OT: Can an OB/GYN give out anti-anxiety meds??

So, its sunday, and i cant call my doctor till tommorow, so i thought i would see what people think on here first. My DH and I are leaving for California in a week, (first vacation we have been on in 8 years of marriage, super excited) and super nervous. I get particularly really nervous, tons of anxiety on the airplane. Ive only flown twice before and each time have just about had a nervous break down from it. Well, maybe not that bad, but i just get so freaked out, and my flight last time was only 4 hours and i was so figity and restless the whole time it was miserable!! I just want to have a decent flight where im not all worked up. My question is though, I dont have a "family" doctor. I never really need to go to the doctor, and if i do, i just go to the walk in clinic since my work schedule doesnt permit me to go during the day, i go at night when normal doctors'offices are closed. So anyways, the only doctor i have is my OB/GYN. Well, she's actually a midwife/ob/gyn. She knows me pretty darn well, but can she even prescribe me a medication like that?? espiecally since it doesnt have anything to do with "womanly things", ya know what i mean?? I should probably be on anti anxiety meds all the time but im pretty good when im not under stress, which really hasnt been in a long time. Ive never taken anything like that, does it like make you sleepy?? I want to still beable to function when we get there. I think the flight is like 5 hours or 6 maybe. Can remember. Anyone know anything that could help me??? Thanks, Rach

If the midwife is a nurse practitioner, yes, she can probably prescribe you a mild tranquilizer for the flight. Most states allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe routine medications. If she is actually a physician, of course she can prescribe some meds for you.Flying these days makes me nervous, too. Good luck, and enjoy your trip!P.S. After re-reading your post, it sounds like she is a physician. OB/GYNs who deliver babies aren't considered midwives -- they're obstetricians.

Yes, she can prescribe the meds, but she might not be willing. I work with neurologists in a hospital setting and they will not prescribe patients medications that are unrelated to the reason they were admitted in most cases. This is most often true when a patient is requesting a new script for a narcotic, an anxiety medication or a sleeping pill, pretty much any controlled medication. They always direct patients to see their primary care physician. This is probably not true in your case, since you have seen your ob/gyn for a long time and she knows you. I would give it a shot. The worst she can do is say no. Oh, if she is an NP and not an MD, it depends on the state laws whether she can prescribe a controlled medication independent of an MD. In Mo, NPs need a doc to sign off on narcotics and other controlled meds. I wouldn't hesitate to ask her, though. You won't be the first, I'm sure :)

I used to take Ativan when I flew and I"ve taken Xanax a few times in the past and neither one made me so sleepy i couldn't function. They aren't like sleeping pills. Just take a mild dose. Plus it's a long flight. Take only one dose right before takeoff.

Yes, she should be able to. Especially if you let her know it is only for your flying situation...and want only a temporary prescription. She may want you to follow up with a primary doc later though. Also, if for some reason she won't and you can't get into your doc, try some Benadryl or Dramamine instead.Blessings, Michelle

Legally, yes, they could be prescribed. But ethically? I'd really question the integrity of a doctor that prescribes well outside their scope of practice. Especially if you've had no routine bloodwork done by a family doctor in years. If you have anxiety issues, underlying causes should be ruled out (thyroid, etc), and just for basic preventative health care, you really should be seen yearly. Every med has side effects and should be taken very seriously. Not all meds are appropriate for all people.Get scheduled with a primary care doc, you need one.

I see several specialists who know me very well and are in regular contact with my primary care doc and know all the meds i'm on. In my opinion a couple of Ativan or Xanax are not that big a deal.

I agree with Storm. If you have a good relationship with your OB/GYN I wouldn't see a reason she wouldn't prescribe something like Xanax for you for this reason. I wouldn't consider it unethical unless she prescribed you like 50 for 1 flight! Then I would raise an eyebrow! I think you'll be fine to just call her office and talk with a nurse.

I don't see a problem with an ob/gyn prescribing anti-anxiety meds for occasional use. Mine will also write a script for my migraine meds.

Your physician is a physician--they can prescribe whatever they believe you need at the time. My daughter used to have severe anxiety about flying. Our family doc prescribed exactly 2 Xanax--1 to go and 1 to return. It can usually be done.

See now, my ob-gyn can't. I have wicked (menstrual) migraines and he STILL couldn't prescribe anything for me but pain meds. I had to see a PCP to get migraine meds. Maybe it depends on where you live?

OT but have you tried Frova for those headaches? Imitrex works pretty well too...

LOL...I have done Frova which is pretty ok, BUT my insurance is now charging me $50 copay for 4 pills. :grr: Imitrex is a tier 1 so I think I am trying that next. I looooooooved Axert but that's a tier 3 too. Axert would kill the headache but not make me sleepy. Frova makes me sleepy. I wish they'd make a tier 1 migraine med that does NOT make you sleepy! Good to know about Imitrex though, thanks! Sorry for the hijack OP! :flowergift:

I would think, a medical doctor, regardless of discipline, can write a prescription for meds. Maybe he "won't" prescibe them because the migraines haven't been formally diagnoised? Imitrex stopped working for me, I then moved on to Zomig...which stopped working. I'm now on something else (can't think of the name... I think it starts with a M). But I haven't had a migraine in a long time... ~knock on wood~

Maxalt? I used that too which worked great...but made me sleepy. Really, axert is the only thing I took that didn't make me sleepy yet killed the migraine. Does Imitrex make you sleepy?