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Why is Xanax illegal in the UK?

I am just wondering why Xanax is illegal in the UK and I am unable to get hold of it. A lot of my favourite music artists sing/rap about taking xanax to help their anxiety, and it makes me wish I could get hold of some so I could just get some relief.

If the doctors in the UK can't prescribe it to me, would I be able to travel abroad to get a doctor there to prescribe it to me and then bring it back home, or would the British border police confiscate it on my return?

I don't understand why it is not available in the UK when it is commonly prescribed in the USA. Please enlighten me.

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It’s very addictive and the withdrawal symptoms are crazy.
Oh, so because a rapper takes it for their anxiety you want to take it.

Nevermind the fact we have several ways to treat anxiety, you want to take it because a rapper you listen to takes it.
What the f*** is Xanax?
Original post by Anonymous
I am just wondering why Xanax is illegal in the UK and I am unable to get hold of it. A lot of my favourite music artists sing/rap about taking xanax to help their anxiety, and it makes me wish I could get hold of some so I could just get some relief.

If the doctors in the UK can't prescribe it to me, would I be able to travel abroad to get a doctor there to prescribe it to me and then bring it back home, or would the British border police confiscate it on my return?

I don't understand why it is not available in the UK when it is commonly prescribed in the USA. Please enlighten me.

xanax aka alprazolam is not illegal. its controlled and a few years ago, under NICE advise - recommendation is not to use or for short term or last resource..
its addictive and tolerance will build, from 0.25mg - to 0.5 mg 2 weeks later etc etc...coming off may be a pain.
importantly, it can make some disorders much worse (depression, personality etc) but can help with social anxiety, gad and anxiety related disorders liked OCD.
GPs will not give this to you.. i promise. i worked with them, was a med and not going to happen.
However you are perfectly able to go to another country, and get a gp to see you in poland who will prescribe 3 months..and you can pass that onto your gp here..
also ask for a reff.to a psych whilst waitin for gp - they may be more open.
last option, pay a consultation for say £150-200 one off to a psychiatrist private and he may prescribe but also may not.. even they dont want you on it for life? Do you...
an alternative to benzodiazepines incl xanax.. and gps much happy to prescribe is Buspar.. try this along with a beta blocker (used by stage performers for stage fright to stop shakes etc). together, and if it works, the latter may be a better option?

What you think..
Why do you think? :smile:
Reply 6
Avatar for Kerzen
Kerzen
17
Original post by Anonymous
I am just wondering why Xanax is illegal in the UK and I am unable to get hold of it. A lot of my favourite music artists sing/rap about taking xanax to help their anxiety, and it makes me wish I could get hold of some so I could just get some relief.

If the doctors in the UK can't prescribe it to me, would I be able to travel abroad to get a doctor there to prescribe it to me and then bring it back home, or would the British border police confiscate it on my return?

I don't understand why it is not available in the UK when it is commonly prescribed in the USA. Please enlighten me.


https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2018/07/30/alprazolam-xanax-what-are-the-facts/
Reply 7
Avatar for Anonymous #1
Anonymous #1
OP
Original post by snoopydoopz
try this along with a beta blocker (used by stage performers for stage fright to stop shakes etc). together, and if it works, the latter may be a better option?

What you think..

My GP already prescribed me propranolol 40mg... it works a little but doesn't quiten my mind. That is the main problem. My mind feels like a bee hive full of buzzing when I am anxious. Propranolol makes me feel lightheaded and dizzy as well. My resting heart rate is already low (60 bpm during the day, drops to ~48 bpm when i'm sleeping). This is even lower when I take beta blocker. I have naturally low blood pressure also. Sometimes my blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels. I have been forced to stay in hospital/the clinic before because they said it's not safe. I do a lot of cardio as well so this is not ideal.
I haven't heard of Buspar... I will look it up thank you.
Original post by Sinnoh
They weren't responding to your previous message

She (“:

But yes exactly lmao
Reply 9
Avatar for Kerzen
Kerzen
17
Original post by Anonymous
My GP already prescribed me propranolol 40mg... it works a little but doesn't quiten my mind. That is the main problem. My mind feels like a bee hive full of buzzing when I am anxious. Propranolol makes me feel lightheaded and dizzy as well. My resting heart rate is already low (60 bpm during the day, drops to ~48 bpm when i'm sleeping). This is even lower when I take beta blocker. I have naturally low blood pressure also. Sometimes my blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels. I have been forced to stay in hospital/the clinic before because they said it's not safe. I do a lot of cardio as well so this is not ideal.
I haven't heard of Buspar... I will look it up thank you.


Is it worth ringing the surgery this week and asking for a phone consultation with the GP about the difficulties you are having with your current medication?

Are you aware of why you might be feeling so anxious?
Original post by Anonymous
I am just wondering why Xanax is illegal in the UK and I am unable to get hold of it. A lot of my favourite music artists sing/rap about taking xanax to help their anxiety, and it makes me wish I could get hold of some so I could just get some relief.

If the doctors in the UK can't prescribe it to me, would I be able to travel abroad to get a doctor there to prescribe it to me and then bring it back home, or would the British border police confiscate it on my return?

I don't understand why it is not available in the UK when it is commonly prescribed in the USA. Please enlighten me.


It is available on private prescription.
It has very bad side effects and is abused.
Original post by Synergy~
Why do you think? :smile:

I think because it is addictive and the governent don't want all of it's citizens to be addicted to these pills; it would cost the NHS a fortune. But for people like me whose anxiety prevents me from sleeping and eating, it should be a basic human right that I can be prescribed a pill like Xanax to help me get through the day. Yes I might become addicted to it... but so what? Only a problem if I run out of a supply, e.g. manufacturing problem. If a pill can help me get through the day, afterall, (life IS about survival), why not? So I can't be prescribed xanax because it's addictive... well do you know what else is addictive? Alcohol and cigarettes- which are both proven to have devestating consequences on people's long-term health. Yet I can walk into the supermarket and buy these toxic poisons legally and hassle-free.
Original post by Kerzen

Thanks for this, news to me and i can see why 2018- ***** Home office and Tories politicizing health care.

This is demented. And stupid. lol - there are stronger and similar alternatives; diazepam, lorazepam... this is purely political as it seems PHE (which has now been demolished) gave into right wing Tory pressure of some tabloid pressure on the possible use of recreational use of the above.. people use much worse drugs like tramadol (softer version of heroin) from gp.. its ridic.
ok not banned but not from nhs, which doesn't even make sense..? they cost pennies.. (the idea being, PHE/Trust think they are prescribing benzos too easily as i was saying above) but to not fund this; is extreme..

there are alternatives - but your gp will not prescribe any of them (esp. from reading what Trusts and PHE have done)..
go private (or abroad and a prescription from a doc is perfectly valid) and here is a list of benzos, most of on nhs..

I would say there are real reasons not to take these long term - you do not want to be on this for months and years? It will not help you long term.

Comparison of Benzodiazepines:
Drug Duration of
action
Approximate
equivalent dose
to diazepam 5mg
Licensed Indications Price
(Drug Tariff November 2016)
Benzodiazepines:
Nitrazepam Long acting 5mg Insomnia (short term use) 28 x 5mg tablets £1.26
Loprazolam Intermediate acting 0.5 – 1mg Insomnia (short term use) 28 x 1mg tablets £18.00
Lormetazepam Intermediate acting 0.5 – 1mg Insomnia (short term use) 30 x 0.5mg tablets £15.25
30 x 1mg tablets £11.16
Temazepam Intermediate acting 10mg Insomnia (short term use) 28 x 10mg tablets £3.80
28 x 20mg tablets £4.04
Diazepam Long acting 5mg Insomnia & anxiety (short
term use)
28 x 2mg tablets £0.76
28 x 5mg tablets £0.79
28 x 10mg tablets £0.91
Chlordiazepoxide Long acting 12.5mg Anxiety (short term use)
Treatment of alcohol
withdrawal
100 x 10mg capsules
£17.80
Lorazepam Intermediate acting 0.5mg Insomnia & anxiety (short
term use)
28 x 1mg tablets £2.02
28 x 2.5mg tablets £2.90
Oxazepam Short acting 10mg Anxiety (short term use) and
Insomnia associated with
anxiety
28 x 10mg tablets £1.20
28 x 15mg tablets £1.23
Clonazepam Long acting 0.25mg Epilepsy and status
epilepticus.
NOT licenced in anxiety or
insomnia
100 x 2mg tablets £27.69
100 x 0.5mg tablets £24.95
Clobazam Long acting 10mg Anxiety (short term use – not
on NHS)
Epilepsy (not under 6 years
old)
30x 10mg tablets £3.29
Original post by 999tigger
It is available on private prescription.
It has very bad side effects and is ab


Original post by Anonymous
My GP already prescribed me propranolol 40mg... it works a little but doesn't quiten my mind. That is the main problem. My mind feels like a bee hive full of buzzing when I am anxious. Propranolol makes me feel lightheaded and dizzy as well. My resting heart rate is already low (60 bpm during the day, drops to ~48 bpm when i'm sleeping). This is even lower when I take beta blocker. I have naturally low blood pressure also. Sometimes my blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels. I have been forced to stay in hospital/the clinic before because they said it's not safe. I do a lot of cardio as well so this is not ideal.
I haven't heard of Buspar... I will look it up thank you.

buspar along with escitalopram are used for anxiety with none of the tolerance/addictiveness - and GPs are much more likely to prescribe this as they have been told to do by the now-defunct PHE and Trust guidelines, I would also recommend both. S
Surely there are healthier alternatives
Reply 15
Avatar for Ciel.
Ciel.
21
it's not illegal. i've been on it + diazepam for years
Original post by Ciel.
it's not illegal. i've been on it + diazepam for years

you got it before the *** Tory party pressured PHE in 2018. you lucky. don't vote tory, some people say..
they don't have a clue about medicine. sorry generalising, apologies to the moderate ones - not many of them left :smile:
not illegal mate, but also don't take pills because rappers do - you'll end up like juice world
Reply 18
Avatar for Ciel.
Ciel.
21
Original post by snoopydoopz
you got it before the *** Tory party pressured PHE in 2018. you lucky. don't vote tory, some people say..
they don't have a clue about medicine. sorry generalising, apologies to the moderate ones - not many of them left :smile:

anyone can get it prescribed. just see a private doctor and tell them all the things they want to hear.
don't get me wrong, i'm not saying you should take benzos if you can help it. but, as a last resort, if nothing else helps, they're godsend.
200£ for a pvt psychiatrist is a lil expensive but i get your point, but generally going pvt - does not mean as much as you think.. they more flexible.. but they still follow guidelines

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