Not really, it would defeat the purpose if people knew their responses were being documented in the national database.
British doctors used to warn you. "I can't prescribe these for you any more. I've had a letter from the Home Office about you." (That would be for opioids though. They really didn't care much about benzos.)
People would generally then find a new doctor and start using a fake name and D.O.B. Given how chaotic the NHS is, it might take them years to figure it out.
Why do people seem to think that you are supposed to just keep taking these medications? The goal is to get off most of them as soon as you can.
People generally take them because they like the high. Personally, I've always found it extraordinarily unpleasant, but then I don't like alcohol either and the two have somewhat similar effects.
This is true, abruptly stopping long term benzo use can cause seizures.
Look, the same thing is true of alcohol but just as the vast majority of alcoholics stop drinking without having an in-patient detox, so the vast majority of benzo users should be able to reduce their dose in the community without having seizures. If a boozehound starts seizing and they're broke, they can't just waddle up to A&E and expect them to lay on a couple of bottles of scotch.
When people with a benzo habit get put on a detox here in the UK, a couple of things happen:
Firstly, they get referred to a specialist service. They've been manipulating their overworked, bleeding heart GP for years, so they're going to get stopped from doing that. We know that too many GP's will just write the script to get them out of the room. That's why this woman is so pissed off that the receptionist is acting as gatekeeper and passing on the doctor's message. She knows that some doctors really find it hard to say no and stand up to the pressure. Specialist services have protocols and the doctor can't break the protocol.
Secondly, they'll go on daily pick-up. Off to the pharmacy every day to collect that day's dose. Your respectable housewife types find this humiliating. They've transformed from patient to drug addict. Also, you can't manipulate your dose and get high.
Consequently, hardly anyone who gets put on a benzo reduction takes up the offer of detox. The people who do tend to be polydrug abusers, who are dependent on opioids, alcohol and benzos. These people generally require in-patient detox followed by rehab. These are the ones at real risk of seizures, but they're a somewhat small proportion of the benzo gobbling community.
More likely, people will just start
buying them off the internet. What do they sell for now, 50p apiece? I believe local dealers (who are buying them off the internet) charge £1 a pill?
It's cheaper than smoking.
