Ativan and New Doctor

Hello all. I hope you are all doing well. I need some advice. I have been on .5 mg Ativan twice a day for several years. It has always helped with my anxiety and especially helps me sleep without waking many times a night. My doctor and I tried several medicines before we finally found that Ativan works great for me. I am also in pain management for a chronic back injury. I recently got a new family doctor because my old doc left. This new doctor said she is not able to give me ativan with pain medicine (that my pain dr prescribes). She said a new law will not allow her to prescribe them together. I have been taking these meds for 10 years with no issues. My pain dr knows I take the Ativan and my old family doc knew I took pain meds and they had no issues with it.. Ativan has been a great medicine for me and I have not been on it now for a few months. My anxiety symptoms and insomnia are back. The new doc told me to get my pain doc to write for the Ativan or go to a psychiatrist and get it. If it is illegal for drs to give ativan and pain meds together why would this new doc be telling me to get other docs to prescribe it?? I would love some advice on what I should do. I have been taking these two meds together responsibly for the last 10 years. Thank you in advance.

Thank you!

So I have an update. I went to a psychiatrist and explained my situation. The psychiatrist said he had no problem giving me the ativan but he could not do it if I was on Belbuca (buprenorphine). He was looking at my prescription history on his computer and saw everything controlled I have filled. I don’t mind because I was honest with him. They are really really cracking down on this. I think it is sad for legitimate patients. I have been on this combo for years. Do you all think I should leave it be and just choose between sleep/anxiety and pain or should I get a second opinion from another psychiatrist? Thank you all.

I did not ask about the vistoril but I will. I remember I have tried Benadryl in the past and it made me very very groggy. I will probably give it a shot. The crazy thing is, I went on the Belbuca because the docs said it was a partial opiate with less addiction and less respiratory depression and drug interactions. It is also a schedule 3 and not schedule 2 like all the other heavy pain killers. Even with all this, and the fact that I have been on the combo for years, the docs still won’t prescribe

I tend to think it is because they can both slow down the respiratory system down. I had one doc years ago who wouldn't give me ambien anymore as long as I was taking oxycodone. I guess people can quit breathing in their sleep. He didn't want me to take Xanax at night either.

I would be working on some breathing exercises and some meditation for sleep and relaxation. Maybe you wont need the other med. It is a bummer though especially if this worked for you for a long time. I gave up on the sleepers because of the meditation at night. It really does help.

I hope you find what is best for you. Being anxious and not sleeping is bad. One day at a time... j

Hugs, Karen...