went to docs this morning, small very steep downhill carpark, as I was parking a car parked opposite to the space I was trying to get in to reversed in to me. didn't see my bright red car. luckily only a scratch. on my way out of carpark down a one way street some numpty was driving towards me, lights flashing as if I was the one going the wrong way. got home to find stoma delivery, had an e-mail and a hone call last week checking which supplies I needed, only half of what I ordered was in the box. really felt I should have stayed in bed this morning.
doc said renal consultant was really worried about my mental state, not the depression part but the flat feeling of nothingness when I don't feel depressed, not sure what that means. anyway he said he would give me fluoxetine. apparently interacts with hydroxy and apixaban which I am taking also causes insomnia which I told him about and can also cause anxiety which I also said I thought I might have. he is going to make me an appointment with a psychiatrist and said he should have done it long ago simply because I had so many varied long term health problems. He had overlooked it because I always seemed so strong. never thought of myself as strong I've just always got on with things.
mentioned the silent migraines and noise sensitivity which he said might be helped by the antidepressants but if not I could always try earmuffs. [think he was trying to be funny and lighten the mood] forgot to ask him about a follow up appointment for fluoxetine.
when my mother saw the list I had for doc she said he would think I was a psychopath going in with a list. she meant hypochondriac [I think] I have begged her not to tell anyone I am a psychopath
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Susannah16 you are clearly not a psychopath! As people here keep telling me - we would have to be invincible, even psychopathic, not to get depressed sometimes when our lives are so much at the mercy of autoimmune diseases, doctors and obnoxious drivers! 🤗
Feel better, often our mental health is not top of our list & our docs don't ask about just try & observe. What a day you had, had one of those on Weds., slip & landed on my back, fought with eye doctor about my private information, chap couldn't draw blood 😬had a few goes) ... But yesterday was so much better (baring the localise flooding while driving 🚗) found a longer route home at least 😊) used it as my hardest challenge for the day.... Hope today is better....🌹🌻 🌈 ☀ 🍀 ml
Well, sounds like yesterday was a dog day (and don't they know when it's a duvet day 🐺 💗), but let's check out the positives:
1. your renal consultant obviously cares about YOU, his patient, and not just the bloods
2. he/she not just cares but identified your 'flat feeling' as hindering your ability to enjoy normal pleasures, which is incredibly HUMAN for a medic (in my experience..)
3. a psychiatric appointment may do much more than any medication, just empathy and understanding of the impact of lifelong illness and the challenges that brings
4. yes, SSRI's have moderate interactions with hydroxy, but it's a case of trial and error with all the antidepressants, as some suit some people but not others
5. your GP is CLUED UP on interactions! (mine denied any hydroxy interactions 🤡 ) so he'll be there to support you through the trial stage
6. so you need another GP appointment! GOOD! You'll have a chance to work through another bit of your list
7. Tell your mum your GP wanted a list because you have so many varied long term health problems, and if she's not willing to be helpful, to say nothing at all
8. This is the tricky bit, I know, but we need to find a way to canine companionship again. Not that Gus is replaceable...that look of love 💕 💓 💗 mo xxx
PS hope you gave the wrong-way driver an advisory hand-signal !
re wrong way driver, no signal just stared open mouthed at him. luckily I am used to cyclists going the wrong way so I was going slow, other speedy drivers would have hit him. just hope today is a bit less "interesting". think mum was just a bit confused she has been getting names and occasionally words mixed up. but then again maybe she can see something in my behaviour to suggest psychotic tendancies
😁 Easily confused...! I live near an abbey, and the 12thC monks had 2 litres of 12% cider a day to survive on (without heating, little sleep due to vespers and one meal a day, though generous) and they did only live 27 years, compared to 35 that the peasants managed...and there's Blue Nun ! xxx
eekt you give some wonderful advice on this site and seem to have a wicked sense of humour with your advice which I like.
I think that the Monks were responsible for brewing some of the incredible liqueurs & occasional wines we still enjoy today Monasteries must have been filled with much laughter at time in between vespers.
Were they responsible also for the Blue Nun wine? I think it is a German wine and rather nice to drink. Xxx🍀
I heartily agree with all of this & I too would be ecstatic ifyou got another gorgeous dog.
The only query I have here is that you may not need anti depressants.!If you could imagine your daily life (this will be difficult) with getting exactly what you want for your stoma and the kind of understanding & follow up you need you may not need an antidepressant. As your treatment and medical things have been so
Ad Hoc you may feel wonderful finally getting what you should have had all along!!
Eutopia I know, although do your best to make it happen, you need to.
The “squeaky door always gets oiled” so persist
Suzannah otherwise this sqeaky door may have to travel up to see you and that will be difficult as your Health System is nothing like ours so I would have to learn all of that!
Stay safe & get sqeaky in the nicest possible way,
I don’t think anyone who knows you would ever think you were a psychopath, including all of your Cyber friends on here who love you.
Your Renal Phycician would feel empty too if he had to put up with the stuff you had to put up with such as 1/2 of your stoma things not being there for a start. When you go to the Psychiatrist have a list with you outling things that should be a simple occurrence such as getting what you need for your stoma. I am sure that you have had lots of practice saying these things in a civilised manner so if you do that and discuss everything you want to without being rushed the Psychiatrist should get a very real idea of the unnecessary crap you have to put up with, including the very difficult issues that you have to put up with every day,
I seem to get a mental block everytime I have to see a doctor, even when I write a list. I think because I have prepared a list of questions and the doctor may go off course and talk about something I hadn't prepared for I get lost mentally. or something I feel is important such as arthritis pain and rheumatologist just says wear and tear. I'm not old enough for it to be wear and tear yet. got rheumy appointment next in December so trying to prepare a list now.
Suzannah not sure if you are seeing your Rheumo or Psychiatrist first but with both of them say I bought an important list of things to tell you and ask you about but if we get side tracked can you then ask me what’s next on my list as I get my mind thinking about what we have diverterted to and will go away frustrated if I don’t make you aware of some things on the list and get answers to others that I know you will want to hear about too so If you are able to please remind me it will be a good consult for both of us & I will be very appreciative.
Sometimes it is good as well as numbering questions to put a different colour either against the question or write the question in a different colour, such as your most important questions would have red against them your second most important could be green texture. At the end of your questions though put the colours in order & what they mean to you this will also help you keep track of things & not feel so flustered. Also date the questions pages to keep so that you can refer to what was said about each one as it can be so overwhelming you forgot how they answered one of your important questions.
Put the onus on them & at the end of the consult ask if you could just check your list please to see if you have covered everything?
They are not going to want a squeaky door from Australia visiting with you (lol) xx
You are not a psychopath or a hypochondriac! Any good doctor knows the psychology impact of serious illness. The anti-depressants really could help your migraines. But, importantly, you deserve the opportunity to talk to a professional about your experience of your illness and to get the best treatment possible. There are many issues with someone like you — neurological, medication, and stress of illness — that a psychiatrist is trained to understand. Try to go in with an open mind. And I hope you get a very compassionate psychiatrist to work with you to feel better.
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