Good morning.
I have tried sertraline and citalopram very briefly around 5 years ago incase anyone suggests I try these. The sertraline made me sweat uncontrollably to the point my clothes were wet and damp and I didn’t feel any effects from the citalopram.
I have been severely struggling with my mental health since 2019 and approx 6 weeks ago I thought now is the time I reach out and try to get as much support as possible from the gp. I really wanted to be open and honest about the way I am feeling and struggling.
I initially submitted a triage request to my gp practise and was sent a link to book an appointment however there were no appointments available. I called the surgery and was told well the gp hasn’t put your appointment as being urgent so it’s just routine and you’ll need to keep trying the link everyday for a week. I explained I really needed to speak to a gp and in my experiences clicking on the link daily to try get an appointment was pointless because there were never any available. She said she would speak to a gp to see what they could do. I received a text saying there was no appointments to offer me but they would get a mental health nurse to give me a call. This phone call was no more than a few minutes just prescribing me medication- fluoxetine. She said give it 2/3 weeks to start working. When I collected the medication the pharmacist said he would give me a call in about a week to see how I was getting on. I had a follow up call from the pharmacist 3 weeks later and I told them that the medication was making me so much worse (which I was expecting) however it’s made me unable to cope from day to day. I was paranoid as anything, unable to focus, mind kept going blank, always in a daze and obviously my mental health deteriorated so bad that I was having un controllable thoughts that weren’t very nice. I had stopped taking the pills the day before the pharmacist called me and she told me to not stop taking them as it can cause withdrawal symptoms and to get an appointment with the gp. I tried to get an appointment and was told again there is no appointments. I then carried on taking the pills for another week before completely stopping them as I was a complete mess. I tried to get another appointment and was told ”A gp will call you in the morning”. Gp called and said I should keep taking them and give it another month. I told her I don’t feel hopeful that I’d be able to get support if I needed it so I’m hesitant to start them again.
I also asked my gp a month ago to refer me into the mental health services as I have been struggling for so long now and want ongoing support/ to be in the system. They didn’t do this and nothing came of it.
I just don’t know what to do. It feels like I’ve been given pills and been left to get on with it.
I am starting back at work next month and worried how I will cope and manage. I was a mental health support worker and I honestly gave so much support to my patients and referred them to services/ contacted services on their behalf it seems bizarre that when I’m the one reaching out for help no one is listening. It’s frustrating. It was ironic that I was giving care and support to patients with mental health issues when I also was struggling just as much as them, I’m not complaining I am someone that generally puts everyone before myself and even when I can’t do for myself, I will do for others.
I guess I’m just feeling stuck and don’t know what to do. Do I restart the fluoxetine or keep going as I am. I have children my youngest is 8 months so I need to be in a good mental state to do my best for her. I’m worried how I will manage back in work though especially having another baby which means more stress making sure she’s dropped with her dad before starting work (he lives a 30 min drive away but can be an hour + due to traffic driving on A roads, plus school runs with other children. It all feels so overwhelming just thinking about it, as in not being late for work ect.
Thankyou to anyone who has read this far