New therapist

[rav3n]

hi @Patches59 i just read about a potentially new psychiatrist referral, how exciting!! 

i can hear how much exhausting and heavy your journey has been, i'm so sorry you've had to deal with so much. hoping things get brighter for you, sending you gentle hugs 💜

[tyme]

Hey @Patches59 , How'd you go with everything?

@Dimity , Hi. Hope you are okay.

[Patches59]

@tyme   I don’t understand your question 

thanks @rav3n   That means a lot to me. Really appreciate it

[tyme]

Hey @Patches59 , sorry if I was confusing 🙂 

I was asking how things went in terms fo being accepted as a new patient for a new therapist?

Hope you are okay.

[Patches59]

@tyme   the referral letter was only emailed mid afternoon on Friday ie 2 days ago.

question about being accepted as patient by psychiatrist seems pre-emptive.  

Average waiting time to see psychiatrist as new patient is 3 to 6 months 

[tyme]

Sorry @Patches59 . I thought you'd at least get an acknowledgement. I guess from my side is sending off a referral, not hearing back for ages, then when you follow up, they say they never received it. This happened to an ear, nose, throat specialist referral I had.

This also happened to me recently with scripts. For more than a year, my GP was sending scripts to my pharmacy, and then the pharmacy sent a letter to say they won't be providing any more meds due to owing scripts. When I called the GP, they said they DID fax the scripts through. So then I called the pharmacy and I really don't know what happened... eventually it was sorted.

Anyway, fingers crossed you hear from them soon.

[Patches59]

@tyme    Due to experiencing similar things I never have scripts sent to pharmacy.  I always get script given in person, all of my usual meds have scripts issued with multiple repeats.  I will allow scripts to be sent to my phone but that is last resort.

Referrals to specialist plus health care plans are always emailed to me plus the respective business.

Stung once and never again.

my own experience over decades, referral goes to specialist whose receptionist contacts at some stage in the future to say yes or no in regards to being accepted as new patient.  Ive gone through that process with countless surgeons and specialists during the last 40+ years.

I would rather wait months to be able to see ‘good quality’ specialist (regardless the type) than seen by specialist who leaves me feeling that person doesn’t care …. Like psychiatrist I saw last year

[tyme]

@Patches59 .. I hear that. I guess in my situation, it is an agreement between the doctor and the pharmacy. I don't see any scripts, don't handle scripts and get meds delievered to my house every few days...

Yeah, I hear you about getting a 'good quality' specialist. I agree. And also, to know that the specialist is a good fit. I've seen some highly specialised therapists but they just weren't a good fit... if you know what I mean.

[Patches59]

@tyme @Dimity 

am feeling very flat

Phoned psychiatrist office this morning.  
she is not taking new patients.

if was taking new patients, estimated waiting time would be 9 to 12mths.

Once again was advised, to their knowledge, only one psychiatrist in my area taking new patients …. The one I refuse to see again.

Receptionist gave me name of one possible psychiatrist in another town which is up to 1hr drive one way.

feels like it’s not worth trying anymore

just stay on current meds even though feels like they do nothing and haven’t for months

feel like giving up trying and somehow deal with the emotional swings, SI and SH on my own

[Dimity]

@Patches59 please don't give up. You deserve to see a psychiatrist and if you can get in with the one in the other town you might be able to use telehealth after 1 or 2 visits.

As of today I can start tapering my meds back which is good. I woke with a bad back so haven't done much today. I booked to see my osteopath next week - hopefully it won't last that long. 

I'll need to start thinking about reconnecting with my MH Social Worker.  But it seems just too difficult at the moment. I seem to have been shunted to a different gp and need to catch up with them too. 

Can you talk to your gp or therapist about the psychiatrist situation? It sounds as though you really do need to review your meds as soon as you can. And maybe your therapist can do more to help those ups and downs.