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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 7:18:07
I felt depressed before, but haven't felt this bad in a long time, at the moment I'd respect a worm as my superior.
I'm currently taking Effexor XL at 225mgs, I've been at this dosage for almost six weeks,
to be honest I wish I'd never taken the stuff.I'm going to ask my GP to let me try Lofepramine, but he might say not until I've discontinued Effexor.
What I really need to know is how does one go about getting time of work for depression?
Also how does one get admitted to hospital in the UK?
I don't know how much longer I can keep going to work feeling the way I do.
Posted by ixus on April 24, 2005, at 9:35:37
In reply to Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 7:18:07
> I felt depressed before, but haven't felt this bad in a long time, at the moment I'd respect a worm as my superior.
>
> I'm currently taking Effexor XL at 225mgs, I've been at this dosage for almost six weeks,
> to be honest I wish I'd never taken the stuff.
>
> I'm going to ask my GP to let me try Lofepramine, but he might say not until I've discontinued Effexor.
>
> What I really need to know is how does one go about getting time of work for depression?
> Also how does one get admitted to hospital in the UK?
> I don't know how much longer I can keep going to work feeling the way I do.You call emergency room and say you have suicidal thoughts and extreme anxiety. You have 100% guarantee you will be admitted immediately. If you are at hospital, you cannot be at work, that's abvious. You will get sick leave. It is for sure more than 3 months. Why don't you guys (you and Ed) try a private visit. Is this so expensive in the UK?
/ixus
Posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 11:01:19
In reply to Re: Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by ixus on April 24, 2005, at 9:35:37
Why don't you guys (you and Ed) try a private visit. Is this so expensive in the UK?
> /ixus
>
Hey IxusI can't speak for Ed, but I will go private as soon as I can get it together.
The problem is that its very expensive, at least £200.
Its also a real lottery as to whether you get someone good or not.
I saw one private doctor who was great, but also one who was not so good.Still they were better than NHS docs
Posted by ed_uk on April 24, 2005, at 12:42:58
In reply to Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 7:18:07
Hi,
I'm sorry you're feeling so bad :-(
>Also how does one get admitted to hospital in the UK?
I was once admitted via A&E, they sent me to the psych hospital in a (non-emergency) Ambulance. You'll see a junior doctor when you're admitted.
Your GP could probably arrange for you to be admitted if necessary- I would much prefer this route since I have found the staff at A&E to be unhelpful and unpleasant.
Please tell us what you decide to do.
Kind regards,
Ed.
Posted by ixus on April 24, 2005, at 12:51:13
In reply to Re: Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 11:01:19
> The problem is that its very expensive, at
> least £200.Wow, now I know, is this for one visit or a sort of "package"?
/ixus
Posted by glenn on April 24, 2005, at 15:06:22
In reply to Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 7:18:07
Hi there, sorry to hear you are so bad.
I had in total 4 years off work, just tell the GP that you are not coping and have tried your hardest to do so.
I guess it can depend on the doc, but if he knows your history he should not have a problem.
You can always play the "suicidal thoughts" card but you may want to consider what an english psychiatric ward is like, I now visit them sometimes as part of my work and generally although there was a time I desperately wanted them to take me and shock me (ect), I was probably better off at home.
I hope you are able to find something that works, it took me 24 meds and a visit to the US to get a "cure" as well as a myriad of alternative "practitioners " and visits to Glastonbury to see our top healer and so on and on and on,so I Have an idea how you feel.
But I also know the answer is there somewhere for you!!Glenn
Posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 15:44:25
In reply to Re: Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by glenn on April 24, 2005, at 15:06:22
> I hope you are able to find something that works, it took me 24 meds and a visit to the US to get a "cure"
> GlennThanks for your kind words Glenn
I was wondering what your experience of traveling to the US was like?
I have been seriously considering doing this, since its so hard to find decent doctors in the UK.
I would babblemail you, but your babble mail is switched off.
Posted by Nickengland on April 24, 2005, at 17:13:03
In reply to Question for Glenn, posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 15:44:25
I'm currently taking Effexor XL at 225mgs, I've been at this dosage for almost six weeks,
> to be honest I wish I'd never taken the stuff.Aren't you taking Pregabalin too?...Was going to ask how you managed to get that prescribed.
You can tell your doctor your not fit to work and he will give you a certificate for depression if you choose to go down that route.
Hope you feel better soon and can try to avoid hospital.
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by Nickengland on April 24, 2005, at 17:42:57
In reply to Re: Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by glenn on April 24, 2005, at 15:06:22
Glenn,
Happy to see you found a "cure" Which meds did the americans put you on and whats your diagnosis just out of curosity?
I wish I had the means to go to America and do that.
Did things go smoothly when you got back here, what with getting the medications that was prescribed to you in America?
Kind regards
Nick
Ps Sorry for all those questions at once!
Posted by Phillipa on April 24, 2005, at 18:20:38
In reply to Re: Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by Nickengland on April 24, 2005, at 17:42:57
It must be awfully bad over there to want to come to the States. I haven't found one pdoc who isn't owned by the drug companies. Even my new pdoc [who is older] has all the advertisements, pens, pads, etc all over the waiting room and in her office. And how much in American dollars is a pound? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by xbunny on April 24, 2005, at 19:32:48
In reply to Very Miserable in the UK, Advice please, posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 7:18:07
Hiya,
> Also how does one get admitted to hospital in the UK?
When I have been admitted, my wife phoned the CMHT crisis number and they have told us to goto A&E. At the A&E we find they are expecting us because the CMHT have contacted them and I talk with the on duty psychiatrist who then tries to get a bed in the psych unit. Despite my mental state I have found this quite workable, in fact everytime I have been to A&E its been the same dr who I talk to and he has been nice and I havent had to wait long either. Im not sure how this compares with other hospitals though since our local hospital has a dedicated psych unit attached to it. I dont know whether thats common.
Another useful tool I have found is the crisis resolution team at the CMHT, if you think its necassary they can send someone out everyday to you to make sure your ok. I used this service when my wife had go away to america suddenly and I was on my own. As well as coming out they phoned in the evening to check I was ok, made me feel a bit safer.
Best Regards Bunny
Posted by glenn on April 25, 2005, at 4:49:41
In reply to Question for Glenn, posted by The_Resistance on April 24, 2005, at 15:44:25
I went over to California to see Dr Martin T Jensen in november 2000. I had a £400 voucher which covered the flight and accomodation and Dr Jensen charged $300 for what turned out to be a 2 hour consultation.
Either he got lucky or is a very clever man as within 30 minutes he said that I was "a xanax person" but suggested other trials first.
Eventually I tried xanax ,some of which he gave me and which I now get on private prescription over here and it has been a miracle drug for me.
So much so that I now take half the dose I used to using the anti inflammatory model and so far I have had 3 months worth only in 4 years!
Diagnosis ? some very unusual form of gad and adult onset add- but who cares.
I might have gone to see Dr Amen at his clinic had I known about him then as Jensens system does not work for everyone and you do need an English doc who is willing to be open minded enough to accept that a guy who teaches at Harvard might just have something about him.The trip was scary as my "state " was terrible at the time but if I hadn't gone I would still be curled up in a ball terrified of the phone ringing ( and everything else!)
I also meditate daily, exercise daily and do tai chi all of which help , but not as much as the xanax when it is needed.I hope that answers all the questions, suffice it to say my faith in British shrinks aint good. I know them from both ends as I now have to work with them occasionally and if I want to keep my job I better shut up!!
Keep Well
Glenn
Posted by The_Resistance on April 25, 2005, at 7:02:06
In reply to Re: Question for Glenn, posted by glenn on April 25, 2005, at 4:49:41
Thanks to everyone who responded, you have all been really kind.
See my post the saga continues for an update.
This is the end of the thread.
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