OCD Action

Marc
Member

I am a 47 year old male with an OCD suffering partner aged 37 (also male)

We have been together for 12 years

This is about my partner, not myself

My partner has a long history of depression, reaching back to his teenage years

However, over the last 4-5 years he has started suffering from OCD. Initially this was reasonably manageable,although I know that he hid his condition from me and other family members

Of late, OCD had almost completely taken over his life

Having just watched the "Wales This Week" special, I can relate to so many of the topics raised by sufferers of this condition

There is very little help in this area

My partner has no faith in his GP - she is a GP that thinks that he is obsessed with his health and has been of no help whatsoever, shrugging her arrogant shoulders when she should have been treating him as a cry for help

In fact, I am in the process of writing to the local health board with a complaint against her

I am compelled to write in this forum as I am deeply concerned that his condition will deteriorate even further from majorly debilitating to completely debilitating

There are so many OCD instances that I know of without the many that he suffers constantly in waking hours - sleep is the only respite

There has been talk of suicide so I am constantly monitoring him for signs of mood changes - this is putting a great deal of pressure on me as a lead a busy professional life - however, I love my partner and will do anything to get him help if help is available

He has had psychotherapy which was unsuccessful and a plethora of different anti-depressants over a number of years, also unsuccessful

I am the only one who knows about his condition as he has felt unable to approach said GP with his issues

Obviously I will continue to try and help him and rationalise his fears attached to the OCD but I really need some professional advice on where to turn

Thank you

Tue Jul 26 2011 19:29:29 #
blueboy
Member

Hi Marc,
sorry to hear of all your trouble..
they have very good advocacy service here..
PAUL.

Tue Jul 26 2011 19:37:14 #
Cuthbert ffoliott
Moderator

Hiya Marc -

I too am sorry for your partner's, and therefore your trouble. Of course I don't know that GP, but to me it seems like she has a tendency to belittle (his) OCD. Given the length of time your friend suffers from it, and his hiding the symptoms from others, it should be taken very seriously, IMHO; all the more because it became so grave over time, and it leads him to mood changes and even thoughts about fatal options, as you write.

People in this condition aren't just 'obsessed by their health'. That expression makes me think about egotistical fashion models, but not about your partner. He is ill. His state decreases his quality of life very much. It seems like his worries over his health dominate all other issues, and rob him of all everyday pleasures.

I hope that people on this site (e.g. one of the moderators?) can give you advice, as to where to look for the right treatment (I am located in the Netherlands, so I can't comment on other countries).

Wishing you and your partner all the best, Cuthbert.

Wed Jul 27 2011 7:48:26 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Marc,

Welcome to the forum

You haven't said what particular type of OCD your partner experiences and I was unable to access the programme that you mentioned.

Early in your post you said
My partner has no faith in his GP - she is a GP that thinks that he is obsessed with his health and has been of no help whatsoever, shrugging her arrogant shoulders when she should have been treating him as a cry for help

You then later say
I am the only one who knows about his condition as he has felt unable to approach said GP with his issues

If he feels unable to open up to this particular GP then he should either ask to see another GP in the practice or change GP. A GP cannot help if the patient doesn't tell them what the problem is.

OCD is frequently called a hidden condition because unlike a lot of other illnesses where the problem can be seen there is often nothing for the outsider to see if we have OCD. So in order to get treatment we need to tell the doctor what it is that we are experiencing.

Trudy

Wed Jul 27 2011 7:56:50 #
Cuthbert ffoliott
Moderator

Hi Trudy -

thanks for your additions. Initially I thought that health itself was the core issue with Marc's partner; now I see that that may be the case, but also that other matters may be involved (hence Marc's phrase: '...felt unable to approach...').

Cheers for clarifying, Cuthbert.

Wed Jul 27 2011 8:13:19 #
Tess
Member

Hi Marc
Just to say welcome to the forum and I am so sorry to hear about your partner's OCD. You are right to be concerned if your partner is talking about suicide and he needs specialist treatment and support. If his current GP is unsympathetic then he need to find another GP who will empathise and refer him on for psychological support. Psychotherapy is not the best treatment for OCD, I had it for donkeys years with no beneficial effect whatsoever. You say he has been on various antidepressants in the past without success but I wonder if he has ever been described SSRI medication which is the recommended treatment and there are some excellent drugs now for treating OCD. Hopefully your complaint to the local health board will make them sit up and take this matter seriously because anyone who talks about suicide is in urgent need of help and support.

Wed Jul 27 2011 10:48:40 #
Ratwomble
Member

Hi Marc,

Welcome to the forum. I think Tess is right. If he doesn't have a rapport with his gp then he is perfectly within his rights tom go to another one. The gp is the first step to recovering health.

Best wishes

David

Wed Jul 27 2011 19:34:56 #