After some advice

[Bluey_moon]

Hi guys, 

I wondered if you would be able to offer a personal opinion! 

So my GP was away a few weeks ago, so I saw another GP at the same practice. 

At the recommendation of the mental health team he changed my meds, he also gave me a referral for a private psyciatrist. Here in lies the problem, my normal GP thinks I have seen enough people and thinks I shouldn't go. I'm in two minds, is another person going to tell me anything different? And I know it will cost a lot more and I don't have much more to spend. My husband thinks I just need to work harder, so I haven't told him about this! And the kicker, I'm secretly petrified he will tell me my biggest fear is true, the "s" word 😭

[Guest_5218]

Hello Skye.

Firstly I am a little surprised that at a first visit to a different GP he has changed your meds and referred you to a psychiatrist. Although you have said that it was at the recommendation of the mental health team.

My personal view is that it is sometimes a good idea to get a different perspective on your overall healthcare picture.  If you have been seeing the same GP for a long time I think it can have mixed results.  They get to know you well, which is a good thing, but they may just zone in on the areas they see as the main issues and/or the areas they are most comfortable with in their individual areas of interest.  But that could lead to them overlooking new issues that may come up or your changing needs and or symptoms as they arise.

I understand your concern over the cost of the private psychiatrist but, for peace of mind alone, would it be worth it do you think?  I dont know how many consultations would be required.  Do you get anything back on Medicare?  I know it wont cover all of it, but even a little helps.

I realise that your secret fear is that the new psych will diagnose you with 's'.  But fear not, it can be treated.  So if your worst fears come to fruition then maybe that would be a good thing, because then you can receive appropriate treatment.

So my own personal opinion would be to 'go for it' if your financial situation allows you to.  

Sherie xx

[Bluey_moon]

I couldn't cope if I was diagnosed with it, I just couldn't, it would destroy my family! 

[JessF]

Hello Bluey moon, I have been following your posts on and off for a while but haven't commented before.

I personally believe that you bouncing around to different practitioners is part of the problem. You don't trust what they say, which is part of the thinking patterns you have around OCD, so when you don't get the answer you "want", you move on to another.  The more you do this, the more likely the health professional you're seeing is going to eventually say, "It doesn't sound like I'm helping you, perhaps you should see someone else".

I'm not sure whether you've ever been through CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) at all with a psychologist. It's built around challenging negative and obsessional thoughts like the ones you're having. Your last one line post is a perfect example of a negative thought/belief.  In CBT, you're encouraged to write those thoughts down, and then go on to answer some further questions about those beliefs:

Firstly, what evidence do you have for the sentence you've written above? What actual facts, not feelings or assumptions, do you have that show you wouldn't cope should you be diagnosed, and that it would destroy your family?

In my experience, psychiatrists are very expensive and are focused more on medication than talking therapies, and it's the latter that is probably going to help you the most.  Medication alone can't break negative and obsessional thinking patterns.  It takes work, perseverance, and a willingness to work and trust one practitioner.

[Dwwmills]

Hi Skye.

I agree with many of the things the other two people have posted.

Switching doctors can be a problem, if it’s your anxiety that is driving you to do that but shifting from a GP to a psychiatrist is not a bad move. GPs don’t have the training to administer psychiatric medication to the degree that a psychiatrist does. Seeing that your OCD has been very difficult to keep under control perhaps the extra training of a psychiatrist could help. I know in my daughter’s case she was on antidepressants and also a central nervous system stimulant to control her OCD. It wasn’t until the central nervous system stimulant was put into the mix that she got her OCD under control. These medications were prescribed for her by a psychiatrist not a GP.

I understand your apprehension about getting a diagnosis but ultimately it doesn’t matter what word they use as long as the medication they prescribed helps. If you don’t like the psychiatrist you don’t have to go back. I was very apprehensive about going to see a psychiatrist first time as I was worried that they would be a bit over the top and highly medically focused. My psychiatrist was very much of the opinion that best practice is a combination of medication and psychology and that the psychology would be what would help me stay well in the long run. And as far as being diagnosed as schizophrenic your psychiatrist will make the distinction about whether you hear voices and believe them to be real or whether you are just anxious about being schizophrenic. Hopefully your psychologist and psychiatrist will work together to help you. The psychology practice I went to had a psychiatrist that they could call in when needed. This helped as a psychiatrist and psychologist were both on the same page about what treatment is needed.

I understand why your husband thinks that you only need to work harder. I remember when my daughter had a OCD I couldn’t understand why she couldn’t see that her fears were based on nothing. It did feel that if she just thought about it more she should be able to see what was happening. As you know this is not how it works. Until she had her anxiety under control she could not use CBT effectively.

I have found being honest with my partner works best in the long run so you could just say to your husband “The doctor has not being able to prescribe medication that has kept my OCD and under control so you’re going to a psychiatrist for specialist advice”.

Dean

[Bluey_moon]

Thank you everyone for your advice! although I will admit the vast majority of it has made me a lot more anxious, which I know isn't your intention. 

But you see, I truly can't afford this psyciatrist, we are barely surviving as it is! It is everything I can do to scrape togeather enough to see my psycologist, who I thought would be equally as qualified to diagnose me when she said I don't have schizophrenia, as well as those at the mental health department at the base. Now I'm petrified they may have been unqualified or wrong. 

So now I'm left with this dilemma, I can't afford to see a psyciatrist but are they the only ones who can accurately diagnose and if this is the case, am I missing out on a proper diagnosis? 

Especially Dean one of my biggest supporters I  the fact that you think I didn't have it, now doubts it too! So maybe I should stay off hear a bit, cause I'm so confused! 

[Bluey_moon]

Please Dean, I'm sorry I wasn't having a go at you, I'm just so confused! 

[pipsy]

Hi there, Bluey.  Since changing your meds, have you noticed anything different?  I know that any meds take a while to start working, you would have been told this.  If you're feeling a bit better for changing, maybe one visit to a psych would help clarify whether you do have 's'.  If you have, the appropriate med will help you.  I think under medicare, you are entitled to so many free visits.  I'm not sure, so don't quote me on that.  I realise the stigma having 's' carries, but as I said with the right treatment it can be controlled.  Jess and Dwwmills  basically said it all.  The longer you dilly dally round, the more worked up and confused you'll make yourself.  Try seeing if you can visit this psych once.  If after one visit, you're not comfortable, or you don't agree, don't make a second appointment.  I would definitely tell your hubby your decision, either way.  The fact that you're scared is not helping you.  Is there anyone apart from hubby that you can talk to, apart from here too.  Another family member, close personal friend.  The word psychiatrist also conjures up fear too.  It's just a word, though.  Try thinking of it as more intense therapy, if that helps.  A psych is really just a specialist in a certain field.  G.P's are great, but specialists are needed for definite areas.         

[Dwwmills]

Skype.  I.never think you are having a go at.me. I'm tough enough to take it if you did so don't  worry.

Don't underestimate  OCD's ability to make you focus on things that are not real. It's your OCD that is causing you a problem at the moment. 

Cheers 

Dean

[Dwwmills]

Hi.Skye. 

Sorry got your name wrong. Spell check on my phone got me again.

Dean