requesting medication

LegacyUser

Going unreg for this; I think this might be the best place for it. Basically, I've been attending a counsellor for several months now, and while I feel its been incredibly helpful, I've come to the decision that I would like to address some of my issues through chemical means. Its not a decision I've taken lightly, but I just feel that the effort and energy required to 'fix' my problems have run out.

I dont intend to end my counselling sessions; I do think they're helping and I want to continue, but I feel antidepressant medication would give me the space I need to get things in perspective. Anyhow, my query is this; can I just ask my GP to prescribe anti-depressants, or does he need to assess me? Can I get a referral off my counsellor? Obviously I plan on saying all this to her, but I'm just worried she wont think its in my best interest (I know you might think I should listen to that advice, but I find that counsellors tend to avoid the medication route as a general rule). Thanks for any advice.

sam34

cold3r wrote: »

Anyhow, my query is this; can I just ask my GP to prescribe anti-depressants, or does he need to assess me?

of course he needs to assess you to see if you are clinically depressed before prescribing anti-depressants. just the same way he would need to see you to assess if you are asthmatic before prescribing inhalers.

why do you think he wouldnt need to see you?

cold3r wrote: »

Can I get a referral off my counsellor?

you dont need a referral to see a GP. you ring the surgery and make an appointment.

LegacyUser

OP here. sorry for the confusion; I know I have to go and talk to my GP, of course, but I'm wondering if he might refrain from prescribing anything and just encourage me to continue with counselling. I just dont know how I can make it clear to him that I really feel like I need immediate help.

I didnt mean a referral in that sense; my counsellor knows of my MDD, and as a qualified clinical psychologist I thought she might be able to recommend a course of medical treatment to my GP.

Anyway, dont know why I bothered asking here. I'll keep it to my doctors.

sam34

cold3r wrote: »

OP here. sorry for the confusion; I know I have to go and talk to my GP, of course, but I'm wondering if he might refrain from prescribing anything and just encourage me to continue with counselling. I just dont know how I can make it clear to him that I really feel like I need immediate help..

your GP will prescribe anti-depressants if he feels you are depressed.

with regard to you saying you want "immediate help", you need to know that all anti-depressants take a number of weeks to work.

cold3r wrote: »

I didnt mean a referral in that sense; my counsellor knows of my MDD, and as a qualified clinical psychologist I thought she might be able to recommend a course of medical treatment to my GP.

Anyway, dont know why I bothered asking here. I'll keep it to my doctors.

psychologists cannot prescribe medications, nor are they qualified to recommend a particular medication for a doctor to prescribe.

FWIW< i would be very wary of any counsellor or psychologist who strongly recommended you avoid medication, as they are essentially issuing medical advice which they are not qualified to give.

Odysseus

cold3r wrote: »

Going unreg for this; I think this might be the best place for it. Basically, I've been attending a counsellor for several months now, and while I feel its been incredibly helpful, I've come to the decision that I would like to address some of my issues through chemical means. Its not a decision I've taken lightly, but I just feel that the effort and energy required to 'fix' my problems have run out.

I dont intend to end my counselling sessions; I do think they're helping and I want to continue, but I feel antidepressant medication would give me the space I need to get things in perspective. Anyhow, my query is this; can I just ask my GP to prescribe anti-depressants, or does he need to assess me? Can I get a referral off my counsellor? Obviously I plan on saying all this to her, but I'm just worried she wont think its in my best interest (I know you might think I should listen to that advice, but I find that counsellors tend to avoid the medication route as a general rule). Thanks for any advice.

As a psychotherapist I would said if your therapist has issues about you being on meds, you need to bin him/her. I'm not saying you shouldn't speak about your decision, but you meds are between you and your GP. You are correct some counsellors/therapists have issues about this, if they have they need to have a look at their choice of profession. Best of luck with it.

Odysseus

sam34 wrote: »

your GP will prescribe anti-depressants if he feels you are depressed.

with regard to you saying you want "immediate help", you need to know that all anti-depressants take a number of weeks to work.




psychologists cannot prescribe medications, nor are they qualified to recommend a particular medication for a doctor to prescribe.

FWIW< i would be very wary of any counsellor or psychologist who strongly recommended you avoid medication, as they are essentially issuing medical advice which they are not qualified to give.

I know that we have discussed this before Sam, but in some cases I'm the one left drawing up the detox plan, both my consultant and clinic director are aware of this though this often revolves around street drugs. I would rather not be doing this, as I do not see it in my remit, but the Service does. In my area if a person presents at our local psych service, they are sent to us and if they are not using heroin they get sent to me. If they do not require methadone, even our GPs won't see them.

That's the catch 22 I'm caught up in:rolleyes:

sam34

Odysseus wrote: »

I know that we have discussed this before Sam, but in some cases I'm the one left drawing up the detox plan, both my consultant and clinic director are aware of this though this often revolves around street drugs. I would rather not be doing this, as I do not see it in my remit, but the Service does. In my area if a person presents at our local psych service, they are sent to us and if they are not using heroin they get sent to me. If they do not require methadone, even our GPs won't see them.

That's the catch 22 I'm caught up in:rolleyes:

its a discussion for another trhead really, but i strongly disagree with this practice, and i feel it is legally indefensible.

Odysseus

sam34 wrote: »

its a discussion for another trhead really, but i strongly disagree with this practice, and i feel it is legally indefensible.

Fair enough, another day then?

sam34

Odysseus wrote: »

Fair enough, another day then?

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