AIBU to go to the doctors for the third day in a row?

[smellycatitsnotyourfault]

I'll try and keep it short, I'm 99% sure I have PND. It's taken me a long time to admit it and reach out for help, I know it's my fault for letting it get this way.

Two days ago I went to make a gp appointment, they offered me one a month away. I thought this was too far so I told the receptionist what it was for, and she managed to squeeze one in in two weeks. I accepted this, then that night I felt more desperate. Luckily the doctors have a health visitor drop in on Tuesdays, so I once again worked up the courage, prepped everything I needed to say and yesterday took myself down to the doctors. The receptionist turned me away saying the health visitor wasn't doing her clinic today.

Last night was one of the worst yet. AIBU to ring and ask for a same day appointment today? The receptionists must be sick of seeing me/hearing my voice. Am I worthy of a same day? I'm not at the point of planning suicide or anything but i'm getting desperate. I think I'm most scared that by the time my appointment comes round in two weeks, I'll have lost all my courage and will cancel it.

So sorry OP. You were treated appallingly. When you feel up to it make a complaint, it is not on.

Fluff balls I'm so sorry your GP was so dire. Please contact the practice manager to raise the issue. Also ask about a referral to talking therapies or if there is a specialist PND service you can access. As an ex practice manager I apologise for the shit service and personally would completely bollock that GP! Xx

OP your GP is bang out of order!!! I am on sertraline and when I had a telephone appointment with a GP at my practice about TTC while on it he told me I absolutely couldn't take it and it was unsafe for baby. Turned out he wasn't even a GP. I then saw a GP who specialises in MH and he was fantastic! He told me most SSRI anti depressents (sertraline, fluoxetine etc) are perfectly safe while pregnant and BF (although as with any medication there is a tiny tiny risk). He then told me he couldn't believe what I was told and raised a complaint for me.

Absolutely raise a complaint and ask to speak to another doctor, preferably one who specialisies in MH or PND.

That GP is a pile of shit.

Phone your HV.

You do not have to feel like this- there is help. You’re already doing an amazing thing by admitting there is a problem. It’ll be ok- you can do this.

The GP you saw today was awful but please please do not let it put you off getting some proper help. We had a team of community when my youngest was a baby so I called them and someone came to the house. I also went to the GP and was put on antidepressants (Citalopram) but he was not sympathetic and told me that he thought I was overthinking and dramatising my feelings. He then put me on antidepressants with a repeat prescription and I didn't hear anything from anyone for the next two years until I went to ask about coming off of them!!

A few months ago I realised that I was suffering from anxiety and it was getting out of hand so I made an appointment with a different GP and she was amazing, we went well over the 10 minute time slot but she actually listened. I'm back on antidepressants now and I'm seeing her every two weeks for the first 3 months.

Anyway the moral of my story is that some GP's are shocking but some are lovely, please go back and see a different one and when you feel better please complain.

Sending you love.

This makes me so cross. It's so hard for people to even admit to PND - and then you get the courage to fight for a doctor's appointment and they can't even offer sympathy.

I'm very sorry to say it, OP, but the NHS can be utterly useless when it comes to mental health care. Your HV is a good port of call, should have proper training and better awareness.

In the meantime - I'd also like to suggest that your GP should have probably taken bloods to check for low iron and low Vit D - both are VERY common post natally and can have a severe impat on your mood. If I were you, I'd probably get a spray Vit D and a good multi vit, including plenty B vitamins. Solgar do a good one that's for pregnant & breastfeeding women, I noticed a huge difference. Also, iron supplements - spatone is basically water with high iron content, it's more gentle than a ferrous sulph supplement and unlikely to cause stomach upset.

PND (and depression) is common. It's nothing to be ashamed of, it's treatable, and you deserve to get help with it. I've met similar GPs several times, unfortunately. They should be bloody ashamed of themselves.

@ScrimshawTheSecond Yes you're right I was planning on asking for a blood test as I already have haemoglobin issues and I am due a check. I also had some questions about Dd as she has a childrens hospital appointment coming up, and the unknown is not helping my mood. But alas I did neither.

Sweetheart, to be honest, I'm not sure it was worth continuing with that GP anyway. Can you ask for another in that practise? This GP is clearly no use and has no understanding, empathy nor accurate info, from the sounds of it.

No I definitely won't be seeing her again. I'll be requesting someone different once I've spoken to the health visitor, hopefully I'll feel more confident with her on my side.

Your instinct is that you need to go in and listen to what your body is telling you. I had an emergency appointment and was basically turned away by a locum doctor. Unfortunately I had whooping cough and infected my family and pregnant dd. I went back again, saw a partner doctor and he was shocked as it is a notifiable illness.

Do not feel remotely embarassed. If I go in to my GP practice, I see "regulars" sat there. Not a judgement, just an observation that there are plenty of people who are not embarassed about getting a quick appointment. You are not less worthy and it sounds like you have been suffering for some time. Good luck.

Although your GP didn’t deal with you compassionately there’s not much they can do other than prescribe antidepressants and refer you to your local mental health support service.

Please look at the link below as you can self refer for psychological therapies services in most areas, or speak to the dr’s receptionist to ask how you can self refer.

www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-psychological-therapies-service/find-your-gp

Also there might be some PND support in your local area.

www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/Postnatal-depression-information-and-support/LocationSearch/332

Also have a look at this link as there’s some contact numbers on here.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/post-natal-depression/treatment/

Please try and find out what support you have locally and start taking your medication. Then once you feel able you need to raise a complaint about your GP to the practice manager or local PALS at your local hospital.

Sorry you had an awful expirience op I would definitely complain. You usually need to put it in writing and pass to practice manager but check your surgeries complaints procedure. If you dont feel up to this someone cam be nominated to do it on your behalf if you give consent. I dont know if you know but the health visitor can speak to the surgery on tour behalf and speak with Gp so definitely worth speaking to her aswell for support plus she may have some other options for support such as home start ect or supportive gtoupsthey rin at childrens centres ect.

Well that GP was shit
Try your health care worker as others have suggested