Back! Had my psychiatric appointment

[missrat]

I've really missed these forums while I've been struggling to log in. It's good to be back.

Having turned down psychiatric referrals for over 30 years, I had one last week! I was afraid she would want to make major changes to my medication etc. but she was lovely. I can stick with my tricyclic. For emergency use I can use diazepam, but she has also put me on pregabalin (Lyrica) both for anxiety and pain. I was supposed to be on it some time ago, but our PCT refused to pay for it and insisted that pain patients had gabapentin instead! At present the dose is too little to do much, but I double it on Wednesday. She's also put me on the waiting list for NHS CBT and i'm seeing her again in a fortnight. I gather that I'm very lucky - partly because of where I live and partly because I come under the Community Mental Health Team (Older People)!

I've had a lot of very nasty animal problems lately - one of my new baby hairless rats died on Sunday. I'm taking a break from showing and judge training. There were a lot of very nasty things said on a forum after a little mishap at my last show, which triggered a meltdown. Along with my pain it's hard at present, butI'm hoping that things will improve.

I must go into town now, but will probably write more later.

Thinking of you all.

Ann

[missrat]

Must go and eat, as I have to fast from 9pm! I'll watch Holby City, and the programme about Frank Bruno, fed my rats and have an early night.

Puzzled by the tags which attach themselves - it included 'baby'. Reading through, I discovered that it referred to a baby rat!

[Suzie40]

You can remove the tags if you don't want them! Glad you got to the appointment and glad you're on the new meds. Sorry to hear about the baby rat

I'd been wondering where you were, hope you're getting more joy with the new site than I am! X

[Jeffju]

Good to see you have navigated back to the site and I hope that the new meds help you. The psychiatrist sounds as though she /he is helping you. Sorry to hear about baby rat and the unfortunate comments that you had to put up with. There always seem to be people like that in many organisations. Rise above it, you are better than them !!! Have agood rest of the bday. xx

[missrat in reply to Jeffju]

I was amused to see 'baby' on the tags of a 67-year-old woman!

Yesterday I was very 'bad' and now have three new little rats. Two were really too young to be sold, but I do know how to feed them etc. - two tiny wavy-coated girls, one caramel and white, one grey and white and one older semi-hairless girl. I'm about to give them all some soft food which has been in the fridge all night, then I must tidy up before my friend picks me up for my rheumatology appointment.

[missrat in reply to Jeffju]

I was amused to see 'baby' on the tags of a 67-year-old woman!

Yesterday I was very 'bad' and now have three new little rats. Two were really too young to be sold, but I do know how to feed them etc. - two tiny wavy-coated girls, one caramel and white, one grey and white and one older semi-hairless girl. I'm about to give them all some soft food which has been in the fridge all night, then I must tidy up before my friend picks me up for my rheumatology appointment.

[sheffield1978]

glad you have had an appointment and found your way back here dont feel so lost now i see a name i know x

[Hidden]

Hi, Sorry to hear about the rats but I'm glad your appointment went well, some medics are really lovely and great at their job, it really is the luck of the draw and depends also on the fit between medic and patient. I'm glad you were lucky and had a good experience. Take care, glad to see your name on the website, we are all gradually finding our way back to connecting again. Sue