Contains Suicide - Chronic MH problems and working/UNI/driving.

[Ballerina123]

I'm not really sure why I'm writting this. I guess I just need some support/ a placeto rant.

Little about me: I currently work as a health care assistant in a&e and I am due to start a course in mental health nursing in September. I'm diagnosed bipolar and OCD.

I'm so angry and pissed off.
just saw my psych and she was like
"you should not be back at work you have not been stable for long enough... I am going to tell the university and your new job that you can't be trusted around drugs or in a health care environment ... You need to call the DVLA (or she will) because your too unusable to drive you need your licence taken from you..."
And when I asked how long she expects me to be stable for she was like
"Beth you have a serious chronic mental health problem, you need year of stablility until you would be classed as well enough to work in health care"

Im mean she is the consultant. There is nothing I can do!

I have been stable for like 2months!

There is no way I'm gonna be off work for years. No way! I've done that before, I'm not doing it again.

I have had quite a lot of hospital admissions. I'm 25 and I have yet to complete any form of degree. I keep starting and then having to leave to go into hospital or because I can't cope. I'm so sick of this cycle.

Also I got my quietapine increased and some PRN. So now I'm like: oh no what if it makes me gain a load of weight like before?


I just feel so upset. I have worked so hard to get stable and get my place at UNI.

Sorry to moan x

[pea soup]

Hi there,

Your situation sounds really tough. I have been through the same thing. When I was 27, I was in a hospital for 4 months and while there, I was put on disability. I'm 35 now and my docs still tell me I'm not well enough to work. I understand the frustration. If you have to be off for a year, will you get any financial help such as disability? I live in the U.S. so I'm not sure how disability benefits work over there. If you are forced to be off for a year, just try to work on your illness. Also, I have been on seroquel, same as quietapine. If you're worried about weight gain, there are other antipsychotics that you could ask your doc about that dont cause weight gain.

I hope things work out for you.

Much love.
xxxxxxxxx

[Poppet6]

That sucks :(

I'm not sure what to say other than **hugs** I hope you're not feeling too bad xx

[happiness...its all a lie]

Hey

Do your current employers know about your MH problems? If they do and are happy for you to be there working then you shouldnt be too concerned as at the end of the day they are the employer and decide on whether you are safe to work etc.

Sorry if i sound ignorant here, but why would they take your driving liscence away?

Maybe you should put it to her that being in the job and driving etc is helping you remain stable and so if she were to remove that there could be a problem but could she not support you in what your doing rather than trying to prevent it as it sounds like your doing really well and have lots of good plans for the future and ask her why she isnt supporting you in that? So dont turn it into an argument but just try and turn it round if that makes sense. Sorry im not very good at wording.

Good luck xx

[Ballerina123]

Thank you so much for the support guys. I have had a think and good cry about it.

Pea soup - I am not sure how much money I will be entitled to because I will be moving areas at the end of next month. So basically if I can't work I'm pretty screwed financially. I will probibly have to take out a loan to cover my rent till I get a job. I am allowed just not in the public sector according to my psych.

Happiness...it's all a lie - my current employer is fine with my MH problems but I am currently changing jobs and that is where it gets tricky. I am bipolar and the DVLA say that if you are bipolar and you have had an episode withing the last 3months then you are classed as unfit to drive. I was in hospital for depression in may.

basically in may I was stopped from working and hospitalised because I was depressed and suicidal. I was asked what I was thinking about doing and I said I was thinking about taking drugs from the hospital I work in to OD on. I DID NOT say I was going to do it. Just that it was a thought.

I just keep thinking I am being blamed for a thought that I had over 2 months ago. She asked me what I was thinking and I told her that I was thinking of taking drug from work to OD I didn't say I was going to do it I said that it was a thought. Just a thought. Nothing more.
she cannot get over this bpd thing.
Like she said today that I am Definitly bipolar that's why I need my driving licence taken off me. But she still thinks I'm impulsive. If I was impulsive then surly I would have taken the OD from work but no I had the thought then I did what I thought was the right thing to do and I told my team how I was feeling. I don't think I would have taken the drugs from work. I would have felt like I was getting people into trouble because of my own problem, Hense why I took an OD on my own meds.
Im not denying that I wasn't depressed or suicidal just that she has no proof that I can't be trusted.

Basically where do my rights lie? Should I call my CPN and ask?

[Aubergine]

Hey.

Have you seen NHS occupational health? I saw them when I was a nursing assistant on a medical ward and they were brilliant. They are who the final say should lie with, or that's what they told me. I had been hospitalised for schizoaffective disorder only a few months previously.

If you get not joy there, could you get in contact with an advocate? Our local mental health charity has a brilliant one. I think they're available through mind or similar.

It's hard when people tell you that you can't do things that you want to do; I've had it happen a few times with various professionals telling me I'm not capable of this, that in the other. I had one professional (a nurse on the acute ward) tell me that I would't ever be out of hospital for more than a few months at a time. How wrong she was. I've been out almost a year now and have never felt better. Don't let people underestimate you. *hug*

[Ballerina123]

Thanks. I was thinking about an advocate.

I'm going to speak to my parents about it and see what they say.

I really want to call my psych and have a calm convocation with her about it but Im not sure how to start the convo, any one know what I should say?

...........

EDIT:

I have spoke to my family and my aunty who is a mental health nurse. My aunty knows a lot about mental health law and she said that according to new NHS reforms , she should be encouraging me to work not telling me that I'm incapable of work for years.

I called my CPN and asked for a second opinion. I might not get it but I have asked for it.
My aunty also said that I should put in a complaint. However as long as I get into UNI I'm not that bothered about complaining.

[happiness...its all a lie]

Hey

Glad to hear things sound a lot more positive now. Im sure it will work out for the best. Employers just want to see that you are able to perform your job and not be off sick lots so that should be ok if your last employers can support that.

Not sure about the driving one, but good luck with everything sure it will be fine.

[Ballerina123]

This is really stressing me out. I feel so angry about it.

I went to collect my repeat prescription today and my psych (who is the consultant) prescribed the wrong medication. I asked for it to be changed but she is not in till tomorrow when I'm at work so I can't go in to change it. I'm so angry and frankly quite scared. I only have three days of meds left and I don't know what to do if I run out. I really cannot risk getting sick again.


Im really trying my best just to keep going and stick with recovery but if I'm completly honest with you I'm struggling. This whole thing is really Pushing my coping skills. I'm not as strong as I thought I was.

I started back at work today after 3months off. I should have been worried and nervous about weather I can cope but I wasn't all I could think about was I cant wait to finish work because I need to sort this problem out with my psych.

Its just on my mind all the time. I'm gonna take some PRN tonight to help me sleep. I have a 13hour shift tomorrow. I don't have time to be there because I need to be sorting out my situation with my psych.


I can't get it off my mind.

It is not fair that I am on this situation when I worked so hard to get and stay well.
(sorry that last sentence sounded pathetic but I'm kind of feeling pathetic right now).