Is it possible to get anti-d's without your GP ?

[Tillyscoutsmum]

I have a friend who is suffering from depression. It is obvious to me, to everyone around her and even she has finally acknowledged it. She has self harmed and is incredibly low, anxious, exhausted etc. she doesn't sleep and rarely eats. It really is affecting her badly

She finally plucked up the courage to go to the GP and told him everything. The GP referred for blood tests but has refused to prescribe meds. It is a single GP practice so the only way of going to another GP would be to change surgeries. My friend is so lethargic and low at the moment, there is no way they will go through the "hassle" of changing surgeries. Everything is too much effort.

So. Is there any other way of getting meds. Via some kind of other HCP ?

Shed need a referral to a psychiatrist - only doctors can actually prescribe afaik

What kind of blood tests did she have done? If her depression is caused by thyroid or hormones she might not need anti-ds. When are the results in? If she's really bad, should go back - especially because of the self harm. Did she mention she self harms? She should do. Could she take a friend to back her up at the surgery? I wouldn't get anti-ds any other way to be honest.

Thank you. I'm not sure of the nature of the blood tests. I think it was just a general "ruling out anything physical " tests. She just felt the GP was very dismissive and got the impression he didn't "believe" in depression. It's hard to know whether it's get current negativity and almost paranoia that gave that impression or perhaps there are still GP's out there who are like that ?? She apparently did tell him about the SH. It's so frustrating. It took her so long to pluck up the courage to go in the first place and has now been completely put off and won't go back

Oh this is awful. Are you absolutely sure she told him everything, because sometimes people don't do that. I think she needs a good friend (like you) to go with her and have her symptoms written down in a list to hand over to the GP and I really don't see how ant GP can refuse ADs if necessary. He may be trying to rule out other things first as someone has said.

I can't be certain she did tell him about the SH. I have seen the scars and can't believe any GP would fob her off after seeing those . She tells me she did though. I have offered to go with her but she won't let me. I am so worried. I gave her some St John's Wort to try and help until she hopefully gets more help but the side effects are pretty awful so far.

Thanks again for the responses. I (luckily) haven't had much experience of depression

Would your friend be in a position to have a one-off consultation with a private GP? Then she may be prescribed some ADs to get her started. Then once she is feeling somewhat better, she could certainly think about changing her NHS GP. She deserves to be registered with a GP who is going to help her and not dismiss her concerns, who can be there for her in the long term and who she is comfortable with, as these things don't often get sorted out very quickly.

Also can you reassure your friend that it's not difficult to change to another GP practice? When I've done this, all I had to do was give my name and address and they just get your records from the previous place.

In some areas you can self-refer into mental health services, might be worth investigating?

Tell her to go back again and to keep going back until she is taken seriously.