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Mental health

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Original poster

Think I need ADs but am scared off going to the GP

16 replies

CaroJo · 04/04/2010 21:57

The title says it all really.

I'm pretty sure I've been majorly depressed for the last 2,5 years. It has come to the point where I can no longer pretend to other people that I am fine after having messed up my uni course big time.

I've known for ages that I need to see a GP and that I probably need ADs but I am soo embarrassed I keep putting it off. I paid for private counselling last year but stopped going after 6 months as firstly, I could no longer afford it and secondly, I felt I didn't get anywhere.

I really need help. I am so sad most of the time that I wish I didn't exist but then I have a good day, where I feel ok and that makes me think maybe I would waste my GPs time.

I don't know what to do and I don't know what to say if I did go to the doctors.

What did other people say to their doctors?

OP posts:

LittleMarshmallow · 04/04/2010 22:08

Could you say what you have said here?

In the past I have written a note for my gp to read as I was too embarrassed to admit I couldn't cope.

willsurvivethis · 04/04/2010 22:11

well this is pretty good - cut out and take with you. You only have to tell them how you feel - they will ask the questions and do the diagnosis. Just go - you will feel better for it.

topsi · 05/04/2010 20:20

You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You have struggled on for 2 1/2 years and now finaly admitted you need a little help. The GP will be happy to listen to your story so just take a deep breath and tell him/her how things are for you.
They will prob ask questions about your sleeping, appitite, and weight changes, problems with concentration etc.
Good luck let us know how it goes.

Original poster

CaroJo · 06/04/2010 14:21

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I phoned my GP surgery this morning and got an appointment for tomorrow. The downside is, they only had a male GP available and I would have prefered a woman. I guess it shouldn't matter. I am still scared but am hoping I will manage to go through with it.

OP posts:

LittleMarshmallow · 06/04/2010 19:15

You will be fine, I was really nervous before all of my appointments too.

When is your appointment morning or afternoon?

woodhj · 06/04/2010 22:12

I feel the same. I have a 9 week old baby boy and our DD was diagnosed with leukeamia in december last year.

I feel like my head is full with irrational thoughts but if you asked me to tell you them i wouldnt beable to name one.

I scream at my husband and demand a divorce every other day and when im not screaming im crying. I hate everyone with a normal life and have started to distance myself from friends and my family now anoy me.

But some days im o.k so i think i can get through it. I dont know if i have postnatal or just depression from all the crap life has delt me.

Everyone tells me how strong i am and how if anyone can handle it then thats me. I feel daft asking for help but i think i will have to soon.

I dont think about hurting myself but at times when im on my own driving i have flashes and thoughts of driving into something. GOD that all sounds so dramatic but maybe writing it down and reading it back is what it takes.

PersonalClown · 06/04/2010 22:18

I've just gone back to my GP after finally admitting to myself that I just wasn't 'me' again.

I was the same, don't know what to say or how to say it but in the room it all just came flooding out after I showed him the cuts on my wrist.

I found it helps to have a little bullet point list in my head when i went of symptoms.
eg Cant sleep but exhausted
constant crying etc

I'm up to 40mg a day and finally feeling somewhat sane again!
Do not be embarressed. It's an illness.

topsi · 07/04/2010 08:35

good luck for today

Original poster

CaroJo · 07/04/2010 12:37

I can not put into words how much your messages have meant to me. It feels so good to be able to tell someome what's going on without the fear of being regarded as weak.

I went and spoke to the doctor this morning, it was horrible, I just started to cry. In a way I was rigth about my feeling of wanting to speak to a female GP as the male one I had actually admitted that he struggles to understand depression and thinks that 80% of the people coming to him don't really have it but rather like to take themselves and their crap lives too important. [hmmm]

I didn't know what to say then really. Couldn't help but think he should keep opinions like that to himself.

Anyway, I had to fill out that questionnaire and after speaking to me for quite a while he decided I belonged to the 20% who 'really' have depression and put me on 20mg Fluoxetine. I'm a bit scared as I have never taken any ADs before and don't know what to expect at all. I really hope it will make me feel better.

woodhj, I'm so sorry to hear about your DD. I cannot imagine what you must be going through right now. All I can say is, if you feel like that, go and speak to your GP. Granted mine was a bit rubbish but I don't think that's the norm...

OP posts:

IMoveTheStars · 07/04/2010 12:43

CaroJo - can't believe your GP was so insensitive. Have they arranged a follow-up appointment for you in a couple of weeks to see how you're going on the tablets? May well be worth trying to get one with a female GP next time.

Good luck with the ADs

Original poster

CaroJo · 07/04/2010 12:50

JarethTheGoblinKing,
no they haven't yet. He said to come back in 4 weeks time. I'll definitely try to get an appointment with a woman next time. Have learnt my lesson...

OP posts:

IMoveTheStars · 07/04/2010 12:53

Ah good, was worried that he'd just prescribed them and not suggested any follow-up.

If you feel the need, make sure you go back sooner than the 4 weeks. When I first took ADs I was prescibed prozac but felt awful on them and went back after 2 weeks. Was prescribed sertraline which was much better for me.

HTH

topsi · 07/04/2010 13:02

Well done sorry you had a crap GP though. Best to take Prozac in the morning. Good luck with it. Sometimes it can take a couple of attempts to find something that works for you so don't be afraid to go back. Try a different GP next time though.

LittleMarshmallow · 07/04/2010 15:05

Well done for going, I am sorry your gp was an idiot.

Carojo, are you still at uni? if so you should be able to access their counseling service.

Original poster

CaroJo · 08/04/2010 16:47

LittleMarshmallow,

my student status is a bit of a complicated one. I am a full-time student but not where I live so I can't access the uni counselling service here. I'm not too bothered about it to be honest as I had counselling a while ago and while it helped me to deal with certain issues in my life, it didn't really help me with my depression. So now I'm hoping that the ADs will make me well enough to sort out the things that I have let slip due to being so down.

Are you a student yourself or working for one? I seem to remember you mentioning something on another thread about going to uni.

OP posts:

LittleMarshmallow · 08/04/2010 18:12

Yeah I am a part time student so I have counseling through uni and also through the hospice locally the uni mandate that I go to the uni one as it gives them proof I am not 100% and so sign off on my extensions.

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