Getting my gp to refer me to a psychiatrist

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 11:06am #1

ok so about a week ago i posted about how I’ve been struggling with bad mental health for a fair few years and I really want to get help for it finally. I’m dealing with super intense emotions, mood swings, psychosis, an eating disorder and have basically been stuck in an endless cycle of various different forms of self harm. - so i want to see a psychiatrist, and emphasis on a psychiatrist and not any kind of free counselling or just general talking therapy. I know people will say diagnosis isn’t important and you shouldn’t focus on it but there’s so many crazy things going on with me that I think Knowing what and why would be the most calming thing to happen to me in years. And id rather have something specialised than just general counselling because counselling i’ve done before and it just feels pointless, i'm well able to whine about my problems but that just makes me worse because you’re not presented with solutions or skills.

so yeah, but i just am worried that i’ll waste the €50 i don’t really have to spare on going to my gp and then not get referred, i don’t have the money to continuously see my gp.

So if anyone’s been in this situation please do give some advice.

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weldoninhio · 22-05-2019 11:07am

Explain what’s wrong and ask him/her to refer you. It’s that simple. Might be a waiting list to be seen though.

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 11:34am

yeah, i was just worried they’d be reluctant to refer. waiting list i can deal with ive been high risk with no help before so it manageable, mostly the referring i are about firstly

weldoninhio wrote: »

Explain what’s wrong and ask him/her to refer you. It’s that simple. Might be a waiting list to be seen though.

wiggle16 · 22-05-2019 12:36pm

OP please just go to your GP. With your symptoms I can't see a GP letting you walk out of there without a referral. Insist on one. I don't mean any disrespect but you need to stop thinking about what you're going to do and just do it. You can plan and consider all your options once you have spoken to your GP - until then, dwelling on your worries is just shadowboxing, you know?

Tokyo · 22-05-2019 12:44pm

Mod:

goregrrrl, your gofundme link has been removed. This forum is for soliciting advice only, not financial help.

cuddlepunk · 22-05-2019 1:04pm

Go to the GP, explain everything you said above about the psychosis etc. He/she will refer you. Can I ask if you are hallucinating as a part of your psychosis? I found with the person I'm caring for he spent years convincing himself going to the doctor would be no good, that he'd say this or that, that he wouldn't be taken seriously. When he finally did go, the GP praised him for his courage and referred him straight away and gave him mild medication to help him while he was waiting for his appointment with the psychiatrist.

Sardonicat · 22-05-2019 2:09pm

Were Pieta House any help? Did you try your college health centre? Do they have any arrangements with the HSE re free psychistoric appointments? Basically, all the options pointed out to you last week, how many if them have you tried?

petes · 22-05-2019 3:31pm

Are you self diagnosing yourself or reading things on Google?

Have you been to your GP? If so, are you on medication?

Professor Moriarty · 22-05-2019 4:14pm

goregrrrl wrote: »

ok so about a week ago i posted about how I’ve been struggling with bad mental health for a fair few years and I really want to get help for it finally. I’m dealing with super intense emotions, mood swings, psychosis, an eating disorder and have basically been stuck in an endless cycle of various different forms of self harm. - so i want to see a psychiatrist, and emphasis on a psychiatrist and not any kind of free counselling or just general talking therapy. I know people will say diagnosis isn’t important and you shouldn’t focus on it but there’s so many crazy things going on with me that I think Knowing what and why would be the most calming thing to happen to me in years. And id rather have something specialised than just general counselling because counselling i’ve done before and it just feels pointless, i'm well able to whine about my problems but that just makes me worse because you’re not presented with solutions or skills.

so yeah, but i just am worried that i’ll waste the €50 i don’t really have to spare on going to my gp and then not get referred, i don’t have the money to continuously see my gp.

So if anyone’s been in this situation please do give some advice.

<link removed>

If you are self-harming, having psychotic episodes, have an eating disorder and experience mood fluctuations, you need help now. Go to a GP and they will refer you to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist once they diagnose. In the unlikely event that they don't refer you, and your symptoms persist, go to another GP.

MartyMcFly84 · 22-05-2019 5:18pm

Spending money on health be it mental of physical is never a waste of money.

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:19pm

yeah i’m going to go, i still need to save some money up before u can do that though, and my worry is that i will pay to see the gp once and not get referred or need to see my gp a second time but not have the money to do so.

but yeah, i just wanted reassurance they would refer me. i haven’t been to a doctor since i was about 14 so i’ve no idea what my gp is like

wiggle16 wrote: »

OP please just go to your GP. With your symptoms I can't see a GP letting you walk out of there without a referral. Insist on one. I don't mean any disrespect but you need to stop thinking about what you're going to do and just do it. You can plan and consider all your options once you have spoken to your GP - until then, dwelling on your worries is just shadowboxing, you know?

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:19pm

oops

mike_ie wrote: »

Mod:

goregrrrl, your gofundme link has been removed. This forum is for soliciting advice only, not financial help.

Sardonicat · 22-05-2019 6:28pm

If you go to your college GP you won't have to pay. All of this was and other options were outlined last week yet you are still talking about saving €50 to visit your GP. Why?

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:30pm

i mean yeah it probably
could tie into it, i get delusions a lot about doctors and about people not taking me serious and what not. but also could just be that my parents and my ex constantly brushed off what i was going through

cuddlepunk wrote: »

Go to the GP, explain everything you said above about the psychosis etc. He/she will refer you. Can I ask if you are hallucinating as a part of your psychosis? I found with the person I'm caring for he spent years convincing himself going to the doctor would be no good, that he'd say this or that, that he wouldn't be taken seriously. When he finally did go, the GP praised him for his courage and referred him straight away and gave him mild medication to help him while he was waiting for his appointment with the psychiatrist.

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:34pm

pieta house were meant to get back to me and never did. plus they just told me if i want to see a psychiatrist to go to my gp. I haven’t tried my college because i’m order to see my college doctor is have to travel two hours. it’s more convenient to see my local gp, plus with my local gp I know they’ve the ability to refer me to a free psychiatrist

Sardonicat wrote: »

Were Pieta House any help? Did you try your college health centre? Do they have any arrangements with the HSE re free psychistoric appointments? Basically, all the options pointed out to you last week, how many if them have you tried?

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:35pm

i didn’t self diagnose anywhere in my post. i merely stated symptoms i’ve been experiencing my whole life and said surely they are linked to a mental illness

and no, i haven’t been to my gp yet and i’m not on medication.

petes wrote: »

Are you self diagnosing yourself or reading things on Google?

Have you been to your GP? If so, are you on medication?

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:37pm

thank you. i just wanted to be sure that what i was experiencing was serious enough that i’d definitely be referred because i don’t have the money for more than one doctors appointment

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

If you are self-harming, having psychotic episodes, have an eating disorder and experience mood fluctuations, you need help now. Go to a GP and they will refer you to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist once they diagnose. In the unlikely event that they don't refer you, and your symptoms persist, go to another GP.

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:40pm

i know it’s not a waste but, i’m a student, working a minimum wage job on a zero hour contract, barely any hours. so i can’t afford more than one gp appointment so therefore if i went to my gp and wasn’t referred, i’d still be just as stuck and have less money. currently have €100 to my name. am €200 in debt to my parents.. don’t have money to spare

MartyMcFly84 wrote: »

Spending money on health be it mental of physical is never a waste of money.

petes · 22-05-2019 6:40pm

goregrrrl wrote: »

i didn’t self diagnose anywhere in my post. i merely stated symptoms i’ve been experiencing my whole life and said surely they are linked to a mental illness

and no, i haven’t been to my gp yet and i’m not on medication.

I wasn't being abrupt but if you haven't been to a gp since you were 14 how do you know you have psychosis?

Hope you conquer whatever it is.

As an aside and from personal experience, your gp won't refer you the first time you go. Even if they did you are going to be waiting about a year without going private.

I've an app. next month and that's how long it took and that was with multiple trips to my gp.

I should have just paid to go.

Sardonicat · 22-05-2019 6:42pm

Did you get onto Introe re your entitlement to benefits for the days you're not working/ gp visit card?

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:42pm

because seeing my gp is the only way i can definitely be referred to a psychiatrist which is what i need

Sardonicat wrote: »

If you go to your college GP you won't have to pay. All of this was and other options were outlined last week yet you are still talking about saving €50 to visit your GP. Why?

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:48pm

I mean I know what psychosis is, you’d know if you were depressed or if you’d a cold even if no one had told you you do yet. I experience auditory and visual hallucinations, ranging from random noises to whole character hallucinations that interact. As well as paranoia and delusions. I just am aware most of the time that hallucinations is what they are, or if not i’ve a boyfriend who can reassure me when it’s just me hearing or seeing something.

And thank you, yeah that’s my worry. I really don’t know what to do anymore cause i really don’t have the money to get the help I need and I honestly think I’m in need of like, a day patient programme at the least considering how long this has all been going on. But money

petes wrote: »

I wasn't being abrupt but if you haven't been to a gp since you were 14 how do you know you have psychosis?

Hope you conquer whatever it is.

As an aside and from personal experience, your gp won't refer you the first time you go. Even if they did you are going to be waiting about a year without going private.

I've an app. next month and that's how long it took and that was with multiple trips to my gp.

I should have just paid to go.

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 6:48pm

yep. haven’t heard anything back though

Sardonicat wrote: »

Did you get onto Introe re your entitlement to benefits for the days you're not working/ gp visit card?

Sardonicat · 22-05-2019 6:49pm

petes wrote: »

goregrrrl wrote: »

i didn’t self diagnose anywhere in my post. i merely stated symptoms i’ve been experiencing my whole life and said surely they are linked to a mental illness

and no, i haven’t been to my gp yet and i’m not on medication.

I wasn't being abrupt but if you haven't been to a gp since you were 14 how do you know you have psychosis?

Hope you conquer whatever it is.

As an aside and from personal experience, your gp won't refer you the first time you go. Even if they did you are going to be waiting about a year without going private.

I've an app. next month and that's how long it took and that was with multiple trips to my gp.

I should have just paid to go.

Not being funny, but if you're seeing and hearing things you know aren't really there, then you know you have psychosis. The OP had outlined that she has had hallucinations and some delusions. What she needs to know is what is causing it and what she can do about it. And to try and do this while she is still able to tell that these things aren't real.

Sardonicat · 22-05-2019 6:51pm

goregrrrl wrote: »

yep. haven’t heard anything back though

Sardonicat wrote: »

Did you get onto Introe re your entitlement to benefits for the days you're not working/ gp visit card?

Do you mean you applied?

Sardonicat · 22-05-2019 7:17pm

goregrrrl wrote: »

because seeing my gp is the only way i can definitely be referred to a psychiatrist which is what i need

Sardonicat wrote: »

If you go to your college GP you won't have to pay. All of this was and other options were outlined last week yet you are still talking about saving €50 to visit your GP. Why?

That's blatant nonsense. I was seen by a psychiatrist through my college medical centre.

I'm out.

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 7:28pm

yeah

Sardonicat wrote: »

Do you mean you applied?

goregrrrl · 22-05-2019 7:47pm

two hour journey to college to see college gp, my local gp is just more convenient? and

Sardonicat wrote: »

That's blatant nonsense. I was seen by a psychiatrist through my college medical centre.

I'm out.

wiggle16 · 22-05-2019 7:48pm

goregrrrl wrote: »

because seeing my gp is the only way i can definitely be referred to a psychiatrist which is what i need

The college GP is still a GP. They just happen to have an agreement with a college that part of their case base will be students referred by the college support services. They can refer you to any service that any GP can.

Sardonicat · 22-05-2019 7:58pm

goregrrrl wrote: »

two hour journey to college to see college gp, my local gp is just more convenient? and

Sardonicat wrote: »

That's blatant nonsense. I was seen by a psychiatrist through my college medical centre.

I'm out.

So what's the issue? The 2 hour journey or the €50 to pay the GP.?

Big Bag of Chips · 22-05-2019 9:51pm

goregrrrl, I'm not sure what use allowing this thread to continue is doing. You need to see a GP. You can ask your GP to refer you. They will do a referral letter.. Even if a GP doesn't think a referral is necessary, they will (or at least should) send a referral on a patient's request. It is then up to the receiving consultant to make a call as to if/when they think you need to be seen.

As your question was will your GP refer you, and this has been answered then I will lock the thread.

If you need urgent medical attention then you go to the GP, or your nearest Emergency Department. You have €100 to your name. Use €50 of it to speak to your GP. You could even tell them you're short on cash and ask can you pay half now, and half next week etc.

Your college GP is also an option.

I'm going to lock this thread but encourage you to read the thread at the top of the forum for Distressed Posters and make contact with some of the organisations on it, as well as going to your GP.

Getting my gp to refer me to a psychiatrist

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