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AARRRGGGHHHH Mental health staff

49 replies

SenseofEntitlement · 02/12/2011 17:24

OMG I am getting SO fed up.
(More of an admin rant, but people in here are more likely to get what I am talking about)

Right, so for ages, I have been told I will eventually be transferred from team A to team B. Fine. Nothing was finalised and I was told I would be fully informed, there would be a lot of work with team A to get me ready for (less intensive and specialised) team B. I was nervous, but generally OK with that.

Then, about six weeks ago, out of nowhere, I got a letter saying I have an appointment with Dr J (a new psych doctor I have never met) at my local surgery. I rang my team A, who knew nothing about it and said they would get back to me. They didn't.

Then, a couple of days later, a nurse who I have never met turned up at my door, with no appointment. I was in bed ill with a virus, but got up to speak to her. I can't really remember what was said (I was shaking and full of fever - would have cancelled an appointment if there was one) but she didn't know anything at all about my history or situation - not even that I had been in hospital recently.

So, the next day, when I was feeling a bit better, I rang my normal nurse at team A, and asked what was going on. She didn't know - she said she had had a meeting and talked about me to another nurse, but the plan was that they would do joint visits with plenty of warning (they know full well that these things make me anxious, and the thought of being left out of the loop REALLY makes me annoyed and anxious) so she would try to get in touch with the new nurse.

My normal nurse A came out to see me the next week (although she said she shouldn't) for a normal appointment (basically her and DH ridiculing me wanting to get a job and saying I should be happy just pottering about at home, and they would love to be able to be as lazy as me), and at the end she said she was still chasing up nurse B, who was on holiday, but that there would definitely be a full explanation and joint visits etc before I met the new doctor. Nurse A is usually really nice, but recently she has been distinctly cold, I'm pretty sure she is backing off so I can go to the new team.

In the meantime I have rung team A (I don't have a number for team B) several times, they have always said they will ring back or pass a message to the nurse A (who incidentally usually sees me once a week, but I have seen her once in the last eight weeks). They never get back to me.

I have lost the doctors letter, and hadn't put it in my diary as I was under the impression that it was going to be discussed with me first and was perhaps a mistake anyway (team A doctors come out to my house, so I have never seen this setup before, although obviously I know it exists on less intensive teams) I did have a vague memory it was at the beginning of December though.

So, after another full day of waiting for a call back, I rang team A and insisted the person look on my records and tell me if it said anything about this appointment. It didn't, but she found the name of nurse B and her phone number.

So I rang nurse B. She wasn't there, but there was someone on the same team, who did have a record of the doctors appointment (next wednesday). She couldn't however tell me exactly what the appointment is for, whether I should take my husband, etc. She said she will ask nurse B to ring me.

But nurse B hasn't been in touch all this time, why should I trust she will this time?

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I get handed one more care plan, badly written in the first person, that I have had no input into, I will go beserk. They tell you to be proactive in your own treatment, then don't tell you anything about it. They promise they will look into various options, and never get back to you then send out a new member of staff who has never heard of it.

I have had it up to HERE/\ with bloody twatting patronising inefficient bollocking mental health bastarding twunt teams. How the hell do I engage with services if they won't engage with me? I was meant to be doing an advance directive. It hasn't happened. Relapse prevention plan hasn't happened. Counselling hasn't happened. Therapy hasn't happened. Medication reviews consist of me saying x drug isn't working on y symptom and them saying it must be and not telling me why, then telling me to not just rely on meds, but giving me absolutely zero idea of what else I can do (and I do everything the websites and books say)

So, I am essentially meant to sit here and wait for my next relapse, when they can railroad me into unsuitable treatment and then refuse to listen to my concerns?

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SenseofEntitlement · 15/12/2011 22:43

Right, I have an appointment with the woman tomorrow afternoon. Will be stressed anyway, but at least I have another thing to be stressed about - I have to go out of the house to dd1s nativity - I've not been out at all for a week and before that I've only been out to stuff I really really can't avoid for a month or more.
ARGH!!!

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SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 14:10

I just saw an answerphone message on my mobile. It was nurse B, who apparently can't come out until NEXT WEDNESDAY (more than two weeks after the original appointment, and more than two MONTHS after I apparently was put with her yet haven't had so much as a care plan or a list of phone numbers) I can, however, ring her in the office, where she will be all day.

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SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 14:14

Should add, the letter that the doctor was meant to be sending to my GP, so I can have my drugs increased, hasn't been sent. I can't get through to him on the phone, but apparently an email has been sent from the community office.

Meanwhile, my symptoms are getting worse. I'm not sleeping (partially through DD2 being silly, but sprtially from stress) and we are getting near to Christmas, when I really really do not want to risk a relapse.

I have no idea how the new team works, but I need something medication or support wise before the weekend.

Any ideas at all? I am seriously not doing well. If I am left I feel like I will have a full on relapse in the next few days and be in hospital over Christmas. I'm in the house by myself- DH is at work, so I have no-one here to ring on my behalf, and I think I will cry and lose my temper if I ring.

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Upwardandonward · 16/12/2011 14:14

:( Hmm

Sorry, I've only just caught up on this. That's not much good at all, is it? What are you supposed to ring her about? (particularly as you haven't met face to face).

I really hope this settles smoothly for you.

SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 14:31

I need some help though, and I need it asap.

Do you think ringing my old team is a complete no no?

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Upwardandonward · 16/12/2011 14:33

I wouldn't have thought that ringing your old team is bad - they can always redirect you for help. I'd do it before it gets to the weekend, I find it's easier to explain things before it gets to the crisis team being the only option.

Good luck

SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 14:38

Rang the new office. She first of all asked my name, and said there are problems with the phones, she can't find nurse b. So I said "is there anyone I can speak to, I really need to speak to someone as I need help before the weekend and this is the second time the appointment has been cancelled" "As I just explained, the phones are broken." "well...yes, but is there anyone who can help me?" "sigh...ok what is your number, I will try and get someone to ring you back"

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SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 14:47

OK, nurse B just rang back, and I basically told her I need help before the weekend, and she actually seemed to listen (well she did the usual bit of asking about the safety of the kids which they do if they actually believe you aren't well - they are fine btw, I usually feel better with them around, even if they do get cbeebies and toast for tea)

She is ringing me back anyway.

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Upwardandonward · 16/12/2011 15:17

I'm glad you got through to someone, and persevered (not that you should have to!) :) I hope the phone back is helpful, let us know how it goes (if you like).

SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 15:25

Fucking hell. The woman is useless.

I just sat and told her that I feel like I usually do going into a relapse, that if it gets worse I may not be able to ask for help, and that in the past it has taken so long to get help that I have got to extreme crisis point, and so have been told to ask for help earlier.

I can't leave the house alone, I am having mild hallucinations, some paranoid intrusive thoughts, extreme mood swings and sleeping problems. I haven't washed properly or been able to focus on reading for days. I find TV overwhelming - the only thing I can cope with is the internet. A lot of the time I am in sole care of two young children - at the moment there is no risk to them, but I clearly said that the pattern of my illness is that things can get worse very quickly. The symptoms come in waves, as they did when I was in hospital, so I can be fine one minute and then extremely depressed or manic the next.

Her response?

"well, er, try and keep your mind busy, maybe go for a walk or have a nice bath? Cook something healthy for the children. You need to speak to your GP and see if you can get sleeping tablets. If you really feel you can't cope, ring crisis team as I can't help you over the weekend."

"So, should I ring crisis team now? I'm not coping now."

"You will be ok, you aren't that bad as you aren't having any symptoms right now, because you are talking to me"

What the buggering fuck am I meant to do?

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Upwardandonward · 16/12/2011 15:28

Oh no :( Ring the crisis team at 6pm? I don't know what else to suggest, horrid position to be in.

SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 15:30

OK, rang the GP for the prescription (it still isn't there) and asked for the sleeping tablets which apparently a psychiatrist can't prescribe Hmm

They have a cancellation, so I am going to try and go down now. It will be the first time I have been out of the house alone for a week.

Wish me luck.

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SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 15:31

Will check mn on phone in waiting room, so any tips very much appreciated.

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Upwardandonward · 16/12/2011 16:10

Good luck...can you tell the GP how you're feeling at the mo?

Upwardandonward · 16/12/2011 17:06

I hope you got down there ok. the only tip I can think of is jotting some bullet points on your phone re: what you want to say.

SenseofEntitlement · 16/12/2011 18:24

Well, I have the lamotrigine and the zopiclone. Feel a bit better for someone having listened to me at least. Early night tonight anyway.

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dontrunwithscissors · 16/12/2011 19:20

I've just caught up on this - I hope things are a teensy bit better and the zop helps.

I realise this doesn't help you at all, but I thought I'd speak up and say that the MH care in my area is very good. Great psych, had the most wonderful CPN who sadly died, but her replacement seems OK. Very good acute response team. I spent a bit of time in the psych hospital this summer. It wasn't a great experience, but it was safe, fairly quiet and some of the staff were very nice. I know I'm very lucky to have such a good service, but it goes to show that it can be done. Even so, I've noticed that the MH services in my area seem increasingly stretched from how things were 2 years ago. I just hope that the government manages to keep investing in this area; we'll see.

Anyway, best wishes sense and I hope that you manage to get the support you need.

SenseofEntitlement · 21/12/2011 00:18

I'm feeling a lot better now - I think the sleeping tablets (and the GP actually listening to me and acknowledging that I wasn't well) helped.

So, nurse A and nurse B are coming tomorrow morning. DD1 will be in the house though, and DH out, so I won't be able to actually talk much to them, and won't have DH to help my memory. I did tell them this, but they said this is the only possible appointment.

Is it possible to get MH care from a GP and a psychiatrist with no CPN? I think I would feel happier not having nurse B (who I have christened failnurse) involved, but I don't think the average GP (no offence to GPs) would know enough about the different medications and so on, given that I've had five years of psychiatrists trying out everything under the sun and I'm still mental. I end up using crisis team a lot anyway, I'm not sure having a complete failure of a CPN letting me down and messing me around is helping at all.

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SenseofEntitlement · 21/12/2011 00:24

I used to wonder why people (apart from obviously people with delusions) disengaged with services that were meant to help them. This is why.

I get mega stressed before appointments anyway, and I understand they might need to be cancelled, but I have been apparently with her (with no preparation or warning) for two months now, and I have seen her twice (both within the same week), and one of those she was just sat in with us and the doctor not doing anything of any use. She is only adding stress to my life.

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Upwardandonward · 21/12/2011 09:05

I'm glad you're feeling better and that the sleeping tablets have helped.

Thinking of you today, hope the appointment goes as well as it can Confused

As far as having the CPN goes. I guess it depends how they work - I know people who just see psychiatrist etc, but then I'm not sure they're actively seen by CMHT, and other people have a CMHT social worker instead of CPN.

How old is DD1? Could she entertain herself in a different room?

I hear what you say about the stress

NanaNina · 21/12/2011 13:59

How are you SofE - I know how frustrating it is when the medics don't listen or come out with some crap about a walk or a bath. I suppose it's because they only have a limited amount of knowledge and we put our trust in them. I was lucky - had brilliant CPN for a year. She was honest and said she couldn't "make me better" but would support me. Sometimes she came on a bad day and she would just sit quietly beside me, covering my hand with hers and gently stroking my back. That helped.

Hope things are easing up for you a little bit.

Upwardandonward · 21/12/2011 19:29

Hope you're ok SoE - thought of you today as I had contact with CMHT.

Putthatbookdown · 27/12/2011 12:47

Money making business All these consultants dishing out pills instead of dealing with the root causes of people's problems.the pills just supress your feeings when you often need to express yourself. the pharmacy industry makes a fortune from it too

dontrunwithscissors · 31/12/2011 19:59

Really, really not helpful putthatbookdown. Just because people make money out of psych med's doesn't mean that they don't change people's lives for the better. They aren't what everyone needs, and sometimes they don't work, but the root cause of my problems are fixed by med's. I spent too long denying that, and my thoughts being fed by bullsh!t like yours, when I could have had my life back.

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