Meds In Uk

[starryeyesee]

Hi

I'm moving to the uk next week and urgently need to continue my meds.

I take risperidone 4mg and oxezapam 70 mg

Does anyone know how I can find out if the NHS prescibes these meds

I really don't want to change as they have worked for me for a few years

Any advice much appreciated

starry xxx

[Christine001]

Hi starry no sorry I dont But I have heard of them over here so I am guessing yes. only a guess though, If they are in the MIMS ( google) then they should be ok to prescribe, Issue maybe convincing a GP to do so without eveidence from your previous dr. (espacially a benzo) sorry dont want to create concern just something to consider.

[starryeyesee]

Thanks Chritine

I will have my old precription so hopefully that will be enough proof

I really don't want to detox as soon as I get to England

thanks hun

xxx

[Christine001]

BNF, thats the best sourse couldnt remember its name for a mo, it has its own wab page

[starryeyesee]

Hi and thanks

I've just sent them a meassge

xxx

[catsmother21]

I hope you have already found what you are looking for but I know Risperidone is definitely prescribed here, I was on it at one point. The other one I'm not sure about xx

[starryeyesee]

Thanks Cats

I got a message back that they can't tell me the availability of meds in the uk.

So I guess I'll just have to wait and see

Hope you're ok

xxx

[Benway]

Good luck in your move back, Starry

xx

[aurorablues]

Risperidone is a definite here. Not too sure about Oxazepam.

Ok, I've just checked. I think Oxazepam is available in the UK generically. Possibly under a different name.

In the United Kingdom, Oxazepam is available generically in the form of 10 mg, 15 mg and 30 mg tablets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxazepam

Also, it seems to be quite similar to Diazepam on the face of things, as they both share some of the same active metabolites in both medications. So if you moved here and Oxazepam isn't available for whatever reason, you may be put on Diazepam as a replacement. Although i can't be 100% sure on this.

I would get a letter written by your current Psychiatrist and/or GP stating what medications you are taking currently and the reasons why you are taking them, to take to a GP when you move here.

I'm not quite sure how it all works in regards to getting hold of your medical notes form another Country and how long that would all take. So having a letter with you from your Psychiatrist/GP outlining your current needs in regards to medications and other treatments would possibly make things easier.

Aurora :)

[starryeyesee]

Thanks for the info Aurora

Unfortunatly my pdoc and gp are on holiday and I leave on wednesday so getting a letter isn't possible. The only thing I have is my presciption and my description of how I feel so I'm hoping that will be enough.

My notes would be in French so I don't know if my new GP would want to bother getting a translation.

If my new doctor gave me diazepam so I could start to taper, this would be the best option. I've signed up to benzobuddies to get support and info if I need to start to taper

Hope you're ok

xxx

[Benway]

Hi ( Starry )

Good to read you are thinking of tapering. Hope it will work out ok with your meds back in UK.

Aurora has a wealth of info on that too - fair play to her.

Wishing you well, lots of luck, x am

[starryeyesee]

Thanks((((( kitteh)))))

saw GP today. She gave me a prescription for the risperidone 4mg and oxazepam 70mg and I have to see her next week. I cried and admitted I was having a hard time settling in.. I've been crying on and off since my best friend left. I don't know how I'm going to cope without him.

The Gp wants to see me in a week and told me where casualty was and gave me the numbers for mind and the samaritans. She is alsorefrring me to a pdoc urgently. She was quite shocked that I am on so much tranquiliser so I think they will taper me. Although at the moment I wake with feelings of dread and crying and that anxious feeling continues throughout the day so I don't really think I could cope with doing a taper right now.

I'm in such a mess and on top of that I have to apply for 3 jobs a week for my JSA and its really stressing me out.

[Benway]

Hi Starry, at least you have the meds sorted. I don't think there is any point detoxing or whatever until you are stable.

3 jobs a week for JSA? Thats rough, and stressful.

Any chance you'd get disability?

Sorry about your best friend, my bf is male too and i would be lost without him.

(((starry))) take it easy, love xx am

[doormouse]

Sounds like you've got yourself a good GP - she won't take you off things cold turkey. If you're not up to applying for jobs, you could always ask the GP for a sick note, I think that should cover you with the JSA.

You've only been here a couple of weeks - don't beat yourself up. Talk to your GP about it when you see her again

Good luck

Mousex

[aurorablues]

Hi Starry,

I'm sorry you are finding it hard to settle in. But i'm glad you have found a good GP that has given you your right meds and has referred you to see a Psychiatrist. Hang in there. I hope you will start to settle soon and that your Psychiatrist appointment comes quickly.

I personally think during this transition, they should keep you stable on your usual dose of Benzodiazepine until you have got yourself sorted with a suppot network and settled. As trying to taper you immediately will only add to your stress. If you want, you can let them know that you would like to taper, but you would prefer to do so once things have imropved for you and you have a good support network in place. That should be understandable to them given your current circumstance.

I've just looked up the half life of Oxazepam and it's equivalency to Diazepam, which can be found here:

http://www.non-benzo...quivalents.html

The half life is 4 to 17 hours which means it is a somewhat short acting Benzodiazepine, compared to say, the likes of Diazepam with a half life of 20 to 100 hours (this is what makes Diazepam the better Benzodiazepine to crossover to and taper from, also it comes in smaller doses).

This half life means "time taken for the blood concentration to fall to half its initial value after a single dose".

This can vary from person to person. But it usually means that once it starts breaking down in your system and becomes half it's "initial value", you can start to suffer from interdose withdrawals. Meaning you can start to feel incredibly anxious and have some other withdrawal symptoms and start craving them as the dose wears off.

I'm not sure how you've been taking the 70mg daily(?). But i would try and space your doses out as evenly as possible (4 times) throughtout the day and stick to taking a specific dose at the exact time everyday, possibly leaving a slightly larger dose for bedtime if it helps you sleep.

This will help you to become stable on your dose and help with interdose withdrawals which you may be having. Your anxiety and feelings of dread could very well be related to your move, but it could also be related to your benzodiazepine usage aswell. Especially if you are taking them all at bedtime, or taking them unevenly and inconsistently throughout the day, and you have become tolerant to 70mg.

Below is just an example of evenly spacing your Benzodiazepine use throughout the day:

70mg (4 times a day):

8.30am - 15mg

1.30pm - 15mg

6.30pm - 15mg

11.30pm - 25mg

In terms of equivalency to Diazepam. 20mg of Oxazepam = 10mg of Diazepam. So you are taking the equivalent dose of 35mg of Diazepam daily. So when you feel ready to taper. Ideally you should be slowly crossed over to 35mg of Diazepam and then taper slowy down from that.

Here is a link to the Ashton Manual, which is a must read for long term Benzodiazepine users:

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

In regards to JSA. As others have stated. You could get your GP to write you a sick note and apply for ESA (Employment and Support Allowance).

http://www.direct.go...jured/DG_171894

I really hope things start improving for you soon.

Aurora :)

[aurorablues]

Gah my mind is terrible today.

My apologies, should have put this in my other post before i started rambling about taking them 4 times spaced throughout the day, as i don't know how you take your Oxazepam.

Edit to add:

When splitting your doses evenly throughout the day, it's best to listen to your body in regards to interdose withdrawals and drowsiness. You can try 2 times a day at first, or 3 times a day. This all depends on how you've been taking them originally.

If you've been taking them all at bedtime, then split your daily dose in half and take it 2 times a day at first (12 hours apart) and see how you feel.

If the above doesn't work for you and/or you've been taking them twice a day, split your daily dose up into 1/3rds and try 3 times a day (around 6 hours apart).

If you've been taking them unevenly and inconsistently all throughout the day. Try taking your daily dose 4 times a day like the example i showed you in my previous post.

All of this depends on the individual, hence why i stated you need to listen to your body. One person splitting 70mg of Oxazepam twice daily 12 hours apart (11am and 11pm) may find their morning dose makes them incredibly drowsy and they don't like that, because they are unable to function. Another person may be ok with that because their tolerance is high, but may find that after about 7-8 hours they start experiencing interdose withdrawals. So it would be best for both these people to try and split their dose into 3 and take it 6 hours apart and see how they fair with that.

Aurora :)

[starryeyesee]

Hi Aurora

thanks for your reply

I picked up my prescription today. The gp has given me 2 weeks of risperidone and one week of oxazepam divided into 10mg tablets. I had been taking them 10mg morning and lunchtime and 50mg evening but some days I take them all in the evening. I'm seeing her again tomorrow. I'm really worried I've only got a weeks worth. I can't taper so soon.

I'm not stable, I've been crying every morning and had sui and sh thoughts. I got a letter about a telephone assessment but that hasn't happened yet.

I'm really panicking I won't get the treatment I've been used to for the last four years. It's all too much.

[Benway]

Hi Starry, I know its a terrible worry, but your drs have a duty of care to you. They can't let you suffer without help.

Benzos are a thorny issue - they give them out to a patient for x years, then accuse the person of being 'addicted'., many people are 'involuntary tranquiliser addicts'.

I hope that you can get treatment sorted you are happy with , xx am