Long term meds being stopped...

[Jan]

I have been taking Oxazepam (similar to Diazepam) for nearly 40 years and they have helped me to live with crippling anxiety. I know it's a long time and probably wouldn't be given for this length of time nowadays. In a nutshell my GP is going to stop them. He started by cutting them down X 2 per day which was a nightmare. A senior partner overuled this and is cutting them by x 1 per day at the moment. I feel it's too late in life to stop them now but what can I do? I am even tempted to buy on-line but wonder if on-line pharmacies are reliable. I'm at my wits end knowing where to turn :cry:

Jan.

[mamascrazy1985]

I would buy pills on online pharamcys doctors suggest that u don't because there is add on in the medication as far as cutting down I am not sure about that cause I have never been on meds that have to be weaned off of good luck

[TinfoilxTouch]

Did they give you a reason for wanting to take you off the drug after four decades? Have there been increased side effects or tolerance?

I'd say find a psych doctor who has some experience. Odds are a GP has never once prescribed this medication, since it's fallen far out of favor. You need an expert in the field to help taper you off it correctly, if you need to be at all.

And in terms of the reply about buying online- it's a controlled substance. It would be illegal to buy online witout a script, and I've yet to find a site that actually has real MDs associated with them. The best bet is to find a live human who knows what they are doing.

[Jan]

Thank you both for replying as I really do appreciate your help. TinfoilxTouch I'll try to keep it short but I nursed my Mother with cancer around 6 years ago. A year after she passed away I had a total hysterectomy. Since then I've had really bad nights, some nights my husband needs to wake me as I'm crying out in my sleep because of terryfying dreams. When I woke I would take a tablet just to stop the overwhelming fear. The knock on effect of this was that at times I would be getting my prescription early but my old GP never made a fuss. When the new GPs took over I explained what had been happeneing at night but the younger GP just said that he wouldn't prescribe anything to help me sleep and that he would be cutting down/completely stopping my meds. I asked him if I could have a referral to see a psych and he said 'what do you think he would do for you' when I said 'listen' he just said 'I can do that for you.' I have made my mind up now to see a psych without a referral and agree that I need more help with this than my GP is going to give.

Jan.

[TinfoilxTouch]

Jan,

I can see exactly what's going on and it's sad you're in the situation. So many young doctors are trained to look for drug seeking behavior or abuse, that they leave no room for the patients to figure things out on their own and then consult. He's obviously so scared to give people scheduled scripts, that he labels you an addict for having taken them.

A logical doctor would tell you that med isn't meant for sleep, cut down your dose just to cover you during the day, and given you a typical sleep med like Ambien. At the very least he would have suggested you see a psych doc to hash it out after 40 years of taking the drug. I'm glad you've decided to look for help elsewhere on your own.

[Jan]

TinfoilxTouch, thank you for your understanding of the situation and supportive advice. I never imagined when I posted that just sharing what has happened would help so very much. Afraid after the GP's reaction that no-one could possibly understand and might even judge me too. I wasn't ever going to get anywhere with him as he just shut down when I explained that I'd taken the medication at night. When I asked him for help with my bad nights he just shook his head and said 'I can't give you anything.' I have made my mind up to fight now and not give up. I will make an appointment to see and psychiatrist even though the thought of him not understanding either fills me with dread if I allow the doubt to take hold. I'm very tempted to take this further with the Patient Care Trust too because if this Doctor acts like this again with a different and more vulnerable patient who has no loving family then he/she would go through hell. This GP must be made to realise that he might push someone over a very precarious precipice because I know at my lowest on the first night after I'd seen him the idea of 'doing something silly' did cross my mind as one of the options out of this mess. He needs to be re-educated about how long it takes to safely reduce this kind of medication.

Jan.

[Jan]

I have an appointment with a psychiatrist for Tuesday 8th September. His secretary told me that he's not overly keen on seeing someone without a letter of referral but I explained what the GP had said. There's a little bit of light showing at the end of the tunnel, although I'm feeling so 'churned up' it's making me nauseous. The nights are not getting any better so I have to clutch at the hope he might help me.

Jan.

[TinfoilxTouch]

Don't sweat it too much... be honest about the situation and explain you'd just like to maintain the same level of relief you had from the med for the past 40 years and are open for suggestions on the sleep issue, even mention ambien.

The first psych I saw was nuts. She said she'd never prescribe anyone benzos for anything other than panic attacks, and evne then no more than 10 pills per month with no refills. She told me all this crap about meditation and herbal therapy and this and that. She even went so far as to freak me out by telling me driving on Xanax was illegal and I could go to jail for six months even with my RX. Mind you at this point, I'd been on Xanax for more than a year, and he had no issue keeping up with the RX if I didn't want to go elsewhere.

After this, I was freaked out and immediately found another psych and made another appointment. This one had no issue with the Xanax, actually attempted to up the dose for sleep before switching to Ambien, and has been wonderful in not questioning my meds. I've even asked for specific med changes or increases and he's been great about trusting me. I'm not a drug abuser, and he doesn't treat me like one.

The point is that there are a thousand docs. if you find one who doesn't work for you, go onto the next. They can't disclose anything with each other unless you sign off on it anyway. You don't need to let the next psych know you saw one that wouldn't help you. Just relax and it'll all work out.

[Jan]

Thank you TinfoilxTouch, I felt so much better after reading your post as it's been one of those 'churned up' feeling days. I imagine that you can relate to this situation as you would know how much these meds help. I find UK doctors hard to fathom as not many seem to empathise with this kind of thing. I'm just worrying that the psychiatrist will have the same attitude but at the back of my mind keep telling myself he will be totally different and will understand.

I'll keep your advice 'don't sweat it too much... just relax and it will work out' in my head and thank you for that.

Jan.

[Jan]

Just an update after my appointment. The physchiatrist that I have seen is 'semi retired' and knows my GP. He was happy to see me without a referral but rang my GP while I was there for permission to treat me. I did expect to talk more about things that had happened in the past and what has been happening recently but maybe have misconceptions after watching films and television showing psychiatrists listening to their patients. He did take in what had happened re the meds though and agreed they shouldn't be stopped too quickly. Although I explained that the Citalopram I have been prescribed is possibly giving me horrendous 'night sweats' and indigestion he has upped the dose from 10mg to 20mg per day as he said they are very good for anxiety. He would have preferred that I cut the Oxazepam down too but after talking to my hubby has agreed to get my GP's to 'back off' and leave me on them for now. He does want to see me again for another 2 or 3 appointments. I still feel a mess but think that's maybe down to getting into such a state over the last couple of weeks. Nights particularly have been hell and I fully expected to end up losing it completely and being taken into hospital. The mind is a very powerful frightener isn't it but when backed up by reduction of these meds it's a pretty potent combination for total melt down.

Thank you TinfoilxTouch for 'talking' with me through all of this, I really don't think I would have come through it all if I hadn't received your understanding replies to my predicament.

Jan.x