Pain Management Termination Due To Dr Prescribed Benzodiazepine (Page 2)
(Newest replies first)

I have acute anxiety/panic attacks. My pain mgmnt Dr used to prescribe Ativan along with hydrocodone up till 2016 as their new policy prohibited it. Family Dr then prescribed my Ativan till the opioid crisis hit with the DEA, etc telling Dr's basically how to treat their patients. After several referrals to Psych Dr's within the same hospital as pain mgmnt, they said they could not prescribe it, that it had to be pain mgmnt. Each said other Dr had to. Anyway, found a decent Psych who after in depth appointments, past history, prescribed Ativan for me in June 2019. Went to my scheduled pain mgmnt appt July 3, 2019, and was dropped because I now take a legally obtained benzodiazepine and their policy is "One or the other, you choose". So I chose to be able to function in public places, drive to see my grandchildren and not have major anxiety/panic that renders me literally nonfunctional. So if you have chronic back pain issues PLUS PTSD, anxiety, etc that can only be helped by benzodiazepines, you will have to choose. Sorry, can't have other issues. So now I try to dumb down the pain with ibuprofen. Sad state of affairs.

REPLY

REPORT

Re: Lydia (# 12)

Yes. But for some of us it is required. They are the only thing that keeps my seizures quiet. I can be off of it for a year. And on my regular other seizure med. But then I will have a tonic clinic w/ cardiac arrest. I can’t afford to be off them. I will not risk my life when I have children at home. My dosage has not changed in 10 years..sorry 12 years. They played with it the first year in 2004.

But when they got the dosage straight, it hasn’t changed since then. Maybe it doesn’t do my anxiety any good. But I also have Meniere’s disease (which the main treatment is Valium and meclizine) but they could never get the dosage for the Valium straight to where it was effective. So I stayed or went back to the clonazepam. And yes I know it’s addicting. Just like painkillers are addicting. But there’s a difference between addiction and tolerance and dependence. People on antidepressants are dependent on their medication too. If they do not take them they will get sick and go on crying jags and have but there is a difference between addiction and tolerance and dependence. People on antidepressants are dependent on their medication to. If they do not take them they will get sick and go on crying jags and have horrible shakes and extra movements.

All medications carry a risk. But I’m glad you were able to stop them. I am not willing to put my life at stake. I’m not willing to risk sudden death from a seizure.

So this medication basically is saving my life. And if you say differently I will send you the studies. I will show you my labs. But don’t get on someone or don’t put down someone because they have to take it. Because some of us really really do need it.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

My pain doctor is good about prescribing both. But he does need to know if another Doctor is giving me medication too. Or my contract breaks. Please be careful with Ativan. It is very hard to get off of, you become a hostage to it. If you can watch the episode that CNN contributor Lisa Ling did on Benzodiazepines, aired Oct. 6th, 2019 you will understand why. I was a hostage to the medication, and it took 18 months of horrible withdrawals to finally feel myself again. I had small anxiety when I was cold turkey'd off of it, I had depersonalization, night sweats, cold sweats, insomnia, tinnitus for months, pain in all my joints. I can go on and on.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Suzysurf (# 10)

I know that valium and clonazepam, (Klonopin) were the Cause of my anxiety! the more he gave me to reduce my anxiety the more anxiety I had! I finally realized the benzos were causing all my problems.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Juliana (# 1)

I totally agree, I have no trouble being tested to make sure that my levels are correct in that I am taking Them correctly and that the levels are correct. I am both on Subutex for pain and clonazepam for seizures/anxiety and Meniere’s disease. The correct benzo for Meniere’s disease Is actually Valium but they could never get the dosage right and it never really helped with my anxiety and seizures as well. Diastat worked well for seizures. But not many doctors will prescribe the rectal diastat. .

My last three labs, my closet pan that I take did not show up at all. Where as the subutex did and my other seizure med did. So doctors will prescribe both a pain type medication or opiate-based medication and a benzo. But we were baffled as to why it wasn’t showing up on any of my labs, both a swab test, urine and blood for last 6 months. And I get tested every other month. My pharmacist believed me. And my doctor believe me. But I could not find a pharmacy that carries the yellow and as of him which always worked. So the doctor switched me to clonazepam 1 mg 0DT or orally disintegrating tablets. But I believe that if patients want to go through the testing process and a lot of pain management does require this. The doctor then has back up. He can prove that his patients aren’t mistreating or miss using their medications. Sorry for the typos but I’m dictating do too a broken arm that did not heal right.

But I do agree that Doctor should be able to write what they want without fear of retribution from the DA or the fear of losing their license. I have a sister that has cancer, she’s only 41 years old and has two toddlers at home. There is no cure.

Only surgical cures as it pops up in different places in her body. But she can basically get any pain medication she wants. And a Xanax as well. And they don’t test her because she has the big “C.”. She actually has Neroendocrineal carcinoma. Which you would think Nuro/head and endocrine/thyroid, but they first found it in her intestine during the routine colonoscopy. Since then it has spread to her liver / Her lymph nodes which of also all been removed, and they believe it is in her tympanum which is causing the vertigo. She Hass to have scans every three months. But I think this sucks. The whole Albany New York area is not using painkillers except if you have cancer or a heart attack for major major major trauma.

Her lymph nodes which of also all been removed, and they believe it is in her tympanum which is causing the vertigo. She Hass to have scans every three months. But I think this sucks. The hall Albany New York area is not using painkillers except if you have cancer or a heart attack for major major major trauma. Like helicopter crash site trauma. But your body is basically Crushed and in pieces.

Instead they are now using ketamine and animal therapy. I have a first grade student who has sickle cell Amenia. Whenever he was sick he used to be able to go into the hospital for a few weeks and get his morphine and dilauded and whatever it was he needed to stop the pain.

Now they are trying to put seven and eight-year-olds into a K hole and cause them to disassociate. And then giving them a kitten to cuddle. Ketamine and kittens is not Really appropriate. All it does is make the patient disassociate to the point where they cannot feel the pain. But that has to be really really scary experience for a child.

Really appropriate. All it does is make the patient disassociate to the point where they cannot feel the pain. But that Hass to be really really scary experience for a child. Meanwhile my sister who is cancer causes no pain yet, can get whatever she wants. It’s gotten so far to the other extreme that it’s not good for the country or patients. And let alone black patients. There of been studies done by many groups, and they are the group that is least likely to get an opiate even for cancer or heart attack or sickle cell. Because they make a presumption that they are Just going to a visit. Sorry for the length and sorry for the typos but I am dictating.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Roy (# 9)

Hi Roy, are you on FB in a benzo group? Name looks familiar. I am a benzo survivor.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Roy (# 8)

Correction to my previous message ... I wanted to DVR the show on the 29th, but it looks like episode 1 which airs that evening is NOT about Benzodiazepene use. The Benzo episode is just stated as being part of season 6, but it doesn't actually say which day or episode # that is. Sorry for any confusion! I'll post back when I know more!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Anyone who watches it, let's share our thoughts back here, k?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Roy (# 6)

Thank you so much. I'll be sure to watch it!!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Juliana (# 4)

Sunday Sept 29th on CNN ... "Season six premiere of This is Life with Lisa Ling at 10 p.m. ET/PT" ... will be interesting to see MSM's take on this ... "In season six of This is Life, Lisa Ling investigates the shocking side effects of long-term benzodiazepine use"

http:/­/­cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/­2019/­09/­04/­cnn-original-series-declassified-untold-stories-of-american-spies-returns-for-season-three-followed-by-season-six-premiere-of-this-is-life-with-lisa-ling-on-sunday-sept-29/­

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Re: Lydia (# 3)

My Dr told me to get off Effexor cold turkey. So I did. Almost went insane. Got right back on it. Now I'm tapering off but haven't told them. I told my PCP and he said "Then lets give you something else. Stop taking the Effexor and take this." I said "I don't want anymore drugs. He said "You need them". I haven't taken them and am still tapering. He also told me to double my high blood pressure med, which my cardiologist says is toxic. They have no clue.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Lydia J (# 2)

Oh...when is it going to be on?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: Juliana (# 1)

so sorry to hear about your brother, I will tell you, Xanax is known for terrible anxiety, and going cold turkey the withdrawals are so horrific I have read where ppl have taken their own lives. Benzos are so horrible, I wish more would investigate this horrible medication before taking them. Dr.s do not know much about these.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

It's a horrid medication. You are better off without it, taper so so slowly, the withdrawals are so much different then an opioid withdrawal, they last for months to yrs. Its unrecognizable to the medical community. Watch Lisa Ling's story on it on CNN coming up.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I am so sorry for what you are going thru. I have been on Ativan for 30 years. I plan to move back up to MI and am afraid they will not continue to prescribe it. I don't understand how cutting people off will save lives. My brother was on hydrocodone and xanax. He is a triple stroke survivor, but has a lot of pain. He can't walk or use his left arm and is in terrible pain. They cut him off cold turkey. He was in so much pain and anxiety, he attempted suicide 2 weeks ago and just got out of ICU. Don't they realize cutting people off cold turkey is not going to solve any problems? It will send people to look for illegal street drugs, alcohol, or suicide. We are not doing anything wrong. We are on meds prescribed to us because we need them. The government is handling this all wrong. There are better options to control opiod misuse. A drug test every 30 days to test for levels of benzodiazapines and pain meds. If you are taking more than prescribed, it should show. If selling them, you will have clean urine. Cutting people off cold turkey is dangerous and deadly. THINK PEOPLE!!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Trying to get a welder helper job and want to know if the company can turn me down for lortab prescribed to me for a bac...

3 REPLIES

I am new to the area and in need of a Dr. I have five buldging discs, arthritis in my back and rsd in my right shoulder....

1 REPLY

Hi... I was curious, should you always dress up to your pain management appointments? Or does it really matter? Thank yo...

2 REPLIES

Hello I want to know if there is any dr in RI that that can help me with pain management. I take Lortab 10mg, 30 mg oxyc...

4 REPLIES

I'm in desperate need of finding a Pain Management Dr. in Ms. I was just discharged from my previous pain management...

Does anyone know a pain clinic that perscribes oxycodone and doesn't judge you? ## Hello, Superm! How are you? Due t...

3 REPLIES

Been in pain management for 10 yrs. I always passed my drug panels and pill counts. I follow my dr's orders. She jus...

8 REPLIES

I have had Migraines for 40 yrs now. I've seen many, many doctors and Neurologists. I've been to pain specialist...

My pain management Dr, that I have had for the last 18 months, I think he is mad at me and might send me packing when my...

5 REPLIES

I just moved to Orange County California from Florida a couple months ago. In florida I had been seeing a Pain managemen...

2 REPLIES