Horrible appt

[oldfool1]

I don't know what I was expecting and would be grateful if others could share if they thing I'm in the wrong here.

I'm suffering from acute anxiety at the moment relating to health issues, some
of my own behaviour and have booked counselling but was feeling on verge of panic earlier so booked a last minute appt to see the nurse practitioner.

I don't know what I wanted but I was hoping to be prescribed something like diaezepam just to help me through some of the worst symptoms temporarily. The nurse was horrible said my only option is to go on anti depressants which I don't want and I'll just have to wait for counselling.

I left in tears and the HCP could not have been less sympathetic if he had tried.

Doesn't sound like you did anything wrong, I'm not medically trained so I can't comment on whether diazepam would have been a good thing for you to be given but I'm sorry you had such a horrible experience and the HCP certainly should have been kind and professional to you.

Diazepam shouldn't be prescribed as a first line treatment for anxiety. That would normally be either ADs or betablockers (if they're not contraindicated if you're e.g. Asthmatic).

Have you looked at other methods for helping to manage your anxiety, such as breathing exercises or mindfulness?

Sorry it did not go well.

Why are you so against taking and anti-depressant, many of which a re brilliant in anxiety? Would you have a plaster cast if you broke your leg; or insulin if you were diabetic?

In any event a nurse cannot prescribe and anti-depressant.

I hope that you get your proper appointment soon and will start feeling better - please do not close the door on anti-depressants, or indeed any other treatment. You need to do whatever gets you through.

What a shame this nurse was so unsympathetic - or indeed unprofessional!

I've been on florexitine in the past and it killed my sex drive, and just made me feel nothing. I don't think I'm depressed I am just stressed and wound so tight I feel I could snap at any minute. I've had diazepam in the past to calm my frayed nerves before and it has taken the edge off when there have been times I can't cope.

Mindfulness - I have an app I can't say it helps.

I suspect the nurse was unsympathetic because you went in wanting a certain medication and not another, yet you claim to not really know what you were wanting exactly. How about seeing a doctor and letting them, with all their many years of education and experience, recommend what they think the best treatment for you will be, rather than writing off a whole group of medications that might well be just what you need, while wanting something else that might not be? I don't understand why so many people are unwilling to take ADs, while being happy to pop any number of other things.

Just saw your update, so okay your experience of ONE anti-depressant in the past was negative. The thing is that diazepam is addictive and you going in there demanding that, rather than something non-addictive, might well ring alarm bells.

Wow, I didn't demand anything at all, I said I'd taken that in the past for episodes (last time was several years ago) and I asked if there were any other anti anxiety medications outside of anti depressants which would help. I'm upset that no other options were discussed or considered and the mans general demeanour was awful.

I am not against AD but I don't want to take them right now.

SSRIs like fluoxetine do have side effects but you should look into SNRIs. They are the new type of ADs that can be really beneficial to some people.

Diazepam will work on your frayed nerves, wound up feeling etc but it doesn't help get to the route of your issues. Using ADs and counselling really is a better option.

I want to try counselling first and see if that helps - but I don't want to go on ads first I know there is no such thing as a quick fix but whilst I'm waiting for the appt I just wanted something to help.

Some health care professionals just don't understand MH. I've come across many. One G.P told me I was just going to have to 'pull myself together'. It's a disgrace.
I was put on waiting list for CBT. Refused meds. It's a long wait when you are in despair- made worse by people who have no empathy. Make sure you get another appointment with someone hopefully more understanding.

I am not against AD but I don't want to take them right now.

Why? Because of loss of libido? If you carry on feeling anxious and it gets worse you will lose your libido anyway. Sorry to be harsh.

There are lots of alternatives to Prozac (fluoxetine) and for relatively fast help with anxiety you should be open to taking one - possibly citalopram will work?

Suffering from loss of libido (as I do too) alongside depression is not a good reason not to take the medication if you are that ill. As others suggested alongside counselling ADs are the best way usually to combat anxiety and depression.

Counselling and ADs work hand in hand usually and there is often a long waiting time on NHS for counselling :-(

There aren't a lot of options. Plus they are under pressure to not prescribe benzodiazepines (like diazepam). There are lots of ADs that are good for anxiety, especially SNRIs. They don't all effect your sex drive, either.
They will want to try alternatives like ADs, some antihistamines, beta blockers, possibly even antipsychotics, before prescribing benzodiazepines. Although they are very effective, they are also addictive. So they do not like to hand them out while there are still other options.
I know that's frustrating, though.

Less and less drs or HCP are willing to prescribe diazepam or the likes, as people can get addicted so easily.
I'm not saying you would personally, it's just they are under huge pressure to reduce scripts for them, unless every other option has been tried.

Sorry you are feeling so overwhelmed at the moment, OP.

It does seem as if you went into the appointment with a fairly fixed idea of what you wanted - I do see in one of your updates that you say you didn't but tbh, I see this quite often in a relative with similar issues. They have a set idea of what they want, they don't get it because it's not suitable for them and they consider the whole appointment a failure because it hasn't met their expectations. It's a symptom of the condition IMO, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

I appreciate that it can be hard to go in to these things with an open mind when you are in crisis though.

Is there a possibility of a phone appointment with a GP?

Some health care professionals just don't understand MH. I've come across many.
This ^^. And ADs don't kick in immediately.
Have you tried taking Rescue Remedy pastilles OP - amazon.co.uk/RESCUE-Pastilles-Orange-Elderflower-50g/dp/B002AEFGOO/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1553011560&sr=8-2&keywords=rescue+remedy+pastilles]]
They're really good at just taking the edge off anxiety. I swear by them!

It's quite hard to get diazepam now. Just be careful if you do take ADs because it's quite popular these days to have mirtazapine thrust at you and it is notorious for appetite increase and weight gain.

I've found NHS counselling shite tbh. 6 sessions of CBT at 35 mins each

I ended up having 5 years private. It cost me a bomb and I had to sacrifice a lot of other things financially but it was worth it.

I am lucky in a sense that doctors keep prescribing me diazepam. The only problem is that it doesn't really work for me. I don't know what they think when I don't want diazepam when they offer it.

I have suffered of anxiety in the past and I found a medication called pregabalin really good. It's not an antidepressant.

I have suffered of anxiety in the past and I found a medication called pregabalin really good. It's not an antidepressant.

Pregabalin is also now more tightly controlled and will be harder to obtain and already is in some places.

Thanks for the responses.

I'm more fucked off about his attitude to be honest, I was clearly Fucking distressed, I think my last gp appt was well over 8 months ago for a weird rash but I felt totally judged and found him downright rude. I never mentioned the diazepam but in my mind I wanted something like that that would just stop my own skin crawling a release some of this tension. I understand the need not to prescribe those type of drugs but for a HCP to treat someone like that when they are clearly desperate is just awful. I'm seriously considering complaining to the practice. It was just a well who gives a shot attitude, it took a lot for me to even make that appt as I spend a lot of time and effort "getting on with it" and maintaining a professional stance on the outside.

Please complain. You're not likely alone.