Why do doctors not listen to me?

[Fatherhelpless]

I am age 59.   Male.     I have repeatedly asked for help from my GP since 1989. And I now have no trust nor confidence in the Health and social services system.
I live in the U.K.
About six years ago, I was asking social services for help as two members of my family  had diagnosed psychiatric conditions.       One social worker who had met me on several occaisions, believed that I may have been suicidal after I had a telephone conversation with her.     She made a referral about this to a community psychiatric nurse who I had seen several times.       He phoned me up, but didnt do anything positive nor helpful.   Several months later  I was taken to Accident and Emergency by emergency Ambulance, after I was suspected of making a suicide attempt.
I was kept in overnight.      But I do not think my own general Practitioner doctor was ever notified of that incident.

I am very reluctant  to go to the doctor because I do not think that they take any notice of my requests for help.

How do I foprce them to listen and give me appropriate support?

[AnnaE]

Do you know where most of these people are "trained"? My heartless eye surgeon went to Med School in Ireland. Is it hard or easy to get into medical training in that part of the world? Is it a $ thing, or a cultural thing, or just a lot of crazies who got in to "training"?

Can you go back to a GP for a referral? Do they have psychologists?

I wish I knew how you could bet help. You helped me a lot on the PTSD forum tonight. You made me realize and validated my experience on how medical personnel can cause harm, just as my doctor did, and just as your doctors continue to do. Canado also has huge problems, not that we do not have our own problems in the US.

By the way, my doctor was definitely a crazy who somehow got accepted to med school, and kept on going for the $ from there. I have postulated that he could not get in on the US (got his BA here, but had father connections to Ireland; went to hs in Ireland--probably because he was too...nevermind, I won't go on).

What an inhumane mess!

[Brenndy]

Thanks, for lack of the correct word, for sharing this UK Healthcare information with me.  I did not realize it was indeed that stringent and rigid....
I'm very sorry to hear that.  It's unacceptable behavior and one not to be tolerated.

[RubyWitch]

Your story just keeps getting worse and worse! Sounds more like you're living in some Third World country than one of the most advanced!
The Psychiatric Social Worker is incredibly unprofessional and I would report her conduct towards you immediately. She had NO RIGHT to "tell you off."
Please make an appointment with a GP as soon as you can.
Peace
Greenlydia

[Fatherhelpless]

Thank you  for your reply.
In addition to that,   I  had been seeing a psychiatric social worker before the hospital visit.  I had seen her for perhaps two appointments.     Unbeknown to me while I was waiting at the hospital, the Hospital must have phoned up the social worker and asked for a report on me.  She sent them by Fax  a report.        But, in my opinion, my Doctor ( general Practitioner as we call them)    would have been a better person for them to contact.        Anyway, the next time I saw the Psychiatric Social Worker  she was highly critical of my visit to hospital, saying I was wasting their time. She "told me off" for going to hospital.

[RubyWitch]

Your experience at the ER is unbelievable! They did not explain who they were!!!???? They did not tell you what the medication was or what it was for!? They did not arrange a follow up visit for you!? That whole scene is just frightening to me. I can't imagine having to live with a health care system that treats people in such an uncaring way. That is just so.........wrong!
I don't know what else to tell you to do as it seems like you don't have any options. I suppose the only thing you could do is go back to your doctor and somehow try to get him to really listen to you this time.
Maybe if you wrote down a list of all your symptoms, the things you want and need answers to, that may help him focus on you. You may be like so many of us who end up being kind of tongue-tied when the doctor walks into the room...........we end up sort of rambling away like idiots and on our way home wonder why we didn't ask him this or that.............the list will help YOU get the answers you need, it will keep YOU focused.
Other than that, not having a very clear understanding of your health care system, I don't know where else you could go.
I'm very sorry that I couldn't be of more help to you.
I wish you the very best and know that you can always write to us. If you notice on the other side of this page, you CAN write directly to a doctor, but understand also that they can't really give you a diagnosis and they can't prescribe anything for you. But they can give you "professional" advice, which I can't. It doesn't cost much and may be worth a try..............
Peace
Greenlydia  

[Fatherhelpless]

Thank you for your reply.
I am in the UK,  I went to Accident and Emergency (our name for the Emergency Room) about seven years ago.  They were totally useless.    We were put in the relatives room. two women  who were not in uniform came and spoke to my wife and I,   they did not say who they were, but they turned out later to be psychiatric nurses.    I was given a small quantity of tablets, without being told what they were for. So I did not take them.
I think Health and Social Care are totally lacking in care for the patient.

[RubyWitch]

So, since you didn't answer most of my questions, I am still somewhat at a loss as to what to advise you to do.
But...........the fact you say you you weren't suicidal until the social worker put it into your head, does that mean you DO feel suicidal? Was this apparent attempt made before or after you had this conversation with her?

The bottom line here is that we are discussing suicide and suicidal thoughts. I don't know if this happened yesterday, last week or last year, but the mere fact that this idea is in your head calls for IMMEDIATE action. PLEASE go to your nearest Emergency Room and tell them you have suicidal thoughts. They will get you the help you need now. Call a friend and have them take you. Please do it now.
Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Keep in touch, OK? We do care very much.
Peace
Greenlydia

[Fatherhelpless]

I wasnt suicidal until the social worker put the idea into my mind.  I dont think that the suicidal thoughts and attempts were ever reported back to my own GP.

I have NO trust in our health system in the UK.  I never want to accept help from social services ever again.

[RubyWitch]

While we have much to complain about our own health care system in this country, it is, in my humble opinion, still the best in the world. Like cj said, I'm sorry that your system apparently makes you jump through so many hoops and wait endlessly for appointments.
Can you not just find a therapist on your own and begin treatment with them? Must you have a referral from your GP? Can you, again, as cj suggested, find another doctor who may be more willing to listen to you?
What kind of symptoms are you experiencing? What were your relatives diagnosed with? Why did the social worker you spoke with on the phone think you may have been suicidal? What happened when you were taken to the Emergency Room after you "supposedly" attempted suicide?
This is important information because you may just be suffering with an anxiety/panic disorder which is being wrongly labeled as suicidal tendencies. I am NOT a doctor, these are NOT a diagnosis, they are simply thoughts. Do YOU think you are suicidal? Guess that is the biggest question here.
Talk to us.
Peace
Greenlydia

[cj29]

I am sorry that you are having problems with your health care system.  I know sometimes that many members here have had to do a little trial and error when it came to finding the right people to talk to.  Many doctors, especially GPs are no very well versed in helping people with anxiety related conditions.  Furthermore, not all therapists mix well with every patient.  Can you request to see another doctor? Keep us posted.