I’ve had type 1 for almost 59 years. 25 years ago a doctor and medicine nurse wouldn’t listen and ended up with something that was so far beyond a major hyperactive reaction because of that incompetence that it is out at a level never before seen. The infection turned out to be bursitis and when it took the next hospital 2 weeks to quit trying to get the blood sugar down by injecting almost 90 units a day into me, they finally did what should have been done earlier. Sent me down for an x-ray of sorts(nuclear medicine injected into the blood and went down 5 hours later). The doctor that did the surgery said I was really fortunate that the bursa sack didn’t explode as it was so far over full that it should have.
Since that time I have been dealing with both medicare and mental health and all that they are doing is wasting my time, effort and money times 3. Once to see the person, take the wonder prescription to the pharmacy and then go get it when it is filled.
For far too long this is what life is like for me—make myself almost puke every day when I try to make a decision, bitched at every single day by things(should be people but they aren’t) As of now I have had 2 showers this year(that’s right -year), brush my teeth about once every 70-80 days and shave using a disposable razor once every 20-25 days. Use a disposable razor because a cordless won’t even begin to work.
Ran out of fast acting insulin last week and with the inability to make a decision was surprised I was able to phone for an appointment. Scared the doctor badly during the appointment. Asked how I was doing and told the stuff in the preceding paragraph and added that I would like to put a bullet in the gun or a rope around my neck and stop the pain. That scared them right now. Asked me"On a scale of 1-10 what is the probability that you will commit suicide?" Thought about this for a while and said"Eight".
Next morning the office phoned and wanted to know if I could come in again. Inconvenient but I said probably. When I got to the appointment I was notified that they had phoned the mental health unit and the UNIT HAD MORE THAN THEY COULD HANDLE NOW AND WEREN’T TAKING AND NEW PATIENTS.
Isn’t this a wonderful life I am living?
Hi David, I am sorry that you are experiencing the difficulties that you describe. From what you describe it appears that you need someone to advocate for you to help you find the services that you need.
Your profile says that you are in Canada and unfortunately I know little social services in Canada, Hopefully some of our Canadian members can help with that information, it would help if we knew what province you are in.
Please hang in there, your situation appears to be desperate but it can improve with the right help.
perhaps some of our active Canadian members can help
@Jen @Roger212 @Scott_Eric
I’ve had it for 50 years myself and can definitely relate. here’s a list of suicide hotlines in Canada
please call
I am thinking of you strongly.
@David_G - I am so so sorry to hear of the situation in which you have found yourself. I’m glad that you sought the doctor’s help and am sorry new patients weren’t being accepted as you described.
Was there any other alternative of help offered to you?
Saskatchewan. Not any that there is around here without having to travel somewhere. Doctor seemed to say that if you walked in to the facility they might do something but that to me sounds like going to the emergency ward and wait forever to see someone.
The biggest problem is that no one seems to be able to comprehend what it is like to almost make yourself sick when you try to make a decision. Since they can’t understand that they can’t get a working plan.
Doctor had me on Lithium Carbonate increased it to 750 mg a day and now added effexor 75 mg a day. Reading stuff on the internet it sounds rather scary mixture.
David,try calling the lines as it will give you someone to talk to. We are here to listen. Helping if we can. Sometimes just little steps are more manageable. Wash fash for 4 days. Shave 1 day. Then shower next. Hope you can find the support you need you are special to us here,looking forward to hearing more from you. . Take careNancy
Hi David, I hope you can call the Canadian lines and find someone to talk to and a good place that has space open. Sometimes going into the emergency room directly works best. This way you can immediately see a doctor and get an immediate referral to another inpatient hospital or admitted to that hospital.
My son, 30, takes Lithium and so did my grandfather. It helped my grandfather for many years, and is helping my son. He has his blood drawn monthly to monitor the level and has to keep his water intake constant to keep the lithium level constant. He takes Ability and Lithium and he does well as long as he gets regular sleep and stays away from alcohol.
I hope you can go to the hospital today. I will be sending you well wishes from Colorado!
Hi David, I have been in touch with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, they have suggested that you contact Healthline at 811 in Saskatchewan, they can assist with resources that may be helpful.
I am sending you a private message please look for it.
More contact information from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health. If you wish you can contact Mental Health Services in North Battleford (largest and closest centre with mental health services) here is the number 1 306 446-6500 and ask for intake, this would likely be the same information as Healthline would give.
Someone from the Sask. Dept of Health phoned on Tuesday. Took a bunch of information. Called the mental Health unit and they phoned out Wednesday morning. Was out when the message came in and had to phone them back and talk to the intake worker for quite a while. She went and talked to the on call person. Phoned back shortly and wanted to see if I could run in either still in the morning or after lunch but not over dinner as they are closed during lunch,
Might just as well of gone in after lunch and got a different person as this one was a prime example of why mandatory abortion order against their mother should have been completed More or less said that couldn't do anything.
Were getting another psychiatrist in the new year and would be having out patient things available then. Did give me a prescription for something to counteract the trembling that they felt is a result of the Lithium Carbonate increase.Hi @David_G, I’m thinking about you today and wondering how you’re doing. I’ve never been to Saskatchewan, but my husband’s sister lived there (in Regina) for many years and he visited her there.
Thanks @Stemwinder_Gary for looking into those resources.
More or less normal. Doctor changed and added some medication and scary. Headache, upset stomach scared of changes that are dealing with. Hopefully the body will get used to the side effects soon and they will disappear.
Still can't make a decision and still haven't had a shower.Just an update-got an appointment with the doctor later this afternoon to discuss the crap going on right now. Have an appointment with a counselor Jan 2,2018. Someone that I managed to talk to away from medicare gave me a phone number and if I had been able to phone it a half hour earlier yesterday I could have got in yesterday.
So glad to hear that David.
Was in to see the counsellor yesterday. Just like everything else. Waste of time. Claimed they couldn’t help. Got permission to fax a request to a homeopathic doctor that think might be able to do something. It will be a challenge as they speak chinese and I don’t. See what happens as they might be retiring and maybe won’t talk on any new patients.
Why did you feel it was a waste of time? Did they not listen to you or did they not understand?
Most likely didn’t understand. Nobody seems to be able to understand when you tell them that you can’t get yourself to have a shower, brush your teeth or shave when you normally should. It is also impossible for anyone to understand the major hyperactive reaction at the first part of this heading. When the reaction was so bad that I mentally died, no one can relate to that.
It is like me being able to understand what an alcoholic, rapist or child molester is like because I am nothing like any of them.
David, may I gently suggest you try again with the counselor. I’ll be honest, I have been depressed many times in my life since I was about 12, and I get this part about not taking care of yourself. An experienced counselor would understand too. Please let us know how you’re doing.
Can you see a different counselor. It may be that you just didn’t gel with the one you say earlier.
Went in to see a homeopathic person last Thursday. Long procedure as they wanted to know everything including for some reason whether I was using marihuana, Gave me what could be considered a prescription for herbal stuff. Went in to see the local health food store and it will take 1 week to get the stuff.