How to get your doctor to give you the medication you want?

[chloelondon]

I am sick of doctors shoving SSRI anti depressants down our throats. I am not depressed, I have agoraphobia and extremely social anxiety... but I’m happy in my comfort zone... I’ve had enough. I’m going to my doctor today and I’m going to tell him if he doesn’t help me today I will give up

Is there a specific medication you think will work better? Why not try a direct approach and ask for it specifically?

SSRIs are licensed and recommended for anxiety. They are not only for depression.

Which medication do you think will help you?

Mine aren't helping with anxiety. I'm not depressed just exhausted with anxiety. It's impossible to get real one to one talking therapy. They just keep offering drugs and suggesting changing them when they don't work.

I really want Pregabalin / lyrica back. That fixed everything but UK GPS are rubbish

It's a controlled drug now, their hands are tied.
I get alarm bells ringing when someone demands a controlled drug with a high street value and won't try the recommended treatment.
(Doctor)

They are cracking down on preagablin. Those meds get sold on, I've witnessed it myself. From what I understand they can be highly addictive and I know people who use them for recreational purposes.

If you're suffering, I'd ask to be under an actual mental health team where you can see a psychiatrist. GPs are limited to what meds they can give.

I feel your frustration about SSRIs. Many people find them an absolute god send but others can't tolerate them and I am one of them. They made me worse and I am still slowly recovering from taking them last year.
Ironically I have been offered pregabalin but it will probably be in combination with something else and I am very afraid to take anything now as I can't afford to loose the progress I have made. I wish you luck with your appointment. Doctors do not like being told what to prescribe though, so just talk honestly about how the different drugs have made you feel, without making it sound like you are demanding the Lyrica. If the NHS is cracking down on prescribing these drugs, maybe it is possible to find someone who can write a private prescription for you? If there is a medication that works for you It seems a shame that you should not be allowed to take it. Bit pointless taking ones that don't help you or make you feel worse!

Forgot to ask, did you try the SSRIs and found them ineffective or do you just not want to try them because you do not feel depressed?
SSRIs can be good for anxiety but I found they made mine much much worse.

If you're suffering, I'd ask to be under an actual mental health team where you can see a psychiatrist. GPs are limited to what meds they can give.

This. Psychiatrists control the majority of meds for mental health issues. GPs only reissue scripts, at least in my experience.

Be warned though, it can be an extremely long wait for a psychiatric assessment referral (8-10 months in my area).

In many areas Pregabalin is on the black list, so the chances of getting it even in secondary care are low.

Can you afford to see a psychiatrist privately? There's still no guarantee they'll prescribe it, but they'll have more time and less budgetary restrictions.

Yes you do need to see a psychiatrist they can prescribe more kinds of meds that will have a better effect for you.

You may not get pregabalin but there should be something else to help you.

My dd was on SSRI but they didn't help her, the psychiatrist prescribed her different meds which have helped a lot.

Psychiatrists control the majority of meds for mental health issues. GPs only reissue scripts, at least in my experience.

Psychiatrists only see a tiny proportion of patients taking ADs. The vast majority of ADs are issued by GPs.

The benefit of seeing a psychiatrist is that they have the discretion to prescribe off label, which a GP rarely will/ can.

Interesting. I was prescribed pregabalin by a psychiatrist. Made me feel so beyond wiped out tired I wasn't safe to drive. Stopped it.

I don't think you can say UK GPs are rubbish because they won't prescribe a controlled substance.

Would you consider a different class of antidepressants?

Psychiatrists have access to many more medications than GPs.

UK GPs aren't rubbish. They are however pretty damn good at following best practice protocols for dispensing prescriptions for controlled drugs.

Any patient demanding pregabalin, or oxycodone or any of the other profitable and in demand controlled drugs is immediately viewed with suspicion...especially if pretty new to the practice assumption based on the UK GP comment

Ask for additional support that doesn't come in the form of SSRIs and co-operate with the treatment they suggest. If it doesn't work you return and ask for further help. If you are new to a practice they'll want to establish their own treatment plan with you to ensure it's safe and appropriate.

I'd suggest being open to not having pregabalin though because being fixated on that as your only solution won't do you any favours. I'm not being critical, I'm just sharing the experience I have of pregabalin being taken from one of my relatives after many years of being prescribed.

I'd suggest going private if possible.

Not directly related to the AIBU but this was my experience with Lyrica. I told my GP I wanted to come off fluoxetine (Prozac) and as I'd seen a psychiatrist for an ADHD diagnosis the year before he recommended I see her about cutting the fluoxetine down so I did. I had come off it before and didn't really need any advice - I'd just gone to half a capsule a day in a shot of orange juice for a couple of weeks then to every other day, etc. which had worked fine, but I agreed and saw the psychiatrist. She prescribed pregablin (Lyrica) for no apparent reason (I wanted to come off drugs not take more and was in a perfectly well state of mind) so I did as she recommended and tried it whilst cutting down the Prozac as I'd previously done. After the third day of taking the pregablin I had anxiety and paranoia but was advised to keep upping the dose gradually regardless. By day 5 I was afraid to leave my bedroom and cut myself for the first (and only) time in my life. I stopped taking it that day and the fluoxetine the following week. I've never taken either (or any other antidepressant /anxiety medication) again and have never been happier but the memory of that experience still scares me. This was in about 2010, I was 29. I still don't understand the motivation of that psychiatrist but can only assume she was doing research. She told me it was an epilepsy medication so presumably this was when they were trialing it as a MH aid. I'm sure it works for the OP and am not doubting her experience/need for that particular medication but I'm not surprised to hear it's now a controlled drug.

They don’t offer pregablin now it’s too expensive they give out gabapentin it’s cheaper.