19 replies to this topic

[fishinghat]

have all heard stories about idiot drs but I just had to share this one with you. My sister in law suffers from depression, fibro and a host of digestive issues. She has had 9 abdominal surgeries and a couple others as well. Now with this history you can imagine how much medicine she is on. Her psychiatrist recently retired and she now has a new p-doc. On her first visit he said that in his opinion she was on way too many medicines. He first changed her 10 mg/day lorazepam to 60 mg of Xanax. No slow cross tapper. one day lorazepam and the next day Xanax. When she saw him one week later she was feeling pretty bad but he said it should clear in a few days.. At that time he had her stop cold turkey on the Xanax, drop her oxycodone by 50% and cold turkey quit her Dilaudid (hydromorphone) AND her Adderall. My brother called me up last night and asked why she was feeling so terrible, horrid pain, fear, paranoia etc. I told him it was the withdrawal and to come off that much medicine at once is ridiculous. I gave him some recommendations and he is working to get her stabilized but he can't risk making the pdoc mad as he is the only one in nearly 100 miles. I can't imagine what she is feeling.

[FiveNotions]

Oh, Sweet Lord, how awful. A pox on this doc, and all like him / her !   

 

Thank goodness they've got you to help them sort out this mess and help her !!!

[fishinghat]

I am sure that is how he got this job. A warm body with a medical degree to fill an empty chair. Small towns can't be choosey.

[gail]

Unbelievable, your sister in law must be quite a wreck with all those withdrawals.

Thank God that you are there! Shame and shame, enough to make me throw up...

2016, and hearing this,...I will stop there.

[fishinghat]

She has some extra medicine so I set them up a schedule for taking some meds every few days to kelp taking the edge off. She is afraid to get new prescriptions from her PCP. The new (only) shrink would find out and may drop her as a patient. I told her I thought she was better of without him!!

[FiveNotions]

FH, 60 mg per day of xanax ?

 

That seems like an insanely high dose ... my idiot doc (back when I was clueless, naive, and trusting), let me get addicted ... and the max I hit was (I think), somewhere around 12-18 mg / day ... and it took me 2 1/2 years to get myself off the stuff ....

[fishinghat]

She was told that was the dose equivalent to 10 mg of lorazepam. I think I will check that. At least she was only on it 7 days.

[fishinghat]

10 mg of lorazepam is equal to 5 mg Xanax. Maybe he was trying to load her up for 6 days to handle the withdrawal of the others. Who knows.

[fishinghat]

Maximum maintenance dose is 10 mg/day. I wonder if my brother thought Xanax but it was valium? The equivalency for that is 100 mg.

[FiveNotions]

I repeat myself, but ... Thank God they've got you to help them sort this out !!!

[Carleeta]

OMG. I've heard everything now.  Thought I heard some horrible stories on here but this one Fishinghat has me circling around and around in my home.  Never ever heard of that much xanax given to anyone for anything.  I don't even believe its legal in NYS with out tough controlled substance laws.  She has been on a good amount of pains meds due to all she has/is going through and doctor knows this. I don't care if its a small town or not.  He should be checked into a bit further.  Even in NYS with out touch controlled substance laws I don't believe any of our doctors have the right to check with other doctors due to HIPAA regulations. So This might be true to where she lives.  What a mess this poor woman is in.  Unnecessary suffering.

 

It's truly a blessing she has you.  It's truly a blessing you are who you are.   Wishing the best to her. 

[fishinghat]

Thank you all for the kind words. My brother isn't very medicine smart so I have to think that she was given valium not Xanax. That much Xanax would do her a job but either way she is having to go through some hell for sure. I wonder what he will do next. Scary thought. I told my brother to call me next time and I will talk to him before she takes any new medicine. He is 'the boss' (or so he thinks) of the family and he may or may not call.

 

Don't you just love doctors?  lol

[FiveNotions]

Do they live anywhere close enuf to you, FH, that you can get there to visit them and actually eyeball her meds / bottles / doses ? (And, more importantly, see her in person to assess how she's doing yourself?)

[fishinghat]

She is close enough FN but I can't stand going there. My brother and I are not close. He wouldn't let me see the meds and wouldn't care what I think. Very overbearing, rude and very much the dictator.

[FiveNotions]

But he knew to call you when in a jam ... and you, Bless You, stepped in to help him.  

[fishinghat]

I would anytime for anyone (as all of you would). Suffering surpasses all personal feelings. I am shocked he called. A very rare and serious event is the only thing that might cause that!!! I figured I would give a follow up call over the weekend to see what is happening.

[TryinginFL]

Yikes, FH!

 

60mg of Xanax??  I take the generic - Alprazolam and they are 1mg tabs.    RX is for 2/day but I usually only take 1 - and 1/2 at a time at that...

 

If I took 60 mg I would be out like a light   Unbelievable!!

 

So thankful they have you - they NEED YOU!

[Carleeta]

Fishinghat. You are blessed with the disposition in helping others and we all definitely appreciate this more than you probably realize. It appears you are in a situation where you are definitley helping out your sister in law and at the same time your brother feels as though he can control things.  I'm happy to hear she might have been given valium instead of Xanax.  I will have to agree with you on that one since your brother may is not medically challenged. It probably dawned on you after your wrote the beginning post that this is has to be a mistake. You, of course, have done the best you can do by setting up a schedule to use, and to make a call this weekend to check on how things are going with your sister in law. Is there any possible way you and your sister in law can converse, in spite of your over bearing brother?  I truly understand you keeping your distance from your brother because this is exactly what you don't need in your life.

 

Hoping all goes well with this weekends call.  You keep yourself with the path you are on and time and patience.......

[fishinghat]

Oh Carleeta, you hit the nail on the head. No way to talk to her without going through my brother. He takes all phone calls...Period. If she met with me privately he would make her feel about an inch tall. Nothing physical just mental degradation of her. You are right, he is not what I need in my life and , unluckily, never was. Just can't put up with that kind of overbearing person. He is more than medically challenged.  lol  Thanks to all of you guys for all the complements you give me about helping people. I really appreciate it, but just like all of you, I do the best I can when I can.

 

I will keep you posted.

[FiveNotions]

I'm so sorry to hear about the circumstances of your SIL's marriage, FH ... only adds to her suffering ... have added her, and your brother (particularly) to my prayer list !