does anyone know

[LittleMarshmallow]

if your gp has refused to prescribe you anti-depressants because you drink alcohol how long it will be before they change their mind ?

Your GP wont probably won't prescribe them until you stop drinking because drink is a depressant, therefore it will prevent the anti depressant doing its job!

Does your GP think you drink too much?? x x x

The problem is that I was drinking a large glass of wine a night in order to sleep (i keep having recurring nightmares, flashbacks to stuff) but I asked for help to sort that.

I said I would stop drinking if they find another way that I could relax enough to sleep and havent drank anything for over a week. But the gp just said no to any anti depressants, it wasnt said to me directly I have a cpn who went to my gp to ask for a prescription for anti-depressants and the gp told her to tell me. My cpn has decided that i should "self help" and has given me some internet links.

I just am looking for a rough idea of how long i should wait before trying again.

I am surprised that your medication is being managed by your GP if you have a CPN. In my area, if you are refered to the community mental health team then a pschyarist will look after your meds.

I'm surprised that your CPN asked the GP for ads if he/she knew that you were drinking every night. (I am a CPN). However, obviously I don't know all of the issues here.

If you are struggling to cut down/give up, have you had chance to look at the links your CPN suggested? - this would be the best first step.

Some doctors would consider prescribing night sedation (sleeping tablets) on a very short term basis - a week or two at most - under the circumstances you describe, it must be hard for you to consider giving up alcohol if it is helping you to sleep.

The CPN could possibly arrange for you to see a psychiatrist (maybe just as a one off) if you did want to discuss further medication options.

As a rough idea I would say that if you managed to cut right back for a month or so then the GP may well reconsider. The CPN will be able to advise you further, the alcohol itself is acting as a depressant so with alcohol out of the picture you may have less symptoms of a clinical depression anyway.

Hope you get the support you need.

Reallytired services vary a lot depending on area.

Where I work, not all clients have their medication prescribed by a psychiatrist.

If I see someone "in crisis" this may end up short term and they may not even see the psychiatrist.

Does your CPN think you might benefit from AD's?? If you really think you need them you could try to apoach GP yourself?? Do you suffer from depression??

It the bigest problem is getting to sleep, maybe sleeping pill in the short time would help?? What about something you can buy over the counter??

Sorry, probably not being much help, but trying

x x x

the thing is I stopped drinking completely after i spoke to the cpn i said i would and that i managed, everything else well i cant do it all by myself, but the cpn is useless (only this one btw i know there are wonderful people who do this really difficult job) but she is, she knows i sh too, as i asked her for help with that, but i have to "self help" with that too.

the cpn really doesnt get me or what is going on in my head, i have tried to explain to her contact her and play by their rules but i am getting no where fast,

i am lucky in that my hv is coming mon to check on me as when we were talking about ds she guessed i got no medication and she isnt happy about that, but she cant help.

i guess my problem is how do i prove to the gp that i have stopped drinking? its only my word against hers.

It sounds like there are a few issues going on here LittleM.

It is hard if you have a difficult relationship with the CPN.

It sounds as if you get on better with the health visitor. Could you tell her on Monday that you gave up alcohol on x date?

Could you also go to the GP yourself in a week or two and explain that you have confided in the hv that you have given up?

How important is is that you see the CPN? (sorry, but I obviously don't know all of the circumstances). Say for example there were issues re child protection, or if you had been sectioned in the past, if you refused to see the CPN then it might not be great for you.

Perhaps you could discuss this further with the hv. Perhaps say that you feel you don't need additional support from the CPN, but would the HV support you if you went to the GP and discussed ADs again?

you are right i trust the hv more than the cpn it sounds so silly but i have issues with going near hospitals right now specifics ones and the cpn didnt grasp this when i said to her i couldnt go she didnt get it, yet when i said the same thing the health visitor she was like yeah you know what you dont need to go there alone i will come with you its ok cries really stupid i know but its hard,

i am trying to get better one hour at a time, i just need some help, there shouldnt be any child protection issues (or not that i am aware of)

the reason the cpn is involved is that my sh freaks the hv which is fair enough and she cant cope with that and wanted to back off, which is her right do so, which is why i am trying to work with cpn, i had to track her down via google as i had no telephone nos for her so i am trying to get better. its just hard i suppose, my cpn told me to get my work's first aider to treat my sh if it needed treatment, i am sure she thinks that part is attention seeking when its not.

but yes i will give it another couple of weeks and try the gp again thank you

LittleM just to reassure you I wasn't at all suggesting that there might be child protection issues. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't give you bad advice (i.e. telling you to opt out of seeing the CPN if there was some reason that you had to or it would make things worse if you refused)Mentioning cp was just one example of why it might be a bad idea to opt out of seeing the CPN.

sh does worry a lot of professionals, e.g. your hv. If you had the right materials (e.g. dressings etc) could you treat some of the injuries yourself? Some of my clients are able to get supplies from GP practice nurse which can be less stressful and more private. Just a thought. Obviously if you approach your work's first aider then this might reduce your privacy at work?

onepieceoflollipop - i didnt think you were suggesting anything just checking, dont worry i wasnt offended but thank you

my gp practice doesnt have a nurse i tried there first as i had an infection or i thought i did, i tried the cpn (who i thought would help but who told me she didnt know what to do), the gp told me to go to a&e the one where i freak if i am anywhere near

the hv said she will check on monday but it is fine now, i just gritted my teeth used salt water + a ton of antiseptic cream and loads of clean bandages

Ouch that sounds painful. Your CPN doesn't sound particularly kind.

Glad to hear that your hv will check the injuries on Monday. Just try to keep them clean and dry. (hope none are deep enough to need stitching etc)

xx

Surely if you have stopped drinking there is no reason why you can't have the prescription.
It's a shame the sh worries your hv. This organisation www.basementproject.co.uk/ provides leaflets for professionals working with people who sh. They will post you the leaflets if you like.
Got nothing much to add to the great advice here except that flashbacks could also indicate post traumatic stress disorder which responds well to some talking and relaxation therapies. Maybe your doctor could also make a referral to a psychologist or counsellor who specialises in mindfulness based CBT which has good evidence for helping PTSD.

best wishes to you!

Hi - could you ask to see a different cpn from the CMHT? There should be no reason why you could not change if you really don't get on with this person. Perhaps you could ask for one who has worked on alternative coping strategies for sh, if this cpn is unable to give you this skill training?

Using medic at work would not be something I would feel comfortable with doing, that is just me though - I would rather deal with them myself (go to chemist, buy antiseptic wipes, steri-dressing and dry sterile dressings and micro pore tape) or go to minor injuries.

Glad your hv helpful - could you get her to speak to gp about AD's?

I dont know if I can change cpn's there doesnt seem to be that many where I am.

I am hoping the hv can do something anything with the gp but given the mess they have made of ds's medical stuff I hold little hope

If there is more than one other cpn - and they work in teams so there will be - you will be able to change. It just means the next new patient will go to a different one.

I will speak to the hv tomorrow and see what is currently happening just to check i have the correct information, then go from there, i havent heard from the cpn for over a week except the hand written note with internet links on. I just feel bad being difficult or being perceived as being difficult i suppose.

I have anti-depressants whoop finally had to go the gp today with the hv, although the pharmacy must dispense weekly still it might help