GP's and Anti-Depressants Important Info

[blondguy]

Hi Everyone! New Posters are very welcome to share your experiences with a GP too!

I had an appointment yesterday with my GP. He is aware of what I do on the Beyond Blue forums. I asked him about anti depressants and how he treats his patients with depression/ anxiety and why some GP's dont prescribe meds. This is what I learned yesterday from one doctor.

• He has always had an interest in depression and anxiety and prescribes AD's where the symptoms fit the criteria to do so
• He will refer to a psychiatrist if a patient shows symptoms of a more 'complex' mental illness and not prescribe meds himself
• Some GP's have little interest in 'getting involved' with depression and will refer to a psychiatrist with little if any discussion
• He isnt 'pro meds' or 'anti-meds' He treats depression as a serious illness with meds to improve his patients health & well being

• He mentioned that a pro-active GP can know more about AD's than some psychiatrists as GP's have more frequent patient contact

It did surprise me that some GP's have little or no interest in treating depression. I hope these GP's are in the minority.

I am interested to know any good or not so good experiences other people have had with a GP. I posted this thread originally so any people with untreated depression/anxiety have a better understanding of how experiences with a GP can be positive step towards recovery.

All your thoughts are most welcome

Thankyou for taking the time to read my thread

Kind thoughts

Paul

[Shred1106]

Thanks blondguy

I attribute it to my support team for always being there for me though....great friends, brilliant GP, great psychologist and understanding psychiatrist and of course Forum members on here!

[MarkJT]

hey Shred, sorry havnt been on for a bit - got a fair bit going at the moment. All good though, just busy.

Massive effort without the AD's, pumped for you and glad that you are recovering well. Huge effort.

Mark.

[Shred1106]

Hey MarkJT

Hope all is okay and it settles down for you soon.Thanks for thinking of me and your kind words

[MarkJT]

Shred, yes mate all good now. Just had a perfect storm of jobs and situations come together. Ironically at a time when i genuinely thought i was going to have a heap of spare time!!

Something about counting chickens before they hatch?

How are you recovering? Still going well?

Mark

[blondguy]

Hey Shred

I really love what you mentioned above "great friends, brilliant GP, great psychologist and understanding psychiatrist and of course Forum members on here!"

I would like to have the guts you have with dumping the AD's. In the meantime I will keep taking them keeping in mind what you have achieved Shred..Nice1

Hope you are comfortable and doing okay with your recovery

My Kindest

Paul

[Shred1106]

Dear Mark JT

All going well with recovery though cannot wait for the six week mark to be over so I can get on with things like driving. Family that has been staying too are driving me nuts!!!

Friends make sure I get out every three days or so...

Wish I was even at the snow - my happy place right now. All good just need my own space again!

[Shred1106]

Hey blondguy

I guess I was forced into getting off the antid's because everything I was taking was giving me a reaction! Not that I didn't want to, don't get me wrong, I hate pills but leading up to the surgery and having had a shocking reaction last time made us all seriously discuss the issue. Turns out it was a good move huh! 55 days now...wow.Never thought I'd be able to do it but I have like many others.

I'd say it's a bit like the point where you get to with your illness when you give yourself permission to address the depression, anxiety etc etc in reverse, It just comes! A lot of work has paid off and I still have some to do but I am getting there..

So, my suggestion is...guys, when you know it's time to try without and you have an amazing network around you then at least try! If at first you don't succeed, don't be hard on yourself, allow time and then have another go...Just never give up!

Thanks all

[blondguy]

Hey Shred!

Thanks for the excellent post on how you approached and dealt with this illness. Its always a bonus to read how other people have coped and made their own way without the meds.

55 days is an absolutely crackerjack gutsy effort Shred...You seriously are a legend

Great to have you on the forums too 🙂

Paul

[MarkJT]

Shred, 55 days. Bang! Awesome.

I have squared it away with myself that i will be on PTSD meds for the rest of my life. I went nearly two years without as I wanted to see just how far i could take my recovery.

I got a good decent way through recovery and then i stagnated. Didn't matter what I tried i just stopped improving. So after giving it a bit more time i made the decision to try them out.

First batch, had some side effects that I didn't agree with so jumped off them and onto another which i latched onto pretty well. One raised dosage after a few mths and been on the same since, about 2.5 years now i think.

I have not really thought about trying to get off them. I suppose it is to do with the fact that i tried so much for so long and couldn't get myself over the "hump" so to speak but that is not to say in a "x" amount of time, i tell myself, hey lets give this a go.

Mark.

[Shred1106]

MarkJT

No problem. It is just the way it is for some people not all. It is a big thing too to acknowledge that you do need meds. Nothing is wrong with that either! I just think the key is to be in tune with your needs and have a support group around you if things go pear shaped as well.

Good for you! I am still here with you all for support and encouragement - and, when and if I fall I know you guys are here for me!

That's the way it works huh!