I agree with MrsD that this is how docs act when they don't want to prescribe controlled substances. Docs are always suspicious of patients who come in wanting disabilty forms filled out or wanting benzos or opiates. To get the best care, you have to come in requesting nothing. Unless you have a very serious chronic disease, they won't give out those kinds of meds for the long run. To get good diagnostics, they want patients to be clean and wanting only to find out what is wrong so it can be fixed.

Also being on controlled substances before you have had solid diagnosis impedes it, because the docs won't do anything for you if you are on those controlled substances, no matter how bad you hurt or how sick you are.

I am not saying what she did was right, but it is very, very common. You are likely to find a new doctor who wants to take you off controlled substances on the first visit with him/her. You will bounce from doc to doc.

Also, if you plan on finishing nursing school, it is just better not to be on those drugs. Ativan is a huge issue, but both Ativan and Vicodin (lortab) together is a red flag, especially in some one so young. You could lose your license by getting drugs from one doc or dentist when another has already prescribed to you. I would not want a drug impaired nurse working on me, and therefore, I would not use drugs if I was working in the profession. In fact, in the hope of going back per diem, I stopped using all pain meds. Ironically, now I am not functioning well enough to work (but at least I know that and accept it versus being on pills and not knowing you are impaired)....I am hoping in time the meds they use to TREAT the condition will kick in. If not, I have to accept that I can't do this line of work anymore.

Let's see if all of us together can assist you to get a solid, good diagnosis. You are awfully young for neuropathy unless it is hereditary.

Whether you see it or not, the doctor feels you are engaging in drug seeking behavior. That may not be true, but this is what they look for, going to multiple providers, especially ERs and urgent care, not in your system.

Josh, I would love to see you get fully worked up, while not on neuroactive substances.

If you are going into nursing, and have issues like this with meds, I fear that you are in for some employment difficulty. Nursing is hideously stressful and you can't pop an Ativan every time you get stressed, which is 20 times per shift. If meds are ever missing....who do you think they will look at? It only gets worse as you age. I am sorry to be so frank, but this is the reality of employment in nursing.

I have worked at many places where people have been let go over drugs, and you can't compromise patient care. If you are in this much pain, you are in the wrong field. Consider changing your major to a non-patient care job. They are going to know you are on these meds due to drug tests, and just because the docs prescribed them doesn't mean your employer has to tolerate it.

Also, consider what I said about tolerance withdrawal and interdose withdrawal of Ativan (lorazepam). Ativan is meant to be short term.

I am not saying that you don't have pain or disease. I am saying it has to be thoroughly worked up, and managed in a way that you can be a safe nursing care provider. I say this because I care. As some one at the end of their career after 30 years, you need to be in full control as a nurse. No drugs, no nonsense.