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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my nurse shouldn't have reported me to social services

119 replies

calmday · 22/08/2017 23:15

Hi, I suffer from mental health problems. I've recently come off all my prescription medication. I bought some of the natural supplement 5 HTP to use to help my anxiety and low mood. When my CPN found out I'm taking this she reported me to the social work. So they're coming to see me soon. AIBU?

OP posts:
CosmicPineapple · 22/08/2017 23:55

Yeah I've had SS involvement before, because I was so mentally unwell that they were worried I couldn't look after my children

This is not a bad thing.

I would think that you need extra support when you are unwell and you will not always realise the affect your condition has on others.
Its good that people care about you and are watching out for you and your children.

Bugsylugs · 22/08/2017 23:57

Are you meant to have come off your prescription medications op?

Jux · 22/08/2017 23:57

Have you talked to your psycyhiatrist or gp about dropping all your meds? Why have you decided to drop them all? Isn't it more usual to drop the doses over time?

MumIsRunningAMarathon · 22/08/2017 23:58

They are concerned for your children

Work with them, this is not a time to be picky or dig your heals in. Just do as they say before it spirals

I know someone who has recently lost her kids in a similiar scenario.... I told her to jump through the hoops and she didn't. It's a mess for her now

SunnySkiesSleepsintheMorning · 23/08/2017 00:00

YABU, sorry. Based on everything you've said, I think you need more help. Don't see this referral as a punishment but perhaps as a way to access more help.

SmileEachDay · 23/08/2017 00:01

If your partner said that either:

It's true, which is a safeguarding concern, particularly given your MH.

Or

It's not true, in which case given your MH, to have a partner making things up about you doesn't suggest a particularly stable situation, which is a safeguarding concern.

Either way she's right to refer.

Letstryagainshallwe · 23/08/2017 00:03

Sounds justified to me.

Spartak · 23/08/2017 00:09

I'm a health professional and I would be neglectful in my duty of care if I didn't raise a safeguarding concern in such circumstances, particularly where there are been concerns about your ability to care for your children in the past.

5HTP is a dietary supplements with sketchy evidence, and is not a substitute for psychiatric medication. Perhaps you could approach your GP for further advice and support?

intergalacticbrexitdisco · 23/08/2017 00:12

OP, you refer to 'all' your meds, which implies you are on more than one medication. Generally, 'natural supplements' would be appropriate in terms of very mild symptoms only, not a condition or conditions requiring multiple prescribed medications, so your CPN is quite right to refer you. I'd suggest you think extremely carefully about this.

Anecdoche · 23/08/2017 00:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BackieJerkhart · 23/08/2017 00:18

Definitely justified under the circumstances and they would be massively neglectful in their duties if they failed to report this. It's quite worrying, especially the fact that you can't see it.

becotide · 23/08/2017 00:29

Calmday, it IS a justified concern, whether you disagree with it or not. I'd be bloody concerned if I were your support worker and I wuld also have chosen to make a referal

Bumbumtaloo · 23/08/2017 00:35

I also think she was justified.

OurMiracle1106 · 23/08/2017 00:49

You've stopped taking at least one medication possibly more without gp supervision and therefore no idea of the side effects. You may feel fine for a while without them as they may still be in your system but then you will crash. If there was concerns about your ability to look after your children before being put on medication to manage your mental Health of course there is going to be concerns coming off them, not only may your mental health deteriorate. It may get to a stage worse than where it was before.

The fact that you chose to come off these meds without the advice of a health professional would raise red flags in regards to your judgement.

LilQueenie · 23/08/2017 01:03

depends if you spoke to your dr before doing so. Also how did the cpn find out?

VelvetKitty · 23/08/2017 01:05

Stopping taking prescribed medication is irresponsible at best. Stopping taking mental health prescribed medication 'cold turkey' is extremely worrying for all involved parties. Op please think of your children and help yourself.

I suffer with mental health issues too. It's hard work. I'm a single parent (albeit with a supportive ExDP) but it's hard

I won't go into my mental health issues on this post but feel free to message me if you want to.

Please look after yourself and put your children first. That is all that got me through my bad days.

BoysofMelody · 23/08/2017 01:17

Put yourself in the health visitor's shoes.

You've just visited a client who has a significant mental health problems and before being put on a course of medication had been unable to parent effectively due to these mental health problems. They were now going to go cold turkey against medical advice a d taking some sort of 'natural remedy' that is potentially utterly unsuitable, their partner also disclosed they were taking this supplement for recreational purposes.

What would you do op after being told all that information? Shrug your shoulders and say 'yeah, sure it will be wrong?'

Fluffypinkpyjamas · 23/08/2017 01:33

YABU. The children come first, always.

Original poster
calmday · 23/08/2017 09:23

Thanks for all your replies. I've spoken to my partner and I've decided to go back on my antipsychotic. I've not been myself since stopping it. I've phoned the CMHT and am waiting for someone to phone me back.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 23/08/2017 09:49

That's a really sensible decision.

user1485639128 · 23/08/2017 09:51

You are being unreasonable! She obviously has concerns. Social workers are there to support so please take any support your offered

zzzzz · 23/08/2017 09:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KimmySchmidt1 · 23/08/2017 09:58

I think when people who have no medical qualifications tries to self medicate without talking it through with someone qualified to give them advice that is going to be a concern. You may feel you know what you are doing and everything is fine but objectively the scenario is a risky one.

Remember that she will be worried about not saying anything, your children being harmed, and then her losing her job and livelihood for saying nothing. So she has a difficult balance.

MsHooliesCardigan · 23/08/2017 10:04

OP, I'm a CPN. There are situations where it's reasonable to come off anti psychotic medication- there are people who have a psychotic episode and never have another one. However, it should be done under medical supervision and tapered off, stopping abruptly can lead to a rebound psychosis. I don't think your nurse had much choice.

highinthesky · 23/08/2017 10:06

She didn't have a choice.

MH issues aren't a crime. Who doesn't get depressed at times these days? I'd rather have help than be locked up in a lunatic asylum and on display to the general public. That was the reality little more than 100 years ago.