Psychiatric Assessment/medication Review - is it worth it?

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Contemplating paying for a private psychiatric assessment and I feel so guilty.
The only thing to be looked at is medication really. I have received various therapies
I'm already paying a lot of money for EMDR sessions (a few sessions in) as I have a definite diagnosis of CPTSD
I suspect I have a neurodiversity - I've been told not likely to be adhd but I feel like I have a dopamine issues and they were stating the reason not adhd as no childhood evidence (I have no-one to clarify this who can give an account.)
High achieving academically but I do think I struggled at school.
Lots can be put down to a traumatic childhood but I feel there might be more in terms of ND.
Low mood.

Lots of negative life events. Little real life support. I've got dc relying on me.
Menopausal - HRT didn't resolve.
Around the houses on various anti-depressants.

Anyone go private, did it help?

Well I have gone private but I was very unwell and the CMHT discharged me so I had no access to meds. She’s been a literal lifesaver for me. Are you currently on meds or wanting to start?

I'm wanting to start but concerned I will be put on medication I have tried. I assume psychiatrists are able to prescribe different medication for things like depression (as a starting point). CMHT also discharged me in effect by offering very little service and no consultation with a psychiatrist.

At this point, I feel like I have little choice than to seek a second opinion.

I've literally had to google a psychiatrist specialising in neuro diversity, it feels like a total lottery.

It sounds worth it then as obviously psychiatrists have access to different meds that GPs don’t prescribe. I’m ND too.

Thank you Purplelovecats

Private assessment looks to be in the region of £700. Anyone else paid this kind of amount for a mental health assessment?

I’m not in the UK so you may not have this option, but when my DS had significant MH struggles, he had a battery of testing (took a day plus a couple of hours) and they looked at all aspects of ND, ADHD, PTSD etc. it was helpful
in figuring out how to treat him and, thankfully, he is doing well now, after a bit of trial and error.

I wouldn’t feel guilty for even a minute about going private/getting second opinion!

I hope you get good answers.

Mine was £395 for first assessment (on video call) and £210 for follow ups. So there are cheaper around if you hunt. We didn’t feel I needed an in person one though as it was quite obvious I was very unwell and needed urgent help.

I would rather go in person. I am going to book the appointment. My case is complex that's the confusion as I have been partially diagnosed some years ago but ND was not discussed. I was prescribed anxiety medication that did nothing to help. I am concerned I am not going to get answers this time around. I have chosen someone who also looks at Neurodiversity. It feels like no-one can get to the bottom of my issues.

That is good to hear Lizzieregina.

What you are talking about sounds like what I need. It doesn't exist here in the UK I don't believe.

I feel vulnerable and these are large amounts of money. And specialists can disagree on diagnosis.

I’m going privately. I’m nominally under CMHT but since my last consultant left I can only get acccess to the doctors if my GP or husband get involved on my behalf. I have bipolar and cPTSD - although only bipolar officially recorded as diagnosis. My GP have said they will do a shared care agreement with private if I wish to move from CMHT (you can only be under the care of one psychiatrist. It feels a big decision.

it’s around £450 for my intial appointment that’s coming up next week and about half that for ongoing sessions, which are unsurprisingly half as long - but, I have a diagnosis that I don’t disagree with and am looking for medication therapy review only. I would image it’s a lot harder to do a diagnosis and that will take longer and costs more. I was in hospital and observed for a month when I had my diagnosis.

I wouldn’t get too hung up on the diagnosis labels of whether it’s cPTSD or ND or both, as ultimately psychiatry treats symptoms and individual reactions to treatments. Your diagnosis would be useful as a starting point for where to start treatment options. you then keep going through the options until you find one that works well.

You’re feeling unwell, you want help and you deserve help. All the best.

For people with complex and multiple diagnoses (particularly diagnoses that don’t have specific treatments attached), or where the diagnosis is uncertain, sometimes the specific diagnosis doesn’t matter and what you want is a formulation of your symptoms and how they affect your functioning. Psychologists usually do quite a good job of this. You could then take the formulation to a psychiatrist who may help with medication for any residual functional issues not otherwise addressed

For a thorough medication review as stated in the OP, then yes. That’s where medical training differs from psychology. Look at private hospitals with outpatient psychiatrists e.g Spire, Nuffield.

You can share your symptoms with someone who is professional because all that can be done is getting therapy with it.

Thank you all for your responses