Worried about changing medication

[march1st]

GP and psychiatrist are wanting me to change my anti depressant (for anxiety), from mirtazapine to escitalopram . Makes sense to me as I’m overweight as it is, and I don’t want to gain more .

However , I’m worried about taking the escitalopram as it’s landed me in hospital before - about fifteen times - with chronic and acute urine retention . I’ve had bladder surgery since and I’ve been trained to ISC for emergencies, but I’m dreading it all coming back - my bladder has been fairly quiet for the last few months ...

GP has sent me off with the prescriptions and says it’s my choice, no pressure to change immediately and can give it another month or so , but I’m totally unsure and can’t decide what’s worse . Seems to be a choice between being able to pee/being overweight or being slimmer and possibly with better mental health, but unable to pee!

Posted too soon sorry, just wondering if anyone has any advice/experiences , I’m a bit befuddled with it !

I know someone who booked herself into a private facility for a week when she changed ssri/AD. Can you do that? Not many purple can but, tbh, sometimes it's needs must (if you have it).

To that end I'd push for a hospital admission to manage the transition. Yes they'll kick up a fuss but needs just. You have a track record - 15 bloody times! - so it makes sense.

Why is MH care so fucking abysmal, that's what I'd like to know

*must not just: needs must

Oh God I wish I could go private - I am very tempted to ask GP but think I know the answer already to that one . I suspect if I do it myself I probably will land up needing hospital care, but GP was quite blaze about it - said, meh, we don’t know if the cipralex was always the cause and it might not cause problems this time round .. I doubt that very much sadly ! I suppose their thinking is if it causes retention I can ISC but I’m dyspraxic and can’t do that easily without getting infections ... bloody nightmare .

And yes I totally agree re lack of MH support. Psychiatrist just discharged me after 2 appointments and said, come back if/when you get worse ... no ideas about help or support to prevent that being the case .

Funding! No fucking funding for MH

So they fob you off.

Can you get an advocate through MIND? To get a hospital admission to manage the transition. Also to speak for you when the dyspraxia makes things difficult.

Don't take no for an answer. Get an advocate to fight with you and on your behalf.

I insisted on staying overnight after cancer surgery - I was expected to go home on the day of the surgery: in/out. Except I had no one at home and didn't want to go home alone after surgery. So I pushed. They pushed back. I was resolute. I had a horrible time on the ward but at least I was within striking distance of care if I needed it.

Sometimes you have to push. They push back. Stay resolute.

You need someone in your corner.

I could write a book about being fobbed off re: mental health care. It IS abysmal. Had a psychiatrist intitally consider me for Citalopram but then they decided I'd be better with duloxetine. Duloxetine has worked better than other meds, so that is good but I don't know whether they changed the plan because I am overweight and also have some urine retention/URI issues (though mine aren't severe). Sorry, this probably doesn't help you much march1st

dyspraxia? interesting. I am in process of considering assessment for that, just wrote a thread on it, but have no idea it might have been linked to the other issues.

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/advocacy/finding-an-advocate/