Where is the caring and advocacy for ME when I really need it????

Nurses General Nursing

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:crying2: My sister died unexpectedly yesterday. I am flying a red eye home tonight. I am so hysterical & I HATE flying. Like hate it to the point where I have diarrhea, throw up, feel like I'm going to pass out. I sweat the whole flight. Nevermind the fact that I just mentioned MY SISTER DIED, and I am alternating between being numb, and hurting beyond belief right now

So I call my the doctor on call at my office. I tell the answering service my problem in a nutshell. I tell them my sister just died, I have to fly tonight, and I would like a few xanax. The ***** at the answering services goes, "yeah he's not going to do that for you." I say, "why don't you let ME speak with the doctor?" So...the answering service calls back, NOT the doctor and says, "So and so can help you out on Monday." Monday?! I just told you my sister died, I have to fly and I need xanax!!! I was asking for a couple - not 60!!!! And how passive-aggressive that the god damn doctor doesn't call back himself. I am SO done with that office.

So I've only lived in the city I've lived for a few months, so I call my old doctor, who doesn't even know I moved, b/c I never transferred records etc. I saw her in Spring of 2009. She is amazing and miss her so much. Unfortunately she is not on call, and I get one of her associates. I calmly try to tell him the situation and what I need. He asks how I know what xanax is. I tell him I'm a nurse, and I've taken it to fly before. He asks me what airline I'm flying, what time I'm leaving. I tell him I'm flying US Airways and flying red eye. He the proceeds to tell me that he can't do that over the phone, it's a dangerous med, and I need to find another way to calm myself down. I stop him and say, "That's fine if you won't prescribe it for me." He keeps talking to me like I am a drug seeker, and I say, "LOOK. I APPRECIATE YOUR CALL BACK I JUST SAID I UNDERSTAND. HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!" and hung up on him. He just wanted to hear himself talk!

I'm always there for my patients...:crying2: Where's help when I need it? Are we the only ones that care?

Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.
ER/Urgent care can assist you with an evaluation for your condition. Benzodiazepines can't be withdrawn suddenly, it needs to be tapered before discontinuing the medication.

So sorry for your loss.

Not true. You can give one time doses or low doses here and there that don't need tapering. Benzod arecactually used to help taper off other things. We use 1x doses of them often in pedi psych.

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Specializes in Hospice & Palliative Care, Oncology, M/S.

I am so very sorry to hear about your sister. My heart goes out to you and your family. xo

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Specializes in Med-surg ICU, Adult psych.

My most heartfelt condolences for your loss.

I am so sorry that you were treated so terribly in your time of need. If you are in need of something to return home I agree with others, go to the local ER and hopefully the nurses there will advocate on your behalf.

Many hugs to you.

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Specializes in Hospice Volunteer.

I am humbled by your sensitivity and the personal pain this is for you, Try to seek out a no compassionate doc who is task oriented to your strife ad a wounded man. Peace to you my brother, there are nursing spirits, yes spirits, that believe in your pain and struggle. Try to find a no nonsense doc. My love and brotherly warmth to your loss as a man. I want to extend my feeling to you. I'm not shy that your hurt resists it, i want to reach you, sincerely man, I care about this bereavement of the beautiful woman who was your sister and I love my brothers closely, simply men like me, There will always a nurse to sancitify your sadness my honest brother, I'm dead serious. your journey is your world now, be a brave man; I know a man can do it,I am man like you. And I love you... like men love each other in that shy but profound way. Love your singularly special sister and all her womanly explosions of character, cry about it, you are the brother full of love and her legacy. I honor you with respect and wonder, and I love you too, in a sincere solid way, may, from the hearty, be gentle as you heal, your brother hear loves you. Strong man ,time will pass and wear on you, and you will be wise. I am in awe for your loss, and I have faith from one man to another in you. My feelings are heartfelt, I want you to feel my empathy man, and I want you to be gentle with yourself, often hard for a man. I'm open wit my heart and I know you suffer... allow yourself time. I support you brother, even tough you are a stranger, I am a heart in your world, for what its worth, man. life is short. I know loss, brother, and man to man, I give you an unspoken faith, Take it, blessings to you, a once little boy, now a man. All manly honor to you brother, and love.

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Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.

I feel your frustration!

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Condolences-- loveactually. I think your plan to change primary care doctors is a good one once the dust has settled. You asked for like 4 Xanax and treated like you were trying to score heroin-- totally ridiculous. If by chance you decide to stay with the old doctor, I think I'd pass along the convo you had with the associate. He asked you a bunch of rude, intrusive questions when he never had any intention of giving you your request. My family doctor happily gave me 4 Xanax for fear of flying. One an hour before, 1 during, and ditto for flight back. So sorry you had to waste precious time jumping hoops for these people. :o

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Specializes in CTICU.

I am so very sorry to hear that you have lost your sister. Take care of yourself.

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Specializes in Hospice Volunteer.

I am sorry, sister, that I thought you were a man. But still send you love and wish you strength on this journey, and a gentle wind at your back, may the road rise to meet you. In my thoughts.

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I empathize and wish you well. I'm sorry for the loss of your sister. Under the circumstances I wouldn't have given you a script for Xanax either. Caring and advocacy have nothing to do with it. You should understand that health care workers deal with med seekers all the time. They present with emergencies and stories similar to yours that can be very convincing, but their stories are cock and bull. It can be hard to differentiate the legitimate from the crap over the phone or during a first brief in person assessment, so prescribers err on the side of caution and avoid prescribing any number of anything abuseable or with a street value.

There are ways to deal with your anxiety about flying other than popping Xanax. For starters, you could choose a method of travel other than flying. I'm sure your family would understand if you had to travel by car or train.

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Oh Op, so sorry that you have to go through all that!:heartbeat Xanax can be given situationally people! Sheesh. It just seems that once you have that "healthcare worker" brand on ya, you get over scrutinized. Bets are that other patients going thru such situational crisis are given benefit of a doubt.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I find it funny that people think drug seekers would ask for only a couple of Xanax. A couple of Xanax is hardly anything. That is so not drug-seeking behavior; it's more like them asking for 60 or 90.

OP, I'm so sorry for your loss.

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Specializes in Psychiatric.

Sorry for your loss. (((hugs)))

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