Diagnoses

[Cur40164512]

How long did it take doctors to diagnose your mental health and how long was it till you got put on medication for it

[20Voices]

3 years of health issues before I got diagnosed, but I think I was having issues well before that. As son as I was diagnosed I was put on medication, but with plans for referral for a CBT program.

[blackcat64013]

Hi Cur40164512,

Diagnosis depends on your presentation to the doctor. Diagnosis can be straight away or there is a period of what I have been told is "watchful waiting" which roughly translates see what happens between visits and if you feel wobbly in the meantime, come back and see me.

I was offered medication the day of my diagnosis. My mistake, if you want to call it that was to hedge around issues in my life rather than stating I think I have a mental health issue even though I suspected I did. I have learned to get the most our of consults, it's useful to think out everything you want to say in the visit and put key points down in point form.

[rrichardson]

I have been struggling for years since I was a young teenager and up until a month ago I had no idea what was going on. These things take time if you want an accurate diagnosis.

[Hidden]

My doctor referred me to a consultant psychiatrist as I was suffering from depression. The psychiatrist diagnosed also that I was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia &prescribed anti psychotic drugs & anti depressants.it was steep hill I had to climb as I had to be admitted to psychiatric hospital for 2 months to be titrated onto my tablet as there are serious side effects.

[mysmugcat]

I can't remember exactly, but pretty soon as a teenager. I was also anorexic then. I would not take meds properly but learnt the hard way and now much older, I take them every day..

[Gambit62]

I first had treatment for anxiety/depression when I was about 10 - it wasn't until I suffered a fall at home in my 50s that left me with a broken ankle and had to be hospitalised that I was diagnosed as having low B12 - it then took me another couple of years to really figure out what that meant and what treatment I really needed for the symptoms that I could associate with it at that point in time ... but it also sorted out the depression and anxiety.

Had had ADs on and off over the years with no real effect.

[Hidden]

Hi. My doctor prescribed me prozac 20 mgs for depression I then got a referral from the hospital for me to see psychiatrist. I waited @3/4 months for an appointment. The psychiatrist increased my Prozac to 60mgs a day. after a few more antidepressants I'm finally settled on venlafaxine 300mgs a day.

[Hidden]

Hi! My doctor referred me to a psychiatrist his diagnosis was depression & schizophrenia. I was prescribed antidepressants & antipsychotic drugs. I had to wait for a few months for my referral. I live in Northern Ireland.