How keen are the UK's GPs to prescribe benzos/opioids?

[den4]

I have pretty bad anxiety and OCD (not diagnosed by a doctor) since I've been a child. There was a time when I smoked too much and had a panic attack. Been having panic attacks since then for a while, even went to a doc to ask smthing for it. He said he would not prescribe me any meds, but suggested I could sign up for stress related seminars lol. So is it really hard to get GPs prescribe you any benzos/opiates?

*snip*

 

[steewith2ees]

GP's in the UK are notoriously reluctant to prescribe benzodiazepines compared to many other countries (Eire, for instance where they hand them out like sweets), one primary historical factor being 'the largest-ever class-action lawsuit against drug manufacturers in the UK' (link), which held manufacturers of the drugs responsible for withholding information from prescribers regarding the significant dependence potential of the drug class.

In many ways it is a good thing as those who are willing to issue new prescriptions tend to do so extremely responsibly, using them only in cases of severe mental distress and issuing them sensibly (either in short courses of 2 - 4 weeks or, for instance, in small amounts - my GP allows me to use diazepam 'as required' but never lets me have more than 4 boxes of 28 tablets over a 12 month period). Some GP's are more liberal than others of course but the majority tend to under prescribe them, when there careful use in certain situations would not be problematic so long as the Doctor monitors their use closely and does not prescribe any more than is required for no longer than they are genuinely needed.

However

Forgive me for jumping to conclusions den4 but the levels of anxiety you are describing may not yet warrant such powerful and addictive drugs (I am now completely unable to function if I do not at least have access to benzodiazepines should I need to take one) - you have not specifically stated that you have stopped using cannabis despite the bad experience after 'too much'.

You need to keep engaging and be honest with your GP and that is as much advice as we can give - we cannot 'tell you' what to say to your doctor or coach you in any way as this would be seen as helping you to obtain controlled drugs you may not actually need yet.

Why you are asking about opi drugs within this context is beyond me - they are not clinically effective or ever used for treating anxiety and your choosing to group them with benzodiazepines as a desirable treatment you want highlights you as drug seeker first and foremost

 

[oxyloveUK]

they hold onto em like *snip* with money

 

[Fenty]

you wont get anything unless you're dying. pain patients often in severe pain and more turning to street opiates/heroin as a result

 

[Tranced]

Your doctor will not give you benzos for anxiety, let alone undiagnosed conditions. The drugs will never address the cause, and often lead to more problems/drug use.

They will probably offer you therapy, ssri's and maybe bets blockers. And will be quite pushynwith the SSRI's.

 

[Zopiclone bandit]

You'll be lucky, as said to get any opiate you gotta be on deaths door

*snip*

 

[Forever Changes]

Your doctor will not give you benzos for anxiety, let alone undiagnosed conditions. The drugs will never address the cause, and often lead to more problems/drug use.

They will probably offer you therapy, ssri's and maybe bets blockers. And will be quite pushynwith the SSRI's.

I've had more than enough GPs only too happy to dole out SSRIs to me - they seem to see them as a 'cure all' and are now terrified of turning depressed people away in case they go home and top themselves

I get prescribed benzos, although they (or at least the two I've used) never seem to have much useful effect either recreationally or for their intended purpose- maybe I'm just not a responder

on the painkiller front, despite haveing a chronically painful foot condition, the most a GP has ever given me for it is ibuprofen

 

[Inso]

I take Morphine from time to time when my condition flares up and it makes the less senior doctors at the surgery really nervous when I ask for another prescription, can take a bit of convincing. The main guy who is a partner there doesn't give a fuck though lol. I once went to an out of hours GP in agonizing pain and he didn't want to give me it because I had forgotten the copy of my original prescription to prove that I already was given it. Had to proper hard sell him and threaten to go to hospital if he didn't, felt like a drug seeker haha. I've never found any resistance with co-codomol or tramadol I've been prescribed in the past. Any further opiate you've got to have a severe medical condition to even get a whiff.

I've heard of people with severe anxiety or bipolar being prescribed Valium but I've literally never come across someone who has been prescribed Xanax, despite it being so readily available on the black market lately, every fucker is offering me it. It's probably a good thing overall that the NHS is so cautious with them, given the ridiculous amount of abuse with these drugs in other countries, albeit frustrating for those with a genuine need.

 

[steewith2ees]

I've literally never come across someone who has been prescribed Xanax, despite it being so readily available on the black market lately, every fucker is offering me it. It's probably a good thing overall that the NHS is so cautious with them, given the ridiculous amount of abuse with these drugs in other countries, albeit frustrating for those with a genuine need.

The NHS does not purchase or use alprazolam - the few prescriptions that are issued for the drug in the UK are all private. In cases where quick acting, intermediate benzodiazepines are indicated for psychiatric emergencies lorazepam is seen as more than fit for purpose as it can be administered effectively by more routes than most, which is particularly useful if the patient is unduly agitated and requires physical restraint - lorazepam is one of the few that can be given IM (this route is not recommended for other injectable bzds as the rate of absorption from the muscle can be extremely erratic) as well as IV and PO, with all routes providing an effect within 15 minutes).

I guess with so many other potent short and intermediate acting benzos available (midazolam, temazepam) the NHS just does not see a use for alprazolam. GP's tend to lean more towards long acting drugs for the treatment of anxiety, while using the likes of temazepam and lormetazepam more as hypnotics.

 

[Tranced]

Gp's side of the story - my GP told me he hated having to deal with benzo/opiate addiction cases, and that his wife had left work as a GP due to the influx of benzo/opiate addicts in the 90's. He said it's very stressful dealing with all the second guessing and death,or seeing people ruin their lives. I guess they have a shrine, as we do.

 

[Wilson Wilson]

The NHS does not purchase or use alprazolam - the few prescriptions that are issued for the drug in the UK are all private. In cases where quick acting, intermediate benzodiazepines are indicated for psychiatric emergencies lorazepam is seen as more than fit for purpose as it can be administered effectively by more routes than most, which is particularly useful if the patient is unduly agitated and requires physical restraint - lorazepam is one of the few that can be given IM (this route is not recommended for other injectable bzds as the rate of absorption from the muscle can be extremely erratic) as well as IV and PO, with all routes providing an effect within 15 minutes).

I guess with so many other potent short and intermediate acting benzos available (midazolam, temazepam) the NHS just does not see a use for alprazolam. GP's tend to lean more towards long acting drugs for the treatment of anxiety, while using the likes of temazepam and lormetazepam more as hypnotics.

Xanax was also only introduced to the market in the 1980's. At this time the UK healthcare system was already beginning to disfavour benzos for their addictive nature after a couple decades of heavy diazepam and temazepam prescribing so I'm sure this played into the decision to not approve alprazolam on the NHS as well.

 

[CFC]

Gp's side of the story - my GP told me he hated having to deal with benzo/opiate addiction cases, and that his wife had left work as a GP due to the influx of benzo/opiate addicts in the 90's. He said it's very stressful dealing with all the second guessing and death,or seeing people ruin their lives. I guess they have a shrine, as we do.

My NHS surgery has a page in its welcome pack stating that they will not prescribe benzos or highly potent opioids without the express request of a specialist, and that they will not tolerate abuse from patients who request such and are denied. Which, I guess, demonstrates how difficult it has been to manage patient demands.

 

[Shambles]

... aaand this is why doctor shopping threads are not allowed. Jesus, people: that's who y'all need.

8)

OP, your personally-suspected condition may or may not be a genuine problem for you. If genuine you go right on and explain it properly to your doctor(s) and they may well agree with you.

Otherwise, as noted in the remaining posts, it is not easy for anybody to even gain a fully legit UK prescription for the classes of drugs you inquire after. You wanna hazard a guess as to why that it is the case that actual cancer patients have to struggle on with fukkin' co-co scripts? It's down to chancers like you.

/thread