Would like a sedative from psychiatrist

[ontheup23]

Hi I am about to have an appointment with my psychiatrist using the term loosely as I've just met them twice
My mental health has been the pits for the last twelve months
I successfully had a misdiagnosis for bipolar amended on my records last year with the psychiatrist who was very kind and understanding
I never disputed I haven't got perfect mental health but it's pretty clear that it's not bipolar that is impacting me

For years I've wondered all types of things am I a narcissist, autistic, toxic or horrible etc

My child is on the pathway for an adhd diagnosis and by studying adhd which I didn't know anything about I have come to realise that this is likely the same condition I have too
I fit it quite text book, childhood and upwards and the patterns are the same

I've become extremely skinny and don't eat but not for body image issues. I have recently started mitrazapine and it is really really helping me, doctor has just increased the dose too.

I have unbearable panic attacks and I am very socially anxious which is pretty new in the last year, probably coming from v low self esteem and self worth. I am really angry at myself for not managing my life better and I take so so so much soothing to try to calm down. It's not sustainable for so many reasons.

I use Propanalol and it does help with my physical symptoms but I just sit there full of hate and venom thinking I am a disgusting person, I am very compassionate but I don't think I would be able to tolerate someone like me if they were a friend

I help all my friends in their terrible times but I don't think even I could cope with me when I am sad, because I just catastrophize a lot of stuff and even when I'm told it's ok and not to worry I fully can't break the cycle

Just about to have a meeting and I would like something like lorazepam for panic attacks because they are excruciating

How do I ask for this? I don't want to be shamed for it but think it would benefit me a lot whilst I get my life back on track

Fully aware that an adhd diagnosis may not be what I am going to get and this isn't my asssesment that is years off but I want to ask for some thing to help me in the interim whilst I titrate up on mitrazapine

Has anyone done this how did you ask?

Meeting in a couple of mins

Thank you

I've got ADHD not bi polar and I'm married to someone who worked in mental health for 15 years
I've never ever had mania

I was a teenager who liked to go out

I've never had mania either. It's not a symptom of bipolar II.

I also get the highest possible score on ADHD tests.

Of course they say that! Why give you something that can get your symptoms under control in two weeks, when they can have you on SSRIs for life!? As they say: 'Lose a patient, lose a customer'...

Why report it? I thought it was useful information. You've taken benzos, I assume?

Agree with this entirely. I used to think my Dr was fantastic. Not anymore. I have severe mental health and she has gone from a weekly check in to not calling me now for almost three months.

It’s not that I don’t think. It’s not the US. And it’s no longer ethical for doctors to meet with drug company reps.

It is more the threat of getting into trouble with your employer/the GMC if someone ends up addicted to benzodiazepines and the doctor didn’t follow the right guidelines… And most GPs will refuse to continue prescribing.

First of all please do not buy drugs off the internet. I can’t actually believe that someone even suggested it. It’s unbelievably dangerous and illegal.
Second of all be really careful about using benzodiazepines. I’ve been in your position and I know when you’re having a panic attack it’s the worst feeling in the world and you’ll do anything to escape it. You feel like you’re dying then you worry that you’re not. I was prescribed diazepam many years ago. I could have hugged the doctor when they gave them to me as I thought it would be the answer. It isn’t. It opens a whole other can of worms.
These drugs are highly addictive. Physically and psychologically. I got to the point where I couldn’t do anything without them. They have horrible side effects and you do feel like a zombie. After being on them some time,if I had a panic I’d need more to calm me down but as I was panicking I would self medicate and take dangerous amounts. At the time I didn’t care if it hurt me as I was desperate for the panic to stop.
I still have them now but I only take half a pill at night to help me sleep but it took years and a lot of bad times to get down to this dose. Finding the right antidepressant has helped me massively also coping strategies for when I panic. It can be the silliest thing but as long as it’s a distraction it does help.
Ultimately the cure to anxiety is reassurance. I understand the idea that a pill can do that and relax you seems like bliss but it isn’t. It becomes another problem to solve. You need someone to talk to who can reassure you or you can do it yourself. You need to rationalise why you’re panicking,what you’re scared of happening and talk yourself down. It’s hard but it does work. Once you get the hang of it,it’s a life changer. I’ll always be an anxious person but I no longer panic and the relief is unbelievable. I wish you the best of luck and I promise that it can get so much better. Apologies for the essay.

DO NOT BUY ANY MEDICATION FROM THE INTERNET. Does this really need to be said!????

Especially Benzos. They are highly HIGHLY addictive and only prescribed very carefully and briefly, especially something like Lorazepam.

Also, with panic attacks, YOU DO NOT WANT to manage them long term via benzos. Yes they take the edge off, but you will be no closer to managing the panic attacks.

You will only create a psychological addiction to benzos alongside a physical one.

I'm a psychotherapist who treats panic disorder daily and it can be incredibly hard to treat in the face of regular benzo usage. People will pop one as soon as they start the feel the panic come on. Any other management strategies become very hard to reinforce as the dominant way of coping. Then your body has to deal with an addition alongside everything else.

Please explore CBT if you haven't already, specifically to manage to panic attacks/anxiety.

You did not suggest private healthcare.

You suggested buying medication from the internet!??

This is what the NICE guidelines say. Just to manage your expectations. Good luck.

‘Pharmacological interventions
General1.4.21 Benzodiazepines are associated with a less good outcome in the long term and should not be prescribed for the treatment of individuals with panic disorder.’

Precisely this - thank you

The online gp service I suggested is private healthcare. They still take a patient questionnaire and can refuse to prescribe

And I have to say these services are great. I’ve been able to buy the proper amount of migraine and asthma medications that I need which the NHS wasn’t fulfilling properly for how much I need to use them

I had a massive severe asthma attack from not being treated properly from my local GP. I hope privatisation increases tbh

Better late than never. At least the post has gone now.

People who can't afford to go private will just die.

I've got ADHD not bi polar - that's quite the firm declaration, after saying your DC is on the pathway and from reading around it you think you are too. But anyway, glad you had a good conversation and hopefully good outcomes from the agreed treatment. All the best with that and with potential diagnosis.