Relative with serious anxiety, hallucinations, unhelpful GP. What next?

[betterwhenthesunshines]

I don't know all the details but a relative is seriousy suffering. Started with a tinnitus type noise, has had scans etc - no physical cause. Over the past few months has developed and she is now not sleeping, hearing voices, is delusional. Her husband is beside himself and their GP is being spectacularly unhelpful. She won't get in a car and is convinced everyone is in a conspiracy to have her 'put away'.

She has no MH history but there is a personal history that can quite clearly link to her current psychological state.

Any ideas?

Sounds to me like an ongoing psychotic episode, but can she self refer to an NHS consultant psychiatrist? Or can her DH do it for her?

Will they come to the house if she won't get in the car?

Crisis is the best bet or if she wont go call a ambulance you say its linked to something personal in her life there is some evidence that pychotic illnesses are triggered by traumatic events. I would call a ambulance as pychiatrist appointments take ages if your not on the books already.

Get her to ring the crisis team.

Also change GP. Seriously. I work in primary care and it's recognised that a significant proportion of GPs are crap at mental health for a range of reasons. Also if your relative is elderly, they are more likely (although it's not automatic) to prescribe anti-psychotics when some of these symptoms can relate to dementia.

Try and do something before you get to the stage of having to end up in A&E as that can be traumatic.

Thanks all - she's late fifties.

A different GP from the same practice visisted yesterday and spent an hour and was more helpful - showed her DH the notes from the original GP who had effectively 'written her off' - "no more house visits for the family". I think the new GP may be more helpful and gave her a diff tranquiliser (Diazepam?) which helped yesterday. But that doesn't address the brain chemistry causing the psychotic traits, just makes it calmer and easier to talk to her.

I also spoke to Mind who said you could arrive at A&E although I suspect that would be very traumatic both for her and her DH. And not do much to help the paranoia element.

Crawling and Mylittlepuds* Tell me more about Crisis. If I google it I just get the Mind help page that directs you towards NHS direct. She's not having suicidal thoughts so no immediate physical danger.

It doesn't matter. When my postnatal anxiety would peak I'd ring them and on two occasions they came out. They're obviously very clued up on mental health and it's a quick 'way in' to the system. Under a GP you will be waiting possibly up to a year for counselling.

I'd ring NHS direct to try and point you in the direction of their number.

OK, my mum is there at the moment. They now have a consultant referral, but not until 7th Jan. Yesterday her DH had to physically move her back from the wondow ledge. 7th Jan seems a long way away, but no one else can do anything can they unless he is prepared to act? He doesn't want to call ambulance etc. I suspect he is scared of what chain of events that would unlock. Which is a bit daft as things seem to be unravelling and need some help.

Not everyone can access a crisis team themselves, in some areas you can only be placed under them by a Gp or mental health professional, so you can ask the Gp about that. I think they would have referred her if they could or felt it was warranted. Although 7th Jan feels a long way away that is actually quite quick to see a consultant. Also it is Christmas holidays so many staff will be off work until then. Unless someone has intent or acts it is very hard to do anything - but using Gp or out of hours dr over the holidays to access emergency treatment or care sounds wise. Or as you say A and E if they are prepared to be taken there.