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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tom Twilight on July 24, 2005, at 14:34:58
High everyone
I知 becoming increasingly disillusioned with UK mental health care.
I知 seriously considering going abroad for treatment, although I知 still in the very early stages of planning at the moment.Does anyone know of any Pdocs with a good reputation in the US or even better Australia?
I could possibly combine seeing them, with taking a holiday, which would be good!
Posted by Declan on July 24, 2005, at 18:27:09
In reply to Finding doctors in the USA/Australia, posted by Tom Twilight on July 24, 2005, at 14:34:58
Hi Tom
If you come to my neck of the woods (Northern NSW) I'd be happy to help. You can babblemail me if you like.
Declan
Posted by alohashirt on July 24, 2005, at 22:28:07
In reply to Finding doctors in the USA/Australia, posted by Tom Twilight on July 24, 2005, at 14:34:58
As an Australian who moved from London to the US, I would probably recommend the US first, since flights to New York are so cheap. Northern NSW, however, is therapeutic in of itself so it's
your choice.Do you have a diagnosis? What type of pschiatrist do you want?
specialty?
practicioner or practicioner/researcher?Good luck!
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on July 25, 2005, at 4:07:36
In reply to Finding doctors in the USA/Australia, posted by Tom Twilight on July 24, 2005, at 14:34:58
> I知 becoming increasingly disillusioned with UK mental health care.
Yes I am too. I get the feeling that its good if you're very severe/requiring hospitalisation etc, although I have no direct experience, only from friends, but not for people who aren't quite so extreme.
I get the feeling that GPs let us down. They just stick you on a med, and thats it - and often with little knowledge of the actual medication.
I suppose you might get a few sessions with a CPN, but I personally didn't find them helpful. I guess the upside is that its free to see a doc?
I wonder what US people's experiences are? Is it any better in the US? PLus what do you do if you can't afford it/have no health insurance?
Tom, do you have any experience of private mental health care here in the UK? I was thinking of trying it myself....
Posted by Nickengland on July 25, 2005, at 8:34:18
In reply to Re: Finding doctors in the USA/Australia, posted by Meri-Tuuli on July 25, 2005, at 4:07:36
>I get the feeling that GPs let us down. They just stick you on a med, and thats it - and often with little knowledge of the actual medication.
This is very true. But in all fairness if the original problem you have requires medication and then expert assistantance - then this is why your GP refers you to a specialist i.e psychiatrist, as GP's have little knowledge of psychiatric medications in the first place.
In theory its then the respnsibilty of the psychiatrist to oversee your mental health...and the GP is just there to do what the psychiatirst tells him to do, which is prescibe the medication..
That said, its therefore very important I think that you have/find a GP that will take you seriously...as to avoid being felt let down. (I've been there I know how frustrating that can feel :-( '
>I suppose you might get a few sessions with a CPN, but I personally didn't find them helpful. I guess the upside is that its free to see a doc?
I agree the up side is that the NHS is free :-) Privite treatment can be very expensive and funnily enough you can end up seeing the *exact* same doctors that treat you on the NHS anyway. Albeit the treatment is alot quicker with regards to waiting lists and they will treat you alot nicer with a big smile on their face - but hey..thats what your paying them for ;-)
>I wonder what US people's experiences are? Is it any better in the US? PLus what do you do if you can't afford it/have no health insurance?
I would say in my opinon that American medical treatment - be it psychiatric or any other treatment for that matter is alot better than the UK. An American I know came here and went to A&E and couldn't believe how bad the conditions were...he said he thought it was like a 3rd world country with regards to medical care. (perhaps alittle extream)
Personally I think no health system is perfect. Some however, are worse than others and ours is worse than either Australia or America.
When it comes to psychiatry, we (UK) tend to under prescribe medication and are afraid of using combinations. Also there is not enough emphasis on the use of after care with 'talking treatments' like CBT, like having a therapist etc. Waiting lists are huge for these and sometimes when you get one you can only see that person once every 6 weeks - CBT just will not be effective seeing someone once every 6 week I don't think..for severe problems anyway, that dont fall into the need to be hospitilised but you still need extra help.
I actually think that the treatment In America is in some ways the oppisite of the UK...in that where as we maybe under prescribe..over in the states they over-prescribe. Theres no worries with massive combinations compared to here. Maybe its something to do with the fact that theres so much more $$ involved with medications over there like with all the marketing and adverts and things. I don't know and I could be wrong.
Given the choice I would much prefer to be treated in the US vs the UK. I think the treatment is far better over there. If you've got too much medication you can always cut back if you felt over medicated. Whereas here its bloody hard trying to get more treatment when they just refuse to give it to you for one reason or another.
As for Australia, again - Id much prefer to be treated there vs the UK.
Thing is, coming from the Uk Tom and going to the other side of the world to Oz for treatment is a huge step. I would have thought the US would work out perhaps cheaper as its nearer?..like alohashirt said with flights etc. To include a holiday sounds a great idea! :-) Of course Australia would be excellent too if you can manage to get over there...
I admire your persevearence Tom in getting proper treatment..I know you've been struggling the past few months and I think this sounds a great idea what you're on to here...
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by Tom Twilight on July 25, 2005, at 9:57:44
In reply to Re: Finding doctors in the USA/Australia, posted by Declan on July 24, 2005, at 18:27:09
Thanks for the advice, Declan and Alohashirt (did I get that right?)
I'd rather go to Australia for a holiday than the US, but the US seems to make more sense medicaly
My problems are mainly social anxiety, some "free floating" generalised anxiety, token depression, and finally possible ADD
My motivation is bad even when I'm not depressed, I was prescribed Dexedrine which helped, unfortunatly the doc who presribed the Dex lost his job!
I'm now on my third week of Marplan, and I think I am begining to see some improvement in anxiety, unfortunatly its given me insomnia.
I think an MAOI, plus a stimulant, as needed would be great for me, unfortunatly you have more chance of being prescribed Herion than this combination in the UK!
Funnily enough I have found NHS Pdocs to be worse than GPs, there are good Pdocs on the NHS, but there are some truly terrible ones to
Posted by Tom Twilight on July 25, 2005, at 10:05:39
In reply to Re: Finding doctors in the USA/Australia, posted by Nickengland on July 25, 2005, at 8:34:18
Meri you were asking about private treatment, right?
Nick made some good points about private treatment such as the expense!
The point about NHS docs doubling as private docs is also fairHaving said that my experience of going private has been more positive than NHS treatment, if your stuck with a bad NHS Pdoc then you don't have many other options.
Posted by ed_uk on July 25, 2005, at 16:35:47
In reply to Re: Finding doctors in the USA/Australia, posted by Meri-Tuuli on July 25, 2005, at 4:07:36
My impression of UK mental health care is that it's ok if you're acutely manic or psychotic. Everyone else gets ignored.
~Ed
Posted by ed_uk on July 25, 2005, at 16:48:12
In reply to Private treatment in the UK, posted by Tom Twilight on July 25, 2005, at 10:05:39
Dear Tom,
How are you feeling? Still on Marplan 10mg? How long have you been taking it for now?
This is an excellent site........
http://www.specialistinfo.com/directory.php
Search for some good psychopharmacologists. Search for UK pdocs who specialise in social phobia. You have to pay a small fee to see the doctor's names. You can read about the doc's without paying anything but you can't see who they are!
Just to give you a couple of examples... Here are some pdocs who are interested in anxiety.....
http://www.specialistinfo.com/thget.php?t=t_si&r=anxiety
Here are some pdocs who are interested in psychopharm........
http://www.specialistinfo.com/thget.php?t=t_si&r=psychopharmacology
You can find lots of good info by going to 'special interests'.
~ed
Posted by Tom Twilight on July 26, 2005, at 6:51:45
In reply to Re: Private treatment in the UK ｻ Tom Twilight, posted by ed_uk on July 25, 2005, at 16:48:12
Thanks for the info Ed, your invaluable
I'm now up to Marplan 30mgs, I think it might be working........
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on July 26, 2005, at 8:06:50
In reply to Hey Ed- Thanks once again!, posted by Tom Twilight on July 26, 2005, at 6:51:45
Ed is truely remarkable!
Yeah I agree everyone else gets ignored....and the docs would rather precribe heroin than any combos of useful drugs....and what therapy? I was offered six counselling sessions (after a wait of four months) which I declined, because what good would six sessions do? By the time the theapist got their head around my complicated family, I'd have to leave!
Also my mother, who is Finnish, says that the state of the maternity care here in the UK compared to in Finland is alot worse. I don't know about the mental health care in Finland, but I know that my elder brother who had substance abuse problems was in rehab in Finland for two years (as in hospital rehab).
And another interesting fact - mercury filings have been completely banned in Finland for years, but here in the UK we still use them. My mothers theory is that it would cost the NHS too much if they banned mercury, and got everyone who has mercury fillings to change them to white ones.
Anyway I'm babbling on.....sorry!
PS sorry if some of my post have been rather dark/not very helpful/rather angry - I guess its just the place where I am at just now.
Posted by ed_uk on July 26, 2005, at 14:16:33
In reply to Hey Ed- Thanks once again!, posted by Tom Twilight on July 26, 2005, at 6:51:45
Hi Tom!
>I'm now up to Marplan 30mgs, I think it might be working........
That's great! I'm glad I encouraged you to stick with it!
~Ed
Posted by ed_uk on July 26, 2005, at 14:19:27
In reply to Re: Hey Ed- Thanks once again!, posted by Meri-Tuuli on July 26, 2005, at 8:06:50
Hi!
>I was offered six counselling sessions (after a wait of four months) which I declined, because what good would six sessions do?
LOL, it's a joke. You have to wait about a year in my area - for a few sessions.
>Finnish
Hence Meri-Tuuli!
~Ed
Posted by Ilene on July 26, 2005, at 14:28:33
In reply to Finding doctors in the USA/Australia, posted by Tom Twilight on July 24, 2005, at 14:34:58
> High everyone
>
> I知 becoming increasingly disillusioned with UK mental health care.
> I知 seriously considering going abroad for treatment, although I知 still in the very early stages of planning at the moment.
>
> Does anyone know of any Pdocs with a good reputation in the US or even better Australia?
>
> I could possibly combine seeing them, with taking a holiday, which would be good!
>Try these sites:
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.psychiatrists.html
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/hosptl/rankings/specreppsyc.htmI.
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