Flying home dependent on medications here

[clarky cat]

I'm planning a trip home to the UK which could be for up to a year

 

One thing of concern is the medicine I've been taking here for the past 5 years. I take diazepam, tramadol and gabapentin on a daily basis for various types of pain. These 3 drugs are all class C controlled medicines in the UK.

 

The diazepam is prescribed and i've kept every packet since starting, but the tramadol and gabapentin are bought over the counter without prescription. My prescription history in the UK should show diazepam.

 

What's the best approach to this? I've thought about going to separate hospitals to get 1-3 month supplies, or would it be better to bite the bullet and see a doctor in the UK and get them? This could be a long wait to see a GP and a possibility of them saying no..

[scubascuba3]

I think you can see a GP pretty quickly although could be via video call. People who can't do that because their GP surgery are workshy go to A&E

[ivor bigun]

register with a gp ,no problem ,gabapentin i found no use for foot pain ,but great as a sleeping pill, take a lot back with you ,so cheap here .

[Sheryl]

Rules for bringing  in controlled drugs are here, do not seem to mention amount

https://www.gov.uk/travelling-controlled-drugs

 

You need to carefully investigate requirements/laws if transiting in any country, especially in the Gulf. You can get in serious trouble having these meds with you there.

 

A year is a long time to rely on meds brought with you and you should get reigstered with a GP in any event.

[Neeranam]

Unless you are abusing them, just see a doc in the UK. 

Might be a chance to come off some of them if you are honest with the doctor in the UK. I've been addicted to all three of these medications and it is wise to come off them slowly under the supervision of a good doctor. 

If you are not abusing them, sorry, no offence intended. 

 

[The Hammer2021]

You are addicted to illegal drugs. Take enough with you for a month or so. Hope you don't get busted and then hope you can get a doctor to treat you sympathetically..

[KhunLA]

buy what you need for the flight, and use that free universal healthcare y'all brag about all the time.????

 

If you're taking all 3 at the same time ... you may have problem you haven't accepted yet.  You usually the last to know you do.

Edited December 15, 2021 by KhunLA

[The Hammer2021]

22 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

buy what you need for the flight, and use that free universal healthcare y'all brag about all the time.????

 

If you're taking all 3 at the same time ... you may have problem you haven't accepted yet.  You usually the last to know you do.

The OP may have to go private.

[HauptmannUK]

Register with a GP - its very straightforward but be ready to show some evidence of address (tenancy agreement, bill etc).

 

You will likely get a phone appointment and the GP will

want to wean you off your medications.

 

A lot of nonsense is being written in the UK press about GPs being workshy. My daughter is a GP and really busy every day with telephone and face to face consultations. Her biggest problems are 'no shows' (over 10% of appointments) and people who are actually healthy with no symptoms but demand blood tests, MRI's etc for imagined ailments.

[Chris.B]

34 minutes ago, HauptmannUK said:

A lot of nonsense is being written in the UK press about GPs being workshy. My daughter is a GP and really busy every day with telephone and face to face consultations. Her biggest problems are 'no shows' (over 10% of appointments) and people who are actually healthy with no symptoms but demand blood tests, MRI's etc for imagined ailments.

Not nonsense, it was hard enough to get an appointment with a GP before Covid, I can only imagine what it is like now. ☹️

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by Chris.B

[The Hammer2021]

21 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

Register with a GP - its very straightforward but be ready to show some evidence of address (tenancy agreement, bill etc).

 

You will likely get a phone appointment and the GP will

want to wean you off your medications.

 

A lot of nonsense is being written in the UK press about GPs being workshy. My daughter is a GP and really busy every day with telephone and face to face consultations. Her biggest problems are 'no shows' (over 10% of appointments) and people who are actually healthy with no symptoms but demand blood tests, MRI's etc for imagined ailments.

Nobody addicted to Valium can 'wean off' easily. When I mentioned a sympathetic GP I mean one who would not try to wean him off but actually supply the necessary medicine to help him.  To get sympathetic support for drug addiction one has to go private. Until 1967 the British NHS had one of the most humane, sympathetic drug addiction programs in the world with less than a 100 heroin and morphine addicts. Harold Wilson changed all that and as legal NHS supplies dried up illegal dealers filled the vacumn and drug dealing became very profitable leading to a proliferation of 'junkies', expanded market and more dealers. Subsequent Police intervention caused a shortage of supplies so the prices went up..leading to increased profits for criminal risk takers - more dealers- more drugs - more profits- more addiction. The OP might NHS get help because Valium addiction is recognized as being impossible to cure and like Oxytocin was a problem created by big pharma, HLR aided and abetted by health practitioners...The NHS..Good luck. The NHS Valium is 2 gs compared to 10 gs we get here. Street Valium in UK is unreliability animal Valium and a bit patchy..The OP should be thankful he's not addicted to Xanax..A soul killer...

[Sheryl]

Valium addiction is not impossible to cure, as many TV members can attest.

 

But it is difficult, has to be done very gradually, and is best done under medical supervision.