What to expect from a Mental Health Nurse?

Hi Sharon, many thanks for replying. Is it possible for her to assess that in an hour? There are so many things affecting my head! Some more recent, others going years back. I think I need quite a bit of 'unpicking'! Oh well, at least it's more that just being dealt out anti-depressants by the GP and told to 'get out more' . It was a lovely old fashioned locum that referred me. I could have hugged him!

Hi I'm glad to help.. if I was you start jotting everything down. Because your mind will most likely go blank & flustered just explain this is what you needed to do. Yes they expect to assess you in 1 hour. I was assessed by them a few years back, i new i had bipolar id suffered for years with depression anxiety panic attacks and highs .. amongst other things , also been under the mental health hosp for years. The outcome was I had ocd!! I got so sick & it turns out I am bipolar, it took until I was pregnant to take me seriously. .the maternity hosp referred me .

Hi Sharon, yes it seems we all have to fight to get anywhere. I'm finding this with my daughter too. It's taken me two and a half years to finally get her a psych referral. She is 17 now and her whole life is being affected. She was referred last week by the lovely gentleman who took the time to talk to me and listen and who then decided I needed more specialist help! xxx

It's disgraceful isn't it mari.. so much easier 20yrs ago to see 1, I find the phyciatrists not worth the bother, they're there to prescribe meds & just know a little about what's been going on. Its a phycologist you need in which the phyciatrist will refer if he thinks right too.. with all the cut backs there's no room for refers ..Iv been an out patient at the hosp over 4 years I go every 3months..Iv only been referred to group therapy which is useless for people like me ..I only managed 1 class, was given homework .. I don't sleep I constantly talk to myself.. there was noway I could do it. Plus you were not aloud to talk about yourself .. this was a room full of people with mental problems. When someone spoke they were politely shushed . This was called "mindfulness " I have an appointment coming up I need a phycologist. I think it's ruined my life not gettin the right care.. I so hope your daughter gets the right care now your getting there.. &;you of course xxx

Hi Sharon, group therapy where you aren't allowed to talk? What's the point in that then!?? Madness, haha!

I'm sorry you have been left to flounder too. I feel all at sea most of the time. I never know how I'm really feeling. Sometimes I feel ok, other times I just want to hide indoors. This past winter has been appalling but I also have fibromyalgia and it's been worse over the past 6 months. One of the main reasons I was referred is that I had a tribunal for ESA and didn't get it....had a complete screaming, shouting, sobbing, spaced out meltdown in the building . I also came close to ending things during the whole horrible process and maybe I would have if it wasn't for my children (and dog!). Much of the time I don't feel there is much point anymore. I used to not want to miss things. Any sort of thing really. You know, things that make up 'life'. Interests, passions, just wanting to be part of the world. Now I don't really care (apart from not wanting to leave my two kids, dog and one other important person). Added to that I was with a proper narcissist for nearly 20 years ( a hard thing to admit because I feel like such a fool) and prior to that I had mental health problems at and on leaving school. Where do I start with trying to explain all that in an hour!!?? Ho Hum.

Thank you for your kind words Sharon, I hope you get the appropriate help that you need too. Lots of Love, Mari xxx

You sound just like me mari.. only difference I had a little boy 4yrs ago & that keeps me going but I also feel like giving up plenty of times.. I was given a med to stop the suicidal thoughts & it works.. I also had a violent abusive rat in my life for 11 years. . Had a bad childhood so he was the icing on the cake.. I cnt fight anymore I'm warn out. So like u iv given up on all those nice things I once enjoyed & just hide away in my house.. I also lost the plot when dla was changing to pip.. I completely broke down.. change isn't good at the best of times but that was huge I'm not fit for work like many whom have been knocked back.. have u appealed again?? Did you get any help from advocacy? Your doctor can refer you to. They do all the forms for you & fight your case. Also you said u had a tough winter maybe you have seasonal disorder it's very common with depression. .bipolar ect.. SAD

when are you meeting your cpn??

Lots of love to u to mari x

Hi Sharon, thank you for keeping in touch with me. I'm sorry you had a bad situation with your partner too. Are you free of him now? I still have to keep some level of contact with mine because of the kids . Is it ok if I ask you something? I don't want to go about the S word but something I keep being asked is if I have a plan. When I say no they (the professionals) seem relieved, but I've tried to say that it would probably be a spur of the moment thing with me. But they seem to ignore me when I say that. It makes me doubt myself. Do I really need help?  I often think I'm just making a fuss and I'm going to be seen as a time waster. The only person to really listen and take me seriously was the locum GP. And what meds are going to ever work for me? This is the third antidepressant I've tried and it's at the highest dose and not working. I'm feeling very hopeless right now. Sorry, I don't mean to moan on at you. I don't know who else to say these things to. Other people on here have been so helpful with my Fibromyalgia problems but tbh I think it's my head that is worrying me the most. And yes, I was starting to think recently that maybe I have SAD. I've had a couple of much 'perkier' days when it was sunny, and was hoping I'd have more, but sadly haven't!! Maybe when the weather is properly nicer I will!

I'm getting help with my ESA this time (Wefare Rights), so hopefully they will do a better job than I did!

Seeing the cpn on Monday.

Love to you too Sharon, and thank you again. xx

No problem at all..u can ask me anything I will help u as much as I can. I don't have any contact with him.. thank goodness I had no kids to him. .its quite possible u have ptsd with what youv been through.. I have a friend cpn whom I have spent alot of time with of late..she recognises it in me. There's a test u can do online ..just type in ptsd self test. I scored high I ticked every box but 2!! U sound like me with the self doubt, thinking it's all in your head.. I feel fake even though iv been diagnosed. . I supose it's with not getting the family suport I need that make me feel this way.. over the years iv been on many different meds.. since my son was born 4years ago iv been on quetiapine & sirtraline then lithium & sirtraline. Then lithium & mirtazapine. Then lithium & venlafaxine. .lithium & olanzapine then for the 3rd time lithium & sirtraline. . None of those antidepressant have worked for me, got really bad side effects.. they worked great at 1st though.. I'm now taking lithium which is a mood stablisor, risperidone antiphycotik stops suicidal thoughts .. which i was planning my suicide before this drug. Suposedly sirtraline anti depressant & zopiclone for insomnia. Sometimes I think iv got this sick because I suffered in silence far to long. . I was on trazadone which is a sedative for about 15 yrs. . It helped me sleep so I just kept on with it & said nothing more .. until I was pregnant everything came tumbling down .. shortly after having him I was diagnosed with bipolar .. when I go the hospital next I'm gona mention the ptsd .. .. do the test see how you get on. And let me know 😊 xx

I;ve scored in the 'likely' zone  Wouldn't surprise me if I did though!

I've been on Mirt and Sert too. The Mirt I think made me too bouncy at first but also knocked me out. Had a dreadful time for months when i came off that. Sert made me feel really ill, and withdrawn (suicidal) so only managed 6 weeks! So far the Cit has been the best, except it's not actually working 

Cit is te best luv it!! 😂 cuz it's not working.. Iv asked for that bt he says no we dnt bother with it here so I asked for prozac..no it may give u a high 👊 I put on 12lb in 10 days on mirt.. the cravings made me lose my mind, suicidal ..bang my head against the wall job. Sirtraline is rubbish makes me yawn alday long really bad.. & looks really rude when people are speaking to me. Brightlights were a no no too.. many people have problems finding the right med

. Alot cnt have ssri,s xx

Apparently antidepressants just don't work for some people. Grr. Why won't they give you Cit?...that's odd. There are a couple more the pain clinic told me I could try (Gabapentin and something else) as they help with reducing pain too, but need to speak to the CPN about that I think. Or if I come off the Cit I can try amyltriptaline. I've been on Prozac too...20 years ago! Felt so out of control on it, but I don't think I gave it long enough to settle down. Then I took it again after I had my daughter 17 years ago, but stopped it after a month! The Cit is the only one I've stuck it out this long with (17 months now!), although I was on it for a about 3 months about 8 years ago, but again....stopped taking it!! But that was because of terrible adverse affects (which I don't know if they were because I also had an undiagnosed thyroid problem at the time). I had terrible panic attacks, racing thoughts, feeling like my brain was moving (actually physically) at speed, even though I was in bed with my eyes shut!! And weird sensations in my face. It was horrible!!! Haven't had the same problems this time thank god (just ibs and jiggly feet at night ).

I have to say, the Mirt (which I know isn't an SSRI) probably bounced me up the best, but I still didn't feel 'normal'. I remeber sitting in the GP waiting room practically beaming at everyone, and this was literally a handful of weeks after a complete nervous breakdown. I was so bad my Dad called an ambulance one time as he didn't know what else to do! And the fatigue was too overwhelming. Although it did help me sleep at night!! Argh!!!! Maybe I should just ask to try that again. I'm so fatigued all the time anyway with the Fibro, what's a bit more!?!

Mari xxx

I was referred to a cpn after a spell in hlospital fast forward years ands ended up back in hospital which didn't help that prior mycpn was taken away(8 also had.am.unreliable social worker). Psychiatrists aren't all they're cracked up to be as after an initial hour you only see them for about 15 minutes! Good idea to write things as last poster said. Good luck.

Totally agree with you chrissy.. have you had any look with a phycologist? With a phyciatrist there not there to really listen after the 1st appointment just to hand out meds and a brief convo if anything has changed. My app last 5mins since I was told this ..I find it so hard to talk to him with knowing that's not what he's here for. I need a phycologist more than anything.