The BBC has today broadcast a programme on BBC 5 Live which reports on the BMA’s call for a 24 hour national prescription drug helpline.
Dr Andrew Green, the BMA’s GP clinical and prescribing policy lead, told the programme: “Establishing a national helpline should be a top priority to provide better service to individuals with prescribed drug dependence.
“There is also the need for specialist services to be consistently available across the country.”
He added: “Patients have not had their problems adequately recognised in the past and we need to put that right.”
CEP co-founder Dr James Davies also contributed to the programme, citing recent analysis which suggests that there are over 250,000 long term benzodiazepine users. “Long-term use and withdrawal is a very serious public health issue that requires more attention than it is currently receiving,” he added.
The programme can be heard online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07zxrdb. There is an accompanying article which can viewed here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37716869.
It is good to see that more is done about making people aware about benzos. I just hope that there will be more in time to come. I myself became a victim and spent months on a psych ward due to withdrawal symptoms that i was having. Am now over 3 years off all psych drugs but what it has done to me I will never forget or forgive them what they put me through.
It’s very good that this is getting coverage on the BBC, and that the BMA wants to do something about it. GPs and patients need support in finding other options.
So true and young gp’s are not educated neither are social services!!i was bullied the day that two workers sat in my home for hours so I felt pressured by them and I wasn’t fit to sign anything but she said it would be till I got better then I got an interim care order served on me,it is crazy,I was ok and able to parent my children while I was on valium prescribed and methadone prescribed and alcohol,the day I said I wasn’t coping and told my gp I needed to be put back on a low dose to function as I was shouting at my children and that was not me at all,I was denied anything so I made another appointment for the same day but a different doctor and she was so young I asked,in fact begged her to help me so when she said no I kicked off and threatened everyone around me,again that wasn’t me it was the withdrawals,so I got nothing and had to buy illicit diazepam because I was having seizures (tonic clinic),please please can someone get in touch with me
Thankyou again,brilliant what you have done
I was taken off too much too soon,the out of hours doctor at Accrington royal put me back on 15mg on the Friday evening until my docs opened
Like I said I could write a book I hate benzodiazepines but need them it’s so so wrong
I am so glad that I was able to contribute to this programme. It will be very interesting to see what happens next. They missed out some of my story because there was so much to say. I had to give up my job, loosing my pension as well as my health. I am also still suffering with aftermath withdrawal problems electric shocks, pins & needles like Luke , 6 years since last tablet, but it’s just so wonderful to be released from my drugged prison, even though it cost nearly £30,000 all our ISA,s and my husbands pension lump sum to be totally drug free. I sadly didn’t,t hear anything from my MP, perhaps it’s because I wasn’t living in Cornwall when this all happened.
I do not know where to start but as a result of Valium I have lost everything and by that that I don’t mean material things I mean my life,my children EVERYTHING!!??
Dr. Davies certainly has identified the problem of lack of services to those damaged by prescribed use of pharmaceuticals. However, the pervasive ignorance of what help is remains unaddressed or noticed. Medical service providers are not aware of why drugs make us sick or what constitutes valid response.
I applaud the willingness to aid the afflicted. As of today, ignorance still prevents valid help no matter how much money is thrown at the problem.
J.Hill
This problem has existed for many many years it is about time something was done about it, the new SSRI antidepressant prescribing is the same story but with a different medication.
I have been damaged by quetiapine and the approach of psychiatrists. This has given me problems so I get prescribed another antipsychotic and they want to force me to take it. I can barely walk anymore.
I had a emotional support worker who kept telling me that benzodiazepine withdrawals were in my head,o felt like punching her right in the face and I’m not a violent person,benzodiazepines have taken my life away and I so wish I could make my son understand the way I feel.why the hell didn’t I get counselling or cbt or anything,I was anxious ? and now I’m agoraphobic,I left my house today to go to an NA meeting with a really good friend I cried a river,I come across as having no feelings but I’m numb from the valium,I cannot wait for someone to be held accountable for this ,no one could believe that me,I lost my children through valium,something needs sorting out,I could write a book about benzodiazepines,I was prescribed ?mg per day,20 yellow 5mls,what a large dose and also my best friends gran has been taken off her nitrazepam and she was tripping.she hasn’t been the same since,I want to make our voices heard!!!?⚕️?
Thankyou so much