History Of Depression? Knightsbridge Help

[misspaige22 0]

Hello. I have a few questions regarding my history of depression, and the medical with Knightsbridge. I'm going to begin by detailing a little bit about my mental health history.

 

When I was 13, I began self harming and saw a school counsellor. I also went to my GP and got a CAMHS referral, but had felt better upon my CAMHS assessment. When I was 14, I started experiencing symptoms of depression again as well as anxiety. I was referred to CAMHS again. Upon referral I was put on a regular dose of antidepressants. I was on these antidepressants for a little over a year. I stayed in the care of CAMHS for approximately 2 years. During my treatment through CAMHS, I attempted suicide at 15 years old. I was in the hospital for less than 24 hours and I was saved, and was discharged back into the care of CAMHS and placed on suicide watch for about two weeks. When I was 16 I attended a support group for people with social anxiety. Shortly after this, I was discharged from CAMHS into the care of my current GP. When I was 18, I visited a different doctor at my local practice with symptoms of depression and self harm, and was prescribed the same antidepressant on the same dose I had taken before. I made the decision myself to stop taking these antidepressants without consulting a doctor and ever since, I have been depression and self harm free. I am now 19, about to turn 20.

 

Now that you know a little more about my past, I have some questions related to my case.

 

1. What qualifies as hospitalization on the medical questionnaire? I was never admitted to a psychiatric facility, and my hospital stay was less than 24 hours. I wasn't in any inpatient services.

 

2. What qualifies as a major illness on the medical questionnaire? Are they looking for things like infectious diseases? I've never had anything like that, I'm wondering if mental health issues count here.

 

3. What extra materials do I need to bring to my medical at Knightsbridge due to my circumstances?

 

4. Do I need a written note from all of my previous psychiatrists and therapists, or will a letter from my current GP detailing my medical history suffice?

 

5. If I need a written letter or note, what needs to be written in it? Does it need to detail my history, or does it just need to say that I am no longer a threat to myself?

 

6. Do I need to notify Knightsbridge ahead of time to let them know that my case may be a little more complex?

 

7. Will I need a psych evaluation?

 

8. The last doctor to prescribe me antidepressants is not my current GP, but they work at the same practice. If I need a note, should it be from my GP or the last doctor to prescribe me antidepressants?

 

9. Do I need to bring my full medical records as well as the summary due to the complexity of my past?

 

10. Is this recent enough to cause major issues? I am feeling much better now, I have never wanted to harm others at all. But now I don't even want to harm myself. I just had a very rough high school experience, and it was mostly circumstantial.

 

11. Since I never consulted a doctor upon stopping antidepressants, do I need to let them in on that now so that it appears on my summary and/or medical records?

 

Thank you for reading my storybook, all advice is much appreciated.

 

[Wuozopo 4,285]

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

What qualifies as hospitalization on the medical questionnaire? I was never admitted to a psychiatric facility, and my hospital stay was less than 24 hours. I wasn't in any inpatient services.

Being admitted to a hospital, puting on a gown, having a hospital bed? I would say your suicide attempt alone qualifies to being hospitalized. My opinion.

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

What qualifies as a major illness on the medical questionnaire? Are they looking for things like infectious diseases? I've never had anything like that, I'm wondering if mental health issues count here.

Allergies, asthma, high blood pressure, depression diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc, etc

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

What extra materials do I need to bring to my medical at Knightsbridge due to my circumstances?

A written report from your GP describing any condition you have...i.e. Mental health issues for starters. A good history and diagnosis. When it started, how treated, medications, and are you a threat to your self or others.

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

Do I need a written note from all of my previous psychiatrists and therapists, or will a letter from my current GP detailing my medical history suffice?

 

The visa clinic doctor will have to decide if he wants more than you GP can report about your history.

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

Do I need to notify Knightsbridge ahead of time to let them know that my case may be a little more complex?

No

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

Will I need a psych evaluation?

That will be up to the doctor to decide after he meets you and talks to you and reads what your doctor has to say. 

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

The last doctor to prescribe me antidepressants is not my current GP, but they work at the same practice. If I need a note, should it be from my GP or the last doctor to prescribe me antidepressants?

Whomever knows you best and can write up your history. 

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

Do I need to bring my full medical records as well as the summary due to the complexity of my past?

No. A print out of you patient summary that everybody has plus a written report on your mental health history and any other conditions you might have had.

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

Is this recent enough to cause major issues? I am feeling much better now, I have never wanted to harm others at all. But now I don't even want to harm myself. I just had a very rough high school experience, and it was mostly circumstantial.

We don't know. The doctor will have to evaluate you.

 

2 hours ago, misspaige22 said:

11. Since I never consulted a doctor upon stopping antidepressants, do I need to let them in on that now so that it appears on my summary and/or medical records?

It sounds like you need a good sit down with your doctor. You shouldn't decide when you are better without talking with a medical professional. If you need meds, then take them. Being on a K1 visa is depressing for even those with the best of mental health. It may sound glam, but being stuck at home without being able to work or get a driver license or travel out of the US for 7 months or so starts feeling like prison. If you have to live with in-laws, even worse. If your fiancé is unemployed or makes very little, it can be hell. I will find some threads where people describe their homesickness and boredom while their fiancé is away at work.

 

 

 

 

[misspaige22 0]

On 9/1/2019 at 7:56 PM, Wuozopo said:

Being admitted to a hospital, puting on a gown, having a hospital bed? I would say your suicide attempt alone qualifies to being hospitalized. My opinion.

 

Allergies, asthma, high blood pressure, depression diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc, etc

 

A written report from your GP describing any condition you have...i.e. Mental health issues for starters. A good history and diagnosis. When it started, how treated, medications, and are you a threat to your self or others.

 

The visa clinic doctor will have to decide if he wants more than you GP can report about your history.

 

No

 

That will be up to the doctor to decide after he meets you and talks to you and reads what your doctor has to say. 

 

Whomever knows you best and can write up your history. 

 

No. A print out of you patient summary that everybody has plus a written report on your mental health history and any other conditions you might have had.

 

We don't know. The doctor will have to evaluate you.

 

It sounds like you need a good sit down with your doctor. You shouldn't decide when you are better without talking with a medical professional. If you need meds, then take them. Being on a K1 visa is depressing for even those with the best of mental health. It may sound glam, but being stuck at home without being able to work or get a driver license or travel out of the US for 7 months or so starts feeling like prison. If you have to live with in-laws, even worse. If your fiancé is unemployed or makes very little, it can be hell. I will find some threads where people describe their homesickness and boredom while their fiancé is away at work.

 

 

 

 

Thank you very much for the awesome advice and taking the time to respond. One quick question, I am going to schedule an appointment with my GP ASAP to inform them that I quit taking antidepressants. It's worth mentioning that I did stop taking them over a year ago, so I know by now that I do not need them at this point in time, however I do want to make sure they are kept in the loop about this so there's no confusion. Should I wait to request my medical summary until I've sat down with my GP and explained the situation with the antidepressants so it appears on the summary, or can I request the summary now over the phone and talk to them about it during my visit? I want to make sure there's as little confusion as possible at the medical, while still getting this process done as soon as reasonably possible. Thanks so much.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, misspaige22 said:

Thank you very much for the awesome advice and taking the time to respond. One quick question, I am going to schedule an appointment with my GP ASAP to inform them that I quit taking antidepressants. It's worth mentioning that I did stop taking them over a year ago, so I know by now that I do not need them at this point in time, however I do want to make sure they are kept in the loop about this so there's no confusion. Should I wait to request my medical summary until I've sat down with my GP and explained the situation with the antidepressants so it appears on the summary, or can I request the summary now over the phone and talk to them about it during my visit? I want to make sure there's as little confusion as possible at the medical, while still getting this process done as soon as reasonably possible. Thanks so much.

I am not as familiar with the medical summary as some who have had medicals recently. I did this in much simpler times. (Maybe we lied too much so they are cracking down on you lot 😂) I think your summary will list you as taking the meds, so best to get that sorted and updated so it shows you take nothing currently. Make sense?

 

The most important thing you need to get in your write up about your depression  from your GP are the magic words for immigration "is not a threat to herself or others".  That's what the visa clinic needs to see to give you the okay. I have known of some doctors that refuse to predict that and many who are fine with it. If you don't get that, the clinic could want a psych appointment for you. The visa clinic just wants an opinion from another medical profession so it's not all on them having just met you. If your GP says it, then you probably won't need further evaluation. Don't be afraid at your medical. They are very nice. I know of many on this forum who have had some depression issues and several who had self-harmed.  One who had scars all up both arms just got his US citizenship this summer. 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Wuozopo

[yoda one for me 321]

Does your surgery have an online system where you can look at your current summary and active prescriptions? Mine does and it showed my prescriptions from the past 12 months. They printed off a surgery copy of this for my patient summary document.

 

Perhaps if you haven't been going back to check in with your doctor & get a reissued prescription they won't be on there for you, but if you can get to an online system to check that might help you determine when to request your summary. 

 

Otherwise, it can't hurt to make an appointment to talk to your GP and explain that you'd like them to note down that you stopped taking them some time ago and are feeling very well and just want it on record. They'll probably tell you off for not doing it with their supervision but hey ho  

 

Whoever writes your letter about your mental health will likely refer to your records to do so (it was a senior practice member and not my personal GP who wrote mine), but if your GP surgery is anything like mine, I had to put in a request in writing explaining what I needed them to say (a brief explanation of history and last treatment, that I was not a danger to self or others - this is key as long as it's true!, and that i am currently well) and based on my records they were happy to do exactly that. 

 

edit: Also when you fill out the initial questionnaire that you have to bring to the medical, it asks for you to add second sheet with more details if you answer yes to various questions like, say, hospitalisation and self harm. I added a sheet that explained dates and some context for my particular case and how my health currently is. The doctor did read this and ask me about it and was ultimately satisfied. The key to me seems to be making sure you are honest and upfront about everything. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by yoda one for me

[ohcoffeeeyes 120]

4 hours ago, yoda one for me said:

Whoever writes your letter about your mental health will likely refer to your records to do so (it was a senior practice member and not my personal GP who wrote mine), but if your GP surgery is anything like mine, I had to put in a request in writing explaining what I needed them to say (a brief explanation of history and last treatment, that I was not a danger to self or others - this is key as long as it's true!, and that i am currently well) and based on my records they were happy to do exactly that. 

Sorry to derail the thread slightly but better than making a new one. When you did that, was it easy or hard? I have a history of anxiety and depression (though never took meds as it was before I was 16 and I had ONE meeting with CAMHS). My history is a bit complex won't get into it but as I said this was before I was 16, do you think my GP would be like "yeah hes not shown any signs of it" and be okay with writing such a letter?

Edited September 6, 2019 by ohcoffeeeyes

[yoda one for me 321]

3 minutes ago, ohcoffeeeyes said:

Sorry to derail the thread slightly but better than making a new one. When you did that, was it easy or hard? I have a history of anxiety and depression (though never took meds as it was before I was 16 and I had ONE meeting with CAMHS). My history is a bit complex won't get into it but I never took meds and I was hospitalized before. As I said this was before I was 16, do you think my GP would be like "yeah hes not shown any signs of it" and be okay with writing such a letter?

It depends a lot on your individual circumstances and the way your GP surgery operates. I imagine they're all slightly different but I'm not sure  

 

My situation was really straightforward and simple, and they were quite happy to write me a brief letter to what I asked in the letter of request I wrote (note: I had to pay a small fee and it took a week), and my record backed it all up so I didn't have to talk to a GP in person for them to verify it. In terms of my health, my main issues were nearly 20 years ago and well behind me, with only a minor blip of anxiety in the last few years that had me trying medication briefly and recovering without it afterward.

 

For a more complex or serious case I guess they might want to talk in person about it before they're comfortable writing a letter - the best thing to do is contact the surgery and find out what their procedure for this kind of letter is. 

[ohcoffeeeyes 120]

42 minutes ago, yoda one for me said:

It depends a lot on your individual circumstances and the way your GP surgery operates. I imagine they're all slightly different but I'm not sure  

 

My situation was really straightforward and simple, and they were quite happy to write me a brief letter to what I asked in the letter of request I wrote (note: I had to pay a small fee and it took a week), and my record backed it all up so I didn't have to talk to a GP in person for them to verify it. In terms of my health, my main issues were nearly 20 years ago and well behind me, with only a minor blip of anxiety in the last few years that had me trying medication briefly and recovering without it afterward.

 

For a more complex or serious case I guess they might want to talk in person about it before they're comfortable writing a letter - the best thing to do is contact the surgery and find out what their procedure for this kind of letter is. 

Thank you for your response. It's nice to hear from someone who experienced this, that small minor blip sounds a bit like me and I think I have the advantage of the fact I was a minor. 

 

Thanks again. 😁