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Changing doctors

  • 08-10-2015 4:56pm
    #1
    Bassclef76
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 ✭


    Hi, I've with very bad anxiety and social anxiety for most of my life, but in the past 15 years its gotten worse. My old doctor retired and now my new one who i've been with for two years won't prescribe me valium for anxiety. She'll give me ever medication under the sun for anxiety except for a benzo like valium. It seen like she doesn't care any more and i want to change back to my old doctor who retired but is practicing privately in his family home. If i change back to him will my new doctor find out about it (because she doesn't approve of him) or how does it work? Thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    JonJones
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 161 ✭✭JonJones


    Why would you care if the doctor finds out. you pay her or she is paid on the medical card system to see you.So get a doctor you feel comfortable with. Why care who she approves of?

    Having said that you may not know doctors are under very strict control re prescribing of benzodiazepines. I think only a certain percentage of their patients can be given them. I think a consultant psychiatrist may be able to prescribe them for you if they think it is the right thing to do.


  • #3
    Euphoria Intensifies
    Closed Accounts Posts: 876 ✭✭✭Euphoria Intensifies


    I'm not even sure if GPs can prescribe benzos anymore OP. Maybe you could ask for a referral to a psychiatrist?


  • #4
    JonJones
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 161 ✭✭JonJones


    Euphoria Intensifies wrote: »
    I'm not even sure if GPs can prescribe benzos anymore OP. Maybe you could ask for a referral to a psychiatrist?
    They can to 4 % of patients

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/doctor-prescribed-sedatives-for-up-to-28pc-of-his-patients-31041979.html


  • #5
    Bassclef76
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 ✭Bassclef76


    See my old doctor used to prescribe me benzo for anxiety, hes the doctor thats retired but now practicing now in his family home. I want to switch back to him but i don't want my new doctor finding out about it because she won't give me benzos for anxiety. If i change back to the old doctor will my new doctor be notified about it?


  • #6
    JonJones
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 161 ✭✭JonJones


    Bassclef76 wrote: »
    See my old doctor used to prescribe me benzo for anxiety, hes the doctor thats retired but now practicing now in his family home. I want to switch back to him but i don't want my new doctor finding out about it because she won't give me benzos for anxiety. If i change back to the old doctor will my new doctor be notified about it?
    Why do you care if she finds out?You are free to go to any doctor you like just like you can go to any hairdresser to get your hair cut. If you change hairdresser do you care if the new one knows you went back to the previous one?

    Is there something you are not saying? Have you some reason to fear the new doctor finding out?


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  • #7
    Diamond Doll
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,344 ✭✭✭Diamond Doll


    I have dealt with soooo many medical and psychiatric professionals over the past while for anxiety issues, both as an in-patient and as an out-patient, and the vast majority are very strongly against the use of any sort of benzos. Unless maybe as a complete once-off in exceptional emergency circumstances.

    I've seen patients (mostly middle-aged or older) end up in an in-patient addiction facility with alcoholics and drug addicts, completely overwhelmed and shocked that they had ended up there, because all they'd ever done was take the Valium that their GP had prescribed. And their withdrawals were far worse than the other patients there. It seemed horrific.

    Are you receiving psychiatric help and/or counselling, as well as whatever medication you're on? I'd be looking into that before starting down the potentially dangerous path of taking Valium etc.


  • #8
    Bassclef76
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 ✭Bassclef76


    JonJones wrote: »
    Why do you care if she finds out?You are free to go to any doctor you like just like you can go to any hairdresser to get your hair cut. If you change hairdresser do you care if the new one knows you went back to the previous one?

    Is there something you are not saying? Have you some reason to fear the new doctor finding out?

    I want to switch back to my old doctor so he can prescribe me valium for my anxiety like he used too but i'm worried that my new doctor could find out about it, i don't want to get into trouble over it, i thought that my new doctor has to give authorisation if i want to change to a different doctor.


  • #9
    Bassclef76
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4 ✭Bassclef76


    Diamond Doll wrote: »
    I have dealt with soooo many medical and psychiatric professionals over the past while for anxiety issues, both as an in-patient and as an out-patient, and the vast majority are very strongly against the use of any sort of benzos. Unless maybe as a complete once-off in exceptional emergency circumstances.

    I've seen patients (mostly middle-aged or older) end up in an in-patient addiction facility with alcoholics and drug addicts, completely overwhelmed and shocked that they had ended up there, because all they'd ever done was take the Valium that their GP had prescribed. And their withdrawals were far worse than the other patients there. It seemed horrific.

    Are you receiving psychiatric help and/or counselling, as well as whatever medication you're on? I'd be looking into that before starting down the potentially dangerous path of taking Valium etc.

    I've done CBT over 8 months with a psychologist but nothing really came out of it. I'm also seen a mental health team for the anxiety but they refuse to give me a benzo because i was on them before. I'm on Lyrica 150mg at the moment but it doesn't help the anxiety, i'm two years off benzos now, yep i've had withdrawals 3 times before but that was a good few years ago and it wasn't pleasant i can tell you that


  • #10
    Miaireland
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,065 ✭✭✭Miaireland


    A lot of this will depend on your old doctor. Do you have a medical card? Your old Doctor will not be able to accept you as a medical card patient as he/she now longer holds a GMS contract. Can you afford to pay for both the visit and the prescription as he/she will not be able to write a GMS script.

    In regards to your new Doctor finding out that will be up to your old Doctor. Your old Doctor may want you to request a copy of your notes and then your new Doctor will find out. I assume you will be attending your old Doctor for all medical treatment and not attending the new one at all.

    Bear in mind though that it is likely that your old DOctor will fully retire in a few years and you will be back in the same position. IT might be worth getting this sorted now.


  • #11
    JonJones
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 161 ✭✭JonJones


    Bassclef76 wrote: »
    I want to switch back to my old doctor so he can prescribe me valium for my anxiety like he used too but i'm worried that my new doctor could find out about it, i don't want to get into trouble over it, i thought that my new doctor has to give authorisation if i want to change to a different doctor.
    I don't see why your new doctor has to give authorisation but bear in mind point made by others re medical card - if you have one- and costs


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