Insomnia/anxiety started 2 weeks after last dose (?)

[[wa...]]

Hi, Buddies,

 

During my Ativan taper, I noticed only mild sleep-onset insomnia/anxiety (15 mins to fall asleep instead of 30 seconds--no biggie). My last dose of Ativan was early Feb.

 

It wasn't till about 2 weeks *after* my last dose that I started experiencing crazy insomnia/bedtime anxiety resulting in 2 hours' sleep some nights.

 

I don't understand why I felt OK during taper--but not afterward. Any ideas?

 

POSSIBILITY #1 (?)

I was tapering off a tiny dose (5 mg) of oral hydrocortisone while tapering off Ativan. I just read that cortisone and benzos are cross-tolerant, meaning tolerance of one will result in tolerance of the other. If I understand correctly, this means that my cortisone may have masked/blunted W/D symptoms between my Ativan doses. Now I'm off both drugs--perhaps that's why all hell has broken loose?

 

POSSIBILITY #2 (?)

Could my delayed insomnia be attributed to a faulty taper schedule? (I didn't read Ashton or see this board before I tapered.)

 

When I decided to taper and quit, I'd been taking an average of 1/2 x 0.5 mg tab (0.25 mg) Ativan a few times a week. So I took 3/8 tab (a smidge under 1/2 tab) 3x/wk for 2 wks. Then 1/4 tab (.125 mg) every 3 days for 3 wks. Then crumbs every 4 days. I think I stopped a week or so later. All hell broke loose a little less than 2 wks after quitting.

 

According to Ashton (translating her Valium doses to Ativan doses), if I'd started at 0.3 mg Ativan daily (more often than I was taking it!), I should've tapered as follows: 0.3 mg 1-2 weeks, 0.2 mg 1-2 weeks, 0.1 mg 1-2 weeks.

 

My taper schedule was different b/c I hadn't been taking daily doses. But it certainly wasn't faster. Perhaps my eyeball measurements and tooth cutting were sloppy? Still, why would I end up w/ delayed insomnia/anxiety after a fairly OK taper?

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[[Be...]]

You may never know what kicked things up now, wantosleep.  I got some brand new symptoms as much as 3 months after my last dose and I know I did a reasonable taper, as did you.  I think all you can do is work on the symptom to the extent possible and keep in mind that this is just another phase.  You might want to browse through some of the threads on the Insomnia board for what has - and hasn't - worked for other members.  I had luck with Melatonin and sometimes Tylenol PM though I seldom slept through the night or got to sleep in less than 20 minutes. 

[[wa...]]

Thanks, Beeper. I've been using melatonin. May need to up the dose. But before I do, I want to ramp up on inositol. It's gotten mixed reviews--but then, so has pretty much everything on these boards. Best wishes to you, as well. And congrats on your W/D!

[[ba...]]

Its plain old w/d, i stopped sleeing , as soon as I was off last dose of benzo, watch the supplemts, for me no more meds,Iam trying to get my brain to heal, not screw it up more with more drugs