English speaking psychiatrist and also Pain doctor in Warsaw....urgent.

I have some serious medical problems causing a lot of pain. This has made me severely depressed and everyone is telling me to see a psychiatrist for some medication, even my medical doctors (in US they can give depression meds but here they wont do it they say see a psychiatrist)

I cant find one that can see me any sooner than 2 weeks (at LIM) Since the medicine takes a while to work I need it as soon as possible.

My pain doc is not available for a couple weeks also. I can't even manage to get the pain or depression down enough to fly back to the US as I am here alone.

Can anyone help with a Psychiatrist? Day by day I am barely making it.

I can't even find a place to get some pain relief. LIM said they dont have an urgent care area and they can make me an appointment! WTF? I need some injection or something for the pain.

The American Embassy should be able to provide you with a list of English speaking psychiatrists in Warszawa

StatMedica.com might be worth a shot - they have a section for finding clinics / hospitals etc. and is in English.

Try enel-med, they have four centres. I know the psychiatrist at the one on Jana Pawla is in at least three days a week and speaks good English (I used to teach her).

The clinic at LIM used to be one of the best in Warsaw but now it's one of the worst.

Thanks everyone. It seems I am screwed for now. On the pain front there is no urgent care option to get a pain shot or something. I have called every hospital I can find and they all want to make consultation in week or two minimum but I need some pain relief now. This is brutal neuropathic pain in addition to some new disc problem in my back that makes it so no position is tolerable and no pills I have help. Only the public hospitals have Accident and Emergency wards and they say they would not treat my pain without a conultant visit anyway. It's unbeleiveable. It sucks when people abuse emergency services in the US for colds and such but at least there I could try and get a shot or something. Even the embassy only knew the same clinics everyone else said.

If anyone knows if there is an Emergency department that would be able to give a shot of morphine or some strong pain medicine could you tell me? I have spent the whole day trying to find a doctor to help to give me some relief and cant manage to sit in some reception for 4 hours in a chair waiting to be told no or given APAP.

I am serioulsy depressed because of the pain but since i cant get rid of the pain i wanted to at least start treating the depression, but the soonest meeting is two weeks,

Sucks to be sick and screwed up in the head because of it in Warsaw. I will take some more pain pills and try to last until I can get to the right doctor. I know I will get sent from one to another a few times before one of them will treat the pain.

Is the package insurance for enel-med etc good to take or not worth it? Is it like in the US that they wont pay for problems you already have (pre-existing)?

I don't live in Warsaw and my suggestion is a little old fashioned and it may go against your higher feelings but it's probably your best bet.

Work your network of Polish friends/acquaintances for all it's worth. Keep repeating your problem is _urgent_ and ask if they know "anyone who can help". Use the networks of non-Polish friends and acquaintances as well if you can.

With any luck, someone, somewhere can make a call to a doctor they know and fit you in somehow. If this happens, don't mention money up front (if it's expected you'll be informed).

I just put out a feeler to the only contact I have in Warsaw, but it will take a day or two for me to find out anything (if then).

I assue you've already tried Instytut Psychiatrii i Neurologii, Sobieskiego 9,
tel. 22 45 82 780

can't you just buy pills online?

Pyschiatrists presecribe meds for the head. If you suffer from mental illness then you see a pyschiatrist.



Nobody get morphine without evaluation, it is a hardcore narcotic.
If you want immediate pain relief and you don't have medication, try an acupuncturist. I know it sounds mad, but acupuncture is very effective for pain relief.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html? in_article_id=483772&in_page_id=1774

check out the article.

As for the depression, psychiatrists only deal with clinical depression.
If you suffer clinical depression, 1) you should be on regular medication and 2) you should have regular consultations and evaluations.

I understand you are in pain, pain often clouds judgement. Yes your situation sucks, but given you have said issues, surely you should have been prepared and aware of your condition and have taken the neccesary precautions. I have asthma which if not treated is potential gravely serious. I'm aware of it so I prepare for it.
If you have serious medical issues as an adult you should deal with them. I don't mean to have a go, but for the next time.

Okay. When you see a normal doctor, you should be able to get an appointment immediately if you go private.

You tell them you have Gaul stones, which cause you immense pain. You explain that you have lost your medication (bag stolen). Ask them for Pethadin for the pain and valium to help you sleep. Explain this is what you usually get from your doctor.

Ok now this is the serious part. Firstly figure out if you really need medication, be honest with yourself. Secondly, don't ask for morphine, it is hardly ever prescriped outside of hospitals. If you ask for morphine, people will think you are an addict.

Anyway good luck. Try the acupuncturist first.

Try Health Care Family Practice. The doctors are general practitioners, but they are really well connected to specialists all over Warsaw and speak English very well.
tel (022) 858 0101



Zion - I thought you left! Would you please just leave people who are in distress alone! They don't need your negative attitude towards life ever - never mind right now!

I need immediate pain relief...I am in an acute pain crisis and my pain pills are not working at safe doses...thats why I need something stronger to break this flare up. I know what you mean about them thinking you are an addict but the fact is I am in tremendous pain and since nobody believes it i continue to suffer. This has gotten worse very fast so I couldnt have been prepared for it.

I have an appointment with a doctor tomorrow now but I imagine he will send me on to a specialist another day and not give me any pain relief...I can only hope.

If you could feel this pain for one minute you wouldnt say "be honest with yourself"

I am depressed because the pain wont let up...its a fact.

No you cant just buy pills online in Poland that I am aware of...if I ordered from the US they would get confiscated in customs.

I have tried accupuncture and it didnt work.

Fair enough... not having a go.
Question, why a psychiatrist? The deal with mental illness.
You sound like you are in immense physical pain. If its that critical go to hospital, surely...
As for flare up, pain killers don't clear flare ups, steriods clear flare ups.
Sorry I'm confused as to your condition, I'm not going to pry.
Well if you see adoctor ask for pethadin, not morphine. You've a damn sight more chance of getting it prescribed an it is a very efficient painkiller.

I'm not mocking your sincerity....
Just trying to help.

Call me a cynic and shoot me down,but I have a family member who suffers real pain.trust me,if its real pain your not sitting down and tapping away at your PC.
The morphine bit does raise suspions.

YEah you got me I am a faker. Give me a break. Who are you to say what real pain is. Morphine is a commonly used one time injection in THE US to break a pain Crisis.

GO on with your conspiracy theories,,,its cycncysim like that that prevents those of us in real pain from getting help. I know I used to be a provider andf thought the same thing, No I see the other side.

I can lay on the couch and type as well.

Peope suck

You could try this, it might help your physician. You might want to translate some of the terms.
URL
Have you tried TENS ?
URL
Might not help with acute phase but you won't develop a dependancy.

I suppose long term you might have to look at treating the cause. If its a disc that is persistent then you may need to consider surgery, but you will already know this.

As for the depression, I wonder whether you just have low mood and would be better and cheaper to talk to someone about how you are feeling.

Thats my tuppence worth, treat all Internet advice with the respect it deserves ;-)

v99, send me a pm, i can help, though i wont have discussion about your problems on a forum.

Are you an insensitive jerk?

It's real easy to make jokes....feel this pain just one day and I bet you won't be so smug.

dtaylor wrote you a PM

No relief yet...just some orders for tests.

Cancer would be better than this...at least it kills you.

It doesnt always - sometimes it just makes a mess of you and leaves you to deal with the physical and psycological scars. Believe me, you dont want to deal with that.

I'm sorry you have to come onto a forum to try and get some help and have to listen to what some people are saying. Thing is they don't understand nor do they realise what it is like to be in intense pain 24/7. It's hard to explain it to people who have never experienced it (as you already know)

I just wanted to say I've been there and know exactly what you're going through and I hope that you can get the correct medication soon in order to dull the pain for a while for you.

To all the posters who don't understand, just be grateful that you've never yet experienced it and pray you never are in such a situation. It's hard enough to suffer intense pain and have to deal with people who make stupid comments about it.

nice

Still nothing from dtaylor...I sent him a PM.

Dtaylor are you there?

I have heard no repply...I cant get any help really...just inefective pain pills...hurting too bad to even fly.

Hi V99,

Re Anti depressant meds.
Please make sure you research some of the meds that are given out as if they were candies, they are not suitable for everyone and sometimes withdrawls experienced when you are trying to come off them are worse than the symptoms you experienced before taking them. Try medetation or relaxation before you go down that road. Urgency in how you feel might make you rush into something you may regret. Thoughts are with you and there are lots of people out there who genuinely care. Medication definitely works. Hang in there and talk to people.

Kev

What exactly are your symptoms?
I am a Psychiatrist. At present in London but might be able to help with some connections in Poland. Dr T

Sent you a PM via your email it said.

Thanks

Does the PM thing work here?

Both people who offered help have not answered....not sure if it is a tech problem or if they just did not.

it does:). be patient

Patient??? One was replied to twice two weeks ago and one twice 3 days ago....I guess I am on another schedule than the rest of the world if that makes me impatient.