As I have stated in the past....I'm in charge of mom's meds and try to stay on top of this the best I can. I call in refills as necessary since auto refill caused too many problems. Mom has been on Xanax for the past five months......taking one every evening. When she was down to five pills I called in for refill. I found out today that her PC would not refill the prescription and I am concerned about possible withdrawal. Doc is not in office tomorrow, so I'm at a loss until Monday. Just curious if anyone else has experienced stopping this med abruptly? Am I overreacting by being concerned about potential withdrawal?
Doctors are doing this to many people.
This can cause seizures.
I don’t want to scare you but please read about it and get some help in getting her either, her medication or a very slow and easy taper with meds to help your mom through the effects of this. I’m so sorry!!! She will feel withdrawal symptoms with first missed dose. Again please read about it. I hope I haven’t scared you but it is dangerous and urgent. Also depending on how much she was on and for how long will tell you how easy or hard this might be for her.
For those who judge with very little information you are not helping,
Be prepared to call 911 or go to the ER and keep calling doctor to explain why so cruel and no further direction. Seek better doctor care change to one who is kind and understanding of what your both going through. I would raise Cain with doctor. I'm sure he would remedy your valid concern. I agree totally with Terryi and Peanuts56 cut remaining pills in half may give more time to get d8ctor to realize his mistake.
Make that appointment asap.
Keep us posted
Grace and wisdom
God bless
You need Psych doc to be dealing with psychotropics and a PCP to be working with them on any other needs.
Drs who pull the 'I know more than you do, sucks to be you' and simply stop you cold turkey from some of these meds are causing people to get very, very sick.
We have to be our own doctors in many cases. While my oncologist is handling my cancer, he is not involved in my depression meds or my anxiety meds. I am to simply take those as directed--in fact I am told to bring them to chemo days and use my own meds. I just tell my infusionist that I am taking a Klonipin of my own and he charts it.
I hope by age 65 to be off everything but a vitamin. I can hope, right?
A dr who doesn't listen to me is an ex-employee of mine. I have had to learn to be tough and also listen to the dr and do what's best. Right now, it's very, very hard.
The doctor is medically negligent to put his patient in a life threatening position by abrupt withdrawals
I would recommend you find another Doctor for your Mother you are comfortable with.
Just explain to the new dr ...you wanted a change in doctor...short & sweet
And once you are newly situated I suggest you write/call a complaint to the Medical Board in your state.
Believe it or not, the medical boards are not there to impress patients, they are there to ensure doctors are behaving in a rational & ethical manner to patients.
If you don't let them know, its highly probable another patient will suffer the same way from this Doctors lack of care
Fortunately for your Mother the B family of drugs has a long half life....so withdrawals may not begin for 3 or 4 days.
And by then I would assume you will have had a prescription filled.
Withdrawals affect the nervous system very badly. And seizures are not uncommon.
Panic attacks (the panic the drugs were covering) and insomnia are very common These drugs interact badly with a long list of other drugs.
Tapering off the drug Very slowly by a medical detox team is a safer ( safer) alternative to cold-turkey withdrawal
However assuming your Mother is elderly and not in the best health, this may be just too much for her to weather.
If she has been doing well, & sleeping well on the 1tab each pm, then it would probably be wise to keep her on that dosage. Though you might consider getting a pill cutter & cutter the tab by 1/4 tab 3 times a week to see how she progresses
Adding the herb Ashwaganda at the same time is helpful. The herb strengthens the nervous system, and lessens anxiety & depression.
A cup of strong Chamomile tea (3 tea bags per cup, or 1 tsp loose herb per cup) with the addition of raw honey is very soothing before bed time also
Lastly, do read up on the side effects of each & every drug she is taking...& withdrawal symptoms...there are videos on Youtube also..
So if she is exhibiting new health concerns you will be aware the cause is related to the medications..
And not have yet another drug added to her list by a well intended though unenlightened doctor.
Best regards
"Insanity is doing the same thing, and expecting a different result"
Albert Einstein
i was wondering how the Friday doctor visit went? Is there a plan in place for continuing her meds, weaning her off, and start a different medication? Specialist taking over? Did you get the story on how she couldn’t get refill, whether out of refills, needed to be seen by doctor before refill, doctor discontinuing the medication? We are quite concerned, don’t want to advising further, if things are being worked out. How is Mom feeling? Did she get through the medication situation without further seizures?