"putting the SPRING back in our step - village support for depression and anxiety"

[LEMmingaround]

Heres the new thread guys. What is this, thread 9?

This is a thread that is situated in a virtual village of support for those suffering from mental health issues, or just those struggling with what life throws at them.

Please feel free to join in.

I have an appointment tomorrow - triaged for a consultation and a scan - that means its serious doesn't it?

No, LEM. It just means they are doing their job properly. Keep holding Zombie's hand.

Oh Lem glad the appointment has come through. Your anxiety is going to be sky high, and you won't be able to do very much about that, but you won't expire or go insane or anything.

The NICE guidelines are IF there is any suspicion of cancer, you have to be seen within 2 weeks and this is because, as you know, but won't be thinking that now, that early detection gives people the best chance of complete recovery. GPs have been much criticised for not referring people early enough and so they are now following the NICE guidelines. Did you say that you have fallen over and hurt your breast - I thought I read that upthread?

The other thing of course is that you will probably have to wait for another week or so to get the results back, though I'm not sure about that. Ask at your appointment tomorrow. I'm really sorry about your anxiety (and I know how bad it is as I've been there too) and I think health anxiety is horrendous, because it's like there is a tape playing in your head and you just can't think of anything else. For DD's sake though you are going to have to try to put on a brave face.

Don't for god sake go near your mother - you can do without that today. Can you take the dogs out for a walk (think you live near a beach) and try very hard to put thoughts of death from your mind, but I know how difficult that is. When this happened to me, like you I fast forwarded the tape and I'd even decided who would be in the front row at the crematorium.......hmm. Not a good idea.

My mum knows :( She came round when i was in floods of tears so i had to tell her. She is going to have DD tomorrow before school.

I am so scared, i have a feeling there is something wrong, usually i have a deep down feeling that it wil be ok, even if i don't believe it, but not this time :( I really hope i see nice people tomorrow because i'll be crying.

I'm glad your appointment is through LEM, they're doing the 2 week rule, so try not to fret too much, ((((((( LEM )))))))))) (I know that's a thousand times easier said than done).

I'll think of you, I'm seeing my psychiatrist for the last time tomorrow, don't know what to ask.

I know it's trivial, but I've had piri piri chicken and a danish. Oops. I know it's because I'm stressed about tomorrow.

ooops snowy they sound sooooo lovely though. I have just had a carrot, and have a small bowl of soup for lunch! Is there anything you want to say to your Psych?

lem good to hear about the appointment and that your mum's helping. One day at a time eh? (((hugs)))

not trivial snowy - danish sounds lovely. It must feel quite emotional about your psych tomorrow - when my counsellor left we were both in tears.

Well done on the healthy eating, CIQ

I want to say goodbye and thanks, I might mention my sleepiness and weight gain, but last time i was told that the antipsychotic was non-negotiable

I hope the buses are ok, may day means there will be diversions in place.

I hope I can cry tomorrow, I find it hard to do.

Just go with how you feel snowy, i bet your psychiatrist will feel emotional too.

DP came home early from work - he must be worried :(

(((( LEM )))) It must be unsettling (to say the least) for both of you, he's showing he cares.

I started to cry when I first found out, but I found myself automatically deep breathing to try to stop myself, CPN said it was ok to cry...

perhaps I should treat myself for lunch out tomorrow...after seeing the psych.

sounds like a v gd plan snowy

I need to find the energy to get the dcs to bed and then I can crash...

I hope the dcs' bedtime went ok, CIQ

Hi all,

Sorry I've not been around I've not been in a good place at all and have just been disconnected with everything. Have been surviving by taking my meds. Psychotherapy appointments have been tough bringing up all sorts of emotional things from my past & I think that's made me worse rather than better. I've got my psychiatrist appointment tomorrow when they will look at my meds again I think they might be changed again :(

lem so sorry to read about all you have been going through. You can get through this just keep focusing on your DD and the positives & I hope your appointment goes well tomorrow

snowy hope ur appointment with the psychiatrist goes well & a treat sounds like a good plan :)

ciq well done on the healthy eating I need to follow ur lead but have been too depressed to care. Been having a lot of chocolate treats :( hoping to be in a better place soon.

(((( big hugs to all ))) and I hope to catch up with you all soon!

Sorry to hear you've not been feeling great DD. I think that's pretty normal though that you feel rough after having your appointments. You still need time to process it and although you feel worse now, it should help you feel better in the future. Good luck tomorrow and don't feel too disheartened about a meds increase if it helps you get through the psychotherapy and deal with it.

It was a cyst - thank God!!!! I love the nhs

Hurrah! Fantastic! You must be so relieved! How brilliant to have the answer straight away as well. Really pleased for you.

Lem, that's brilliant

I have made progress in terms of my "hiding in the house" thing by opening my blinds, reconnecting the landline and taking my mobile downstairs with me . Am watching the goldfinches out of my window.

Had a healthy breakfast of fruit instead of 20 chicken nuggets yesterday's slighly less healthy option and am now going to do a jigsaw with "help" from my cat.

That's great news LEM! Psychotherapy can stir things up, I hope your psychiatrist helps adjust your meds to help.

It was sad to say good bye to my psychiatrist, she did say they might rotate in a year. She wanted to add meds, I didn't.

My blood tests are out, I need to wait for my GP practice to ring me

I'm soaking and cold, wrapping up to try to keep warm, can't get changed til later.

The psychotherapy comment was for DD

(((( all ))))

My new psychiatrist is an older male, not sure when I will meet him.

on a side note, I've found that feeling my tummy helps to resist eating when I'm feeling hungry/like ordering takeaway

How am I going to deal with having a male psychiatrist? Too many things were talked about today, she thinks I should go on the pill, but it's not suitable for me.

Sorry for multiposting to myself, I'm just feeling really wound up I know she thinks increasing antipsychotics is a good idea, but current side effects are unbearable, being sleepy til 2pm is horrible.

I hope the gp doesn't want me to take iron like the psych said, apparently it's constipating.

Eurika!!! Lem so glad it's all ok.

DD sorry to hear you are having such a rough time. I might have said this before, and I know you are having therapy, but are finding it difficult. Have you heard of/tried EMDR therapy (you'd need to google it) many MNs on here have spoken about it in glowing terms and is apparently especially good for past trauma resulting in PTSD. Apparently many people are being treated for depression when they actually have PTSD. Sorry if this isn't relevant - I just thought I'd mention it.

Snowy it's a shame you have to change psychiatrists, and I know the anti-psych meds make you drowsy and cause weight gain but is that not preferable to those distressing voices telling you to hurt yourself. Give the male psych a chance. I have one now, and he's lovely, a very gentle man, and never hurries me and likes to work in partnership although he of course has the info on the meds.

Victrix is your depression lifting a bit as you are venturing downstairs - do hope so. Trouble is the damn thing comes and goes as it pleases doesn't it.

I have been fortunate enough to see an NHS therapist for about 15 sessions (I saw her in 2011 but she went on maternity leave) and offered to see me again at the beginning of this year. She's really nice and I had my last session this week and will miss her but and it's a big but she just doesn't "get it" about the fluctuations in my depression that occur on a frequent basis. She has been trying to encourage me to stop perceiving I have "good and bad days" and I just can't do that. There is SO much difference - when I am ok I am me, happy, contented - can see friends, go out and about etc etc but when the bad days come I am an emotional wreck and dependent how bad the days are (some are not so bad as I lift by early afternoon) but others are horrendous and I spend most of the day under the duvet and crying and scared if the phone rings or the door bell goes, and am scared of anything and everything.

HOW can she expect not to differentiate between the good and bad days. She has actually seen me once on a bad day and said I was having a panic attack and she was good at calming me down, and I was glad she'd seen me like that, so she would see the difference, but NO she doesn't. Sorry I'm not really expecting answers...........just thinking aloud!