Private psychiatrist question

[MarmadukeM]

Hi i am being referred in to the community treatment team for ongoing support and hopefully a face to face psychiatrist medication review. I’ve had a rough 5 months and I’m now on a boat load of meds including meds to counteract side effects of other meds! My bipolar depression has improved to say 50% but I’m nowhere near my ‘normal’ self and my nurse and therapist think I’m over medicated. I’m struggling to function at work, my vision is blurred, I’m really clumsy and forgetful.
my worry is that if they accept my referral I am looking at maybe 4 to 5 months before I see a psychiatrist and I find the thought of that unbearable to be honest - I know that in particular one of the meds is just plain bad for me and I’ve persevered with it for almost 5 months but enough is enough! I do have the means to pay for a
private psychiatrist review and then maybe one follow up appt but I can’t commit to anything more than that.
Have anny of you done this? And how did it go/was the nhs able to pick you back up and act on the psychiatrist suggestions?
Any advice/experiences of the process would be great xxx

I definitely understand what you mean about it being hit and miss. A lot of my reticence now about taking MH medication stems from bad experiences in the past (nearly 3 decades ago). I swore never to take AD ever again after that but have been sucked back into it in the last few years.

I think I’m just being self destructive by coming off my meds and I’m feeling the worst I ever had so I don’t know what to do now.

Having said all that, you are in the hands of an expert now so you should have faith in her professional competence. If you do feel your mood dipping further as you taper down then you can always reassess and work with her on a new plan of action. Best of luck x

@Porchwouldbenice sorry to hear that - could you see a different psychiatrist? If you’re paying for it then you can do what you want can’t you? And if you don’t have a great relationship with the one youve got then id say that someone different is the first step maybe? X

Unfortunately It’s me that’s the problem not him. I’m a lost cause really

The research evidence for medication for mental distress is pretty bleak, latest findings indicate it’s not better than placebo. Have you tried psychotherapy?

@Mayflower282 thats what the psychiatrist was telling me, that the evidence shows that the side effects of antidepressants are generally worse than any perceived benefit.
she recommended a book called the Maudsley deprescribing guidelines which covers all the antidepressants, gabapentenoids and z drugs.
my side effects from Vortioxetine have been nasty - sweats , palpitations, feeling ‘wired’ and insomnia. The trazodone has helped with the sleep but it’s too sedating hence why I am coming off them.
I see a private psychologist every 2 weeks and yes it’s really helpful . X
@Porchwouldbenice im sorry you feel that way - I’m sure it’s not the case, mental illness makes your thinking a bit skewed at times so try not to think nothing can be done - I’m sure it can. X

@Porchwouldbenice also I meant to say something regarding the psychiatrist saying lower doses are sub therapeutic- well yes it’s probably true but that’s not the point really when you are coming off them. My psychiatrist said that discontinuation symptoms are caused by a mismatch between what your brain is expecting to receive in relation to what it actually gets from the amount of drug you take. And it can make you feel ill for a long time. So the point of tapering in small increments is not to treat the illness (so doesn’t matter if.it sub therapeutic), it’s to reduce the chances of discontinuation symptoms by easing you off them. Hope that makes sense x

Thanks, that does make total sense. To give my psychiatrist the benefit of the doubt, he was trying to convince me to increase my dose to a therapeutic dose as he didn’t want me to come off my meds at all,

@Porchwouldbenice ah I see - well I hope you begin to feel better soon xx

Thanks, you too. I’m really pleased you are getting good psychiatric support now ❤️