Doctor won't give me diazepam ..aibu?

[lucyhar]

I've been getting diazepam off my doctor for around 4 years now for when I have to travel by plane.
I normally get 7 tablets a year.
My doctor has retired now and I'm travelling to Australia in may to see my aunt and uncle.
I've just got out of the doctors (new doc) and he refused any.
Now I understand people get addictive but I get 7 tablets a year!
I have a massive fear of flying,I've tried CBT,hypnotherapy,kalms,I did a fear of flying course and nothing.
Before I was prescribed diazepam I didn't go on holiday for 7 years.
They gave me my life back (without being dramatic)
Aibu to speak to the practice manager?

What if the Drs stop prescribing insulin? Or methylphenidate? Or ventolin?

People will suffer. Like they will if they stop prescribing diazepam.

It is very difficult for GPs at the moment, as people have said above they are scared of litigation, of being the cause of illness or death from prescribing wrongly. They have to stick to the guidelines. If it’s not indicated in the NICE guidelines their hands are tied.

But you’ve yet to try another GP, give it a go and they may prescribe with no issues?

@lucyhar cross posted with you. You can't not go on the holiday of a lifetime because of 1 little tablet. I know it's massive to you but you need to find out what your other options are just incase. Would missing out on this once in a lifetime holiday not be more stressful & devastating? There has to be another option surely than just not going because you can't get this particular med?

Sorry should have been clearer. I meant if they stopped prescribing them for your current situation? I don't know the ins & outs of the aviation authority & the rules but I just mean would it not be better to try something else just incase? I'm not judging, I love a wine on a flight so I would be impaired if that were the case.

Why not? Because it’s a tablet that you can afford to pay for and obtain privately. It’s a luxury item to allow you to fly on a long haul flight. It’s not a mental health problem with significant impact. Plenty of people never fly to Australia. Your holiday is costing the NHS dearly. The GP has, decided you don’t need it for medical reasons - that’s how prescriptions work. They aren’t meant to be on demand. They are meant to be prescribed at the practitioners professional judgement.
You sound very entitled.

My problem OP is that you are angry and blaming a doctor for following the rules of their workplace.

I am not comparing the pain of infertility to a holiday, but the fact of the matter is neither are essential to live. Travel or children. People have different priorities and as someone who chooses to be child free I want my allowance of NHS funding spent on my mental health to help me do the things I choose with my life.

After just watching ‘Hospital’ OP and seeing the financial pressures the NHS is under, I think YABU. I appreciate you have been prescribed diazepam before for flights and I understand your frustration at not being given it now but we have a health service in crisis. You don’t need the medication because you are unwell. I feel that this is not something the NHS should be funding.

You cannot equate diabetes,ADHD and asthma medication with someone requesting PRN medication to go on holiday!! The other medication will have significant impact on someone's life and health- OP doesn't get her diazepam worst case scenario no holiday the others... Diabetic ketoacidosis for example a bit more serious if insulin not given!

Jesus I’m stunned at the stupidity on here

Pretty arrogant don't you think considering the conflicting information here even from those citing medical qualifications? And the lack of answering questions of fact asked by pps

Who the hell are the "British Aviation Authority" and their medical team and when did they replace NICE?

I've asked before and had no answers but if the CAA say no CNS depressants on flights due to risk then why is alcohol allowed on flights?

Do you routinely tell people taking diazapan not to fly? If not why not?

If its "against the rules" why can the same doctor who can't prescribe on the NHS prescribe privately?

If its simply a case of cost and not approved for NHS cost then that is a different issue which is at least comprehensible - so is that the real reason?

Where is the evidence base that says periodic prescription of small amounts of anti anxiety drugs for specific use cases is associated with addiction and other harmful consequences? And if you can find some please show how its adjusted for medical advice given.

The information given here by those self describing as qualified is conflicted - its not surprising the OP is confused.

And all that is before you get anywhere near the second class treatment of MH conditions and the second class treatment of women in general.

Well said "caffeine"

Contradictory and unsupported excuses!

It is not ‘costing the NHS dearly’ ffs. If the OP pays for her once a year prescription, she’s not costing anything. Diazepam is cheap as chips.

@CherryPavlova I've had anxiety disorders for the last god knows how many years.
It's not a luxury item !
It's not simply getting on a plane ..it's the build up to travelling anywhere,a week before my anxiety starts ,the worry,the physical symptoms
My anxiety is the root of the problem
Diazepam helps anxiety

My anxiety has gave me really bad physical symptoms for years...anxiety is just as real as any other illness!
The attitude towards anxiety sometimes disgusts me.

It's the anxiety any sort of change of routine gives me,I still want to do things and diazepam allows me to do it.

GoGo

Take methylphenidate then. If I don't take that, my life is harder significantly. I can't do the things I want to do as effectively. I can survive though. I won't die. It's just limited.

How is that any different to someone wanting a medication to remove the barriers a phobia puts up?

@Banthesnow_ but surely the other GP will see the notes that their colleague has refused. But I would imagine the 2nd GP can differ in how they deal with the patient. Is that not why people get 2nd opinions?

Cherrypavlova the OP being prescribed 7 Diazepam a year isn’t financially crippling the NHS . That’s ridiculous!!

Op I think you’re medicalising your desire to go on a long haul flight- it’s not a medical issue, it’s a nice to do. I know it will make you feel better, and you do have anxiety, but I think you’re confusing lifestyle choices with real health issues.

Why are people going on about her prescription being funded by NHS?? She never said she gets free prescriptions, she pays for them and NHS profits because it's a cheap drug 🤔

Cloudhopping what a rude and patronizing response

I don't know if this is about the fact that the OP wants this for travel, or that people genuinely don't understand how anxiety works . I am so baffled by some of these responses about the NHS funding it. It's a tiny amount of medication per year!

Either people are being deliberately obtuse to have a debate or they don't understand how this illness can limit your life. Why stop with travel OP? You don't HAVE to go to work or a crowded place or for a meal with friends. So the NHS shouldn't have to fund the medication that helps with that either?

It is the GP's prerogative what he or she deems appropriate to prescribe but I think to say the OP shouldn't have it because of cost is weak. That theoretical standpoint could be applied to anything non essential.

Get Phenergan over the counter at pharmacy. Used it all the time for long distance flights 😀

Gave up reading the entire thread after seeing OP refuse to listen to sensible advice and people subtly troll hunting suggesting the GPs on here are full of shit (they’re not btw).

Just an FYI for those suggesting OP should ask her own GP for an private prescription. There is (unfortunately) little known legislation that mandates that if a drug is available on the NHS your GP cannot prescribe it for you privately. It’s fraudulent to do so.

OP, GPs are not given any incentives to put people on antidepressants and beta blockers. They are used as there is plenty of clinical evidence that they are better for anxiety and have less dangerous side effects in general.

Those who suggest lying to get it or go to an older GP to get it as they are more likely to prescribe. Please remember that a GP who goes against evidence based medicine and just gives in to patient demands despite local policy and national guidelines etc is likely to be an incompetent and lazy GP who doesn’t bother to keep up to date and as such, I wouldn’t have much confidence in their clinical acumen!

Younger GPs are less likely to prescribe as they are more recently up to date with best practice evidence based guidelines (which aren’t always an easy goodie by the way).

I no longer prescribe diazepam for ANYTHING apart from severe muscle spasm or occasionally depending on the circumstances for bereavement.

2mg is a small dose. But it’s a small dose of a benzodiazepine that has clear and potentially very dangerous side effects. If it was a simple little pill it would be sold over the counter instead of what it is, a class C controlled drug that is now also under strict drug driving rules due to its effects, addictivness and its being used and abused in the past.

Also she wants to see family, what an indulgence, how dare she?
YANBU, OP

Hmmm, GPs who are making their decisions based on imaginary/hypothetical litigation cases rather than patients' real life needs and suffering😩