Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

True. 

Hey I have a question for you all, I won't bother tagging again since hopefully the people tagged including you can see the thread from the first post.

So I know this is a professional question and I'll ask my Psychiatrist when I see him (not until the 30th) but I just need some second opinions please. I told the GP today (the new one I've seen, for the 2nd time today) that I don't feel like my meds are working in general not just the dosage and I'd like to change them because of the side effects and I feel more depressed, etc. Yes she's nice but I'm not sure if she'll help or what I should expect from her without expecting too much. She said she doesn't want to interfere and let my Psychiatrist handle it which is understandable.

However, does anyone think that she should have at least given him a call or sent him a letter/fax just explaining what I mentioned and they can figure something out professional wise, isn't that what they're supposed to do? I know I'm supposed to ask him myself but in the meantime. My Psychiatrist always does the reports anyway after each session and I read them because it's on my file on the website I do Telehealth with with him so I don't know.

Sorry for the silly question. @TAB and others tagged

[TAB]

all good @Former-Member  only I dont know how interactions between gp and psych work, just assumed psychiatrist prescribed stuff themselves, asked about seeing one once, GP said dont bother its 2 year wait list

best if can get get to trust doctor,  cant say much else on here re what I would do if thought meds werent working

[Former-Member]

No worries at all @TAB , I understand. Thanks for replying either way.

Hmm I guess it depends who you see and so forth in terms of the wait list. I was lucky and I'm not trying to brag, my old GP who was crap (well this is the only good thing she did) referred me to that Telehealth company who I've never heard of. Then I did my research and chose my Psychiatrist and I'm glad I did. I was referred on about 8th September last year and I saw him on the 16th so a week or so, that was the quickest I've seen him. This is the longest I've had to wait to see him this time.

I guess if you want to see a Psychiatrist, do your research, and if you want to see one locally so face to face or you can look up ones through Telehealth like what I do. The company where I see my Psychiatrist on Telehealth, Medicare pay for it. Like I mentioned I'm not trying to brag but yeah.

I don't really know how it works either, but I think by law they have to communicate with each other like any health professional and a GP or something. My Psychiatrist does his job though but he hasn't written to this new GP yet since I've only seen her twice but he will and he sent all of my files from him to her, and I told her to write to this new one rather than the old one so I'm sure he will. 

[TAB]

ok well sounds like thats working out well in a way then ? @Former-Member  Im just at start of going to GP for depression again, should have done something 10 years ago  after a few good years wore off, last few years been pretty bad, I just live day by day and get through

[Former-Member]

I'm sorry to hear that @TAB . Yeah I guess I'll just try to take it day by day, as hard as it is. I've been looking up mental health websites in Australia and things like that, aswell as going on these forums. I told the GP that and I'll tell the Psychiatrist too.

Well it's your choice if you want to see a GP, Psychiatrist and/or Psychologist in my opinion, because you're seeing them, and you have every right to express your concerns, choose who you wish to see, and so forth. You have your patient rights and I think a lot of "professionals" forget that unfortunately. Well all the ones I've dealt with have, the only good one is my Psychiatrist and this new GP seems alright.

[TAB]

..thats not I how I usually see things re what I said @Former-Member  its reality am coming to realise, I must be depressed re life and actions etc, going to try and do something about it I usually have ups and downs, hard to think of ups for a while 

well thats good that the people you see are okay. 

[Former-Member]

Sorry @TAB , I must've misread and misunderstood what you meant, my apologies.

[TAB]

I dont think so @Former-Member  I was re explaining what I had said its okay

[Former-Member]

I'm just stupid, sorry about that, I feel bad now. @TAB 

[TAB]

please try not to be down on yourself @Former-Member  nothing out of ordinary, its typed words, can be easily misundertood. but you didnt really, and what if you did? dont feel bad, I didnt see anything to feel bad about it