Worst service I ever had was at a Waffle House in North Carolina.
I really am a basket case. Woke up in the worst panic attack of my life. Being locked down all alone is turning me into a complete nut case. I talked to my therapist on the phone this morning and we’ve decided that I should come in and see one of the psychiatrists in her practice about getting on Klonipin. Also got an appointment with a vascular surgeon to check out the pain in my legs (that wakes me up). On the up side, my tooth isn’t hurting any more.
Thanks for the good wishes, y’all. This, too, shall pass. I hope.
It will. That has been my experience. Always glad when you reach out. Keep it up.
Klonopin is very effective, IMO. Just be sure to have a plan with the shrink to taper off after a certain length of time. I ended up with significant side effects from it and had to have a neurologist treat those while he guided me in tapering off. To this day that was a horrid experience. Ruined my daughter’s wedding for me, that’s something I can’t ever get back. Just recently asked asked my shrink to advise me how to taper off Xanax because I sure didn’t want to go through anything similar again. I finally realized because of my age (ancient) and a series of traumatic brain injuries I needed to stay off any benzos for good. It’s been very hard but I’m learning that anxiety won’t kill me, it just seems like it will. Hate that.
Boo
It may pass like a kidney stone, but it will pass.
Boo, very helpful comments–thank you. I do take .25 mg xanax for panic attacks, but lately I’m taking it more often than I ever have (and I’ve used it, as needed, for 40+ years). It used to be I’d take it maybe twice a month, so it would banish the panic, and I never developed a dependency on it. I never wanted to take more, because I never wanted the magic to wear off.
Now I’m having panic attacks 2-3 times per week. Partly it’s just being so so so alone all the time with all diversionary activities put on hold for the indefinite future. And on top of that it’s the political and just fucked-upness in the world. I suppose I could just start taking .25 mg xanax every other day to build up a mild level… my therapist (who takes Klonipin herself for anxiety) said that at the starter level (.25 mg) Klonipin is pretty mild. I asked her if it’s a bitch to come off of, and she said she did come off of it for a while when she took an extended hiking trip in Peru and she had no problem.
I have taken various SSRIs in the past and each one was a holy bitch from hell to come off even with super slow tapering. Don’t wanna do that again.
But I’m at my wits’ end right now. I’ve felt crazy before in my life-- I’ve suffered from panic attacks virtually all of my life. Although I didn’t know that’s what was happening to me as a kid, 'til I looked back from adulthood with the help of a boatload of therapists over the years (some brilliant, some not so much, I’ve even had at least three die on me). This is coming close to the craziest I’ve ever felt-- and nothing and no one in my daily life for respite, comfort, solace, or even a g.d. hug.
When you say have a plan to taper off Klonipin after a certain amount of time… tell me more. I know, you’re not a doctor, I’m not a doctor, and we don’t play them on TV, and we don’t even like to wear white… but I’d be interested in your thoughts on that. What kind of side effects did you have?
Thank you so much for the info. I really appreciate it. 
Here’s an idea of the problems I had with Klonopin. EPS is very disabling and getting off the drug that causes it doesn’t always mean the EPS will go away-I was lucky.
Important for you to know is that I was taking Klonopin 2-4 times a day regularly scheduled (I do know far more than I wish about anxiety & panic attacks). I didn’t know you were planning on taking Klonopin only episodically, as needed for a panic attack. I was taking Klonopin 120 times a month or so. Sounds like your use would be so much less often than that. I doubt your use like that would cause those kind of problems.
If you find yourself needing to ask for the per pill dosage to be increased frequently or you need a lot pills prescribed over a month, than ask the shrink to help you taper and transition to something else.
I actually did that, intentionally rotated through different anti-anxiety meds to not build up tolerance (I never did ever use Klonopin in that rotation). The rotation system worked well for me for 10 years. I would still be doing that but because of my age (70, yikes!) and several recent brain injuries one of my children suggested I no longer use benzos, which I was doing differently than you do, i.e., regularly scheduled usually multiple times a day. This child is now finishing a residency in psychiatry so I took him seriously and I was glad I did. I’m not falling nearly as often and have less ‘brain fog’. I’m safer from falls now and I really needed to not fall and get yet another traumatic brain injury.
The anxiety attacks still happen, they are damned hideous, I just tell myself (with gritted teeth) that this to shall pass and all I have to do is sit quietly, distract myself and in a few hours it will be only an unpleasant memory. I tell myself “you’ve been through this before. It’s horrible, but it won’t kill you.”. Not expecting much of myself except being safe and distracting myself (by reading and now with MMP, works for me), what works for you may be different. Art, journaling, pets, going for a walk, a bike ride, gardening, whatever.
You may always PM me for more specifics. FWIW, I am a nurse but never played one on TV.
Boo
I was on Klonopin for a couple of years for Restless Leg Syndrome. When I had a sleep study done, the doc was appalled because, he said, it’s addictive. He diagnosed me with nocturnal myclonia (legs jerk, not just restless) and switched me to a different medication. I think I was only on the lowest dose, but I had no issues getting off it.
Thel, there’s an old book that’s still in print that helped me a lot when I was getting panic attacks. The terminology is a little passé, but the book is a gem. It’s called Peace From Nervous Suffering, by Dr. Claire Weeks. If you look it up on Amazon, you’ll see it’s got about a squillion great reviews. It’s not religious, not gimmicky, and the methods are very effective.
Sending big hugs. You’re not alone.
Another hot day, so I’m lying low. I intended to go for a walk early, but a migraine prevented that. Then I had a long talk with my struggling sister.
Today’s my daughter’s wedding anniversary. She was only 20 and the groom 22 when they got married, but they chose well and are very happy together.
True confession: I’ve never been to a Waffle House. I’ve never even SEEN a Waffle House. It’s a chain, right? There’s an IHOP within walking distance from me, but I try to pretend it’s not there. When I walk by, calories fling themselves at me and won’t let go.
Made me smile to read this. Give them my congratulations, Nellie
Boo
The rest of us are over here!!
No, that’s not it. My plan right now, depending what the shrink (whom I haven’t met yet) says, is to take .25 mg Klonipin once a day so that I don’t have to take xanax episodically, as needed. I could go up on that Klonipin dosage, but I’m super-sensitive to meds and if I need to go higher, I’d rather go back to “the devil I know.” I hate a drugged feeling. That’s why I’ve always been a fan of xanax. It dials down the volume of the scary voices in my head, and I’ve never experienced any other side effects at all.
The “extrapyramidal symptoms” were what I experienced when I was coming off paxil and coming off vicodin (after broken ankle surgery). Holy shit! Like brain zaps that would strike out of the blue. I might PM you–thanks!
Yeah, baby, I’m an old friend if Claire’s. I have all her books on my kindle. Sometimes she helps, but my panic attacks are often beyond the reach of sensible, rational advice. She is highly recommended on most panic/anxiety boards that I read.
I know there’s a new MMP thread, but I appreciate y’all posting here.
I have some friends who have NEVER experienced a panic attack. I can only dream of what that might be like…
Yes, but on a new thread we’d have all those lurkers jumping in to get in their licks to prove their intellectual debate prowess and moral superiority. Ouch! has been my experience.
Here we are all among friends.
It’s like everyone else has moved on to the next bar, but we’re saying, “We’ll be along after we finish our drinks,” right? 
Ooh, I’m traveling back in time… ThelmaLou, I hope you get some relief!
Right. After I finish my drink and snarf all the garnishes out of the left behind glasses.
Boo
*except the olives and cocktail onions. thel can have those. Then we‘ll be right along. Save us a seat at the bar. In my case, close to the ladies room.
Boo
I had to self-evaluate for years. This is the key lesson I learned: when I was honestly reflective, using whatever scale they devised, I got mediocre ratings and piddly raises. When I decided that I was going to sell it hard, I got a much better review. By sell it hard, I mean I gave myself a top rating in every single category, and used examples to prove my point. The response was “we can’t give you 5’s in everything. it looks bad.” I did get a much better review than before and a bigger raise too. My advice - over the top and sell it hard. You walk on water and the place would fall into the sea without you.
I’ll take the olives… not the onions. 
Thank you, Mary Worth.
Did you bring enough for everyone?
You don’t want these sensations. They are really unpleasant.