Doctors can be arseholes sometimes

[postingfortraffichere]

GP today was a Complete arse and it's left me quite upset.

I requested a repeat prescription for anti depressant and she said am I TTC to which I replied yes.

She then proceeded to tell me that I should suggest going without them so to not harm the potential baby if I do conceive. And that I should try natural methods to improve my mood instead.

I've tried every natural method under the sun for many years, I finally after years of resisting taking anti depressants decided to take the plunge a few weeks ago and have felt like I've got my life back and feel much more positive.

Today has put me on a downer - not only am I struggling TTC but I don't need the gp trying to undo a decision and make me feel guilty for taking anti depressants when I've found them life changing.

Of course I could go without them as that's what I did for many years but I want my quality of life to improving and now I just feel so deflated at the doctors attitude and bluntness and guilt tripping.

She said anti depressants basically should be last resort - so basically I should only use them if TTC if I'm about to top myself?

I'm pissed off and feel shit by this. AIBU to be angry and now not know what to do.

[quote postingfortraffichere]@cabinfever102 and for the record I've had therapy and done all of those things you suggested.

Honestly some people are very ignorant when it comes to mental health it makes me sad. [/quote]
Well you can always try yoga OP....

Go back to the GP or try and see another one, you dont have to come off them

I don't think the GP is being an arsehole. When taking medication whilst TTC or during pregnancy the benefits have to outweigh the risks. Evidently in your case you feel you need the anti depressants which is fine, and in which case you need to make it clear to the doctor. However, she is just doing her job. It's generally preferred that as little medication is taken as possible in pregnancy/TTC as the risk isn't always known. Also, they don't just do this mental health medication as you suggest. There are a number of medications that aren't recommended for TTC/pregnancy. I get a reoccurring infection and am usually given antibiotics, when pregnant they do a risk benefit analysis- I wasn't immediately given treatment but had to have additional testing first as they do not want to give unnecessary treatment. The GP will have wanted you to know that taking your medication could pose a potential risk in pregnancy (no matter how small), so that the benefits and risks can be weighed up. It sound slike she was suggestjng other potential alternatives that would have no risk to any potential pregnancy. However, you just need a discussion with her that in your case the benefits of the medication outweigh the potential risk if you were to get pregnant.

@Theworldishard. No I didn't have a baby with depression. Blunt as it is, the babies gave me depression.

It's been a few weeks of treatment. This has obviously upset the op. Which suggests she is fragile. The treatment is working. great! Give it a bit longer is my opinion.

I don't think it's insensitive of the GP to tell you the potential risks of a medication on a foetus if you're ttc. Would you prefer she hadn't told you? And then later down the line if you got pregnant and found out about the risks and the GP hadn't tod you about them, how would you feel? Can you not see that she's just doing her job?

Well I’d say about 20% of pregnant women are on anti depressants of some sort so obviously some are safe.

Have you got a link that shows that?

So far all Google has given me is an American link that says 2-3% of pregnant women do.

Does the NHS really prescribe anti-depressants at 10 times the rate they are taken in the USA?

And yeah .. the GP is being an arsehole. She should have gone through all the options.

Just like I think GPs that won't prescribe the morning after pill or help women have abortions are arse holes too.

@CovidCorvid, thanks for that information

@fiveminutebreak you're missing the point I'm not angry she told me the risks I'm angry she was trying to persuade me not to take them

GP isn't being an arsehole. It's incredibly difficult to think with clarity with depression. TTC is not going to help with your mental health. You ideally need to be physically and mentally well to cope with pregnancy. Look after yourself, take the pressure of TTC away and get better with or without anti-depressants first.

The GP is just doing her job. She’s not going to risk prescribing you medication that can potential cause you or your child serious harm - that would be good for neither you, your child or your GP. If something bad happened you’d be in your right to drop her in the shit and say it’s her fault for giving you meds you shouldn’t have taken. If you’re so keen to take the risk, go back and tell them you’re not TTC so you can take it and let that risk be your responsibility.

Especially given that NHS general advice is that they should not be taken during pregnancy?

As a precaution, antidepressants are not usually recommended for most pregnant women, especially during the early stages of a pregnancy.

www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/medicines-and-psychiatry/antidepressants/considerations/

@Evesgarden

And yeah .. the GP is being an arsehole. She should have gone through all the options.

Just like I think GPs that won't prescribe the morning after pill or help women have abortions are arse holes too.

Yes it was that kind of thing. Exactly this.

It's absolutely fine to take sertraline during pregnancy. Why do people post when they don't have the first idea of what they're talking about?

mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/sertraline-zoloft-pregnancy/

I just wanted to say I know exactly what you mean OP.

They may only be doing their jobs etc but sometimes doctors can make you feel incredibly small.

I’m sure they are brutally overworked etc but there’s something so patronising about the manner of most GPS. I always come away from a visit to the doctor feeling like a time waster.

GPs and other medical professionals can definitely be dismissive arseholes about mental health. A lot of GPs are not experts on MH and they don’t always know much about anti-depressants especially the less common ones. I’ve also had a GP before who was very obviously anti-depressants and gave me a massive lecture about coming up off the ADs that were basically keeping me alive at that point, not long after a suicide attempt. I hadn’t even gone in about my MH I had a chest infection!

I suffered from severe depression from aged 14 to 26 (c 3 month bouts) Noone who hasn’t had it can possibly understand full blown depression. I give thanks daily for the researchers that made my meds and my dr who worked continuously to find a combination that worked for me and gave me back my life. I would fight tooth and nail with anyone who suggested I come off my meds - so would my dr. OP I would arrange to see a prenatal apecialist in psychiatry and take it from there - proper informed advice

Well I’d say about 20% of pregnant women are on anti depressants of some sort so obviously some are safe.

‘I’d say’?? Based on what? You go around asking them? One in 5 pregnant women or women TTC are not on antidepressants. You’re saying a fifth of women who are pregnant are suffering with serious depression that needs medicating, that obviously makes no sense.

@Theworldishard- well said!!!
It's a balance OP. Your GP should know this. The aim is to keep your MH good as if you stop the antidepressants, your MH could take a dip
Best wishes

@RandomLondoner Did you bother to read the next sentence?

But exceptions can be made if the risks posed by depression (or other mental health conditions) outweigh any potential risks of treatment.

Given that there are negligible risks with sertraline, it's fair to assume that depression would be more harmful to mother and baby.

If you're pregnant and depressed, you should discuss the pros and cons of antidepressants with the doctor in charge of your care.

Note, a discussion. Not the GP given inaccurate information.

Here’s a screen shot from the BNF re sertraline and pregnancy.

I’m kind of astonished that you think doctors can hold all the relative risk percentages for the whole gambit of side effects for all the drugs they prescribe.

I think YAB rather U.

The GP won't have memorised the exact statistics of every medicine ever - what she did was her job, at a repeat prescription appointment you said there is a change of your circumstances (TTC) and she advised that there could be an impact on that due to the medication.

You seem to have taken advice (that she had to give you because of what you said) and catastrophised it to a large extent - and seem to be letting it grow legs and run! Can you speak to your partner and try to talk through this to mentally sort through your emotions and put what was said to rest?

I’m kind of astonished that you think doctors can hold all the relative risk percentages for the whole gambit of side effects for all the drugs they prescribe.

If they don't know, then they should look it up, rather than giving inaccurate information.

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Sertraline/

I was given this by my GP when discussing coming off anti depressants when I got pregnant. I had one GP who pushed me to come off them, now I'm seeing another GP and I'm going back on them as the effect on my MH during pregnancy has sent me in a spiral. The risks are minimal and pretty much unproven, I wonder if there would be so much judgement if OP had decided to do one of the thousands of other things we are told is a risk in pregnancy like eating Blue Cheese.

The Mind website might be worth a look OP

YANBU

If you get ill then you aren't going to be able to cope with a pregnancy or baby are you? The GP sounds lazy and unhelpful.

I had a baby nearly 2 years ago and I managed to remain on sertraline throughout. I was told that it's the safest antidepressant. Maybe you could ask for a different GP and get this one?