psychiatrist

[Isabella5991]

Hello is an and e the only option to see a psychiatrist asap and have an antipsychotic medication change?

I’ve phoned gp, psychiatrist team and crisis team from horrendous reaction to quetiapine and psychiatrist office said they will phone me on Friday. They told me to keep taking it but take it earlier!!! I am fuming how dare they. I said that will hardly make the suicidal thoughts go away will it.

In what world is it acceptable to wait days to change someone’s medicine when it’s making me have suicidal thoughts and sleep the entire day and night. It’s literally poison. Never been so unwell from medication. Why are the services so crap at times.

[NanaJudith_APP_Vol Volunteer]

Hello Isabell5991,

I am so sorry that you are suffering so badly just now. This is so difficult for you but try to hold on, there is hope. If you feel Friday is too long to wait, have you tried your GP or can you get to A&E. Also do ring the Samaritans if you feel you are no longer able to cope. I am sorry I am not able to advise on medications and everyone is different but I do know that it can be a difficult balance. This too shall pass. Sleeping so much is not what you want but it can be healing and appear to make time go by more quickly. You are doing so well writing here, being pro-active and seeking help, that is a good sign. Keep going, keep hoping.

Thinking of you, I am sure brave PP Mums, always generous in sharing with personal experience, will write soon.

Warm best wishes

Judith x

[Jenny_at_APP Partner]

Hello Isabella5991,

I’m so sorry you’re struggling so much at the moment, what an awful way to be feeling

If you’ve already tried your GP, psychiatrist and crisis teams yes I’d have thought A&E might be the only way to try and see anyone sooner unfortunately. I’m not quite sure how it works, I think there should be a duty psychiatrist available, but others may have had similar experiences and be able to advise better. You could also try calling NHS111 and seek advice that way, they are available 24/7.

In the meantime do reach out if you need to as Judith has said. Stay safe and know you can get through this.

Thinking of you, do keep writing here if it helps.

Jenny x

[x_Amy Volunteer]

Hi Isabella,

I’m so sorry that you didn’t receive a better outcome today. Hang in there, all of this is temporary even though it doesn’t feel like it right now 💐

I went to A&E via ambulance after a particularly bad mental health episode in 2017. I was given a bed on the ward, and had to wait to be seen by a member of the on-site mental health team. In my area, it is called AMHAT; a psychiatric and risk assessment service in acute healthcare settings. The staff member was able to prescribe medications, and I was discharged from the ward with benzodiazepines that night, however I’m aware that you are asking about antipsychotics. Also, I’m unsure of how much the services differs from county to county, and if you have a similar one in your area. Perhaps contact 111 and ask for further information?

I hope this is helpful. Please keep in touch.

Best wishes, Amy xx

[x_Amy Volunteer in reply to x_Amy]

PS just to clarify that my reply to you is anecdotal, and I’m in no way suggesting or recommending benzodiazepines as part of your treatment. I just wanted to share my experience of going to A&E for a mental health emergency and the outcome I received from the team that was available to me upon arriving at hospital.

Best wishes 💗xx

[SammySeal]

Oh Isabella

Sorry to hear you're getting passed from pillar to post, that's really not good. As others have said A&E might be the only way, which I know is not a great prospect when you feel like you do.

Hopefully, you have someone who can come with you and help advocate for you. I, too, have struggled with being passed between various teams for too long at the detriment of my health outcomes, so I really feel for you.

In terms of sleeping so much, as others have said, sometimes you just have to go with it for a while, though that's hard for me to say as the only thing this morning I am cursing myself for having slept for 13hrs last night. I figure my brain's got a lot of mending to do while I sleep, but it's so frustrating I know.

Please continue to reach out here and to helplines or those around you. Many of us here have been in situations, maybe not exactly the same, but similar to yours, and are here to tell the tale.

Best thoughts

Sammy x

[Isabella5991]

Hello everyone, thanks me for replies. I’ve just got back from an and e. Mental health nurse was really nice but said 111 wasted my time referring me here cos they can’t prescribe antipsychotics at hospital. They tried calling my psychiatrist team but they were useless. The nurse was great and really assertive. She called crisis team and they will come to me tomorrow with a doctor and prescribe me new meds xx

[x_Amy Volunteer in reply to Isabella5991]

Hi Isabella, thank you for keeping us posted. I’m sorry that you had a stressful time, and I hope you didn’t have to wait too long in A&E.

I’m really pleased to hear that you had a positive experience with the MH nurse, and that you’re home now. If you have some time this evening, you might find it helpful to write down how you’ve been feeling the last few days; I used to prepare a list of things that I wanted to ask/tell MH team ahead of time in case I forgot anything.

Best of luck for tomorrow. I’ll be thinking of you xx

[Rachel_at_APP Partner APP in reply to Isabella5991]

Morning Isabella5991, I hope that your appointment went ok and they’ve managed to support you with medications changes? Well done for asking for help, I’m really sorry to hear that you’ve had a really rough few days by the sound of it. And I’m sorry that it sounds like it’s been tricky to get help in a timely way given the feelings you’ve been experiencing. Keep talking about how you’re feeling with the professionals around you, even when maybe you’re feeling frustrated by them like earlier in the week. This too shall pass. We’re here too to chat if it helps. Take care, Rachel x

[Survivedwithcolor]

It sounds like your emergency service may be the way to go if you are severely suicidal. The ER will have a mental health person available as a resource. You may have to go inpatient. Or you can try to wait one more day if you prefer to stay at home.

I’ve had to go inpatient a number of times to get bad medication reactions straightened out. If that’s what you have to do, there’s no shame in it. Good luck.

[NanaJudith_APP_Vol Volunteer]

Well done Isabella. Wishing you well for tomorrow and the days to come.

Best wishes

Judithx