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- Page navigation anchor for Prescribed drug dependence - whose responsibility?Prescribed drug dependence - whose responsibility?
Dr Stuart Allan’s response to my letter has spectacularly missed the point. I and others like me do not simply claim to be chemically dependent or addicted. The extreme difficulties we are experiencing clearly demonstrate that we are indeed thus affected. Having embarked on a long and tortuous journey to taper benzodiazepines, getting support mainly from the awesome online community, I am as yet unable to safely taper anti-depressants as I am now suffering from benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. My GP refuses to refer me to a neurologist. Tramadol and sertraline are contra indicated. So why would I risk serotonin syndrome? Not once in 12 years has any of the many GPs I have seen reviewed or mentioned my continued use of anti-depressants. I am not depressed and do not have any mental health diagnosis.
The BMA has recognised that prescribed drug dependence is a public health disaster and has called for a UK-wide helpline and specialist services.1 It recognises the immense difficulties patients face in trying to obtain accurate information and advice on tapering. It also recognises that GPs are inadequately trained to deal with this immense problem.
I trusted the GP who many years ago told me I had to stay on anti-depressants as it was treating a “chemical imbalance”. I only recently found this out to be a myth which was heavily promoted by the pharmaceutical industry. Dr Allan implies that I and others choose to stay on this toxi...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for Response to Dr. Stuart J. AllanResponse to Dr. Stuart J. Allan
I am deeply disturbed by the response of Dr. Stuart J. Allan to Ms Annie Cody in which he claims that he "would not seek medication" if he was upset, had back pain, or had raised cholesterol. This claim would, it appears, suggest that nobody needs to go and see their GP again for depression, pain, or raised cholesterol.
I think to label depression as someone being merely 'upset' is highly unprofessional.
He also claimed, "No GP ever force-fed medication to any of those individuals who now claim to be addicted to prescribed drugs." This is quite a statement and it would be of particular interest if Dr. Allan could provide the data behind this.
Finally, Dr Allen states that people need to, "accept personal responsibility for their own health seeking and drug taking behavior." As is quite often the case these same 'people' have no option to remain on their drug because of the severe withdrawal it causes when trying to stop. Remember, it is the Dr who prescribes these types of medications, in many instances, failing to point out how difficult it may be to stop taking them. their lives if they are 'upset'.
Perhaps, if doctors would be more forthcoming in explaining the difficulty in coming off drugs such as SSRIs, then many people would think twice about taking them. It is, more often than not, the persuasion of doctors that is taken into consideration by patients when deciding whe...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for Bad medicine: The medical untouchablesBad medicine: The medical untouchablesDr Allan is disturbed by Annie Cody's view on GP prescribing. Undoubtedly many thousands of other GPs are too. The discomfort felt by the general practice community is palpable. Unfortunately, there are systemic feedback failures, as well as GP 'guidelines', that have resulted in this shocking state of affairs where doctors suggest to patients suffering serious iatrogenic dependence problems that "the first step on their recovery would be to accept personal responsibility for their own health seeking and drug taking behaviour".Perhaps when GPs find themselves (as patients) in a situation such as Ms Cody's they may learn something of the immense hurt and anger that such comments inflict on patients who have honestly trusted their doctors' professional advice and expertise and taken their medications 'as prescribed'. Of course this sort of doctor behaviour and attitude is encouraged by the recommended RCPsych guidance for managing patients who suffer so-called medically unexplained symptoms - which symptoms may well be severely disabling and of iatrogenic origin. It is particularly interesting that Dr Allan states that he would not seek medication. His alternative suggestions may be very effective providing that he has not done so.Competing Interests: None declared.
- Page navigation anchor for Prescribed drug dependence - whose responsibility?Prescribed drug dependence - whose responsibility?
I am deeply disappointed by Dr Stuart Allan’s response to Annie Cody’s letter. His rather glib response is very hurtful to the many patients Annie Cody is referring to, including myself. It has the same negative effect as GPs have in the consulting room when dismissing our very real concerns about drug side effects and withdrawal symptoms which doctors often wrongly label as psychological or as signs of mental illness.
The online patient community is doing everything it can to engage in discussion with the medical profession, via the BMA and medical journals. Many of us are very sick. We were totally unaware that by accepting a prescription for a drug of dependence from a trusted medical professional, we were embarking on a path which would lead to many years or even decades of ill-health. We were also unaware that the drug companies conceal more than they reveal about their drugs and “hook” as many patients as possible to maximise their profits.
For me it started over 40 years ago. I was prescribed Nitrazepam for myoclonic epilepsy. I assumed it was necessary. It had a terrible effect on me and I spent 40 years seeing psychiatrists and consuming antidepressants for “depression”. I was advised to withdraw in 2012. I am left brain damaged and disabled but now know that my entire adult life was destroyed by the side effects of Nitrazepam and not the perceived deficiencies of my personality or any "chemical imbalance...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared. - Page navigation anchor for Taking personal responsibility for heath seeking behaviourTaking personal responsibility for heath seeking behaviourI am disturbed by Ms Annie Cody's view on GP prescribing. She writes 'I am polydrugged'. Her letter gives a sense that she was somehow the passive recipient of implied inappropriate prescribing by colleagues for pain, and presumably, mental health issues.I have no intention of blaming her for her problems, nor do I think that it is fair for her to blame her GPs for her addiction.I have another approach.If I am upset, I speak to a friend.If I have back pain, I take an ibuprofen and go for a run.If I was foolish enough to go for a health check and found my cholesterol was raised, I would consider reducing my diet of deep fried Mars bars.I would not seek medication. No GP ever force-fed medication to any of those individuals who now claim to be addicted to prescribed drugs. Perhaps the first step on their recovery would be to accept personal responsibility for their own health seeking and drug taking behavior.Ms Cody says she speaks 'where thousands of others remain deafeningly silent'. I am similarly confident that that I speak for thousands of GP's by saying that if you don't want a prescription, why take one?Reference1. Cody A. Bad medicine: The medica...Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared.