Bipolar disorder and treatment

I was diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder two years ago, and am currently stabilized on Lamictal and Abilify.  I'm currently in the US, but about to move to the UK at the end of the month.

Questions:

Can I get my meds prescribed to me by a GP, or will I need to see a psychiatrist?  Is this covered by NHS, or will I have to go private?

I have two refills left on a prescription my US doctor gave me--can I use this prescription to order the meds online, or will I need to see a UK doctor?

I've heard that there's a stigma against mental illness in the UK--how much truth is in this?  Is my diagnosis something that might come up in a background check (I work with kids) and be held against me?

Thanks for your help!

You'll probably need to go to a specialist.  I'm just guessing b/c my GP wouldn't even prescribe anything for my ADHD which has a much milder treatment than bipolar disorder does.  You can get treatment from the NHS, but I'd get on it right away and bring a stash of meds and thorough medical records with you as it may take a bit longer to establish stuff here.  I've done some work with mental health stuff here as a social worker/therapist and the area I'm in isn't impressive, but the stigma is similar to the US. 

They will often have you work with a CPN (community psychiatric nurse) rather than a psychiatrist though-so don't be shocked if that happens.  They can still get you what you need.  I've seen people get decent medical care, but at least where I live, the counselling side of things leaves a lot to be desired.  I really have not been impressed with the mental health system in the UK, to be honest.  Sorry if that sounds discouraging.  Others may have different experiences.

It depends on the GP- a lot of GPs will prescribe mental health drugs if you have a history of treatment and are stable. Experiences with individual GPs vary widely, however.  Whether you get sent to a specialist or not, though, your prescriptions will be covered by the NHS, don't worry about that. 

A word of advice that was given to me on this board, and I'll pass it to you;

Bring as much of your medical history here as you can. This way you can prove you have been on the medication for x amount of time, have had no issues, etc. Most GOOD doctors will do their own tests etc, then prescribe, then have you come in for a refill of the script and a check up to see how you're doing on the meds.

I also think it depends on the GP as said above. Some GP's feel comfortable perscribing these drugs, some would feel more comfortable sending you on to another doctor or psychiatrist.

I think a vague plan of action would be get as much of your medical history as possible, maybe even a note from your doctor expaining the situation, come over, find a local GP  http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/Pages/ServiceSearch.aspx?ServiceType=GP
and go in and speak with them. If you get no help there, go to another. This is what I had to do to get my medications here. I had to find a doctor who actually listened and cared about their patient, the medical records I had sent helped a lot too!

I've only had positive experiences with the NHS and had a bad GP to begin with (would end up crying every time I walked out of their office!) but have had no issues with scripts, check ups, apts, and any care I need

Good luck!

Thanks for the responses!

Will a letter from my current psychiatrist stating what meds and dosages I'm on be helpful, or will I need to get my full medical records? 

Thanks again!

I think the letter would be helpful, but I'd bring the whole medical record.  Not all the meds are the same here and then you'll have a history of what worked and didn't with various dosages and such so you don't have to repeat the game as much if you need to change meds--the names are often different too and they don't use the brand names as much as the states, so you might not realize that it is the same or not.

dulcineah1, looking back through your posts, just to check what sort of visa you have, I see that on 12th December you posted :-

I was recently approved for a Tier 1 visa and will be moving to London at the start of January.  My background is in counseling/mental health, and I plan on looking for a job in those fields once I arrive.  Any advice on what to do/what the job market is like in these fields?

I have an M.A. in clinical psychology and about five years worth of experience working with children and adolescents, mostly in a school setting.  I'm currently applying for membership with the British Psychological Society, although I don't know when that will go through.

I therefore suspect that some of your new work colleagues, after you have found a job, might be very knowledgeable after the questions you raise in this topic.

After you get to the UK, register as a patient with an NHS surgery. Do take your passport, with its visa, along as proof of entitlement to use the NHS. If you have any problems registering then don't hesitate to post here. But do accept that if a particular doctor's surgery has full lists of patients, then they can decline to accept you as a patient, in which case just try another surgery.

Whereabouts in the UK are you moving to?

Whereabouts in the UK are you moving to?

I'm moving to the southwest London area, and I was planning on registering with a surgery after I get there.  I think I'm mostly nervous about the perceived stigma, which makes me hesitant to ask colleagues, although that's just because I've heard that the UK is about ten years behind the US when it comes to mental health issues.

I'll look into getting my medical records, although those might be tricky since I moved over the summer and my doctor is now in another state.  Is that something I can do over the phone, or do I need to sign for my records in person?

Thanks!

I've heard that the UK is about ten years behind the US when it comes to mental health issues.

I wouldn't say that at all. In fact I'd say it's a very foolish generalisation. (In fact I'd say more than that, but I'd get in trouble).

I've heard that there's a stigma against mental illness in the UK

No more than in the USA or anywhere else.

If you have time before you go, get a full blood work including things like kidney function, liver function, fasting blood glucose, etc.  - things you would normally be regularly tested for in the US if you were on meds for an extended period of time. In the UK, under the NHS, they seem to only test you when you are already showing symptoms of something possibly being wrong.

I've had a couple of bouts of depression since being here in the UK (in my late teens, I was hospitalised for major depression and received treatment for bipolar disorder for about five years ).  I am still slightly amazed that my GP in the UK has given me antidepressants on request without giving me any sort of physical exam first. My experience in the US has always been that doctors will always rule out a physical cause first (thyroid, blood sugar, etc.) before treating you for a psychiatric disorder.


Also, have your prescription details handy when you are at the airport. I assume the meds you are taking are controlled substances.

I went to my first GP here with a list of all the meds I was on for my bipolar, and gave a short history. I was given a prescription for the meds and a referral to the mental health trust. It took months before I got in there, but now I have regular appointments as we make a few adjustments (after almost 4 years of stable/slightly depressed, I've asked to switch things around a bit to try and feel a bit better).

I was told by that GP that they didn't have anyone on staff with the necessary expertise, so they needed to refer me to mental health. Since then I've moved, and my current GP has a bit more knowledge (and is younger, which I think is directly related), but he's still happy to have me seeing mental health.

The specialists decide what they want to do with my meds, send my GP a note, and then he writes the prescription.

As for stigma... You get it everywhere. I don't talk about it as openly as I used to in the US, but if directly asked I don't lie.