How long to wait for Peri-natal team input?

[redspottedfrog]

IHve been referred with PND. t's the evening and I've realised again that I forgot to chase up my referral. It's 5 weeks now since I sent off my IAPT referral, and about three weeks since the referral was finally sent to the peri-natal team after much wrangling and initial non-acceptance.

I don't feel too bad at the moment, I'm on Sertraline which do seem to have worked well as I feel pretty ok most of the time, but the underlying anxiety is still there (I feel like I have really bad PMT, that's the best way to describe my symptoms). Although the pills are great I need to get to the bottom of why I felt like I did a few weeks ago.

Also I think they only see people until their babies are 6 months, which is in 4 weeks.

Why is it such a bloody nightmare to get the help you need???! I feel lucky that I feel pretty stable, as someone who felt worse may just have given up by now...

Bump?

I wonder if the fact that your baby is almost 6 months and the fact that you are coping reasonably well are the reasons why you have not yet heard. It may be worth ringing IAPT again and ask to be processed through the 'normal' channels so you will at least have a proper assessment soon.

Thanks mouse, I'll call the access team who are the ones who referred me to Perni-natal. Like I said I keep meaning to do it then forget.

I'm just shocked at how shoddy it's all been. The people who should be looking out for this type of thing and then giving me support (HV, GP, peri-natal) have been completely rubbish.

You might want to check if Perinatal have accepted the referral. As you are coping reasonably well and your baby is five months old, it may not fall in their criteria. Have you been referred to IAPT or was the referral though them? If you are being supported by IAPT that may also factor in the equation.

Nope not being supported by IAPT. My GP just gave me meds and a self ref for IAPT. I filled it in, they called me and said that I should be referred to peri-natal. Who said initially they only see people with bonding issues, which I don't have. They then said that they would accept the referral (which I was told via the access team) and I've heard nothing since.

The worker who initially spoke with me from IAPT was really lovely, but did say that if I was to stay with them I'd be waiting quite a while to be seen, so the peri-natal service would be better as they respond more quickly.

I'm hoping that I'll carry on feeling relatively well, but I'm not better, I can see and feel that. I'm not on the edge, but I want to try and nip it in the bud before it gets worse again. And I'm really disappointed that I clearly get no kind of priority at all.