B
bluebell24
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2009
- Messages
- 106
I've been going around in circles for nearly four months now trying to get a referral for a formal assessment and still don't appear to be getting anywhere.
My GP has been okay but it's apparent he doesn't pay too much attention to the things I tell him (he's signed me off work 4 times now even though every time I visit him I tell him I've been made redundant!!) and I don't think he's taken it too seriously when I've asked to be referred.
The GP gave me a phone number of a local NHS mental health service, who asked me lots of questions and then decided I needed an assessment ... then told me I'd have to speak to my GP to get it, who in turn said they the service should be referring me ... now the mental health service have called to say they might be able to do it (but haven't spoken with my GP) but that it could take up to 6 months before I'll get an appointment.
Is this usual? It seems like an eternity and in the meantime I'm worrying that perhaps I'm not doing the right things for well being as I'm not exactly sure what I'm dealing with. The reason I believe it is bipolar is not based on self-diagnosis despite the past year's events ticking every box, but down to a psychiatrist telling me this years ago when I had a similiarly crazy year that ended up with me overdosing. It seems however that there is no record of this suggestion on file, and I'm getting a tad frustrated to say the least.
I'm not sure if I should be expecting anything to happen quicker or whether 6 months is pretty standard? I know it may depend on health authorities but I wondered generally what everyone else has experienced, and that to do while I'm in limbo?
Help! : )
My GP has been okay but it's apparent he doesn't pay too much attention to the things I tell him (he's signed me off work 4 times now even though every time I visit him I tell him I've been made redundant!!) and I don't think he's taken it too seriously when I've asked to be referred.
The GP gave me a phone number of a local NHS mental health service, who asked me lots of questions and then decided I needed an assessment ... then told me I'd have to speak to my GP to get it, who in turn said they the service should be referring me ... now the mental health service have called to say they might be able to do it (but haven't spoken with my GP) but that it could take up to 6 months before I'll get an appointment.
Is this usual? It seems like an eternity and in the meantime I'm worrying that perhaps I'm not doing the right things for well being as I'm not exactly sure what I'm dealing with. The reason I believe it is bipolar is not based on self-diagnosis despite the past year's events ticking every box, but down to a psychiatrist telling me this years ago when I had a similiarly crazy year that ended up with me overdosing. It seems however that there is no record of this suggestion on file, and I'm getting a tad frustrated to say the least.
I'm not sure if I should be expecting anything to happen quicker or whether 6 months is pretty standard? I know it may depend on health authorities but I wondered generally what everyone else has experienced, and that to do while I'm in limbo?
Help! : )