M.E. and the mental health link

[GrizzlyBear]

Does anyone else here have a diagnosis of M.E. or Chronic Fatigue?
Well, or any 'physical' dis-ease really, that directly affects their mental health (and vice-versa)?

I am trying to locate support for my physical poor health...possibly via mental health services owing to the link between M.E. and poor mental health. I have been struggling lately and my physical condition threatens my current mental health recovery.

Any ideas, suggestions? I am starting (continuing?) to feel let down by the 'system'. I know lots of people get support for physical health problems and I wonder who I need to contact? I have a GP, Mental Health Social Worker (Pah! I have seen her once) and a decent CPN. I have explained 'til I am blue in the face.....that being excessively tired soon leads to a decline in my mental state but so far I have not received much support. My CPN helped me obtain free bus travel and has helped to to begin a claim for Disability Living Allowance (still in the pipeline)...but nothing forthcoming for the exhausting mundanities (ha) of life. I have a basket of wet laundry sitting in the kitchen over 4 days old because I have no energy to hang it up.

I am having a bad day....sorry, 'Brain Fog' and other such maladies have made online research a task too over-whelming to contemplate.

 

[ramboghettouk]

Feel the meds make you tired which is similar to ME, though when i said on the bbc disability web site i had a form of me seems thats an insult to me sufferers coming from a mentally ill man

It can be hard to explain tiredness when making a claim for benefit on mental health grounds, it's not a recognised symptem of mental illness

 

[GrizzlyBear]

I don't think M.E. is well understood, is it? I don't take meds so it's not that that's the problem with me.

My CPN would say quite firmly that tiredness is most definitely one of the recognized symptoms of mental illness. But yeah...maybe those pen-pushers can't see beyond the basics. When the GP issues me with a new sick line he always writes 'depression' even though that it not my problem. And no mention of the M.E.

 

[ramboghettouk]

I wouldn't argue me, getting it recognised would be difficult particularly considering doctors view of mentally ill people and physical health, i know i'm tired on meds

It's even worse when in the days of the miners strike i was in a hostel were they argued that as long as i took the drugs i wasn't ill, by the time i left society had changed and the rehab didn't fit

I have to say if you can cope without mental illness drugs, i'd question your degree of mental illness but thats me and my experiences

Had neighbours who refuse meds, they say it shows they're not mentally ill, but if they're not what have the social workers put on the application for housing

 

[ms_P]

M.E. is a disease of the nervous system, GrizzlyBear. Can you ask your GP for a referal to a specialist?

 

[GrizzlyBear]

I can ask ms_P. Despite the diagnosis coming from my GP (with 2nd and 3rd opinions) no-one seems to want to discuss it with me - one GP even said "Let's just focus on the mental health issues just now".

 

[ms_P]

You would think that a doctor of all people would know and appreciate that mind & body are connected. What affects one, can affect the other.
Sometimes you practically need to throw a fit to get heard! Talking quietly and succinctly to them just doesn't work.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

Yes, it's very frustrating. I have been criticized for 'throwing fits' (often by myself!)....but I feel no-one is taking a bit of notice regardless of what I say or do. (With the exception of my CPN who does seem half-way decent).

Feeling angry just exacerbates my physical problems.

 

[ms_P]

Are there any patient organisations where you are? Sometimes a call or a letter can help tip the scales in your favor.

 

[jamesdean]

Grizzly bear no body knows their own body like yourself.

Though I have to say that their isnt any support for physical health out there any more than there is for mh I have three diagnosised conditions and its hell getting any understanding I have fell out with three hospital consultants because they havent understood anything that I have told them and the last one looked over his glasses two years ago n said "You look ok to me " whot a thing to say to someone.

I have finally hooked up with some nice guys at a different hospital that seem to be ok I will know after weds's apointment.

 

[ramboghettouk]

I wonder if i had broken down today instead of 30yrs ago whether the diagnosis would have been aspergers which wasn't around at the time, a lot of friends who's diagnosis was schitzoprenia have moved on to other diagnoseses, there was a tendency in the 80s to diagnose everything schitzoprenia, as there was a tendency to plug anyone in