Lived Experience Forum

[JasJac]

@Lemonjuice the process of getting your medical notes might be dependant on the individual practice. it could be one process if you request it for yourself and another process if another doctor requests it. I haven't accessed notes from a GP but have from hospital. I had to pay for them. but if a GP requested them they would fax over without charge. 

Also if you don't want to share everything ndis related with your GP, the people that you do share with might be able to provide this infomation on your ndis application, worth looking into so you remain comfortable. 

[Lemonjuice]

@JasJac I'm seeing the new gp tomorrow morning at 11am.  I am going to get her to get the records for me.  I don't think they will be so difficult with another gp.  I am going to prepare by writing down as much of my med history as I can remember and take with me the last bloodworks, ultrasounds, etc, that I did.  My greatest fear is the old gp contacting her and telling her not to take me seriously, that I am high functioning...I am, but it's all show and I am high functioning for others, not for myself...for myself, I am a mess.  Anyway, I will get back on here tomorrow afternoon and let you guys know how it went.

[eth]

Hope your appointment goes well @Lemonjuice  You sound well prepared.  Be sure to tell them that your function fluctuates, for NDIS (unfortunately) you kind of have to present your worst days  and it does make it hard to focus on being well.

[Lemonjuice]

@eth @JasJac Back from the new gp.  It was so hard to get the words DID out, but eventually I told her.  She's going to request my paperwork from my old gp and we are going to locate a shrink to get the diagnosis and paperwork necessary for the NDIS.  The most relief I got was when I said to her that because I am high functioning, my gp thinks that I am not disabled...that it's possible to be high functioning for everyone else but disabled for yourself. She nodded her head and agreed.  Thank goodness.  It's exhausting cause people can't see the scars like a physical trauma, so they think you are strong when you're ready to collapse.  Anyway, fingers crossed, so far so good.

[JasJac]

@Lemonjuice what a great find in your GP - she sure sounds like she understands!

well done on your bravery on getting DID out and everything else!!

[eth]

That's good news @Lemonjuice  Good on you for being brave with the new GP.  She sounds like she's a good one.  At one stage I'd been seing the same Dr for 10 years and 5 years on a med that didn't work well enough.  She left suddenly and I was thrown in the deep end with a new GP.  They immediately referred me to both psychologist and psychiatrist , the latter changed my meds immediately and things improved enough for me to be relieved that the change had happened and more hopeful about my future.

Hoping things go well for you too.  Keep being brave!  The more you tell them the better they can help you.

[eth]

Hi @Lemonjuice  How are things going for you now?

[Lemonjuice]

@eth thanks for asking.  I hope you've had a great Christmas- New Year holiday.  Everyone is away on holidays so not much is happening, just have to wait.  Problem is, I can't recall what it is I am suppose to do.  I recall going to the gp but not what she told me to do.  I think I am suppose to get a shrinks letter but I don't know anyone dealing in this area DID.  The other issue is that parts don't know, or haven't fully realized that my therapist has gone, that we won't be seeing him again, unless we go through ndis.  For some, he's just on holidays and we will see him soon, some see us as going to the first clinic, some see us going to the second clinic.  So, the urgency isn't there...like living in a daydream stupor.  Then there's some who want a new therapist, some don't want any therapist and me just kind of exhausted and numb.  Then there's other things happening, the roof got damaged with the hail, so I am trying to deal with the insurance company and my car is giving up the ghost, so I am trying to figure that out too.  Lol, ask me again in two weeks.  

Btw, had a friend with a similar condition, she was knocked back twice by ndis...perhaps things have changed since she asked.

[eth]

Sounds like you're going through a rough patch @Lemonjuice  Hopefully the roof damage and car issues can be resolved easily and soon.  Hope the festive season was good for you.  Mine was crazy busy and I needed lots of time out between events.

If you do decide to apply for NDIS @Lemonjuice you ring them and they send you access request forms which you take to your Dr.  It's really good to have clinical psychologist do it with you if at all possible, but my first one was done with a gp.  The most important thing is to list the worst ways that your function is affected in all the 5 areas on the form, and for the Dr to say your condition is 'lifelong and significant'.  NDIS looks for all these things, not just the name of your diagnosis.   

I won't bombard you with more than this for now, but my NDIS story is on the 'Anyone Started with the NDIS?' thread if you want to know more about how I eventually got it.

[Lemonjuice]

@eth please feel free to bombard me with this cause it helps me remember and to stay present.  Thanks for being here for me.