Lived Experience Forum

[Radarears]

I'm currently fighting to come off all my mental health drugs due to disturbing and frightening occurrences that are not aspects of my "usual" mental health problems.  I feel I've been misdiagnosed and given inappropriate medications as a result.  I also feel that I have undiagnosed disorders, unacknowledged issues and a complete disregard for my primary extremely severe disorder.  I'm weaning off 1 drug at a time under the guidance of my gp.  I need a psychiatrist to both evaluate the meds and the diagnoses but my referral has been declined twice.  I don't have any funds to see a private psychiatrist and have to borrow to see my gp to help manage and monitor the withdrawal.  I've been advised it is a psychiatrist that's required due to the complexity of my health issues.  I struggle to express myself and lack comprehension and memory issues.  Trying to record everything in order to present my "case" is challenging.  I have lots of questions no answers and no discussions.  I'm on my own dealing with this and doing what I can to get a hearing.  At the same time dealing with being so physically mentally and emotionally drained and exhausted and managing a seriously bad "flare" that seems to be never ending.  Having doors shut in my face gets me down.

[tyme]

I'm glad you are working with a GP to manage this intricate medication titration. It sure does sound very complex.

Do you think a hospital admission will be needed? 

It's so sad to hear that you have been turned down from a psychiatrist. Are you with area mental health? @Radarears It really pushes people to becoming really unwell and need hospital treatment.

Medication can be tricky at the best of times, let alone having all the added complexities.

I hope things improve for you.

[Radarears]

Thank you.  IMHO my responses to how would you know didn't please the gurus. They decided I was just typical mental health patient and non compliant.

I'm trying to avoid an admission.  I'm feeling that I will require hospital attendance soon.  My medication changes have always been managed without admissions but if things don't change a public hospital has the resources to factor in all my health issues and meds.

[tyme]

That's what I was thinking @Radarears .

For me, I was properly diagnosed, taken off meds I didn't need and put on meds that I did need, all during admissions.

I used to find prevention and recovery centres most helpful (PARCs). There was a psychiatrist there, and it was voluntary. The service it to help prevent an admission. So I stayed there from anywhere between 2-6 weeks. 

It wasn't a closed locked up place. We could go in an out as we wanted.

I found these centres a lot more helpful than an admission.

However, I'm hearing that you have a range of health complexities which may mean you may need well rounded, holistic care. 

I hope your GP will be able to support you if you were to have an admission.

Please know you are not alone.

[Radarears]

I'm used to altering medications without admissions.  I have had two hospital admissions and 3 HITH admissions.  The issue becomes one of set, forget and keep upping the dose and adding in drugs.  I'm simply hoping against hope that I'm right in that the problems I'm having atm are drug related.  Otherwise I'll have to begin the process of finding a way to get a new evaluation and tests done to find out why.

[tyme]

Fingers crossed it works out for you @Radarears 

[Radarears]

Thank you.  I struggle with the ?Y at times.  Y do I bother? Then I have a big sulk, load up a pity platter and then decide to give it another go.  Because I'm batshit crazy like ultra marathoners. 😅🤣😂

[tyme]

lol @Radarears 

That's all of you in a nutshell - batshit crazy. Yet that's what keeps us going!

As hard as life has been for me in terms of my health, I wouldn't exchange it for the world. I've learnt to embrace it and run with it and to share parts of my story so as to encourage others 🙂

[Radarears]

🫠🙃🤪