To think the doctor shouldn't refuse me my medication?

[lisaboob]

Hi,I've been a long time sufferer of anxiety for over 10 years.
A lot better now but still really anxious before a big event or a event that's out of my comfort zone.
My doctor prescribed me diazepam 2 years ago (28 tablets ) and they've just ran out.
Went to GP today and said no ..and offered me anti depressants.
I refused and left with nothing.
I use half a tablet before a big event etc hence why they lasted 2 years
Now I have things coming up this year and I'm going to have to cancel now.
Aibu to think this isn't ok?

shortandsweet there's websites online that I won't name that you input your details in, request a drug, have a 'consultation' with a doctor from god knows what country which basically involves 2 questions, they write the script and the website sends it out. It's dangerous very dangerous and used very often by drug addicts

I started off typing a really sympathetic answer. But after reading the whole thread where you behave like a child being denied sweets I struggle.

You dismiss all alternatives, you belittle other people who battle daily with crippling anxiety.

You say you need them before big events. What you’re describing is ‘nerves’. Welcome to life.

Even I’ve found it difficult to access a diazepam prescription and I’m using it in approximately the same as the OP but at the next dose up. However, I also take antidepressants, another anxiety med and anti-psychotics plus I’ve tried EMDR and other therapies. But I get so anxious I start being sick and don’t stop being sick until I’m admitted with ketosis so I had a psychologist state that the occasional diazepam is beneficial - I need to be sedated in order to reset. However, I also listened to what my GP said about memory loss and early dementia and I’ve halved how much I take it.

I’m saying if it is difficult for me to access with a letter from a psychologist which I direct my GP towards every time I go, then there’s little chance of OP getting it.

@Prequelle jesus christ. If OP claims not to be addicted to it then she wont need to go as far as buying god knows what drug on the internet.

That's like buying a false designer bag in Spain. It might look the same and have the same name, but it's not the real thing.

People are mad.

@lisaboob

I am a mental health doctor who has posted quite extensive advice.
I also have experienced anxiety to the point of not being able to leave the house and making plans to commit suicide.
I initially used a self help programme based on CBT to be able to get to psychology and then utilised the clinical psychology service to get back on track. It never even crossed my mind to ask my GP for diazepam!

I need them for flying, Beta Blockers do not have the same effect, they may reduce the racing heart but don’t actually stop the anxiety.

I don’t think anti depressants would be appropriate in this instance.

I do think like, a PP said, there has been a bit of a ‘clamp down’ on prescribing potentially addictive medication however, this can go too far and sometimes Drs are reluctant to prescribe when it’s needed.

Having said that, I don’t know what OPs stressful events relate to, if it’s interview stress or, like was mentioned, a wedding, I think that Beta Blockers would be appropriate, at least for me but I would not treat those events as high stress as I would for flying.

This is in no way a medical opinion just me own experience.

They may be firstline emergency drugs but that is not the op's situation. Op perhaps deal with one event at a time rather than say you cannot face any of them without a stock of diazepam now. Can you access talking therapy over the phone in your area? It may help you identify the triggers and devise non drug based strategies which you can apply to the next situation.

@Shortandsweet96 I have had anxiety for over 10 years.
Used to be severe panic attacks daily but that's under control now.
Used to be scared to go out anywhere alone,always had friends with me.

@TheNanny23 it was the doctor years ago who prescribed me diazepam ..I never even knew what it was till she prescribed it.

@Rachie1973 no it isn't "nerves" I've got anxiety which I've had for donkeys years.
Ive tried other things and they don't have the same effect.

What would happen if you just went to the event without taking anything?

You've been relying on diazepam for that long you probably don't even know.

Yanbu.
I've had diazepam sporadically and had no problems. I used to have a few tablets a year. They were like a reset button when I was a wreck.

Anti-depressants don't suit me at all. Suicide attempts, nausea and drowsiness. I won't touch them with a bargepole anymore.

@Prequelle it's more the night/day before than the actual day.
The day before I feel sick/I start analysing every possible thing that might go wrong.
I worry I won't sleep then I don't sleep.
The next day I feel exhausted and start thinking my panic attacks will start etc etc
It isn't just "oh I'm a bit nervous "
It takes over the day before and is unbearable

Everybody get nervous before doing something out of the ordinary. People with anxiety get nervous about leaving the house
Another uneducated statement. There is no such thing as'normal' when it comes to anxiety. We al expérience différent levels of it when faced with different stimuli. There is also a big difference between anxiety and utter panic.

I get anxious before a job interview. I also get anxious when I travel somewhere new I've never been. I get anxious when I see a spider. The first two, I can manage through talking to myself, deep breath and just get on with it to then realise the anxiety wasn't justified.

If I see a spider, I have the urge to get away from it ASAP. If I was grabbed and put into a bath full of them, I would go into complete mental meltdown. Thankfully the latter is unlikely to ever happen, ut if for some reasons I had to because I had no choice, no talking to myself would get me through it and a dose of valium would be required.

I still feel nervous Every morning but it's a manageable level now.
I can put that to one side ..before a event (that I feel is going to be difficult ) I can't manage that anxiety ..hence why the diazepam helps me

This is obviously affecting your life more than you're letting on.

I think some sort of therapy would be useful as someone said further up.

”It could be 4 one month the day before a event”

”I use half a tablet before a big event”

Well which is it? 4 or half?

@flowery it depends on the event ...what my brain thinks is the most challenging for me...my anxiety towards thing doesn't come with a set pattern undo

*unfortunately

@lisaboob yes I have had anxiety and crippling panic attacks. I went on antidepressants!!!!! Like most people do!!! Diazepam is not a suitable long term drug for anxiety. The way you are going on at everyone, getting defensive and dismissing any other alternative medication, you sound like an addict. There are literally 100s of antidepressants. Go to a psychiatrist and ask them to put you on one that has strong anti anxiety effects. If you aren’t willing to give this a go then you clearly don’t want to get better. You are an addict seeking a fix.

you sound like an addict

Half of mn posters must be addicts if based on defensiveness and dismissal of suggestion. Interesting diagnosis!

What is not clear though OP is whether you do suffer from anxiety overall and these 'events' are just triggers for your general anxiety and that if it wasn't for these events there would be different ones to trigger it. Or are these events very specific and if could avoid these all together without impacting on your life, you'd be just fine.

GPS are finally waking up to how dangerous benzos are and that's a good thing. Op you sound like your use of the Diazepam has been responsible but they aren't really right to treat long term anxiety which you have.

I feel strongly about this drug because I fully believe it killed my mum. She was prescribed diazepam after a neck injury and took it for 3 months. She then saw another dr who told her she shouldn't have been taking it for that long and gave her something else without tapering down the diazepam. She had a breakdown.

My mum who had no history of mental illness took her own life a few months later. I literally cringe every time I see a post about someone being unhappy the gp won't prescribe them diazepam.

I feel strongly about this drug because I fully believe it killed my mum
Very sorry for what happened for your mum but you can't assume that because it happens to your mum who was on it for three months, which indeed was a worrying prescptive method means that it pits people who take a low dose every few weeks at the same risk.

I’m surprised you have been lucky to get them so far, benzo’s are so rarely prescribed these days. Just because you want it then the doctor does not need to prescribe them.
They are professionally accountable for their actions and have a duty of care. Have you tried CBT or something like to assist your anxiety?

sway you're right of course, my view of diazepam is skewed because of the specific circumstances but this was allowed to happen because of the very lax attitude of gps at the time prescribing benzos for long periods of time without oversight then removing them without warning. I'm relieved that there seems to be a change of attitude and they're no longer being prescribed willy nilly.

Incidentally when I was signed off work after my mum's death, the same go practice offered me diazepam