To think my Drs have deliberately refused to see me

[TheCatsPaws]

Background: long term clinical depressive with severe anxiety. Occasional diazepam user. I have never abused or overdosed on diazepam, or any other drug. Was stable until I recently had four miscarriages in a row, which has caused me to develop flashbacks, nightmares and for my depression to come back.

I went to my GP last week for some diazepam and was told flat out no, as I am a “risk” I’ve used it for nearly 10 years, about three times a year. I was instead given Zopiclone, which caused a horrible hallucination of blood running down my hands and sent me hysterical (my DP had to restrain me).

I threw the Zopiclone out and used my last few diazepam these last few days. I ran out yesterday and asked for a telephone appointment. The Dr never rings. I ring up and tell them. They say I’m still on the list. I ring at 5:30 and they say I’m still on the list.

6 I ring and it’s closed.

Now I have no way of getting my medicine and I’m going to have fucking nightmares and panic attacks when I sleep. AIBU to think this was deliberate? They just don’t want to prescribe it to me for some reason.

New

I too would have preferred an honest conversation. My issue is I don’t need things daily, I maybe need them for 3 weeks at a time every 8 months or so. That’s it.

I’m currently waiting for a mental health referral.

Can you speak to the out of hours mental health team for your area? Google should have the number.

GPs at my practice will now only prescribe a max of 3 days unless mental health services involved and authorize prescription.

Counselling. They keep telling me I’m not bad enough for a psychiatrist despite me doing something I don’t think I’m allowed to mention on here recently, and despite me having a long long long history of depression.

The flashbacks are awful and I keep having nightmares about my son dying. I can’t sleep because every night I either relive the miscarriages or see that

seems odd op if your on their list I don't see how they could just not ring I work in a surgery and they have to record it say if they rang and say patient didn't answer it's recorded. you could try and ring 111 and get a appointment I'm not sure they will prescribe it but worth a shot if you feel you need for over weekend maybe they could give a supply till you get to the doctors on Monday?

I would actually ring 111 if you are feeling that you can’t manage without them tonight. They can put you in touch with an out of hours gp who could give you a prescription. Then you can contact your gp again in working hours and have a discussion with them about the diazepam. (For what it’s worth I use diazepam when I have very chronic health Anxiety and it’s the ONLY thing that works so I know where you are coming from)!

Not yet. The crisis team I’ve been dealing with think it’s PTSD but nothing has been officially diagnosed.

GORY CONTENT

The flashbacks have only been in the last 6 months. Basically, I had a miscarriage with medical management, and it was horrible. I suddenly got back pain, and I “gave birth” to a complete sack on my bathroom floor, blood went everywhere, I was literally covered in it and holding the “baby”, I remember screaming and sitting in a pool of blood, my partner coming in and having to carry me away.

Then I had tissue stuck and had an infection and had to have a D&C, but they made me wait 4 weeks for it and so was really ill.

I keep having flashbacks to the baby coming out and being covered in blood. I relive the entire thing. Every fucking night

There is a lot of pressure on doctors now to not prescribe benzos. They are told to give a nonbenzo hypnotic like the one you were prescribed.

You'll struggle to get any doctor to prescribe you.

Have you thought of asking for grief counselling? I'm sorry for your loss x

I have tried 111 and they have said they will ring me back.

I can't comment on your health problem but communication with our GP surgery and our local hospital is a hot topic in our house. DD has some health issues and it absolute nightmare some time . Recently we need to resolve one question and it took me several phone call, 3 trip to surgeries and finally an appointment with GP and even after that all another trip to surgery. It's difficult to get an appointment and there is a long queue even for phone calls, I was booked for a phone call for the next week. So I 'm not surprised with your experience.

I feel for you

Ive had to battle to get occasional diazepam, ended up on longer term unseeded option, gained a fuckton of weight

One doctor kindly told me that part of the issue is abuse of the drug but it chaps my ass that having one prescription per year, of ten 2mg, has led to some refusals.

I'm surprised you got zopiclone

I wasn't asking to be referred to a psych in the past as I think that's unfairly wasting resources in my case, but if I'm refused again I will have to do that.

I hope you get this resolved. I doubt they were actively avoiding you but clearly they aren't very helpful.

Thanks everyone. Why are they so reluctant? I understand the abuse issue but I have never abused these drugs

I really hope you get it sorted soon, I really do feel for you.

I get a prescription of 28 2mg about twice a year. Partly as an added help with pain, partly because of anxiety. I use them sparingly, like you, and I've never overused them or become reliant upon them.

I understand that doctors are under pressure to not prescribe them, but when you're not asking for them once a month for years on end , I really don't see the issue.

I think I'm lucky with my GP. He's generally happy to let me have them and he's happy to put my painkillers (codeine) on repeat prescription.

I understand that doctors are under pressure to not prescribe them, but when you're not asking for them once a month for years on end , I really don't see the issue.

Exactly. I mean they used to prescribe me boxes of tramadol for period pain, since I was 16. I could abuse that far more easily than diazepam!

The issue is the prescriber is responsible for what something could potentially be used you for and risk assessing that. They don't know what you will do with it. They don't know you aren't abusing it. I think it does sound like you might be over reliant on it though. That's not your fault, it's just the result of the situation.

I'm a GP and have only just finished my call backs. I'm supposed to finish at 5 30...
We 'close' at 6 30 so if you phoned after that nobody would answer but you might find they still ring you!

Surely they can tell I’m not abusing it by me only asking for it twice a year if that?

@NorthernLurker

Did you read how rarely the OP uses it?!

And I speak from experience when I say if you ask for it less often, you risk being told "well you hardly ever need it so you can clearly manage without".

When I had an injury they tried to ply me with painkillers, they told me I wasn't taking enough and completely ignored any risk of addiction. It was bizarre.

There must be something else behind the anti benzo thing. I'm particularly surprised if they are giving out zopiclone more easily now.

There must be something else behind the anti benzo thing.

I’m thinking so too. I still have no difficulty getting tramadol prescribed in massive quantities... so if I was a risk surely they would stop that?!

It sounds like you are physically addicted to the diazepam, Suggest you try citalipram. For now, have a glass of wine and chill out.

Most GP practices are learning from the death of a woman in her 30s who had multiple analgesia prescribed and then died.
They are reviewing their prescribing practices and not prescribing. Most analgesia meds only provide temp relief and then people get addicted and that is not a reason to keep prescribing them.
Sorry OP that you are going through this but your GP will be acting in your best interest. Ask about alternatives again