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went in for routine refill, LNP said no. 😳


[Ch...]

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:'( I am finally down to .25 3 times a day. I recently moved back to Virginia and went to my old GP's office for a refill. The LPN said "I will not write a script for that." Apparently they can't write scripts for it since they have to answer to the DEA now and have to cut back on this medication as they are state funded or something. She said, you are strong, you can do it!" I know I can but not in 40 days!!!!! I'm a wreck worried that her titration will throw me into horrible withdrawal. Here is her titration for me. I'm so concerned...please help. I can do this but not this quickly. She wants me to cut out .25 for 10 days then cut pills in half again and do this for 10 days so that I'm off in about 40 days. I don't know what to do. I'm ok with cutting out .25 so that I'm only taking .5 a day. I just can't imagine going more than that in 10 days.....
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Sorry, klonipin. I've been on it for 6 years. I've gone from 3mg per day down to .75 a day. It was originally prescribed in Virginia. I got a script for it in Georgia when we moved there last year for my husbands job. Now I'm back in Virginia again and at the same place that started me on it. She explained she has to be able to rationalize her scripts for this to the DEA and since I'm titrating already, I don't need it. She also stated that she does this to everyone now......
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My doctor did the same thing to me.  After a failed cold turkey at a detox center, She slashed my 1 mg Klonopin initially by 50%, then tapered me off the remaining .5mg of Klonopin in 30 days, and told me this was a compassionate slow taper.  It was rough, but I did it, and am now 18 months off, and doing pretty well.  I seemed to have the same severity of symptoms as others who tapered for over a year.  Hang in there!  :smitten:
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Thank you for the inspiration. I'm seeking another doctor though. This is extreme. I don't want protracted withdrawal or possible seizures. They get us addicted and pull the rug when their asses are on fire. Makes me so angry, so sad. I'm trying so hard and even brought my bottle in with me. To cut me off so abruptly is just wrong. I'm on a schedule. Every 2 months come off .25, now a nurse with no experience in addiction treatment thinks otherwise.
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So, she only forced this on you because you are already tapering?  Would she have rx'd .75mgs per day if you were not tapering?  Just continued the same dose?

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I think if I had less in my bottle she would have written a partial Rx just to cover her titration plan ..... she just said well good, since you already want off here is how you do it. And, I don't write scripts for this.

 

I only went there because my husband went to her a few weeks prior to that about refilling his lisinopril for high blood pressure and happened to mention that his wife (me) was tapering off of a benzo and she said "oh that's wonderful I can help her with that". Well,  that's not the kind a help I needed, I kind of feel betrayed....

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This type of thing appears to happen quite a bit.  I suppose once doctors are aware that someone is tapering they want to implement a taper plan and oversee it since they are now the prescribing doctor and in charge of things.  It seems if no mention is made of any taper the doctor just continues the existing rx.  My pdoc is not too involved and has not reduced my rx below 1mg/day - eventhough he knows that I've been on far less for well over a year.  After some of the things I've read here, I probably wouldn't mention a taper to a new doctor.

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Wow. I'm not mentioning it to my new doc then. This nurse had never seen me, is not aware of my history or anything about me. I'm surprised she would put me in such a predicament.
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Chrissy,

 

I can completely understand why you're feeling worried about this, I would be as well.

 

Perhaps, going to the doctors appt prepared with literature and references would help? There is a letter written by one of our members (who is a licensed physician) that discusses the dangers of withdrawal from both a personal and broad perspective. You could also take a copy of the Ashton manual. I would also take a copy of the book Anatomy of an Epidemic. Taking a detailed chart of your proposed tapering chart couldn't hurt either.

 

I think it's important that the doctor realizes this isn't about "being strong", it's about being safe. They put you on the drug, likely without any warning, and it's their responsibility to get you off in safe manner. Tell them that! And don't take nonfor an answer.

 

If you aren't feeling strong enough to go alone, take an advocate with you.  :smitten:

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Chrissy,

 

I can completely understand why you're feeling worried about this, I would be as well.

 

Perhaps, going to the doctors appt prepared with literature and references would help? There is a letter written by one of our members (who is a licensed physician) that discusses the dangers of withdrawal from both a personal and broad perspective. You could also take a copy of the Ashton manual. I would also take a copy of the book Anatomy of an Epidemic. Taking a detailed chart of your proposed tapering chart couldn't hurt either.

 

I think it's important that the doctor realizes this isn't about "being strong", it's about being safe. They put you on the drug, likely without any warning, and it's their responsibility to get you off in safe manner. Tell them that! And don't take nonfor an answer.

 

If you aren't feeling strong enough to go alone, take an advocate with you.  :smitten:

 

Yes! All of this. I'm so sorry, Chrissy. Just so wrong. Best of luck :smitten:

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When you suffer from an emotional/psycholigical disorder, your doc prescribes a benzo as a medical therapy help relieve your disorder.

When you are tapering/withdrawing from benzos, your doc is tasked with managing medication for an admitted drug-dependent person.

 

The professional/regulatory standards and oversight are very different for those 2 different scenarios.

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When you suffer from an emotional/psycholigical disorder, your doc prescribes a benzo as a medical therapy help relieve your disorder.

When you are tapering/withdrawing from benzos, your doc is tasked with managing medication for an admitted drug-dependent person.

 

The professional/regulatory standards and oversight are very different for those 2 different scenarios.

 

I'm not following, Builder? What are you suggesting?

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Chrissy- this exact thing happened to me in May. My doctor went into a new kind of medicine and my "new" doctor said I can't let you go that slow! She wanted me to cut 1/4-1/2 pill every 2 weeks. She also mentioned the DEA. So I made an appointment with a psychiatrist and he said no problem- you can go as slow as you want. So frustrating!!
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Thank you! I needed that. I got a name of a real doctor I can see who has experience with addiction. I will also take all the info you mentioned. This woman just blindsided me. I'm not going back to her. I'll go to this new doc armed with a schedule. PS my therapist thinks this is quite harsh as well and recommended I see this new guy...
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When you suffer from an emotional/psycholigical disorder, your doc prescribes a benzo as a medical therapy help relieve your disorder.

When you are tapering/withdrawing from benzos, your doc is tasked with managing medication for an admitted drug-dependent person.

 

The professional/regulatory standards and oversight are very different for those 2 different scenarios.

 

I'm not following, Builder? What are you suggesting?

 

I'm saying that docs have a lot more latitude when treating to treat a patient for a disorder than they do when prescribing to an acknowledged drug-dependent individual

 

That's why many docs who readily prescribe benzo for anxiety, sleep disorders, etc, get defensive when asked to prescribe for people tapering/withdrawing.

 

And the reality is, when you acknowledge you are trying to taper/withdraw from a benzo, you have identified yourself as "drug-dependent".

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