Something_Witty

Well I finally got around to going today (I tried a couple of times before but after not being seen for an hour I left), you can't make an appointment as it's a first come first served kind of deal, and they don't have a doctor there, just two nurses who sent me back to my GP. The NHS trust that runs my bit of the country doesn't do self referral (from what I've read online it's not nationwide yet), so until I can register with another GP I'm stuck.

I'm going to the walk in centre today, as apart from a&e thats pretty much the only option now. I called up about the online self referal I found and was told it was no longer in use :(

All my letters have come from Primary Care's mental health department in the centre of Newcastle, who it seems, don't offer self referral yet. I can refer myself to an eight part online course but it's not recommended for people who hurt themselves. I'm going to try get to Primary Care tonight on my way to work and see what the deal is :/ Edit: I've run them and the only way you can self refer in Newcastle is with an online screening service, but I've tried three different browsers and it doesn't work. They don't like to make this easy do they?

Nice one, I didn't know I could go to a walk in centre for mental stuff, thank you! Can I get a self refer pack from the mental health bit of primary care?

If you're not feeling safe & supported around him, it's time to take a serious look at this relationship. If he's making you feel worse about your self, then it's time to leave. Sure he wanted to eat dinner, but there's no need to shout because you're having difficulties. Yes, it would be nice for you to spend some time with his dad, but it's more important you're safe...

I've searched online and can't find another one taking new patients near me =/ I first started seeing my GP in June, so it's been seven months now, and I feel like I've nowhere else to turn. I've tried ringing the counselling people myself but they won't see me without a letter from my GP :(

I don't think I can see a psychiatrist on the NHS unless counselling hasn't worked. It's enough of a faff trying to get an appointment with my GP, and I can't get a new one as nowhere near me is accepting new patients :/ Everytime I go in she refuses to see me for more than 10 minutes and tells me I just need to keep taking fluoxetine until I'm having counselling, but not helping me get counselling.... and so on and so forth.

Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong place, also for how long it is! I started seeing my GP for my depression a few months ago, and after a ten minute appointment where I filled in a survey, I was sent out with a prescription for 2 weeks worth of fluoxetine (20mg) and a place on the waiting list for counselling. The letter from the counselling folk got sent to the wrong address, so they assumed I hadn't replied to it and discharged me, though it was 6 weeks before I heard about this. By this point as the the fluoxetine was having no perceptible effect my dosage had been increased to 40mg. My GP referred me again, and I was sent an appointment for the following week. I couldn't make said appointment as I had to go to work (I am employed on a casual basis so I can't afford to turn down a shift, ever, as it puts you back to the bottom of the call list). I rang up and told them this, and was told that the counsellors kept their own diaries so I couldn't make a new appointment over the phone and I should try book something through my GP. By the time I could get an appointment with my GP to get this sorted, I was told that as I'd not attended my appointment I had been discharged for a second time, and she would refer me one last time. In the interim period I'd taken myself to A&E due to feeling suicidal, and not safe to go back to my (empty) house after work. I told my GP about this the next time I saw her, but she only asked if they'd referred me to anyone, and lost interest once I told her I'd only been given a phone number for the local crisis team. Four months later and I've still heard nothing from the counselling people. The whole time I'd been taking fluoxetine I was seeing no improvement, and my scores in the depression survey were the same. However my GP won't let me try any other medication until I'm having counselling. As I can't really afford to spend £7.40 every fortnight on medication that doesn't do anything for me I stopped taking it two months ago and haven't been back to my GP as I'm trying to work out how to either get counselling or a change of medication. How do I explain to my GP that the fluoxetine isn't working, at time makes me feel worse, and I need a different treatment? Every time I try she fobs me off by telling me to wait for counselling and tells me to come back next week; I'm starting to feel like she's not even that bothered about helping me get better and I can't go it alone.

I'm the same, I'm meant to be moving house in 2 weeks and I haven't so much as taken the fairy off the tree, let alone packed it all!

Hey, I'm Naomi, I live in the north east of England and I'm new! I've felt like I've had depression for years, probably since I was about fifteen, but I only started seeing my doctor last year. I live with my partner and two cats, the cats probably provide more comfort :p