Please can anyone share advice for my situation as I'm so worried for him.
He is 75 and suffering from extreme anxiety and panic. It has been 8 weeks since he contacted the GP, has only ever been offered a telephone consultation and has not seen any professional face to face in this time. GP prescribed citalopram which he had been on for some time previously but was told to wean off, this had no affect in the 3 weeks he took so he went back and now prescribed fluoxetine, has been taking 2 a day for 2 weeks. There has been no improvement and deteriorated in that time, GP has now prescribed 3 tablets a day. He is not sleeping, lost weight extreme high anxiety, obsessive thoughts, continually going over the same irrational thought every minute of the day. The steps we have tried so far in this time are;
- Numerous visits and phone calls to GP surgery - had been told no face to face consultation
- Referred to IAPT for talking therapy - currently on a long waiting list
- Called NELFT NHS for crisis appointment - have been told will only discuss via GP referral and GP will not do a referral
- Had 1 private counsellor appointment but felt he now needs more than just talking
- Had a consultation with Mind but only offered details for social groups to join
- Went to a&e as so desperate, after a 15 hour wait was sent home with prescription for diazepam
What an earth is someone who feels so ill and desperate for help meant to do ? My mum is 77 and very frail and is finding it all too much to deal with now. Where do we go for help.? Is this normal GP practise ? Do we book a private psychiatrist appointment ?
I'm so worried and live some distance away and work full time. I don't know what to do.
Please can anyone give any advice ?