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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Question about Doctor Shopping

P

PallMall

Greenlighter
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Messages
46
Would getting prozac from one doctor, and xanax from another constitute doctor shopping? Or does one have to getting a controlled substance from two different doctors?
 
No it does not. Getting the same controlled substances from different doctors counts has doctor shopping, such as getting oxycodone from 2 or 3 different doctors. The same goes for benzos like xanax.
 
The doctor that prescribes the prozac has reservations about giving a benzo prescription. Would there be any risk, being that he wouldn't know about the second doctor a benzo?
 
Well, general rule of thumb is that all doctors should be accounted for and know what you are taking in my opinion. I agree that in the field of mental health and physical health, there are specialists in all areas. For example I have two psychiatrists, one a specialist in ADHD another in addiction. They both know the medication that I take (or should do) and have no objection to either, as the medicine does not interact (I'm supposed to be on dexedrine, subutex and diazepam).

It's generally a red light if the doctors don't know what meds you're taking from other places. It's not doctor shopping, but it is in a way. You're going to another doc with the intention of obtaining in this case xanax, as you know you cannot get it from your first doc. However, if you think he is not treating you properly and see another doctor who OK's the xanax and Prozac, why can't he prescribe both?

It's a fine line you're treading on really.
 
beyond the ethical questions, would there potentially be problems related to being flagged or having one doctor find out about the other?
 
I think it's doctor shopping, even though it's not the same drug. It's not simply seeking a second opinion if you're not telling the second doctor about your prozac prescription in order to get xanax.

It would be different if you went to the second doctor and told him the whole story. Then he would be free to agree or disagree with the previous doctor. Since you won't tell the second doctor about the pre-existing script, it sounds like you have an agenda.
 
I would tell xanax prescribing doctor about the prozac, however, i probably wouldn't inform my initial prozac prescribing doctor about the xanax
 
It does not legally count as doctor shopping. It is just two different doctors giving you two different medicines. Doctor's have diferent opinions on certain treatments and medications. That does not make it illegal. Now it is drug-seeking behavior though.
 
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