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What sort of response?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hi
I've never been to the docs to discuss anything to do with mental health before. I once went to see the counsellor when I was at Uni and hated every minute of it. I've never liked visiting the doctor but since then I've avoided it as much as possible to the extent that I've even come off the pill. I just feel weird telling people what's wrong with me.
Anyway, as I've mentioned in the work forum, I'm having real problems at the moment. The thought of going into work makes me go all clammy and I just don't feel able to cope with the pressures of it. If I can't sort myself out by the end of the week I'm going to need a sick note and so will have to go to the doctors. I psyched myself up for going today but was told there were no appointments and that I'd have to call back tomorrow and that they would be given first come, first served (as opposed to most deserved, most desperate!), which gives me another 24 hours to stress about it.
In order to make the ordeal easier, I've written down all of my symptoms, which are pretty much all stress related .... but could be linked to depression and various other non-mental things too, I suppose.
Will the doctor expect me to talk him through it or will he just read what I've written? What sort of questions is he likely to ask me? Will he do any tests and stuff? Is he likely to just tell me to pull myself together and go back to work (in which case I may cry on his floor)?
Apologies for the fact that all references to doctors suggest that it will be a man. I'm wound up and tend to always assume it will be a man as the doctor I had as a child was male!
I've never been to the docs to discuss anything to do with mental health before. I once went to see the counsellor when I was at Uni and hated every minute of it. I've never liked visiting the doctor but since then I've avoided it as much as possible to the extent that I've even come off the pill. I just feel weird telling people what's wrong with me.
Anyway, as I've mentioned in the work forum, I'm having real problems at the moment. The thought of going into work makes me go all clammy and I just don't feel able to cope with the pressures of it. If I can't sort myself out by the end of the week I'm going to need a sick note and so will have to go to the doctors. I psyched myself up for going today but was told there were no appointments and that I'd have to call back tomorrow and that they would be given first come, first served (as opposed to most deserved, most desperate!), which gives me another 24 hours to stress about it.
In order to make the ordeal easier, I've written down all of my symptoms, which are pretty much all stress related .... but could be linked to depression and various other non-mental things too, I suppose.
Will the doctor expect me to talk him through it or will he just read what I've written? What sort of questions is he likely to ask me? Will he do any tests and stuff? Is he likely to just tell me to pull myself together and go back to work (in which case I may cry on his floor)?
Apologies for the fact that all references to doctors suggest that it will be a man. I'm wound up and tend to always assume it will be a man as the doctor I had as a child was male!
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Comments
Writing down your problems was a really good plan, but as I think you know your doctor will also ask you questions, probably trying to ascertain for sure whether it's just work that's the problem or the rest of life too, and how much impact it's having on your life outside work.
You might get asked to do a kind of multiple choice questionnaire, they are often used to assess stress and depression.
Good luck, and promise yourself a treat after you go, self bribery is always good.
It really depends on your doctor what they ask and how they decide to treat you. But remember, you don't have to do what they say, you can always get a second opinion if you're not happy with what they think is the best thing to do, and you can voice your concerns if you are sat there thinking 'that doesn't sound right for me'... It's your body and mind and usually people know instinctively what's best for them... granted not all of the time, but often.
I went to the doctors when I was feeling really stressed/depressed a few years ago (mind you I was still at school and don't know if that had anything to do with it) but the doctor I saw basically did say just get on with it and grit your teeth, make sure you stick to routine and you'll be fine... and I left and burst into tears, because I so wasn't fine and now felt let down by my doctor and it put me off going back for a second opinion.
But I think that happened partly because I hadn't done the sensible thing of writing down all my problems like you have, which meant I didn't say what I wanted to exactly, and I didn't speak up when I got a sinking feeling and tightened chest at the thought of battling on with it.
What I'm basically saying is that it's important to assert yourself and maybe go in and say 'I was wondering if you could sign me off for a couple of weeks so that I could gather my stregth again, as I really don't feel like I'm coping right now'... and see what they say.
Be brave, and good luck.
I'm so scared.
I've been going through some mental health probs of late too, so can understand how stressful this is for you.
Do they have any pre-book appointments that you could demand? At mine, they keep some back and release them up to three days in advance for either emergencies or for folks who haven't been able to get through. If you feel strong enough to do it, pester them for one...
Take a good magazine/book, tell them you're too ill to go to work and you can't get an appointment with your GP. They can sometimes write sick notes, but they can also 'magic' appointments to see your GP.
If there isn't one nearby ring the practise back and ask what you're supposed to do if you don't think you're well enough to go to work and need signing off.
Can you get an appointment with the practise nurse?
Walk in Centres have that very useful power to 'magic' appointments, it's something they don't advertise but is very handy to know.
Give yourself a small treat.
xx
Hope it works out ok for you tomorrow. Best of luck!!
No, they don't. They ring your surgery, explain the situation and the receptionist then asks the GP to squeeze you in, thus meaning those who have pre-booked appointments go at their alloted time and have to sit, and sit, and sit some more whilst the doctors see all of those people who have 'magic' appointments. There really are only so many hours in a day and so many patients that a doctor can safely see without the stress and time constraints being bad for their health and their patients' health. If patients (NOT LOOPI) were more responsible and didn't go to their GP everytime they sneezed there would be more appointments to go around.
Anyway, Loopi... good luck with tomorrow. Writing everything down is a really great idea. When I went to my GP with similar symptoms he quietly read what I had written and asked some questions. I did get rather tearful but he could understand the problems I was having at work (for the record, I worked for the NHS at the time, just in case that wasn't obvious
As for the trouble getting the appointment, a little tip is to ask your surgery if they have any facilities for over the phone consultations or even a service whereby you can email the doctor (mine does, he's so 21st century!) If you require an urgent appointment you should make that known when you call. Every surgery has to have some sort of written agreement about this and you can always ask to leave a message with the doctor. The thing is, it depends what you say is wrnog with you. You need to be creative. If you say you need a sick note then there is no way in hell they will give you an emergency appointment. I appreciate it can be frustrating but it is also frustrating for the front line staff too.
Good Luck!
Hey Bumblebee, I know how difficult it is to be front line staff at a doctor's surgery - that's what my Mum did for years and that's what also drove her to being off work with stress for over a year. I really do feel for them, especially at my surgery where they're really short of doctors. It's just frustrating when there is no facility to make advance bookings, you follow the advice about ringing in early and not giving up, you cry down the phone and the woman doesn't offer one ounce of sympathy for the second day running! I know she's busy but she didn't even allow me to tell her what I wanted the appointment for.
As for appointments being found by 'magic', well, that wasn't so much the case; they were just able to bend the 'no pre-booked' appointments rule. Even with a referral from the walk-in centre, the receptionist still asked what it was regarding. The nurse politely, but efficiently, told her where to go and merely said it was 'personal'. He's my hero. I even cracked a smile at that point. I resisted throwing myself at him and hugging him you'll be pleased to know.
While I can appreciate the problems receptionists face, some of them are incredibly unprofessional, which when coupled with a rubbish appointments system ends up causing all sorts of problems for patients that need help.
Walk in Centres filter out that don't need to see the GP and get those that do seen, that'll do in my book. If doctors can't make a suitable provision for urgent appointments (not emergency, but urgent) then it's their problem they run late.
If her GPs is anything like mine then a telephone consultation is a nice idea and all that, but you've still got to defeat the beast to get one of those.
Good luck for tomorrow, don't forget your list and remember if words aren't coming then shrugging, nodding and skaing is a good start. However difficult the receptionists are, you tend to find the doctors are very helpful. All the best. xx
I have severe anxiety and moderate depression. Sounds fun. It could be much worse though.
Did they just tell you that or have they done anything useful? Hope there's some progress in trying to improve things and good on you for getting some help.
Now, I'd obviously been through all of this at home and filled in various different 'quizzes' and pretty much worked that all out for myself. What I was hoping for from him was some kind of advice. Unfortunately, he quickly went through all my possible options, then asked me what I wanted to do! Like I have any idea what is the best course of action for me.
In the end, I left with my sick note and loads of dull paperwork to read through. I don't want to go on medication but I don't really like talking to people about my feelings, so I'm not too sure what's going to happen next.
I'm now got to face ringing work and explaining what a loser I am to them and discuss how maybe they can make my life less stressful at work. I've also got to go through the riveting process of trying to make an appointment again in a couple of weeks. Whoopee doo. At least I know how to go about it this time though and I think that I'll probably go to the walk in clinic to ask for advice beforehand anyway.
What do other people find have worked best for them? I know everyone's different but at least I can look at the options objectively.
You're not a loser in the slightest. Your senior management are incompetant, but that doesn't make you a loser. Don't let anyone try and tell you otherwise. Each person is different, some will put up with shit and some won't. You're one that won't (which is a good thing!), not a loser.
If you find the walk in centre the best place for you then keep using that, like your doctor said it's about what works for you. In the meantime look after yourself.
Loopi, every surgery has to have a percentage of pre-bokable appointments. Perhaps you should ask abuot those, or get your mum too, since she will probably know how to handle them
As for you, you know fine well you aren't a loser! You're a normal person who is coping with some awful stuff particularly in your work life! Personally I found that medication helped me get back on track but it doesn't work for everyone.
They probably do have pre-bookable appointments but they make them very difficult to get. If I'm honest, I don't think that I mind going to the walk-in centre again as they were really nice and understanding there and I think that I'd probably rather talk my options through with them than with the doctor anyway.
I love the way that you're defensive about the NHS. It's like any profession though; unless you work in it then you don't understand the shit that people put up with and therefore have no real sympathy or understanding for those involved. I do understand what the receptionist puts up with but it is very very very frustrating. Lol.
I'm exactly the same and this is why I don't want help, but I know I probably do need it.
You're not a loser.
I'm glad you managed to see the doctor and have got two weeks off. :thumb: