Horrible Doctors Visit.......
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Horrible Doctors Visit.......
So I am suppose to see a psych doctor every couple of months. She retired & they are in the long process of finding a new one. So I have been getting refills every few months from a general doctor. Well, today she informs me that she doesn't feel "comfortable" prescribing my anxiety meds & will only give me a few. This is the only thing that helps with my anxiety. I do not care if they are addicting or if I am addicted to them. They help when nothing else does. I think of that saying, "the customer is always right" here & left the office kinda angry. I think I may have to look for a new clinic to see a doctor that understands.
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That's a slippery slope JF1. Saying you know the drug is addictive and that you may be addicted is frankly a really bad sign coming from a self professed addict.
This is the same reason I have avoided taking the Ativan I was prescribed to help ease stress. I was given it after I complained to my doctor that I sometimes want to drink after stress. I only took one half of one pill the first night and now they sit in the cabinet because I am worried about getting addicted to them.
I decided a long time ago it is just not worth it to use these "Professional" sedatives as they always seem to be a substitute for our Alcoholic Addictive Minds.
Try to find another way to take the edge off, you really don't want to get dependent on something else do you?
This is the same reason I have avoided taking the Ativan I was prescribed to help ease stress. I was given it after I complained to my doctor that I sometimes want to drink after stress. I only took one half of one pill the first night and now they sit in the cabinet because I am worried about getting addicted to them.
I decided a long time ago it is just not worth it to use these "Professional" sedatives as they always seem to be a substitute for our Alcoholic Addictive Minds.
Try to find another way to take the edge off, you really don't want to get dependent on something else do you?
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Originally Posted by Fandy 
or find a private practice physician who specializes in your personal issues and pay for your own health care.
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((J41)) - The first GP I went to had NO clue about addiction, but I enlightened him. I also told him "if I EVER ask for xanax, you'd better ask me WTF is going on!"
Time came, and I did ask him for it and he did ask me WTF? I told him. He prescribed them to me. He left the practice, got a new dr. and I told her my history. I went in, one time, for something else, and asked for a refill on the xanax BUT gave her my pill bottle and said "count it...I'm not abusing it, and I want you to know". She did, she post-dated the Rx and all was fine.
She will only prescribe me 2 refills, because of the "pill mills" and the jeopardy to her license. I get that, as I was an RN and I know what a license means to a person. I don't abuse them, in fact have done without for a few months because of financial problems.
I had to build trust with both doctors. I had to PROVE I was not interested in getting numb, I do have PTSD and a sleep disorder and yes, I had to show how many pills I had left of a prescription.
I'm okay with that. Their fee is a small fortune, one I can't afford right now, but in time I will go back. I do NOT want to get numb. I simply want to sleep when I can, and when all hell breaks loose around me, I want to be able to get through it.
Find another doctor and build up their trust? I don't know, but that's what worked for me.
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
Time came, and I did ask him for it and he did ask me WTF? I told him. He prescribed them to me. He left the practice, got a new dr. and I told her my history. I went in, one time, for something else, and asked for a refill on the xanax BUT gave her my pill bottle and said "count it...I'm not abusing it, and I want you to know". She did, she post-dated the Rx and all was fine.
She will only prescribe me 2 refills, because of the "pill mills" and the jeopardy to her license. I get that, as I was an RN and I know what a license means to a person. I don't abuse them, in fact have done without for a few months because of financial problems.
I had to build trust with both doctors. I had to PROVE I was not interested in getting numb, I do have PTSD and a sleep disorder and yes, I had to show how many pills I had left of a prescription.
I'm okay with that. Their fee is a small fortune, one I can't afford right now, but in time I will go back. I do NOT want to get numb. I simply want to sleep when I can, and when all hell breaks loose around me, I want to be able to get through it.
Find another doctor and build up their trust? I don't know, but that's what worked for me.
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
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impurr, thank you for the post. Yeah I had a Dr. once who had me bring the bottle back to count the pills. She only did it once & I was okay with it. It is just exhausting though that you have people thinking you are just looking for a "buzz". If I wanted to get high than I would just go buy a bottle of cheap vodka & some crack.
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JF1 your post literally leapt off the page at me! I had the exact same experience, was left in tears, had a real go at the doctor and stormed out the surgery! But... They were right.
I had crippling anxiety, brought on mostly by hangovers, and was prescribed Valium by my doctor. She used to prescribe it like candy, and I had a never ending supply, which I would take daily. It seemed the more I took, the more I needed, but it worked, so what did I care.
I then moved house, and so changed doctors and had this exact experience. The doctor actually said to me "what has your other GP been doing prescribing you this much Valium for this long?! It's highly addictive and isn't a long term fix" I was horrified, and terrified, told her she didn't understand, that it was the only thing that worked, that Inneeded it to cope with the attacks etc, I was beside myself... But as I said before, it turned out she was right. It wasn't easy but she prescribed me beta blockers instead (non-addictive) and a small amount of the Valium. She told me to take the beta blockers in place of the Valium where possible, and only take the latter should I feel I really need it.
Over time I weaned myself off the Valium this way, (and as a result the constant debilitating panic attacks began to fade altogether), and would be dubious to ever take it again. While it seems your GP is being unsympathetic, (and granted sometimes their manner isn't as comforting as it could be), what they are actually doing is the best thing in the world for you, it is your old physician whose method should be questioned. I hope you find a set-up that works for you but hope my experience is of some help!
Xx
I had crippling anxiety, brought on mostly by hangovers, and was prescribed Valium by my doctor. She used to prescribe it like candy, and I had a never ending supply, which I would take daily. It seemed the more I took, the more I needed, but it worked, so what did I care.
I then moved house, and so changed doctors and had this exact experience. The doctor actually said to me "what has your other GP been doing prescribing you this much Valium for this long?! It's highly addictive and isn't a long term fix" I was horrified, and terrified, told her she didn't understand, that it was the only thing that worked, that Inneeded it to cope with the attacks etc, I was beside myself... But as I said before, it turned out she was right. It wasn't easy but she prescribed me beta blockers instead (non-addictive) and a small amount of the Valium. She told me to take the beta blockers in place of the Valium where possible, and only take the latter should I feel I really need it.
Over time I weaned myself off the Valium this way, (and as a result the constant debilitating panic attacks began to fade altogether), and would be dubious to ever take it again. While it seems your GP is being unsympathetic, (and granted sometimes their manner isn't as comforting as it could be), what they are actually doing is the best thing in the world for you, it is your old physician whose method should be questioned. I hope you find a set-up that works for you but hope my experience is of some help!
Xx
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Misslucy, its good to know that others can relate. It just amazes me that Dr's can have totally different opinions on certain drugs. I refuse to be looked as a active "drug seeker" & I told her so. At the end of the day, I am the only one who can say if I am truely sober or not. Certain doctor opinions, AA member or SR members are free to say I am "relapsing" or "drug seeking". 95% of SR members have not been through what I have. Standard, typical treatment programs & teachings did not really get me sober. A combination of mental health help, AA meetings, medication & exercise has.
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I am not far enough along to say if I can relate or not.
In my experience, I was anxious all of the time because of booze. I then was prescribed zoloft, klonipin, and prozac at different times by doctors in order to cure my anxiety. I did not stop drinking. Let me tell you, I almost killed myself when I had withdraws.
Fighting against a doctor's wishes to get your pills just doesn't sound like a good idea. Just my thoughts. Good luck.
In my experience, I was anxious all of the time because of booze. I then was prescribed zoloft, klonipin, and prozac at different times by doctors in order to cure my anxiety. I did not stop drinking. Let me tell you, I almost killed myself when I had withdraws.
Fighting against a doctor's wishes to get your pills just doesn't sound like a good idea. Just my thoughts. Good luck.
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If folks had my history of panic, generalized anxiety disorder and depression they would want their anti-anxiety medication, too.
It's hard to go through that type of hell and not seek relief in a medication that alleviates it.
So I swallowed Klonopin for 10 years, and fought like hell anyone who suggested it might be a bad idea.
I didn't have to doctor shop. I had a shrink, thought of as a regional expert in anxiety in a major metropolitan area. I could walk out with three refills of 300 two milligram hits. As my tolerance built up, I was on 20 milligrams of Klonopin a day, quit the increase from my one- to two-milligram daily initial script.
I detoxed from the Klonopin 2.5 years ago, had seizures, hallucinations, spent three days tethered to a bed, was in ICU for 10 days. Great drug.
Benzos work. And they allowed me to not work on myself, to face my issues that caused the panic and anxiety. They create that one emotion we who panic crave -- complete apathy.
Soon, I didn't care much about anything.
The funny thing about benzos is that they create an inter-dose withdrawal. As it leaves you system during the day, the rebound anxiety -- far worse than just natural anxiety -- hits so you dose again. ANd tolerance develops in weeks and months, not years.
I haven't had a panic attack in year.
But I know someone depending on their anxiety medication will read this and know they are unique, that if someone else felt the anxiety and terror over inexplicable circumstances that they do -- feel threatened when there is no rational threat, which is the core of a panic or anxiety diagnosis -- they would know that they are different, that they need their medicine, that they have a medical condition that must be medicated, that there is a biological component to their anxiety and the drug corrects a chemical imbalance in their brain.
And they could very well be headed down the same road I took. Not pretty.
What's amazing to me is that people go to a general practice doctor and expect to be prescribed what is purely a psychiatric medicine. An d there are thousands of non psychiatrists out there that will write the script.I am always positively impressed when a new doctor sees the renewable script for a benzo from another doctor and freaks, tells the patient that they won't write a script, and then is willing to work with the patient to wean them from the drug.
Every manufacturer of benzos places warning labels on the medication -- normally that small-print folded material responsible pharmacies dole out with each script -- that the drug is not to be taken for more than a few weeks, have an extraordinary high risk for addiction and are known to create horrid withdrawal symptoms.
But don't fret, fellow panic and anxiety victims. You can find a doctor to write you a script for months at a time and you, well, don't have to panic or feel anxious.
Until you run out.
It's hard to go through that type of hell and not seek relief in a medication that alleviates it.
So I swallowed Klonopin for 10 years, and fought like hell anyone who suggested it might be a bad idea.
I didn't have to doctor shop. I had a shrink, thought of as a regional expert in anxiety in a major metropolitan area. I could walk out with three refills of 300 two milligram hits. As my tolerance built up, I was on 20 milligrams of Klonopin a day, quit the increase from my one- to two-milligram daily initial script.
I detoxed from the Klonopin 2.5 years ago, had seizures, hallucinations, spent three days tethered to a bed, was in ICU for 10 days. Great drug.
Benzos work. And they allowed me to not work on myself, to face my issues that caused the panic and anxiety. They create that one emotion we who panic crave -- complete apathy.
Soon, I didn't care much about anything.
The funny thing about benzos is that they create an inter-dose withdrawal. As it leaves you system during the day, the rebound anxiety -- far worse than just natural anxiety -- hits so you dose again. ANd tolerance develops in weeks and months, not years.
I haven't had a panic attack in year.
But I know someone depending on their anxiety medication will read this and know they are unique, that if someone else felt the anxiety and terror over inexplicable circumstances that they do -- feel threatened when there is no rational threat, which is the core of a panic or anxiety diagnosis -- they would know that they are different, that they need their medicine, that they have a medical condition that must be medicated, that there is a biological component to their anxiety and the drug corrects a chemical imbalance in their brain.
And they could very well be headed down the same road I took. Not pretty.
What's amazing to me is that people go to a general practice doctor and expect to be prescribed what is purely a psychiatric medicine. An d there are thousands of non psychiatrists out there that will write the script.I am always positively impressed when a new doctor sees the renewable script for a benzo from another doctor and freaks, tells the patient that they won't write a script, and then is willing to work with the patient to wean them from the drug.
Every manufacturer of benzos places warning labels on the medication -- normally that small-print folded material responsible pharmacies dole out with each script -- that the drug is not to be taken for more than a few weeks, have an extraordinary high risk for addiction and are known to create horrid withdrawal symptoms.
But don't fret, fellow panic and anxiety victims. You can find a doctor to write you a script for months at a time and you, well, don't have to panic or feel anxious.
Until you run out.
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memphis, 20milligrams of Klonopin a day is simply off the charts. I won't say what I'm taking. I find it ironic that the one drug that has helped me the most is demonized by doctors & former users. I really don't care about anyone elses detox from the drug. The only reason why I made this post was to get some sympathy & understanding about my situation. Scaring me has never worked.
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