Doctor wont prescribe me more diazepam. :(

[panictyme]

Ive only been given like 2 prescriptions of it, each of 30 tabs at a time over about 4 months or so.

Now my doctor wont give me anymore and expects me to be fine on fluoxetine.
So far i havent had any diazepam in like 3 weeks and Im feeling awful.
Id only take 1, maybe 2 tabs a week but when i really needed it and it always helped.


Is there any way to convince my doctor i need more?
I don't want to seem like im needlessly seeking drugs, i know they look out for that.

But i've heard of people being prescribed it for months and months constantly.
But I can't even get it when i NEED it to feel somewhat normal.


EDIT- Also, does anyone know how long Benzodiazepine lasts?
Will any tolerance i've build up be gone in the month+ ive not had any?
:weep:

[Danath]

my doctor won't prescribe them or any other benzodiazepine period. he prescribed them once under duress and the recommendation of a psyche nurse and said 'thats all you're getting from me'. Most docs don't like prescribing Diazepam Because its extremely addictive and as I think you know, you build up a tolerance, however IMHO I don't think prescribing you diazepam and then just abruptly stopping it is right at all as it can have horrendous withdrawal effects.

I'm not a healthcare professional but...

If I was in your shoes what I would do is file a complaint about the way they prescribed a highly addictive drug for two months and then abruptly withdrew it.

secondly, I think its unfair for the doctor to just expect you to be fine on the fluoxetine if you havent started improving after 8-9 weeks of taking it its probably not for you and the doctor should see this and discuss an alternative. There are also other anti-anxiety medicines available and the doctor should explore the option of something less addictive and something you're unlikely to build up a tolerance to.

Thats just the course of action I would take in this situation, and my personal experiences with these medicines

Hope this helps,

Dan

[Joellie]

I think they will deffinately look out for the "i have to have it" patients. I dont know much about the drug other than its addictive but have you thought maybe you were getting addicted to it? Sometimes withdrawl from soemthing your addicted to can be as bad as the symptoms you used it for. Is there some other drug you can ask for instead?

Like the poster above its not fair just to cut it off, they should at least get you to cut down untill your on nothing.

Good luck

[PoppyC]

Hello
A lot of gp's wont prescribe diazepam long term due to it being so addictive and all the complications from that, plus it is getting used a lot by people addicted to street drugs as a cheap heroin substitute.
Diazepam should not be stopped taking suddenly as it can be cangerous and you have to be gradually weaned off.
Some gps prescribe it still though in certain cases I think.
I had to have it in very small amounts when ill in hospital and I asked my gp if I could have some and he refused for the above reasons.

[lostsoul]

I am dependant on diazepam, although I have got better with it now, was on 15mg daily for a year, have managed to get it down to 4mg.

I know its hard because it does help with the anxiety at first, but in the end it can actually cause you more anxiety. I know my phychiatrist will only give me two weeks worth at a time and I cannot have the script even a day early.

Being addicted to something, this creates anxiety in itself knowing you could run out early, beleive me you dont want to be in that situation. I thought I could control it at first then I started taking more and more and insisted to my doctor that I needed more and they reluctantly gave in because I said that I would taper slowley never did then once I was hooked they had to give me more.

Eventually he referred me to a pychiatrist who continued to prescribe it albeit at a reducing dose. Its really not worth it unless you are very very strong willed. I spend most of my time now planning what I can do for the day around how many diazepam pills I have and its getting harder and harder now I'm down to 4mg.

On the flipside in america Xanax is freely prescribed and its much stronger and more addictive than Diazepam. Two years ago i'd have been begging for the Xanax - now I think its really not worth the hassle when you do have to stop, the withdrawal effects are not nice beleive me:weep:

[kazzie]

Hi:)

My GP dishes it out quite happily:shrug:

28 5mg tabs at a time!!!

That said I only have about 4 prescriptions a year so I guess she realises Im not addicted to them!!

Im not too sure how addiction occurs as I find they just stop me being anx....they dont make me high or anything!!!

Maybe Im weird:wacko:

Kaz x:hugs:

[Fran74]

I went to my doctor today for my check up after he gave me propanolol two weeks ago ..I said to him that I didn't like the side effects thight chest dry mouth and dizzyness ...but I needed something as I am going away tomorrow so he game 28 tablets of diazepam but he said it is highly addictive and he gives it only when people have to do things like getting on a plane(as I am worried about it)...or stuff like that..kind of special occasions shall we call them ....:D

I was on Xanax for 6 months so I suggested to him If I could have some and he said no as it is highly addictive as well ...I am from Italy and over there they dish it out like water ...how country are differents sometimes...

so try and speak to him and see if he can give you some other meds that will help you..
:hugs:

[fishman65]

I've been on diazepam for 17 years.Yep that's right....17 years.I readily admit to being addicted to it and wouldn't even think of leaving the house in the morning without it (10mg).A few different psyches and GP's have tried to address my addiction but having been a carer for my wife for the past 8 years they are reluctant now to mess with it otherwise the whole family sinks.Its weird how diazepam is regarded like heroin in the UK.A friend of mine in France (he lived there for about 14 years) was readily prescribed it.When he saw a hospital consultant about a kidney operation,he was asked about medication and it turned out the consultant took diazepam too!! So it appears to be a culture issue as much as a medical one.But yes in regard to your question,most UK Drs avoid it like the plague.

Fishy