Asking for prn??

[insidemyhead]

Hm ok im very unwell at the moment... really am not good i dont want to elaborate im too scared of everything something behind the clouds coming will erupt im bearly sleeping and am struggling with medication. Im also badly physically unwell. My medications are locked away including prn they used to give us when i was in hospital my mum used to deny me them all the time but i convinced her to give me them a while ago i had a substantial amount of lorazepam i only take when am bad enough im quite strict but my sleep is so up the shoot its the worst its been in a year and ive been taking them to keep me calm as i can trust them as they're still sealed unlike my other meds that are given to me... ive gone cold turkey off my quetiapine im working on it im able to take some im just stuggling so much with it all... i am trying though and managed to take them last night it hasnt been helping at all recently anyway it just contains me a bit more. Every marsel of my being feels out of control i feel almost like a maniac some times.

Anyway on to the main article... ive ran out of my lorazepam i also need to take 2 for it to have any remote impact (2mg tablets) thats not a competing sort of thing i was only saying just could i still get that dosage? Im seeing my p doc in 3 weeks... ive only seen her twice and havent really communicated with her the last two times but id like to ask this.. but im worried she wont let me as i was only perscribed it in the hospital i was in for ages and they gave me 5 when i left but im just worried like they wont let me... :/ and i think i really need it... to help me right now i can bearly function at the minute im having to take it just to cope with my work not with the animals but the people and being able to ignore the 'hallucinations' and not react theyd say and that i cant sleep my normal meds arent making me tired yesturday i was so unstable id been awake for nearly 3 days and i couldnt stay still and i became physically unwell and today my chiropractor commented on it which she knows my mental health but has been very proffessional not asking and only today because she was concerned so that hit home as i base how im doing by other people normally when people start commenting i know i need help. Im just worried you know that they wont give a sh*t because they dont know me or whatever or think im lying and making it all up. Whats other peoples experiences of asking for prn? If not could i ask my GP? i havent seen him since before hospital so a long time but i dont think they'd mind..

So yeah... sorry about the length... any advice on anything or any words.. :notsure:

[whirlpools]

In my experience it's pretty difficult to get hold of PRN benzodiazepines, especially if it's anything more than a very small amount. That's because addiction rates are high and they're horrible, horrible drugs to withdraw from.

You could ask either your psychiatrist or GP, but your GP might say that he'll have to ask your psych. first for permission.

I'd recommend that you speak to your psych. about how you're struggling with your regular meds, and see if there're any alterations she could make to help you feel safer taking it.

Either way, I'd recommend you speak to your psych. or GP about how difficult you're finding things.

[MissAnonymous]

If they wont prescribe benzo's there are many other medications that can help you on a PRN basis. Zopiclone is a good night time PRN, low doses of Chlorpromazine is another option, as is, Promazine, low does of anti-psychotics such as Quetiapine [If you are already on a dose of quetiapine a smaller dose at the right time of the short acting version can be a good PRN add on]

All changes to psychiatric medications should go through your psychiatrist however, so you need to make an appointment with them to discuss the pros and cons, and the potential interactions with any other medication, risk/need balance and how much they would be happy to prescribe at a time/dosages. Plus a follow up review to check its been of benefit.

I hope you speak up soon xxx

[insidemyhead]

Yeah ive heard of the addictive side I don't think I'm addicted as I don't use it loads it's when things are by far too bad like the other night and before voluntary work last week. I will talk to her about it and ask about other options to be honest something other than lorazepam will be better due to the dosage I need to take Ill have to ask thank you for the replies I'll write stuff down for her as my communication is aweful speech wise at the moment Thank you both x

[Sleepless123]

Lorazepam was the best thing ive ever had to help with sleep and anxiety though ive not managed to get it since about seven years ago.i was started on it while inpatient and then continued on it in the community on a nightly basis [not just PRN] for quite some weeks/months i cant remember which but we are talking years ago [at least seven] and its even harder to get now then it was then and doctors will be reluctant to prescribe as i have found even if you feel you are not addicted/have not been addicted previously or dont think you will in the future.

Lorazepam still didnt help me completely but it was the best out of everything for me but its different for everyone.i cant get people to prescribe it and 4mg is quite a lot even for PRN sleep and the danger is that the amount you would need may go up again and again so i may be wrong but i certainly dont think your psych would give it to you in that dosage even if they do give you some.Its odd cos when i was given it as it was when i was quite new to the system i didnt realise how strong it was but now often i wish i had this because although it didnt solve everything for me in my case it did help more than anything else including diazepam etc.

At my last psychiatrist appointment i was given PRN Zopiclone and i think i was lucky to get that but my lack of sleep is really disrupting my life quite a lot at the moment and i am also very anxious cos of other things which has again made my sleep worse [i suffer with chronic anxiety anyway but this has heightened] and my psych had little choice really but it was very hard for me to get.

However if you were on it in hosp and found it helpful and are really struggling i do think you should ask for Lorazepam or something else.There is no harm in asking and you may get but just be prepared for them to say no too or to only be prepared to issue a very small amount.

Also when i did ask my GP for the recent PRN for sleep he wasnt prepared to do it.In my case it did have to be the Pscyhiatrist and it was her who issued my perscription.However she is also looking at lowering my anti depressant currently [as apparently it has been proved to be more beneficial for sleep at low doses] and she says once done she will consider adding another non addictive med to that to help my sleep so i wont need my PRN Zopicone but i have no clue yet what that may be until i see her again.

So things can definitely be tried and fiddled with medication wise and there is a lot out there.For me i also tried Promazine and other meds years ago but they did even less than the Zopiclone and Lorazepam.But everyone is different and i have known so many different things work for so many different people and i hope you find something that works for you.i know what its like when your sleeps so disrupted and its horrible.Definitely speak to your team.

xx xx

[insidemyhead]

Yeah i only take what the hospital used to give me.. take one tablet if in an hour or so i havent calmed down i take another so im careful i dont mess with these things as my dad has warned me about benzos (works in detox) made it firm i need to be strict with myself and i am. I dont need prn sleepers really i need an all round thing i am actually on sleeping meds anyway i wouldnt mind trying something else id be more than willing. Hm if its not common practice i wont ask my GP as they give my nan lorazepam for my grandad without even seeing him (he has dementia) but then again my nan got into trouble with the care home he was in recently for over sedating him and shes not got any problems with knowing dosage etc it was some what a deliberate act (i cant explain my nans behaviour she creates drama.. abusing medical health and things for attention... yep thats the truth im not over reacting.. i love her but shes a complicated person) but thats all being monitored now so their willingness to just give it regardless is obviously not healthy and ill take your words on not asking for lorazepam i'm just worried they wont care as my anxiety is just horribly severe so they'll think ive been there all before i can still cope and just send me on my way. But i am actually on the verge.. i know ive said this sort of thing before... but this time its serious i am genuinly fearful of what is going to happen on any level... im scared im going to collapse into myself again or worse than the last. One note... is there such thing as prn olanzapine? In hosp they took my anxiety away but had me on the highest dosage which turned me into a zombie and made me put on alot of weight.. but a small dose like every now and then to calm me down on top of other meds... wont have such impact again would it? I just need prn for voices and visual things, paranoia and the anxiety that comes from these and flashbacks/memories its all very intense i become out of control very quick... i just need something that works quickish to help me think logically to stop me doing missions and things and to genuinly just not feel so scared and can relax and move on a bit in my day rather than it just be an agonizing mess.

If i do get any prn i dont want my mum to know so i can keep these for when i need them again... rather than her taking them and possibly using them herself. My doctor sends me letters obviously.. copies of the ones to my gp but i dont get to read them as my mum opens them if i dont get to it first.. its part of her thing she taunts me about what they say and i dont want her to take them off me and have the power like she does with other meds (not that i mind when she doesnt give me them) im just wondering if theres a way i can avoid this.. could she just pass on the letter to my care co who can give me it when she next sees me or something or change the envelope and its quite an obvious envelope... i want to limit her controlover me.

I hope this has made sense

[TEAPARTY]

My community psychiatrist and my GP issue me 28 lorazepam (2.5mg) pills a month. Although, having said that they're always having a go at me for taking too many etc, sorry this hasn't been helpful, but it's definitely worth asking your doc.

[insidemyhead]

I saw my care co yesturday and had a good talk as much as i could i just cant describe it all is all painful to just think about it. I think she threatened me with hospital to feel safe and be monitored i said i cant have a break and she just said well we'll have to think about that for you.I cant go into an adult ward i wasted so much time in hospital last year and it was just a huge plot against me i dont want this to be part of the evil thatschasing me an evil i havent known before. Shes going to talk to a cpn who specialises in voices.. maybe he can assess me properly to see what can help he may not see me though. The undertone of the world makes my being shake its so uncomfortable. Its coming and i dont know what to do about that im scared ill just drop she says its all stress related but what the hell do i have to be stressed about? Im scared and everything is driving my mind close to exploding but if i look from an outward perspective i dont have anything to be stressed with.

I hope this cpn can see me no-one has ever taken my voices seriously but theyve been on and off for so long now they've been bad since i was day patient in november and have escalated since febuary, eber since they started its peroods they decrease for a little while and then escalate and these past two years have been the worst episodes when they come back on and i just feel at the end of my tether really im just so tired. Im just scared it'll get worse and worse. I dont want hospital though not adult itll make everything worse my mum will be so angry at me i just dont want any more lacing to make me weak so i cant fight and i dont want the lies that come with it all. Im trying to get myself back to peak fitness again and its so difficult i dont want this to happen ive had enough. She also says i need to see my gp for sleep but im already on sleeping meds and i havent seen him since before hospital well over a year ago. I feel wretched and just dont know what to do.