2 question and an optional rant

LegacyUser

Hi, I have 2 questions I hope someone here can answer. I hope this forum is ok because I don't want to log in.

1. I'm wondering if it's possible to book a privat appointment with a psychiatrist working for the HSE in a different county, or if you even could get referred somehow. Has anyone done this? In short, I know this man knows his thing and he got me. I'm sick of going to people who don't listen or care or even pretent to care. I'm willing to save up and travel and pay if I I can do this.

2. GP referred me to see someone for my adhd but what I really need help with is a pretty bad depression. Will I even be allowed to bring this up without fighting for it.

Not many doctors in ireland knows anything about adult adhd and in my experience they don't seem to beleive in depression. I'm scared of my appointment tomorrow. I'm scared she won't listen or know anything. I'm scared when I ask about different medications and what she think of them that she will have to look in a book and read someone elses opinion. How would someone like that be of any help. How should I be able to trust them. I would'nt get my hair cut by someone who had to look up how to do it!

I've done my research, I know what medications are available and what they do and all the side effects to weigh in. I've read everything I can on both depression and adhd. Why can't she. Yeah there is a billion things to know in mental health but they get paid to know this. I'm not coming in with some unique condition.

If I appear to know more why should they be allowed to patronise me just because they are the docs. If they don't care about helping you why can't they just give you the meds you want to try out? All I want is to see if it works.

I'm a statistically normal case and I haven't been able to get help. If they can't help me how can they even attempt to help more complex cases?

Rant over =(

qwertytlk

Ok, i totally know where your coming from. I was really depressed a few years ago and also had low self esteem etc. Went to a couple of different doctors due to moving to a different county a back. Anyway i found that 2 out of the 3 doctors i saw were utterly useless. I was so depressed i couldnt even get out of bed some days yet they were sayin to me 'now you need to get up and go for a walk'... Clearly i was past that point. There was just a general theme of them not getting that depression is actually real. The word depression gets bandied around too easily in our society, people will refer to themselves as depressed because they have had a bad day at work, or they had a little argument with a friend, or missed their favourite programe. Obv this is not depression, this is called having a bad day. So i believe this is part of the problem.
Anyway just make sure when your asked how your feeling that youe brutally honest. Describe your typical day to them and how you will feel throughout. Dont hold back.
I dont know anything about adhd meds, so i wont even try and comment on that as it would be useless, but as far as depression and meds for that go, all i can say is they dont work unless you get counselling. Taking anti depressants and not gtting counselling aswell is just like putting makeup over a bruise, it will still be there at the end of the day, its just covered up for a while.
I was refered to a psycharisit once and found him useless. So i went back to my doctor and told her what happened ( i saw the guy for all of 5 mins and he sent me off with a prescription) he didnt even really ask what the problem was. So she then referred me to someone i asked to see. Now he was in the same county as me so i dont know if this answers your question, but all you can do is ask.
Hope this has helped somewhat.
Best of luck with your appointment and i really hope your feeling better soon. Remember to just be honest and dont be afraid to speak up for yourself if you dont feel things are going well.
Good luck.

going un-reg

Honestly OP, You need medical advice which can't be given out in this forum.

I'd contact someone within that field for advice..

LegacyUser

So I need medical help to get medical help? My problem is that the people who are helping me are incompetent. I've met one dr years ago who was amazing. I want to see him again but he moved to a different county. I've had 6 bad ones in 2 years, including my appointment today. I'm not unreasonable, I just want to be heard and taken seriously.

LegacyUser

I had s similat problem and if you ahve the money to go private you can go too any county, see any therapist you want, but that doesn't mean you will get any better a service, You may have to spend a bit before you get somwonw that suits your needs. If you go in knowing too much they see it as arrogant and won't really help. Even though I know that's not what you mean, i Have self educated and it has put doctors off. It took 3 docs and several years before I my diagnosis.

saa

Doctors can be difficult when it comes to depression but not all of them are, we are limited without insurance but doctors are great for referring onto counselling, hospitals (day clinics and in patient) and other shorter programs for depression.

I know you found a great doctor but with depression realistically you can pay for one appointment but depression can take months to years to unravel you would have to be living there for the professional to have enough time to work with you, but you can receive treatment here and when you can identify what may be causing the problem and what helps you this other doctor may be able to build upon that in a session or two, as for the HSE funding this I'm not sure.

You can ask your doctor directly to be refereed on for depression, identify your symptoms and detail exactly how they have gotten worse and when this happened, what it affects in your life, basically the extent of it, what triggered it(if possible) does it come in cycles? has it been gradual or was there a sudden onset and then you can talk about getting a referral for specialised treatment, assessment or counselling with or without drugs to assist.

qwertytlk

I also meant to mention wht dom12 said, if you educate yourself on things, which i believe you should, alot of doctors dont seem to like this. I think they see it as being told what to do or whatever and i think, in some cases, you end up not getting thr treatment you should because of it. Its kidn of a case of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sorry appointment today didnt go well, i suppose all you can do is keep trying to find someone who you get on with and who suits your needs. Or if its an option, try and see this old doctor that moved counties.