I'm glad I have never rx'd xanax

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.
I've seen interviews from the shooters neighbors, from the realtor that sold him one of his houses, heck even from a Starbucks barista who used to sell him coffee. Nobody else seems to be embarrassed to have come across him at some point in time. I see no shame in someone having been his doctor or nurse practitioner, either. Of course, you probably won't see them get interviewed, but that likely is because of HIPPA, not Xanax shame.

The shooter drank coffee. Should we blame caffeine for the Las Vegas Massacre?

TriciaJ, RN

4,328 Posts

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

I was wondering what Xanax had to do with any of this. Is there literature on some sort of paradoxical side effect to Xanax? Sounds like this guy's plans were carefully formulated over a long period of time. Pretty hard to pin any of the blame on Xanax.

I have Asperger's/high-functioning autism. The reason I'm replying to this is because I honestly think I NEED xanax. My shrink's (sorry for my slang-don't mean to put down anyone who work's in mental health) got me on 450 mg bupropion which I take in the morning and is supposed to last me all day; I can feel it start to wear off at 1:00 PM everyday without fail. I also have 1 mg of Klonopin that I take once a day which is supposed to last 24 hours and I can feel it start to wear off after 4 hours.

Some Hx might help: Asperger's, 7 months without a nursing job, 26 with no money, no girlfriend and with just about the lowest self esteem you could possibly imagine, depression and serious anxiety. **** it, I'll be honest, if you were to ask me today if I thought about killing myself I'd say no only because I've put my family through enough hell and suffering already that they don't deserve anymore **** from me and it's my belief that I'd go to hell (just my belief, I understand there are many out there).

I've started to be getting the WORST panic attacks I have ever had in my life; my entire body starts to shake, my head gets foggy, my heart beats out of my chest, and I've actually started hurling whatever's in my stomach at the time.

zenman

1 Article; 2,806 Posts

Sometimes they are needed. Please don't completely negate providing needed Rx's to patients.

What kind of practice/facility do you work at?

I do Rx benzos, opiates and basically what my pt needs. I tailor my scripts to the situation and pt. I have close f/u with them and have not had any issues.

This is pretty much it. Maybe the shooter needed a higher dose, but I suspect meds are not responsible for the planning and carrying out of this deed.

LadysSolo

411 Posts

When I prescribe any controlled substance I do random urines to see if there are any things I didn't prescribe and my patients have a contract specifying not to use alcohol with the prescribed medication, and I will not refill if any illicit medications are found on the random urine. There is much education, patients are also not to prescriber-hop, not to go to STAT cares or ER to try to get more prescriptions, etc. You just have to do your diligence when prescribing.

Bumex, DNP, NP

1 Article; 384 Posts

Specializes in Assistant Professor, Nephrology, Internal Medicine.

Xanax won't lead to homicidal behavior.

Specializes in medical surgical.

Here we go. I knew this was coming (which is why I started this thread). They are now saying the shooter was on valium. Talking head on Fox news with Martha McCallum stated that primary care should not be prescribing these drugs. She said only a psychiatrist should Rx. Also these drugs can lead to blah blah blah. There are thousands of people who have anxiety/have taken benzodiazapines and have not shot at anyone. I wish I caught her name. I wonder what her medical background is, if she has any at all.

Talking head on Fox news with Martha McCallum stated that primary care should not be prescribing these drugs. She said only a psychiatrist should Rx.

Well, last I checked, Martha Mccallum has no bearing on the practice of medicine and the prescribing of medications.

I will agree, to an extent, in that primary care should have a very low threshold to refer to psych with many patients. Uncomplicated anxiety is one thing, but many people have multiple psychiatric co-morbidities that are beyond the training of those in primary care (or rather, any of us outside the realm of psychiatry/mental health).

Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

This whole xanax correlation is completely overdone in my opinion. What they don't highlight is that the guy had only taken less than half of the bottle and the prescription was over a year and a half old! I doubt very much xanax was responsible for this man's actions. Those who take it need it most of the time.

TammyG

434 Posts

I understand that the patient was on valium, but in any event, I have prescribed Xanax as well as Ativan in the geriatric setting many many times. No mass murderers yet. It is an extremely helpful drug and it would be a shame if prescribers stopped prescribing because the patient may go out and shoot 500 people.

allnurses Guide

BostonFNP, APRN

2 Articles; 5,581 Posts

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
Exactly, but we know how the media is. No provider wants to be connected to any of this. The person who stated that about zocor is correct. However Xanax is a drug that is currently being abused. That's why I wondered how others felt.

I've prescribed it. I don't feel stressed about it. Fox News anchors can think whatever they want it doesn't bother me.

Trauma Columnist

traumaRUs, MSN, APRN

88 Articles; 21,249 Posts

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Agree with above posters - the media should not be our prescribing resource!

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