you. And find the right diagnosis and medication.
If professional also agree youre not safe with your child i dont think they completelty take them away from you but keep you in a mother and baby unit. (Defending on age) or hospital But i dont know. And if professional aren't very helpful seek the help around you of - family and friends when you get into the episodes so they could help you out. Or to the nearest hospital
All the best
I would never hurt my kids, but when I am having an 'episode' for lack of a better term, I feel I am capable of doing so and it scares me. When I get that bad I lock myself away. I have hurt myself because I can't cope. I've broken things, I hit the door or wall, I have almost cut all my hair off. So for the nurse to say I'd never do anything just because she met me for 5 minutes is ridiculous.
They finally gave me an 'urgent' appointment which at the time they gave it to me was still over a week away. I sincerely hope people feeling suicidal in the moment actually get true urgent help.
I've spoken with a couple of support workers who come to see us because my daughter has special needs so they check on my youngest to make sure he's progressing as he should. They said if i call the crisis team who the psychiatric nurse keeps pushing, then they would take the children to foster care.
My husband has time off of work thankfully, so the last two days have been much easier. I can sleep when I need to and escape if the kids are starting to overwhelm me.
I just have to hope the doctor is a lot better than the nurse. One of the support workers said I should file a complaint about the nurse, and I think I might.
Is it the same around the country, everyone sees a triage nurse before seeing a psychiatrist? It just seems like such an awful way of dealing with people who truly need help.