how to convince your doctor to prescribe benzos

I have done everything that every doctor has told me to do. I am on Paxil and Lamictal, at the end of week #3. The major panic and anxiety attacks are gone. I am doing Acupuncture and taking Chinese Herbs, I am going to counseling. I do deep breathing and walk every day. Thins were slowly improving. Then I decided it was time to go back to work. I am on a as needed schedule with a phone call in the early a.m. i wake up at 4:30 extremely nervous. I had 2 Lorazepams left. I took one yesterday morning and it helped tremendously. I decided to take the last one this morning. I have a doctors appointment this afternoon. She is adamant about not prescribing benzos. I don't know what to do. I need to be able to go back to work. Part of the stress is financial. I need that income to pay the bills for all the people I am seeing. I had taken Clonazepam (sp?) in the past. My doctor seemed willing to prescribe that again. Maybe I can convince her of that. It is slower to kick in but I could take it in the middle of the night and see how that goes. I am still hoping that this is temporary. Eventually, when I feel up to it, I can get booked ahead for jobs. I have sick for the last year and unable to book ahead, never knowing how I was going to feel in the morning.

Any suggestions of what to say to my doctor today to help my situation. It is hard to ignore drugs, that you know will help you to feel better,

Brendaboo. I agree with you. She is a new doctor to me. She doesn't know me very well. i am not prone to addictions. i want to be off of meds but I also need to get on with my life. i will try to have a conversation with her. However, we do not have a good working relationship and I am on the 15 minute clock with her. I went to see my pyschiatric nurse for a second opinion. My primary wanted me to switch off of Paxil and Lamictol and try effexor. I decided to stick with it longer, as suggested by my pysch nurse. I don't hold much hope but I have to do something for my mornings to get back in the game.

Thanks brendaboo. My day is going so much better because i took my meds this a.m. I hope Ican convince my doc of that. I am tired of them telling me just to struggle through. I have been doing that for months. I have a big project coming up where I have to be my best.

Thanks Brendaboo. You too. We have a beautiful day in Maine.

CD,

Have you been seeing your pdoc longer than you have been seeing your counselor? My therapist and pdoc work very closely, as the psychiatrist mainly knows me from notes that my therapist leaves for him. And I have to say, my therapist knows my mental health better than anyone. So I think it helps that I have my therapist in my "corner". Like Brenda, Xanax works the best for me right now.

I think you will end up getting the prescription:) But the paxil will kick in soon and you probably won't even need it anymore!! Good luck to you.

Thanks for the great support. I will do my best. i feel quite normal today, normally tired after a full day of 8th Graders. I will see what my doctor says this afternoon.

Hopefully it will help you to know that it's in pocket. Sometimes just the confirmation of knowing something is there for you can help to minimize anxiety's impact and power.

I've found that when my meds just get filled, and I know that they're there *if* I should need them, I'm actually *less anxious!* Weird, I know. But I hope you share this comfort.





M.

I will be out of town for the next three day, at least not able to get to the pharmacy. Yes, I agree. Just knowing I have the meds will be a comfort. It is like people who quit smoking still carry a pack around with them.

Circus dog, I hope you get through this today, unfortunately I woke up very panicky today, a little shaky and not physically feeling that good, not sure exactly what would cause me to panic so quickly this morning, I've tried some of the breathing exercises which I think stresses me more, because I can't get it right. I also tried to focus on something while outside having my coffee, a sound, my cup , but just one of those days.

I truly hope it doesn't last much longer for you either.

I was supposed to work all weekend at a fair but it might be in the cards for me to take a rest. i worked today as a one on one with a teenage girl who is in special ed. with severe anxiety and suicidal tendencies. it certainly put my problems in perspective. She is a very sweet girl. I wish her well in her struggles.

That happens to me once in a while with Xanax. I'll take one and feel it's not as effective. I'm sure the next one you take will be fine. Just don't read too much into it. My doctor told me one time that I have to help the medication work.

I hope the rest of your weekend is well CD:)

I know that you have the medication already, but I just wanted to mention a few things....

Using the phrase: how to 'convince' your doctor to prescribe XYZ medication, (regardless of which med it is), is a tricky phraseology. The best thing to do is to appeal to their sense of what they'd recommend based on your symptoms and needs.

Given this, it seems that your doc felt it appropriate to prescribe a certain med to you. True, there is no "magic pill" in any department of any sort for any reason, but rest assured, there absolutely *are* meds that when taken (as directed and at an effective dose), can certainly *feel magical* because they can help us resume a normal semblance of life.

Before you panic (further), perhaps consider contacting your doctor and describing what you've said here, keeping things simply-stated, that you've taken the med as directed (do so for a few days at least) and that you're noticing only very minimal improvement. Indicate you sense a very small change, but explain the truth in that it doesn't feel sufficient, or doesn't seem to last sufficiently long,....

Be prepared in advance they'll tell you that no pill will erase anxiety, ...and you calmly and gently can express your feelings that you understand that, and that you're seeking an adjunct, not expecting any type of eradication.

If they understand that *you* understand what meds can, and cannot, provide,....it goes a long way to help the communication process.

Good luck, and do keep us posted. This is a process, and I'm sorry it seems to be taking so long. I know it feels like forever, I really do. I know because I've walked this road so many times myself!





M.

I worked hard all day and am exhausted but no anxiety to speak of. I only have it early in the a.m. I know that if the Attivan doesn't work, I can suffer through and be fine by 10 a.m. or so. I am still hoping that the Paxil/ Lamictal will kick in full force soon. I have taken Attivan in the past and it has been helpful. The weird thing is right now, I feel like I don't need any meds at all. Having said that, I still took everything tonight. I hope that some day I will feel like that in the morning.