Dr. told me I can't be on ativan

So, I've been on Ativan for 25yrs. 1mg. 3xday, severe anxiety, interstial cystis of the bladder, I've been on pain meds for 13yrs. For many chronic painful diseases. And my primary who gives me Ativan, I get pain meds from pain dr. My primary told my husband in email, that i can not be on Ativan and pain meds, he said I have to pick one or the other!! Wth!? He said he is not allowed to have patients on both! I'm so pissed! Ok, so I either live with severe pain, or severe anxiety, bladder pain, which I take Pyridium for.... it's like they want to get you on all this crap, then take it away! Why did they not take my ambien away too! I better shut my mouth! Or they probably will! Even if I had to decrease it I would be fine, but to take me off all of it! I have never abused my meds! NEVER! Why now is who ever worried about me or people being on pain meds and Ativan, and or Xanax or Valium, they too will be taking off if they are on pain meds! I've looked all over the internet, I don't see anything that says, you can't be on both, just the normal be careful..

Thanks S.C. I will ask him about Vistaril, I have been to physiologists for over 20yrs. But got to exspensive and my primary said he would give me the Ativan, so it's been like 15yrs since he has been giving it to me. I always make sure with all my meds, I save some to put to the side in case of emergencies like this, I see my dr. On the 28th. I don't think he would just cold turkey me, I'm sure he is going to tell me how to take it to wean me, he's a nice dr. I understand it's not him.. I hope he can give me something, I don't do well with antidepressants due to severe side effects. Is Vistaril in the same class as Ativan? If so, I don't think he would give it to me. Like I had said, I don't get why who ever is doing this, isn't saying anything about ambien? God help me. I mean, I know I can get off of it no problems weaning, I'm just scared of how I'm going to feel after it's all out of me, I'm a very anxious person, I shake so bad, my heart rate is always high, then add severe pain! Ugh! That causes anxiety with pain alone... thanks so much for responding, your very sweet.hope you are having a good day.

Hi KC, I happened to see your post & wanted to respond. You are right, this is not your drs decision to take away the ativan. about a year or so ago, the CDC & DEA had an article out about pain meds & benzo's being taken together. They told the medical community your patient will have to decide which medication they need the worst out of the two. With the prescription monitoring system in place the government knows what each patient takes, how much & who the prescribing dr is. I have heard that if a psychiatrist rx'd the benzo its not a problem. However, I have not seen this in writing, so ask your dr when you see him. Patients across the country have had their pain medication reduced to either nothing or taken away completely. This started several years ago with their campaign to get drs for over-prescribing & the pill mills. All it comes down to is they want people off of narcotics. As it is now they are telling the pharmaceuticals to cut back on production of pain meds & some are no longer available. Any time the government is involved things will go bad. I will stop here because we are not allowed to become political here at HW.

Anyway, talk to your dr about this & see if he is aware of a psychiatrist rxing the med. Take care.

I am in total agreement with tim tam on this one. you should not be on any benzo long term -its just too dangerous. I can tell you first hand that stopping a benzo can be extremely difficult and unpleasant after prolonged use. hopefully your dr can come up with a plan for tapering and stopping your Ativan use. do NOT try to do it your self. be prepared for a long period of tapering after taking Ativan for so long . hopefully your dr will know this and not cut you off cold turkey

Thank you all for your help.. I was put on Ativan from my phsychtrist when I was 18 for severe anxiety disorder, I saw him till I was 30, then could not afford the sessions, so my primary said he would give me Ativan. I take it for anxiety, TMJ, nurapathy pain in my legs. I wish I didn't need to be on Ativan or pain meds, it such a pain dealing with all this crap. I have never had a problem getting off things, when I saw my first pain dr, back 20 yrs ago, I knew nothing about pain meds, so I thought it was suppose to take all my pain away, so when I would get some pain, I would say it's not working, this would be like 9 month later he then would up my OxyContin, long story short, I was up to 240mg. 3 x day of 240mg,!! Finally drs. We're saying that's to much, so I even asked my pain dr. He just said do you have quality life back? I said yes, he says it won't hurt you if your not abusing, well later he had his lisense taken away, that was a God send, looking back on it, so I had to find a new pain dr. I got myself off of 80mg. Of OxyContin by myself, it was very easy, I did it slowly, then got down to 40mg. Finally after seeing 9 pain drs. Begging to just get me off the last 40mg, I found one, which is the one I see now, weaned me off within a month, then was put on 50mg. Of the patch, and have been on same dose for 13 yrs. till recently, they upped to 75, but it's been more of a headache going to 75, no one has it, or does not have the generic brand that does not tear my skin up, so I'm just going to ask to go back to 50mg. I mean why be on higher go through this headache just for a little more relief! So what I was trying to say, is getting off Ativan harder then getting off OxyContin? Cause that was not hard, was not on any with drawl meds either. When I tried a different med before going up to the 75 patch, it was not as strong, and they did give me clondine for with drawls, but wasn't bad at all, but the new med did nothing, that's when they put me back on patch just going up from 50 to 75, but like I said, I'm going to just go back to 50. This could not happen at a worse time! My mom, my husbands mom and dad are very sick! I can't drive, my husband had to leave to go take care of them, I have no one, so I'm home alone, stressing out! Well, we will see what my dr. Is going to suggest, my app. Is on Sept. 28th. My heart is pounding getting anxiety just waiting for this app.! Wish he never said anything till we went! Question, has anyone taking pot for anxiety? Or is that a no no with pain meds? I know I can't do that unless I talk with my pain dr. But pot is not synthetic, well at least not yet! They will mess that up too! Thank you again so much for everyone's help, and suggestions,. God Bless you all. I pray you all are having a good day! Low pain!

You say, “So what I was trying to say, is getting off Ativan harder then getting off OxyContin”

Verywell.com says, “Oxycontin is the time-release form of oxycodone which is typically prescribed for chronic and severe pain. Due to the fact that it can contain a large amount of oxycodone, it has become one of the most abused prescription drugs in the United States.”

The same website says, “Like all opioids, OxyContin has the potential to be highly addictive.

“Even pain patients who use the drug as prescribed are advised against suddenly stopping OxyContin use. Instead, the dosage should be gradually reduced to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

“However, very few people who take OxyContin as prescribed become addicted to the drug.”

“Abusers of the drug, who take a higher than prescribed dosage, can develop a tolerance for OxyContin. This can cause them to take ever-increasing amounts to achieve the same effect. It is possible to become addicted or dependent on the drug rather quickly.”

So, again, since you are taking it under a good doctor’s help, the website says, “However, very few people who take OxyContin as prescribed become addicted to the drug.”

I have trouble with time, also, when something important is getting closer.

Like you, I don’t drive, so I know what that’s like.

It sounds like you do have other problems besides the pain, what with the parental health problems. Can you be positive that you can solve them, one at a time?

Have we decided whether you’re getting anything for your anxiety?

I have tapered off my pen Xanax several times and it was not hard. I have went from 4 mg a day to nothing in about 2 months. The problem is yanking them away which can cause deathly seizures.

Regardless of what people say, benzo's are safe long term if you do not mix them with drugs or alcohol. The physical addiction is no big deal as long as you taper off and a doctor prescribes this.


However, I have IC and if it were me I would choose the pain meds. It is well known mixing pain meds with benzos is deadly. IC is horrible. The pain is excruciating. But that is me.