Ativan taper derailing

I have tapered from 2.5mg Ativan per day to 0.5mg over 2019. (Will update sig later) Oddly and luckily my anxiety was very good and exercise intolerance, and easy cramping and some pains were my big issues.  In fact my sleep would dip after a cut, but I often got hit with sudden urges to nap that mad e me think I had narcolepsy.  At 0.5mg I decided to go to 0.375 then things go tough. I also cut from three doses a day to two.  (I think that was a bigger issue than the drop)

 

Morning adrenaline surges, sleep slowly deteriorating, and a host of other classic benzo things.  After one month I updosed back to 0.5 and felt better for a day then things went south. my restless hip/leg came back strong.  Took a Benadryl and it made everything worse.  I could not sit still and paced and I peed so much every hour. Was not sure if it was just Benadryl and did another.  Going into third night with zero sleep I said screw it and took an entire 0.5mg Ativan an hour later my right side felt strange and my RLS spread to a new spot.

 

Given trazodone and it worked but now it is not working much.  Is it possible I am now paradoxical? Could a single dose really augment my RLS?  I had a colonoscopy 18 months ago and when given Fenatnyl and Versed I was calm but wide awake and talking.  Years ago that same  e procedure would have given me the best nap ever.  This is why I don’t think I can do a Valium cut over.  Maybe I am I overthinking in a very panicked state as I may need to go on medical leave if I can’t get stable.

 

 

The fact that you were given Fentanyl and Versed for colonoscopy will not prevent you from switching to Valium. They have nothing to do with each other.

 

I switched to Valium from Klonopin, which is longer acting than Ativan. Ashton recommends switching.

Sorry was flustered when I posted.  I also had IV Valium a month or two later and felt blissful for a few hours but not sleepy.  Then I got home and had what felt like a ton of withdrawal symptoms. I took my regular benzo and Ativan and wound up awake the whole night and through the next day finally sleeping well the next night.  My fear is no benzos make me drowsy.