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?

@Mintychoc1 I wasn't having a go at you btw
I'm just irritated as I can't even explain how it helped me and my fears of flying a

The GP recommended phenergran (I think that's how you spell it) it's a allergy tablet.
I've just read reviews and people saying it caused dizziness and drowsyness.
It's baffling they would recommend that.

So I'm never able to travel again? Not leave the county for the rest of my life because of anxiety

That's up to you. You could travel by means other than plane, work on your anxiety in other ways, or not travel. Your choice. A GP is not obliged to endanger their registration and livelihood because you want a long-haul holiday. Yes, GPs prescribed it in the past, but people on the thread have clearly explained how best practice and indemnity have recently changed to reflect our most up to date knowledge. As it should. I'm sorry that is inconvenient for you, but it's not the GPs' fault.

Would it help you to get on a plane knowing that airlines carry drugs like that and can give it you mid flight if you did have a severe panic attack? So you wouldn't be stuck there upset for hours...

@CountessVonBoobs it isn't just "inconvenient "
I spent years not being able to do normal things like going away with friends or going to my mums wedding because I couldn't travel.
It's a massive thing for me.

@lucyhar you seem to be interpreting people saying it's a placebo as meaning it doesn't work. The whole point of placebos is that they DO work, often shockingly well. If you believe the pill will stop you having an anxiety attack, it will in fact stop you having an anxiety attack. Which suggests that your anxiety could be tackled and managed through non-pharmaceutical means.

a person might end up taking an antihistamine, a bunch of Kalms tablets, washed down with a glass of wine to cope with the flight.

This is all up to the individual. They can make their own judgement of whether this is a reasonable course of action for a holiday flight.

If the GP signs the prescription they are legally responsible. That is the difference.

when you are a responsible adult
The law does not absolve the GP of responsibility because someone believes they are a responsible adult and chooses to tolerate any risks. The GP is still responsible for what they sign.

Diazepam is prescription only because we as a society have decided it needs a doctor's judgement when to prescribe. It isn't up to the individual whether they think it's reasonable for them to have diazepam.

@CountessVonBoobs I've tried all sorts
Cbt/hypnotherapy and they did nothing for this fear or phobia whichever you want to call it.
If someone said you can do this therapy and your fear will ease ..I would happily do it a million times over.
If there was another drug similar to diazepam I would happily take it but I don't think there is.
I've tried propranolol but made me feel terrible and didn't help me mentally.

@MorbidlyObese because I know I get no side effects from diazepam ..the thought of phenegran scares me.

Yanbu, i get them at a higher dose when i get muscle spasms. I don't even need an app.
I don't use them regulary ( in fact its been several years since i last ordered any) however i can simply order when i need them.
Iv never been addicted.
I think some rules are getting ridiculous.

hardly anyone prescribes this anymore. My gp told me as I said I didn't want them as they made me suicidal.
I'm sure she said Temazepam is also reluctantly prescribed these days.

@Honeyroar is that true? As previously posted, I take diazepam for flights. I have a heart condition which can cause panic attacks or horrendous palpitations at any time. I was initially diagnosed diazepam as a 'just in case'.

Maybe I wouldn't need diazepam if I knew there was something on board that would help me should I need it.

I've had similar issues. Struggled to ask fir help for anxiety for a lot of years. Diazepam gave me my life back - literally. The calm I felt allowed me to take control back over my life. Cynics can be cynical if they wish but it really did work. The easy targets are punished yet addicts and people that abuse them wouldn't dare be challenged (I'm well placed to talk on this one) can't you try a sensible but therepeuric amount of alcohol. Glass of red wine or two? Just enough to make you feel relaxed but not intoxicated. If you really need the diazepam private GP/psychiatrist?

@MorbidlyObese how does phenergan help anxiety ?
1.its not addictive if taken occasionally
2.its not illegal where I'm going either

@MrMeSeeks my grandma used to get 28 tablets 5mgs for muscle spasms willy nilly
Yet I can't get 4 for a flight

@limpbizkit that's exactly how I feel.
They gave me my life back.
I could do normal things again.
My local chemist you see empty packets where the druggies (people who actually abuse them ) have just got them and took about 10.
Makes me sick
Then people who literally want 2 /3 for flying gets told no.
If I was a druggie I would probably get them on repeat.

addicts and people that abuse them wouldn't dare be challenged

If you're addicted to them and you suddenly stop taking them very bad things happen to you!

my grandma used to get 28 tablets 5mgs for muscle spasms willy nilly

She wouldn't now. Because things have changed massively, because of all the negative effects of widespread prescribing of benzos. If you are really confident you'd get loads if you were "a druggie", you can always try convincing your GP that you are one and see if that magically loosens up his/her prescription pad.

Honestly, harking back to 20 or even 5 years ago when they were prescribed more freely isn't going to help you. Things have changed, for good reasons, and your options are to explore private prescription or find OTC or non-pharmaceutical coping strategies.

Maybe they should do brrathikise everyone before getting on a plane too?

I hope not - a large glass of pinot can do for me what 5mg of diazepam cannot.

"You don't medically need to go off on a jolly, the NHS doesn't exist to facilitate your social life."

I don't medically need to be able to walk around shops, I'm still on beta blockers so I don't have panic attacks when I do. Perhaps my GP should just tell me to shop online?