Hi everyone, I'm back.

[Guest_4643]

Hi everyone, mb20lover here. I wasn't sure where to post this.

It's been a while since I was on the forums, so I just wanted to make a post saying that I'm back. However, I'll try my best to limit my time, comments, etc on here.

I won't bother tagging anyone, and I'll try to keep this as my only open thread that I have created.

I've missed everyone I've spoken to on here, and I hope to talk to some new people. I have been using my offline supports - my Psychiatrist, GP, Parent support of course, and a Social Worker. I'm in the process of finding a Psychologist but I'm having no luck.

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in and say hello, and also I hope I haven't upset anyone on the forums or anything like that because nothing was intentional, so I deeply apologise.

An update on me, I recently turned 21, can't do much with COVID though, it's a hard year for everyone unfortunately.

I also have a milestone, an achievement, I've been seeing my Psychiatrist for a year which is the longest I've stayed with a therapist. And I also finally have a GP I feel comfortable with. I'm on different meds that seem to be working a little but I still of course have my moments, but these meds I've been on the longest for out of any of the ones I've tried.

Other than that, please don't feel pressured to comment anyone, although it would be nice to connect with some people, old or new, but like I said that's okay. I just wanted to check in.

If you've read this and made it this far, thank you. Stay safe and take care everyone, as much as possible with the unfortunate COVID circumstances.

Thinking of all the Beyond Blue Mods & Users. I've missed everyone.

- mb20lover.

[Guest_4643]

Thanks Sleepy. And no you're fine, I appreciate your advice. I'd say the Social Worker I see is more distant. She just asks me stuff like what I've tried, if I have hobbies, stuff like that. Not really any therapy things. She told me to write a letter to my Grandparents who passed away but that would trigger me way too much.

The Psychologists I found on the Telehealth company says they do EMDR on their profiles, 2 of them, hence how I know. When I see my GP I'll ask him, although my Psychiatrist knows me better so I would feel more comfortable asking him (he's more qualified anyway, my GP doesn't really help me).

I was thinking maybe if I need to see a GP and I can't see him, try and get in to see another one, but then I'm worried it would cause friction and I'm worried I may like another GP better than him and switch, sigh. Like I said he's nice but yeah. I picked him out of 2 GPs there that say they deal with mental health, but the one I see says he hasn't had much training in MH. So idk.

[Guest_1643]

no worries at all

just my experience that's all which i was trying to share as i've been through similar....

I've also seen distant social workers through neighborhood houses etc... it was very different to seeing a therapist one. I know it's all a bit complicated

I once called up a public neighborhood house that has free social workers and asked if I could see one

They asked me what it was for, to write on their forms

I said "mental health"

They said "sorry, the social workers don't help with mental health"

I wa slike "what do they help with then?"
She said everything house, housing, ect, finances... etc.

But I've seen a social worker before for counselling once and even for a short term crises twice a week and it was very different. Very supportive, talk-therapy and assistance with MH exclusively.

[Guest_4643]

All good.

Plus if I changed GPs then I'm worried my GP would get offended, and my Psychiatrist may be annoyed because I'd have to update him. Like I said my GP is nice but I just feel like I'm wasting my time

[Croix]

Dear Tayla

I think that the most important thing of the lot is faith and trust in whatever medical person you are using. You have to feel right with them , and by the sound of it your current GP, who may be a nice person is not giving you what you expect. If he says he has no or little training that is not really good practice, the idea being to build up your confidence, not raise doubts.

I also imagine (if I have read your posts correctly) that your psychiatrist is closer to what you feel. No psych is really going to be offended if you change GPs , it happens all the time in some medical centers.

Really you are looking for a team that interact together and benefit you, which may or may not include a psychologist too.

If you are most comfortable laying all this out to your psychiatrist then perhaps you should do so, even if it involves a wait.

I'm not saying I've the correct answer to your question , only saying what I'd try.

If you have found one out of the three then you are well on the way.

Croix

[Guest_4643]

Hi Croix. I'm sorry if I upset anyone earlier as I wrote above.

In regards to the GP, you're right. I've even asked him about a Bunion I have, it's small but it's really painful. I had to keep asking for him to finally send me for an X-Ray & a blood test. I asked him if he could do a referral for me to the Podiatrist so I'd only have to pay $6 or something instead of $60 (I don't mind paying a 1 off fee, but not every visit), he said no. I'm in a lot of pain from it, and he just told me to use some gel which I did but it did nothing. For my mental health he just tells me to speak to my Psychiatrist, which is fine, such as about meds or whatever, but then this confuses my Psychiatrist (he says stuff like "your GP should also be able to help you". He reads the notes from my Psychiatrist because he's told me but he also forgets which meds & dosage I'm on. Like I said he's nice but I don't feel like he's helping me with anything - my mental health or even my pain from my Bunion.

If I were to say to him that I was looking at another GP at the same clinic, I'm worried that would be really awkward for the both of us, and my Psychiatrist, because I'd probably see him around the Clinic & he'd probably wonder what he did wrong, then my Psychiatrist would ask. But my Psychiatrist knows i've had a few GPs due to bad experiences (most of them not even prescribing me my meds when I have notes from my Psychiatrist asking them to do so). But like you said, you have a right to feel comfortable and they should be helping you, and you have a right to change. I don't feel like he's helping much & I've cancelled a few appointments with him (the GP) because I feel like I'm wasting my time if he's not going to do anything. I basically just go in there, he asks me how I've been, I say pretty crappy, and that's basically all. I keep saying my Bunion is painful, he makes me take off my shoe & looks at it & that's all. Even the X-Ray indicated that it was a Bunion. He hasn't done anything else. It's getting kind of frustrating. Even if I were to just do phone call consults, I'd probably still waste my time.

So idk. I wouldn't want to make him feel bad or anything. It says on his profile he deals with mental health but he told me word for word, he doesn't have much training in mental health. I'm confused, why does it say that on his profile then? The other male GP I was looking at, at the same clinic, also says he deals with mental health. He sees kids too so he may be better, idk

[Guest_4643]

Hi everyone.

As I mentioned above, idk what to do about the GP. His appointments are too long to wait for (for example, after I see him on the 11th, I can't get another appointment until Feb, and so on). I had to ask him repeatedly for an X-Ray & Blood Test for my Bunion, and that's all he's done for me, nothing else. Oh he referred me to a Psychologist but they're not taking new patients. That's all. I know that GPs are limited in what they can do but I always thought if you wanted something, you ask a GP, and they give it to you, such as a MHCP, referral, whatever? Not have to continually ask and nothing is done. He's nice but he's not helping me, and the wait in between appointments is too long, even if I did get a Psychologist, I'd still need to see a GP.

I'd be worried about being rude and offending him, unintentionally of course. But I'm well within my rights to change GPs if I feel something is wrong/they're not helping, right? Plus I need to see a GP for physical health reasons, my Bunion anyway. I'm in a lot of pain from it and nothing is being done. Yes there's more important issues out there but I'm in pain.

I'm thinking when I tell my Psychiatrist, he'll probably tell me to change, although they've spoken to each other a couple of times.

When I see him on the 11th, I was thinking of saying something like "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't feel as though you're helping me. I had to ask you a few times for an X-Ray & Blood Test, & I asked you for a referral to the Podiatrist because they'd have more experience with Bunions, and you said no. Meanwhile I'm suffering with mental health and in pain. Plus your appointment times are too long and even with a Psychologist, I still need a GP. So I'm thinking about seeing another GP here. Please don't be offended, I just don't feel like you're doing much for me. I understand you're limited in what you can do." How does that sound?

I'm really worried I'd offend him and my Psychiatrist. If I saw another GP, it would be easy to get them up to speed I guess, with my file, etc. I don't know what to do.

[Matchy69]

Hi Tayla you have every right to see the best GP for you and GP you currently seeing won't mind and he has many patients and your pcychiatrist will want you to see the best doctor for you and that's the most important thing is what's best for you so do what is best for you.
Take care,
Mark.

[Guest_1643]

Hi Tayla -

In my opinion u dont need to ask your psychiatrist permission to change

your psychiatrist , and everyone here who cares about u, all want you to have the best care and will understand and support you if you are finding that with someone who isn't ur current gp.

It's ur life and ur health and as you said ur in pain...
I don't think u need to explain to the GP why you are changing in such detail at all

U could just say you'd like to trial seeing someone who specialises more in Mh, and then you would be able to keep that GP you see currently as a back up and still see them if you need extra help. It's great to get a second opinion, we all do it. Perhaps a new GP will have some new ideas for how to progress further - and even for that it is worth it to try someone else. If that doesn't work you could return to the old gp. It's just an attempt to check out someone new and doens't have to be final etc.

[Ggrand]

Hello Dear Tayla...

I think if your not happy with your GP..please change to another one..Your GP..I’m sure will not be offended...You need to follow your heart sweetheart and find the best GP that you can for both your physical and mh problems...

Not 100% sure..were you live..but where I do all my visits and write notes put in my file about my visits go to each professional that are on my mental health team...

My psychiatrist also flys in from a major Sydney hospital once a month...I haven’t seen him now for around 12 months because when he reads my files from my Dr. he sees everything is going okay with me...

I do have a trauma counsellor from Victims Services of Australia who also sends each visit I have with her to my psychiatrist and GP concerning my stability with my mh..I’m not sure but I think most psychiatrist and Drs do collaborate about our mh..as everything is now typed down on computers....

Tayla..Your Health is important..you need to look after you the best you can..with the best available Dr. that will care you you in the best way possible...If your current GP..isn’t helping you by looking after your bunion..then by all means if it was me I would change to another one...

I went through a few Drs. before I found the one I have now..she is in the same small building as the other 2 I was seeing..there was no hard feelings towards me..from the other Drs...My little town has two little medical centres with 3 Drs in each practise...for around 8,000 patients..My Dr..makes my appointments 4 weeks apart for a few months ahead..if I don’t need to see her, then I ring and cancel the day before...it works out well for me..maybe when you find a new Dr. have them to make monthly appointments for you..just in case you need to see them...

Not sure if I helped you a lot..but please remember Tayla that you need the best care for you that you can get..even if it means changing Dr a few times until you find it..

Love and hugs lovely Tayla..

Grandy..

[Guest_4643]

Hi everyone. Thank you all for your replies.

I booked on the HotDoc app, with the new Doctor I wanted to see. It's a day after, so the 12th, and it's later in the day which is better for me. It said he's closed his books & is only seeing his existing patients, but I already go to the clinic & it still let me book it. I'll call the Clinic on Monday to cancel my appointment with my current GP (wouldn't let me cancel it on the app), and double check if it's ok to see him.

I'm sure if I give them a bit of a sob story, I should be fine.