Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 136389

Shown: posts 1 to 20 of 20. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?

Posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:49:31

Hi,

I was just wondering if there was anyone from the UK and if they know of a good psychiatrist, with a good recommendation in the UK? Especially in the Midlands

It seems to me that there are many in the States but hardly any here, I can't even find a list of psychiatrists in the UK. I asked my Doctor if there were any in Coventry and he just said "no" point blank.


Thanks.........Denise

 

Re: Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?

Posted by daizy on January 18, 2003, at 9:21:49

In reply to Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?, posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:49:31

> Hi,
>
> I was just wondering if there was anyone from the UK and if they know of a good psychiatrist, with a good recommendation in the UK? Especially in the Midlands
>
> It seems to me that there are many in the States but hardly any here, I can't even find a list of psychiatrists in the UK. I asked my Doctor if there were any in Coventry and he just said "no" point blank.
>
>
> Thanks.........Denise

Usually if your doctor thinks you need one then he will refer you, although the waiting lists are very long, (have you told him how you feel? What are your symptoms? I know they dont always listen!) If you havnt been refered then there should be a drop in centre somewhere in your area, especially in coventry, its quite big no? You should check on the net, or in your local telephone dirctory. Or if you feel very desperate, there are helplines that you can call, they will also have names and adresses of help available near you (dont feel worried to do so!)
Hope it helps! Take care............

 

Re: Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK? » denise528

Posted by colin wallace on January 18, 2003, at 11:31:19

In reply to Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?, posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:49:31

> Hi,
>
> I was just wondering if there was anyone from the UK and if they know of a good psychiatrist, with a good recommendation in the UK? Especially in the Midlands
>
> It seems to me that there are many in the States but hardly any here, I can't even find a list of psychiatrists in the UK. I asked my Doctor if there were any in Coventry and he just said "no" point blank.
>
>
> Thanks.........Denise

Hi Denise,

Firstly, forget trying to find a remotely decent psych. as an NHS patient- they do exist, but the waiting lists are between 3 and 6 months long (even for severe depression)and the chances are that you will end up with a very junior doctor speaking English as a second language (not to denigrate foreign doctors in any way, but hey, this isn't orthapaedics- mutual, fluent understanding and rapport are crucial here).Even very senior psychs. in the UK acknowledge that psychiatric treatment here is pretty abysmal,with hundreds of unfilled posts etc.
Check out the BUPA website, choose your region and required speciality (psychiatry)and there should be a few reputable docs listed-you can take a squint at their credentials and areas of specialization too.A consultation will sting you around £100, and follow ups will be between £60/£80.
If you really need to see a psych.,don't hang around.Shop around.

Good Luck,

Col.

 

Re: Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?

Posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 12:00:15

In reply to Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?, posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:49:31

Hi Daisy,

Actually I'm already seeing a psychiatrist privately It's been over a year now and I'm still no better although he likes to think I am. I know it's not his fault but at £200 a session I would have hoped to be better by now. Having said that he did add in Zyprexa and that has been a life saver for me when I've been at my wits end.

Thanks for responding, hopefully I will find someone who can help me.

Colin - I know exactly what you mean about NHS psychiatrists as I've already been down that route.

On one consultation I didn't actually get to see the psychiatrist who would be treating me I just got to see what seemed to be his just junior assistant who was foreign and couldn't speak very good English (exactly as you said. He went through the usual list of questions and then whenever I asked him any questions he would nip out to ask the real psychiatrist (who I never got to see) for his opinion)

Another NHS psychiatrist I got to see seemed totally disinterested, bored infact. When I told him that Seroxat was making me suicidal and I wastn't eating properly he said he'd never heard of that happening before, when it actually says can cause "loss of appetite" on the drug leaflet!!

I'm sorry to whine but I think the standard of mental health treatment over here is absymal, they all follow the same rigid set of rules, I could do it myself if I had a prescription pad.

Thanks for the advice Colin, I'll check out the site, I just wish there was some way of finding out how they good they are, you know like their past record before paying all that money for a consultation. Even then when you get a consultation they just ask you a bunch of questions so you don't really get a feel for their general approach.


Thanks again........Denise

 

Re: Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?

Posted by Arthurgibson on January 18, 2003, at 12:05:50

In reply to Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?, posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:49:31

In Coventry you can telephone the Walsgrave hospital and ask for the mental health advice line, its very good. Open 24 hours a day and the best people tend to answer at night and in the early hours of the morning.

If you are in a bad way you can drive over any time and have a cup of tea, a chat and an assesment with them. If you are really bad, they will send a car to pick you up.

Try the Solihull hospital for the best psychiatric consultant. I will try to get his name within 48 hours for you. I don't remember it right now.

Best GP in Coventry for psychiatry? Dr. George Paige at the Prior Deram Walk, or Mount Street surgeries.

 

Same - In OC/LA Calif. for ADD/SP?

Posted by backofclass on January 18, 2003, at 13:36:18

In reply to Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?, posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:49:31

Thanks!

 

To ArthurGibson

Posted by denise528 on January 19, 2003, at 6:17:43

In reply to Re: Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?, posted by Arthurgibson on January 18, 2003, at 12:05:50

Thanks Arthur, I'd be really grateful if you could get me that name. I take it you're from Coventry or live somewhere in the area.

Where did you hear about these physicians and how do you know how reputable they are, have you heard good things about them?


Denise

 

Re: Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?

Posted by Noa on January 19, 2003, at 7:57:35

In reply to Re: Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?, posted by Arthurgibson on January 18, 2003, at 12:05:50

> In Coventry....you can drive over any time and have a cup of tea, a chat and an assesment with them. If you are really bad, they will send a car to pick you up.

Sounds incredibly civilized and lovely! This yank is envious.

 

Coventry

Posted by Arthurgibson on January 19, 2003, at 8:06:43

In reply to Re: Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in UK?, posted by Noa on January 19, 2003, at 7:57:35

Yes, and its all free on the NHS.

The treatment is no good, but the tea sure tastes great.

 

Re: To ArthurGibson

Posted by Arthurgibson on January 19, 2003, at 8:13:56

In reply to To ArthurGibson, posted by denise528 on January 19, 2003, at 6:17:43

I am still trying to get the name of this recommended psychiatrist. He treats my best friend. I will post the name as soon as I get it.

Dr Paige treated me.

At £200 a visit you are being ripped off. Its not that crook on the Kenilworth Road is it?

Have you tried the Warwickshire Nuffield hospital? I bet they have someone good there.

 

Re: Coventry

Posted by colin wallace on January 20, 2003, at 4:09:13

In reply to Coventry, posted by Arthurgibson on January 19, 2003, at 8:06:43

> Yes, and its all free on the NHS.
>
> The treatment is no good, but the tea sure tastes great.


This is true.

The government have, in fairness, poured massive resources into perfecting NHS tea.There is now a high level think-tank dedicated to this end.

 

Re: To ArthurGibson

Posted by denise528 on January 20, 2003, at 7:54:11

In reply to Re: To ArthurGibson, posted by Arthurgibson on January 19, 2003, at 8:13:56

Arthur,

Thanks I'd appreciate that, I'll wait for your response.

No, I'm not seeing a psychiatrist on the Kenilworth Road, am seeing one at the Priory Hosptital.

I suppose when all is said and done it's really how good the drugs are and not the psychiatrist. I mean if this one I'm seeing had prescribed one that worked first time around I'd probably think he was good. What I'm really looking for is someone who is willing to experiment a bit more and not leave me on one drug for so long before they agree it's not working and change it to something else.


Denise

 

Re: To ArthurGibson » denise528

Posted by noa on January 20, 2003, at 8:18:07

In reply to Re: To ArthurGibson, posted by denise528 on January 20, 2003, at 7:54:11

another thing about a good doctor is that they would be willing to consider combining medications, as for many of us, one medication alone either is not potent enough or has too many side effects at higher doses, so we need to combine meds for best effect.

 

Consultant for Denise

Posted by Arthurgibson on January 20, 2003, at 14:36:42

In reply to Re: To ArthurGibson, posted by denise528 on January 20, 2003, at 7:54:11

It may be that the consultant that my friend recommends is the one that you are seeing now. It is:

Dr A Jawad Sheikh
Consultant Psychiatrist, Solihull Hospital
Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Birmingham

NHS and Secretaries 0121 711 7720
Private at Parkway Hospital, Solihull 0121 704 1451 or The Woodbourne Priory
Hospital, Edgbaston 0121 434 4343

You may be being ripped off at £200 a time. You could be vulnerable and not thinking straight. Try to get the same guy on the NHS. They see you quick on the NHS, about as quick as private treatment.

I will keep asking round locally for another recomendation for you. I bet you already see this guy.

What's your problem? Depression or what? If you live on the south of the city you might be able to see Dr Paige, he is not a consultant. But then he is free. He will also treat you via e mail, which saves sitting around in his waiting room. I hardly ever visit him, we just e mail each other, its rather funny really.

We live in Westwood Heath, near the University of Warwick, in fact it's right over my back garden fence. However we are migrating to Australia in ten weeks time. If you can afford £200 a visit you probably live near to me. You are not the Denise who is a friend of Cheryl Brewer are you?

Have you tried the fish oil yet? Get a bottle of cod liver oil from TESCO or SAINSBURYS and take it twice a day, I bet it will help you. Also the VALERINA (Valeriun) from TESCO is £4.95 for 80 tablets and it helps with the sleep problem and anxiety, if you have that problem.

Avoid alchohol completely and try to avoid sleeping tablets and benzos if you can, but if you need them, so be it.

My friend is a housewife who lives nearby and if you need support, I will send you her e mail address, although she is probably much more ill than yourself. Nevertheless she tries to combat her illness (severe depression) by helping others and its good therapy for her. Try it yourself, it takes your mind off things.

"Profit from the problem" is my motto. Its a bit like Michale Cain's "Use the difficulty" motto. Hang in there Denise, its is going to get better and you ARE going to get well. One day you will look back and it will all just seem like a bad dream.

In case you live close, my name is NOT Arthur Gibson, but I can't say who I am, its not wise. Be careful what you say on internet forums like this. If you see a dark coloured Merc driving around Coventry with a name on the licence plate and no other numbers or letters, wave, because it will be me, but the name is not GIBSON. Good luck!

 

Coventry NHS telephone number

Posted by Arthurgibson on January 20, 2003, at 15:52:55

In reply to Consultant for Denise, posted by Arthurgibson on January 20, 2003, at 14:36:42

Denise

The Mental Health Information Line in Coventry is: 0800 61 61 71.

Telephone as late at night as possible and they have more time to deal with you and some of the best people are on duty.

I have read some of your old posts and know more about you now. You sure are determined to get well!

Stop drinking the coffee for goodness sake, it is the last thing you need. Eat bananas, it will increase the serotonin.

My sister took Seroxat (Paxil to our American friends) and it did not work the second time around. Or at least it did work, but it took a lot longer to work. How long did you give it? You are like me, very impatient. Its the only way to live!

Have you tried Zispin? (The Americans don't know what that is and I won't tell them.) That's what I would take next time I get ill. Right now I am perfectly fit, thank heavens.

 

To Arthur Gibson

Posted by denise528 on January 22, 2003, at 7:33:39

In reply to Consultant for Denise, posted by Arthurgibson on January 20, 2003, at 14:36:42

Hello(I won't call you Arthur anymore),

Thanks for the info, no I'm not seeing that particular Pychiatrist, am seeing a Dr Patrick O'Brian right now. Luckily my insurance covers his fees but it still peeves me that they get paid so much for doing what seems so little. I'm not sure about getting referred on the NHS to psychiatrists in Birmingham when you don't live in that area, can you do that?

I've seen your past threads and was glad to see that the prozac worked, if a little jealous. Thanks for offering to get more info on other reputable psychiatrists, if there's anything I can do for you in return let me know.

I'll contact both Dr Paige's secretary (see if I come under his area) although I don't live near you, more South East. It would be great to be able to correspond with him via e-mail. When I once sent a desperate note to my psychiatrist he wastn't too pleased and just got his secretary to send me a short, terse note back. No compassion whatsoever.

Lucky you migrating to Australia, I imagine the treatment is better there as well.

Yes I Have tried fish oil, bananas etc and they didn't work but then I'm very cynical about alternative remedies.

It's very unselfish of your friend to help other people when she is so depressed herself, I would be hopeless at it, when they threatened suicide, I would probably offer to join them (when I'm at my worst that is).

I'll be looking out for a dark coloured Merk and if you see a red ford fiesta with a ditzy looking blonde behind the wheel be sure to wave back.

By the way, I'm not a friend of Cheryl Brewer, so you don't know me.

All the best and Bon Voyage.


Denise


Yes my problem is depression (sometimes suicidal but no attempts)

 

Re: To Arthur Gibson

Posted by ArthurGibson on January 22, 2003, at 8:21:50

In reply to To Arthur Gibson, posted by denise528 on January 22, 2003, at 7:33:39

South East? I have my office in Finham.

Yes your GP can refer you to any NHS consultant in the country, just ask.

The Consultant I recommended will know 1,000 times more than Dr Paige. Go straight to the consultant via your GP and Solihull general hospital. However there may be an ethical problem about seeing two different consultants at the same time.

My depression lifted last August, but it came back (mildly) 24 hours ago. I am taking it easy and hoping that it goes away again without treatment. I have a supportive wife, which helps a lot. If it does not go away, its back to the PROZAC I suppose. I have had bad depression twice in my life and mild depression often. The mild depression goes away after a week or so. I hope that's what this is and nothing worse.

I drove to Kettering and back today and on the return journey thought about killing myself. How idiotic when I have a beautiful wife, two fantastic young kids (and two grown up children) and am emigrating to Australia in a few weeks! What a curse this illness is.

Have you seen www.clinicaldepression.com ? Its quite good.

 

Another idea for Denise

Posted by ArthurGibson on January 23, 2003, at 4:22:46

In reply to Re: To Arthur Gibson, posted by ArthurGibson on January 22, 2003, at 8:21:50

Denise

Why don't you try taking two different SSRIs at the same time? Say one in the morning and one at night?

It sounds crazy, but to blast the depression away, it might just work.

If it worked, you could try cutting one out and then reduce over an eight month period.

 

Re: To Arthur Gibson

Posted by denise528 on January 25, 2003, at 10:23:25

In reply to Re: To Arthur Gibson, posted by ArthurGibson on January 22, 2003, at 8:21:50

Hi Arthur,

I asked my Doctor about if I could be referred on the NHS to any Psychiatrist of my choosing no matter where they were based in the UK and was told that I could only be referred to a conslutant who was in my jurisdiction. I have already tried to be referred to a psychiatrist in L'SPA on the NHS but to no avail.

Thanks for the number, I did ring it and they gave me a list of the psychiatrists based in Walsgrave hospital, they couldn't give me a list of those in the whole of the UK but it's a start.

As you are still suffering from bouts of depression I really think you should go back on the prozac and consider staying on it for the rest of your life. I rue the day that I came off them because if I hadn't I don't think I would have ended up this bad. I also think people who respond well to medication and then go on to have therapy, all too often believe that in some way the therapy has relieved them of some deep rooted psychiological problem and that they no longer need the medication. This may be true in some cases but very often it is drugs and only the drugs that have worked.

I know that you think that I have not given the drugs long enough to work and that I have been too impatient but if it had just been a case of them not working straight away I would have stayed on them longer (I have with the Lamictal) but the fact is they made me worse this time round. At one point I was pacing around, it was like mind torture.

I'll take a look at that site you posted, it's very kind of you to take an interest.

By the way, when I said that I lived in the South East, I meant the South East of Coventry.

Take Care Denise

 

Re: about Arthur Gibson » denise528

Posted by IsoM on January 25, 2003, at 23:27:43

In reply to Re: To Arthur Gibson, posted by denise528 on January 25, 2003, at 10:23:25

Denise, poor Arthur got blocked for a week for joking about helping someone (see link below). Anyway, I'm sure as soon as he gets back, he'll respond but this note is in case you wonder why you're not getting an answer back.
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20021128/msgs/9002.html

Found anything helpful about dopamine & Parkinson's yet?


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