Bad panic 6-8 weeks off

[[ki...]]

Hey guys,

 

After being off clonazipam for 6 weeks (most of which was tolerable), my wife was going to be headed out of town for a month.  I started taking L-Theanine to take the edge off in anticipation of her not being around.  I got a few mild panic attacks after starting it, but didn't make the connection.  The third night, I woke up in the worst panic attack I've ever had, complete with nausea and violent shaking, which was not normal for me.  Went to the ER,  they did nothing.

 

Over the last 2 weeks, this panic attack, shaking, nausea, and insomnia cycle happens ever 3 days... don't know why 3 days, but it does.  Always happens within 3 hours of falling asleep, and I can't sleep the rest of the day.  The doctors got me to take 2 tabs of Ativan during this, but I'm trying hard not to.  My PCP has put me on propranolol as needed, but that hasn't done much the last 3 times.  The ER doc today tried to give my a prescription for Ambient,  but I'm not going to take that.

 

Should I reinstate to Valium and do a very slow taper or pray I get through this cycle?  One x-factor is we are moving in a month to a different state and I'm worried about being stable for the 4 days of driving and the short time without insurance.  I've been on short-term disability, but will need to leave my work when that is done.

[Guest [ba...]]

Sounds like the l-threonine supplement didn't work for you.  I would suggest not doing that again.  I know that a lot of people tout various supplements.  However, we (humans) didn't evolve taking supplements.  Personally, I think a normal healthy balanced diet is all that's needed.

 

I would not reinstate.  You are far enough out now that I think you should just continue on your path.  You'll get through this cycle.

 

I'd suggest that you not write off going back to work when your short-term disability is finished.  I worked throughout my withdrawal and believe that it gave me some badly-needed structure/normalcy in my life.

[[ki...]]

Thanks for the encouragement bad, I will do my best not to reinstate.  As far as my job goes, it's been adding a lot of stress during this process...  it's an engineering job doing a ton of math and I haven't been able to handle it in withdrawal.