Pain killers and past medical history

[DosmammasTTC]

So basically as the title suggests. We are looking to start the process but as a worrier I want to know what to expect with the medical and past medical history.

I take tramadol every day for endometriosis pains, I can stop it if I want, and I have many times. But i just realised that when they do a medical It will be clear that I have been prescribed it for two years or so. Is that something I should begin to taper down? Is it something that might potentially go against me? I honestly didn't even think about the tramadol I was more focused on letting them know I was on an anti-depressive (I need a whole life style change so it's not a massive thing for me to change)

I am 36 now but in my early 20's I went through a terrible time with my mental health and needed medicating with antipsychotics and all sorts. This lasted about 3 years I think. I was also treated in my early 20's for a seizure disorder that overlapped with my mental health problems.

Any advice? I moved on after therapy and in my life I haven't looked back really, apart from taking a low dose antidepressant I don't have any mental health issues. I am a stable and capable "normal" adult who had a rocky start to adulthood, also this all happened in Australia, how likely is it I will need to access those medical records?? I have no idea how to do that...I have lived in the UK for 5 years.

I take regular codeine for my stoma output. My GP, to put it bluntly, was fucking awful and told me no SW is going to want to approve me.

What actually happened was I’d been honest with the SW, had supporting letters from my consultants and it wasn’t an issue at all. The only recommendation that came through from the medical was ‘keep medication out of reach or children’

I've been on prescribed sleeping tablets for 12 years (maybe more). And I got a question at panel but our sw talked through my reasons for being on them with us before hand and it was fine, our children have been with us 7 months now.

They will want to know what your coping mechanisms are, if you have any side effects when not taking them and what things you could put in place if you had issues whilst on them.

Good luck!

Thankyou you both for your replies. Due to failed IVF I'm ready to write myself off before we even properly start but I want to be aware of all the possible things that can exclude me before we get so mentally involved. Right now the thought of being denied because of things that I manage really well makes me a bit anxious but your experiences make it more optimistic

This lasted about 3 years I think. I was also treated in my early 20's for a seizure disorder that overlapped with my mental health problems.

I had a seizure disorder linked to trauma/ptsd - it was fine, I explained what was happening at the time and how I dealt with my mental health, they took a reference/report from my therapist and I was asked a couple of questions at panel but it was all fine. Most people coming to adoption have had mental health issues at some point the main thing is to know when your slipping and have a good support structure around you.

@Jellycatspyjamas

Thankyou, this reply has calmed me down! The seizure disorder was awful and was linked to childhood trauma I had repressed. It was like a conversion disorder. Once I had talk therapy and CBT it never happened again and it's been close to 13 years since then.

It’s bloody awful, especially given they exclude all other diagnoses first - the whole eeg, mri etc were horrible. Mine was a conversion disorder too - I know have a much better understanding of how that happens but at the time I had no idea. I thought I was going crazy and worried I was dying in equal measure.

Im so glad you’ve had such a good recovery, I did too once I was out of the situation giving rise to the trauma. Never had a further episode in what is now 30 odd years.