Posted by Rob on 21/7/2010, 5:05 pm
A couple of months ago I visited my GP and explain to him about the condition. I wasn't too surprised to find that he had never heard of it. He was, however, broadly sympathetic and suggested hypnosis as a possible treatment. I have already tried this - I did so some years ago and found that while it was very relaxing it didn't help in the least. I discussed two other possibilities him. Firstly I asked if he could book me an appointment with the urologist to talk about self-catheterisation. He agreed to this. I also asked if the local mental health team would be willing to talk to me about providing some help with desensitisation. I explained about UKPT and said how helpful had found the desensitisation workshops which I attended a few years ago. Again, he was a sympathetic and wrote a letter to the local mental health team explaining my condition and asking for an appointment. So far, I was really very pleased with the response.
I received a letter from my GP a few weeks later asking for me to make an appointment to discuss progress. I went along but unfortunately my own doctor was on holiday and so I saw a locum. She told me that the psychiatrist heading the mental health team had written saying that he did not consider that desensitisation would be appropriate as I have had the condition for such a long time - I am 56 and have had it since I was a teenager. The psychiatrist instead suggested that I take a medication – I have forgotten the name, I think it was an antidepressant that has been used to treat phobias. I asked the locum to contact the mental health team and tell them that I did not want to try any medication and insist on them giving me an appointment. I haven't heard anything back from them yet. I've just tried to make another appointment with my GP but he isn't available until next week.
This afternoon I have spent 2½ hours at the hospital. Two hours and 20 minutes of this was waiting in the queue and 10 minutes was spent with the urologist. He had never heard of paruresis. He wasn't willing to help me with self-catheterisation. Instead he suggested that I tell myself, 'I have to pass water' and that if this doesn't work then perhaps I should try turning on tap! Utterly useless!
I am making some progress. I did post a message here a month or two back and Andrew helpfully reminded me that most of the work on dealing with this condition is down to me. I am trying! But I am finding it very difficult. I do go out and try to use toilets in town. I always try to practice at work, either using a urinal if nobody is there when I go in, or leaving the closet door open. I am quite open about the condition with friends. When I go out for a meal with friends, for example, I find it much easier to tell them that I'm having difficulty, rather than sneaking off to try and find a toilet on my own! I have found that most people are quite sympathetic and, as my condition does not affect them in the least, pleasingly disinterested!
My aim is to get enough improvement to enable me to travel to the USA for a holiday in New York. I'm not thinking of booking a flight just yet! 2039
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