Australia a progressive country

 

 

Australia is known as the "lucky country" for many reasons.  Our Dr's recently had Xanax/Alprazolam re-scheduled and recognised as a drug of addiction. Which has brought in many new protocols.  New Dr's and medical professionals are educated with all the dangers associated.  Much re-training  is available  for the current and old school.  For the most  we have a truly progressive medical profession for which I am thankful.  Lets hope it is the beginning of the end to lives being halted and ruined.

 

 

http://www.6minutes.com.au/news/latest-news/alprazolam-officially-up-scheduled

 

We're lagging here in the U.S.  Good job Aussies!

Not necessarily. Australian women are still unable to access a regulated natural (bioidentical) progesterone (ie Utrogestan or Prometrium) which has been available in Europe/UK since the 70s, and USA since the 90s. It's even available quite freely in New Zealand.

 

The only choices we have in Australia are to have the progesterone compounded, which is not particularly desirable, plus it's not covered by PBS so it's expensive, or we have to use progestins. This is all because of how bloody minded the TGA is. I wouldn't call that too "progressive".

The thread is about Xanax!!!!

Oh and to get something through the TGA Drs have to lobby it.  Perhaps you know some Drs who would be willing to do that?

I for one am thrilled with this decision. I don't like the wording of the reasons for it: as though it were illicit drug users that were the problem. We all know that most people suffering benzodiazepine w/d are people not abusing prescriptions or engaging in illicit-poly-drug use.

 

Anyway.. if it makes them feel better to blame the patient than fine. As long as the outcome is the same: very few xanax scripts!

 

I was thankful that the latest information says Australian scripts for benzos are down. I'm slightly less scared by the fact that Temazepam and Diazepam are the two biggest drugs prescribed here as opposed to the US where I read Xanax and Klonopin were the two most prescribed (anyone read different?).

 

As for the conservative and slow rate of drug approvals from the TGA: there are downsides. I think bio identical prog is one instance of this. Trazadone is probably another. Whilst it isn't perfect it is arguably preferable to Temazepam and Seroquel - the two most prescribed sleep aids in Aus.

Other things are irritating. Our US friends would probably be amazed that you can't get melatonin without a script that is completely private that means about $2 every tablet.

However, there are good sides to being conservative when approving new drugs. I'd probably prefer conservative than the alternative.

 

Back to this topic: 

Hi Smiff...... No no Drs are'nt blaming the patients, well not any of the Dr's I know anyway.

I for one am thrilled with this decision. I don't like the wording of the reasons for it: as though it were illicit drug users that were the problem. We all know that most people suffering benzodiazepine w/d are people not abusing prescriptions or engaging in illicit-poly-drug use.

 

Anyway.. if it makes them feel better to blame the patient than fine. As long as the outcome is the same: very few xanax scripts!

 

I was thankful that the latest information says Australian scripts for benzos are down. I'm slightly less scared by the fact that Temazepam and Diazepam are the two biggest drugs prescribed here as opposed to the US where I read Xanax and Klonopin were the two most prescribed (anyone read different?).

 

As for the conservative and slow rate of drug approvals from the TGA: there are downsides. I think bio identical prog is one instance of this. Trazadone is probably another. Whilst it isn't perfect it is arguably preferable to Temazepam and Seroquel - the two most prescribed sleep aids in Aus.

Other things are irritating. Our US friends would probably be amazed that you can't get melatonin without a script that is completely private that means about $2 every tablet.

However, there are good sides to being conservative when approving new drugs. I'd probably prefer conservative than the alternative.

 

Back to this topic: 

 

 

Temazepam and Diazepam are prescribed in hospitals and detox centres for the aid of Alcohol detox.  They are life saving in those instances.  I was in and out of both private and public hospital during my taper and you would be surprised to find that both are full of both prescribed and street users of Xanax and to a lesser degree Rivotril/Klonopin.  Our Dr's and medical professionals in that sector are fully aware the damage that has been caused.

Hi Smiff...... No no Drs are'nt blaming the patients, well not any of the Dr's I know anyway.

 

It was just the impression I got from the article is all.. that the issue were street users and poly drug abusers. When we all know there is an issue even under full medical supervision and within prescription use.

Hi Smiff...... No no Drs are'nt blaming the patients, well not any of the Dr's I know anyway.

 

It was just the impression I got from the article is all.. that the issue were street users and poly drug abusers. When we all know there is an issue even under full medical supervision and within prescription use.

 

 

Oh absolutely some of the medical profession are still adding to this issue, there is a lot of education and re-training available now. As well as help and support for those like us.   

Oh and to get something through the TGA Drs have to lobby it.  Perhaps you know some Drs who would be willing to do that?

 

Your title says "Australia is a Progressive Country", and I was countering that by giving an example of how that is not necessarily so. It is just the same as every other country. Some good things, some bad things.

 

And yes, for your information, I happen to know quite a bit about this situation because I have had personal conversations with the pharma company and doctors who have been lobbying TGA to get this approved in Australia, but are not getting anywhere because of how arrogant the TGA is, and because of how rigid their approval criteria is. I could go into a lot of details about this, but this isn't really the right place to do it.

 

Oh and Smiff, I agree with other TGA issues you have brought up, although I do know (at least I think) that melatonin is only freely available in the US. As far as I'm aware other countries like the UK are even stricter about the use of melatonin than we are here in Oz.

Well I'm glad Australia is getting the picture about benzos. I wish the US would. Well, at least we have melatonin . I think over prescription of benzos is a lot bigger problem than lack of prescription of progesterone. Obviously a country is not going to be 100% progressive, that'd be impossible, that's not to say it isn't progressive though...forward movement is still forward movement...one thing at a time. But you guys are indeed progressing, more than the US is.

Well I'm glad Australia is getting the picture about benzos. I wish the US would. Well, at least we have melatonin . I think over prescription of benzos is a lot bigger problem than lack of prescription of progesterone. Obviously a country is not going to be 100% progressive, that'd be impossible, that's not to say it isn't progressive though...forward movement is still forward movement...one thing at a time. But you guys are indeed progressing, more than the US is.

 

 

Thanks Ks, so am I.  Like America there are some things Australia does really well and others not so.

Humm I cannot come up with one good thing about US health care other than the legalization of marijuana. Let me think for a minute.....................................................................................

 

nope, can't think of anything.

I think over prescription of benzos is a lot bigger problem than lack of prescription of progesterone.

 

Like everything, that's going to depend very much on perspective. A woman who is seriously progestin intolerate probably wouldn't agree with you. It is that very woman who may then be forced to either undergo radical surgery to remove her uterus, or use benzos or ADs to alleviate her menopausal symptoms because she can't use estradiol. So everything has a flow-on effect, and nothing is ever cut and dried.

Ok. I am coming from a utilitarian perspective. Benzos are over prescribed a lot more than progesterone is under prescribed from what I can tell. I haven't heard of many (any) people who are losing their jobs, families, and homes, and possibly their lives, from not getting progesterone. So, I think benzo addiction is more prevalent and damaging than progestin intolerance. We can nitpick about various things that are examples of not being progressive, but for the amount of good this scheduling will do long term I would say Australia is indeed progressive.

Ok. I am coming from a utilitarian perspective. Benzos are over prescribed a lot more than progesterone is under prescribed from what I can tell. I haven't heard of many (any) people who are losing their jobs, families, and homes, and possibly their lives, from not getting progesterone. So, I think benzo addiction is more prevalent and damaging than progestin intolerance. We can nitpick about various things that are examples of not being progressive, but for the amount of good this scheduling will do long term I would say Australia is indeed progressive.

 

 

Totally Ks, Australia is a very progressive country and yes we are talking about the re-scheduling of a benzo!

Ok. I am coming from a utilitarian perspective. Benzos are over prescribed a lot more than progesterone is under prescribed from what I can tell. I haven't heard of many (any) people who are losing their jobs, families, and homes, and possibly their lives, from not getting progesterone. So, I think benzo addiction is more prevalent and damaging than progestin intolerance. We can nitpick about various things that are examples of not being progressive, but for the amount of good this scheduling will do long term I would say Australia is indeed progressive.

 

If you had talked to the number of women I’ve talked to, you might not be so quick to make that comment. There is a dramatic increase in suicides and suicide attempts for women around menopause age. This isn’t about what it more “worthy” of attention. It’s simply to point out that everyone is always going to think that theirs is the most hideous of issues. Maybe they are, but maybe someone else is in a worst position. Who’s to say? I’m sure a lot of the women I’ve talked to would think their problems are far worse than anyone else’s too.

 

If I was to be really blunt, I would willingly go through my taper all over again, rather than suffer one week of the menopause symptoms I experienced. I am progestin intolerant, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I have access to progesterone from another country I would probably have been one of the suicide statistics by now, and I'm certainly not alone.

 

Anyway, it was not my intention to take this thread off topic. It was merely to point out the inaccuracy of the title of this thread. Australia is no more "progressive" overall than any other country.

 

Ok. I am coming from a utilitarian perspective. Benzos are over prescribed a lot more than progesterone is under prescribed from what I can tell. I haven't heard of many (any) people who are losing their jobs, families, and homes, and possibly their lives, from not getting progesterone. So, I think benzo addiction is more prevalent and damaging than progestin intolerance. We can nitpick about various things that are examples of not being progressive, but for the amount of good this scheduling will do long term I would say Australia is indeed progressive.

 

If you had talked to the number of women I’ve talked to, you might not be so quick to make that comment. There is a dramatic increase in suicides and suicide attempts for women around menopause age. This isn’t about what it more “worthy” of attention. It’s simply to point out that everyone is always going to think that theirs is the most hideous of issues. Maybe they are, but maybe someone else is in a worst position. Who’s to say? I’m sure a lot of the women I’ve talked to would think their problems are far worse than anyone else’s too.

 

If I was to be really blunt, I would willingly go through my taper all over again, rather than suffer one week of the menopause symptoms I experienced. I am progestin intolerant, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I have access to progesterone from another country I would probably have been one of the suicide statistics by now, and I'm certainly not alone.

 

Anyway, it was not my intention to take this thread off topic. It was merely to point out the inaccuracy of the title of this thread. Australia is no more "progressive" overall than any other country.

Thank you for your input.... perhaps you can take your views to another more relevant thread

My initial post was in direct response to the misleading title of this thread. My subsequent "views" were in direct reply to posts directed at me. I have no desire to make any further comments on this thread, unless someone posts something directly in response to what I have said. Then, like everyone else, I have the right to reply with my opinions.

My initial post was in direct response to the misleading title of this thread. My subsequent "views" were in direct reply to posts directed at me. I have no desire to make any further comments on this thread, unless someone posts something directly in response to what I have said. Then, like everyone else, I have the right to reply with my opinions.

 

 

Great!

towardsthesun:

 

Thank you for your input.... perhaps you can take your views to another more relevant thread

 

Perhaps you might leave it to moderators to be asking people to refrain from making valid comments.

 

I am aware that Diaz-Pam can speak for herself but I would like to congratulate her on her impressive restraint when provoked with arrogant and incorrect statements.

 

Please read your title: Australia a progressive country

 

Just about any topic on earth would be covered by this. Perhaps you could start another thread with a title which describes what you are talking about.

 

PS Welcome back. I thought you had left. Last time I was here, you said you were going.

This isn't directed at anyone in particular, but sometimes I'd say "take a chill pill" when a thread generates a bit of tension, however that's probably pretty poor advice on this forum. 

towardsthesun:

 

Thank you for your input.... perhaps you can take your views to another more relevant thread

 

Perhaps you might leave it to moderators to be asking people to refrain from making valid comments.

 

I am aware that Diaz-Pam can speak for herself but I would like to congratulate her on her impressive restraint when provoked with arrogant and incorrect statements.

 

Please read your title: Australia a progressive country

 

Just about any topic on earth would be covered by this. Perhaps you could start another thread with a title which describes what you are talking about.

 

PS Welcome back. I thought you had left. Last time I was here, you said you were going.

High five Xana!  I see the Xanax Marshal is back in full force :D   I do believe there is a Xanax thread.

Peace

So funny how only when an innocuous thread becomes controversial, certain people like to step in