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?

turn what's the evidence for occasional diazepam use to be dangerous?

The same thing happened to me - new doctor wouldn't prescribe it so I tried alcohol instead. A glass of wine or two before the flight worked for me - actually better than the drugs.

I also tried various 'thinking' techniques but they made no difference. Even if I didn't have a full-on panic attack I'd spend the whole flight with that feeling of dread that it could happen any moment. And those feelings would just make the association between flying and discomfort even stronger.

I actually don't need alcohol any more as the experience of lots of fearless flights in a row has retrained by body not to associate planes with fear.

Intersting that Google prescribing reference alluded some posts back to it seemsthe whole document is to do with cost savings when prerscribing.

It does not mention any requirments demanded or advised by the aviation authorities like the CAA etc..

Holiday items on prescriptionAs it is the holiday season, please remember that the following should not be provided on NHS prescriptions for travel:•Malaria prophylaxis•Norethisteronefor postponement of menstruation •Diazepam for fear of flying•Flight socksThese products should be provided on a private prescription where appropriate.

Now if thats not a cost saving statement i don''t know what is!

Diazepam is now longer licensed for anxiety when flying. That's the reason

Oh fgs. Where do you get that from? The local NHS cost cutting leaflet??

Rest and relaxation which some people can’t do in their every day environment or lives is health care in my view, and in reality a few diazepam is better and dirt cheap. Better than someone suffering anxiety and depression which can lead to hypertension suicidal thoughts etc etc etc and would cost the NHS a heck of a lot more to deal with not to mention the impact that all has on several other people around the person suffering. What a ridiculously rigid argument over 7 low dose little pills. It’s cruel and miserable.

I've been interested to read the information on here; have not been on a plane since 2009 and cannot ever imagine getting on one again due to my fear.
I'm already on 80 mg propanolol for a medical condition, so they wouldn't do the trick.
The take-home advice from people on here seems to be to go private for a suitable prescription.
I wouldn't trust the copied & pasted 'medical' advice: will put the passenger at significant risk of not being able to act in a manor which could save their life manor - sounds legit.
Interesting that all the self-righteous types on here are not raging about pissheads getting on planes - a danger to themselves and others, often aggressive, generally loud and annoying. I feel sorry for cabin crew who have to deal with them and would be even more terrified on a flight if I was trapped on a plane with somebody who was drunk.

There is so much misinformation on this thread from so called 'professionals' - bizarre

I'm one of the leeches on the NHS who pay for my prescriptions and shock horror fly 4-5 times a year now and have such a fear of it I get prescribed Diazepam. Years ago, I actually rang up in tears my GP surgery as my mam had been taken ill overseas and I adore my mother - I couldn't however fly over to be with her due to my (admittedly irrational) fear - thankfully I had a lovely GP (and if Minty is a GP I'll eat my hat - I work in the medical profession and never have I come across a doctor, GP, health professional with such judgemental, unprofessional, biased views as his/hers) who suggested to me I take Diazepam to enable me to make that flight.

There are lots of drugs that could/should may be only prescribed if the patient pays - how low do we go though? We dismiss nutritional nurses giving dietry advice to obese patients? It's their fault after all. We stop smoking cessation clinics for smokers as 'it's their fault?'.

Anxiety - irrational to some or not is a real health problem to those who suffer from it and frankly can't believe the amount of ignorant posters claiming its not medical.

I'd ask the GP's who have posted on this thread why they are ignoring BNF and denying their patients medication that they are rightly entitled to?

*bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/diazepam.html

NICE, panic attacks, acute anxiety, by injection, not oral. Or rectal.

Everyone travelling by plane is reliant upon everyone else travelling by plane to be not having panic attacks, be drugged and not able to function [impaired movement], or drunk!

2mg is completely inadequate for panic attacks!

Ahh Xanax and Diazepan are wonder drugs for the likes of me who is an extremely nervous flier

I cannot believe how entitled and rude some of you are. Firstly, flying is a luxury and NOT a right. Expecting the NHS to pick up the bill for this is insane. Let alone the safety aspect. And those of you offering to share your meds or lie to your GP are commiting FRAUD! I'm disgusted at the opinion that the doctor is unreasonable when it's the OP who is. Go private and be grateful that if you are actually unwell enough to need medical help here you don't have to remortgage to get it. Have a word with yourselves ffs!

The BNF isn't a bible. The NHS does not fund you flying to Barbados. It's not a right.

Moving to a different GP surgery won’t help. GPs are becoming more and more cautious when prescribing benzos and moving to a new surgery and requesting something like that won’t get you anywhere. Have a look online- there’s a website which goes something like United Kingdom Sleeping Pills dot co dot U K (try the initials) which are fairly reliable. Not cheap but they do as they say on the tin. Alternatively sign up to a private GP. You’ll end up paying £50 + for a consultation and probably the same again for a private prescription but needs must... personally I’d go down the website route. Rather than a benzo I’d try either Xanax or Zopiclone which have both worked for me. Especially when you have a business class ticket with a flat-bed seat and wash them down with plenty of booze 😊

I’d be very tempted to lie to the private GP, and say that your anxiety is travel related (not flight-related). Tell them you’re going on a ship cruise instead of airplane. Has any UK/EU Marine authority prohibited the drugs use for their method of travel? I bet it’s just planes.

I don’t usually suggest lying to medical staff (unless you want a bad outcome) but this particular situation would seriously tempt me. I’d probably tell them I had taken it in the past for flights and had no bad reaction.

Also ask for a letter/certificate that explains its use, since your ‘cruise’ has stops in middle eastern ports where you might need to give more info on what the drug is. I’d have a real cruise researched in case I had to answer questions.

Omg! Who are you people?! Stop lying to the ppl whos job it is to protect you? What bit don't you get about that?
Stupid stupid stupid!
What about when you're stone cold out of it in an emergency? The risk you pose to yourself and others, not to mention being caught abroad trying to take them into or out of the country without proper certificates?
Yeah pop onto a website to buy your 'drugs' but don't blame anyone else after you've bought drugs off the internet!

If you're told no, why wouldn't you be able to accept that?

Your problem exactly replicates mine. I've also tried NLP, hypnosis etc. The only thing that works is diazepam. And it's only 2mg. Without it, there would be no holidays. I once had a GP get shirty about prescribing, but these pills are the ONLY reason I can travel by plane, having tried everything else.
Stand your ground and explain your reasons. If unsuccessful, ask a different GP and live your life.

I have find this thread so incredibly judgmental, with very patronising posts and so many wrong misconceptions.

People who as for a few valium to help them fly are NOT addicts if this is the sole purpose of taking it. The risk of addiction are much stronger with people taking codeine over time which is available over the counter.

Valium is very chesp: 76p for 28 2mg tablets. The NHS is making money out of those people who pay for their prescription.

Guidance and guidelines are just that, they are not set in law. Only NICE Technical Appraisal Guidelines are. These relate more about what the NHS should prescribe rather than shouldn't.

GP can prescribe unlicensed drugs, but they need to feel comfortable with their decision to do so. Interesting none of those supposed GPs posting on this thread as commented on my analogy of melatonin prescribing to children.

Ironically, Ipswich and Norfolk CCG guidance (as an example) on the prescription of valium a tuslly indicate that it should be prescribed only for occasional events, specifying flying as an example.

Of course no one has to fly. Then again, no one has to have penetrative sex either yet Viagra is available on the NHS. For some,being able to fly is key to their relationship. I used to work with a colleague who refused to fly. She met a new partner in her 50s, they retired 5 years later. He was desperate to go and travel the world in retirement, she knew it and had promise to sort out her fear of flying. She couldn't do it and in the end, this build such conflict in their relationship, they decided to separate.

As said, those desperate to fly who will only do so with valium will find a way around it to still get it, so the main reason to recommand not prescribe any longer will change very little, planes will still fly with people on valium, or sleeping pills, or large amount of alcohol in their bodies, probably causing more problems then a regulated small prescription.

26 pages.. and maybe three posters who actually know what they are talking about!

See a private doctor

You are everything that is wrong with this world. And no doubt the first to sue/lie when it goes wrong. You people infuriate me.

Classic.

What about when you're stone cold out of it in an emergency?
This bit made me laugh! I'd have to take over 10mgto even get to the point of being totally stoned, let alone stone cold.

Ironically my GP prescribed me valium when I was taking my driving test. That was 30 years ago. I passed. Good thing he didn't assumed I would be stone cold then :)

Yes that made me laugh too. So much misinformation on this thread.

One thing no one has picked up on, why does op get seven tablets a year? Surely you would need an even number of you're taking 1 a flight? And is op going away 4 times a year? Or are these for the build up?