Treated like a drug addict for needing Ativan???

[crazychickenlady1988]

I'm so frustrated.  I have severe anxiety and Agoraphobia.  I used to take Paxil but had Serotonin Syndrome 3 years ago and can't take antidepressants anymore.  My doctor at the time understood and put me on a beta blocker to keep my heart rate down and a very low dose of Ativan (.5mg).  I did really well.  I've never increased the dose and don't take it unless I'm feeling anxious about leaving the house. I got my life back at least for awhile.

Fast forward to last year when we moved to Texas.  I haven't been able to find a supportive doctor yet.  They hear I'm on Ativan and suddenly they think I'm drug addict.  I don't know what to do.  My current doctor seemed great but after seeing him twice, I now only ever see his revolving door PA's and Nurse Practitioners.  And every time I see a new one, I'm given the 3rd degree and treated like I'm a drug seeker.  I take a tiny dose!!  It's become so bad that I'm scared to use the Ativan when I need it and am back to not wanting to leave my house.  I've dragged a one month supply out for 2 1/2 months and am now out and am too afraid to leave the house to get a refill.  And they require you to come to the office every month to pee in a cup to get a refill.  I just feel so ridiculed there and am afraid to go back. They're making the exact thing I needed the Ativan for even worse!!!  

I don't know how to get help.  I just feel so hopeless. I have calls in to 3 different psychiatrists in town for appointments and have no call backs in 2 days.  Do I have my husband take me to a psychiatric hospital?  Will they even help me or will they treat me the same way I've been treated at my doctor's office??  I've never been treated at a facility like that.  I've only ever been treated by as an outpatient by a local psychiatrist back in my home State and by my primary care doctors. I just don't know what to do.  

[Paxiled]

Contact the doctor who gave you your current prescription, explain the situation, and ask for a new prescription until you can get a psychiatrist.  Stopping this drug abruptly isn't a good idea, so explain this as well when you contact your old doc.  Meanwhile, welcome to Texas.  This is what happens when you move to Texas, so expect to have to fight tooth and nail for everything unless you're quite rich or well connected.  As for magnesium supplementation as suggested above, remember not to take magnesium at the same time you take your other meds -- they use the same pathway into the brain and interfere with each other's absorption.  From personal experience, magnesium is often good for relaxing muscles, and antidepressants can often cause muscle problems because it interferes with the absorption of magnesium, as does the overuse of calcium or high calcium low magnesium foods such as dairy, but it's probably not going to be strong enough to overcome a lack of a benzo.  If you should run out of Ativan, there are herbs, however, that target the same neurotransmitter (GABA) as Ativan, and they might temporarily give you some relief.  Some examples are kava, valerian, and passionflower.  Holy Basil is also a good adaptogen to limit your cortisol releases from your adrenals, and might help as well.  But you don't want to quit Ativan like this if even if you wanted to stop it, which you don't, so your former doc should be amenable to listening to your temporary needs.  Good luck.

[gogetter7]

It is a shame that everywhere you go they treat you the same way.  I have had similar situations and frankly it makes me very angry.  I am sorry you haven't found the help that you deserve.  The world is a mess..the fact that there is many drug addicts they just assume everyone is a user.  I had panic attacks for years and went to group therapy which helped me a lot.  I would go to your local Emergency Room and hope for a good Dr. on call that can at least direct you to therapy for your situation.  The more stressed you are the more Magnesium you lose out of your system which can cause fast heart beats and migraines.  I would suggest that you take 2 cups of Epsom salt and put this in your bath water to help you relax and let your body absorb some of the magnesium that is in Epsom salt into your body for about 20 minutes.  I also recommend deep breathing exercises as in example:  breath in through your nose and count to ten and then breath out through your mouth and count to ten this will help slow down your heart rate.  Best of luck to you.  Just know your not alone and the world can be cruel sometimes  Take care:)