I am new here.

I have been experiencing severe anxiety for a while now. For a period of time, I was controlling it fairly well with klonopin. That really seemed to do miracles for my attacks and general anxiety. However after I overdosed on a combination of pills, klonopin being one of them, my pdoc took it away for fear of abuse. he told me addiction runs in my family and he doesn't want me to take it the wrong way. But it's not like I took it to get high...I took it because I wanted to die and I was ready to take anything that would possibly do damage. If his concern was the safety of a suicidal person having klonopin, then he wouldn't have prescribed me gabapentin, which can kill me in an overdose. I just don't know. It's weird. Last time I talked to him about it he sounded like he MIGHT reconsider, although he wanted to try vistaril first. Well, it doesn't work for me. I can still have a full blown panic attack after taking it. Same as the gabapentin. Which I am only continuing to take because of the possible mood stabilizing effects. I am also bipolar, among many things. I have tried using therapy and the techniques I have learned there, but it only helps a little. I am at a loss here. and I just wanted to vent even if you can't help me...

It's making work impossible.
It's messing with my personal life.
I just want to be calm and collected and not ramped up on fear and stress.

trying to advise on medications can be long and windy road for those professionals who see you regularly and know you best -- so attempting advice based on one forum message is not particularly wise

that said

have you exphausted all alternative methods to reduce your stress and anxiety? and/or utilized a support group?

people are habit strong -- therefore it takes a stronger commitment to change and the discipline to reframe thinking patterns and to utilize healthy new coping methods -- know that there is no magic, no ephipanies to make such achievements easy

in some cases medications are necessary -- you mentioned that you have other conditions beyond anxiety; otherwise, medications or being over medicated, in my opnion, blinds us to the root causes of our distress

keep asking questions/exploring your options like you did here and continue to educate yourself about the conditions that affect your health while exploring your options for treatment

learning how to successfully manage your health, your life, will probably be the most important thing you ever do --

best to you

do you have any advice on panic attacks due to anxiety??

i'm not sure if you were addressing this question to me specifically or to the forum in general?

if you have had more than one panic attack, i hope that you seek a therapist or a doctor to make a definitive diagnosis and create a treatment plan . . .

with panic attacks, like any source of emotional distress, it is best to identify what situations precipitate or precede a panic event

once you realize you are going into panic attack mode, learning to control /regulate your breathing and repeating a soothing mantra* can help

*maybe using the word "wisdom" as a mantra might work because you have the wisdom to know the difference between real danger and the apprehension that can bring on a panic attack

certainly if you are out & about with another person, friend or family, i would inform he/she that certain situations make you very nervous and if you do start to feel anxious you would appreciate his/her support and understanding

honestly, i hope someone who knows more about panic attacks (than i do) will offer

best wishes

I have bipolar 1 and pretty severe generalized and social anxiety which has lately been giving me a lot of trouble. I have tried a few different things to try and stay away from the klonopin as much as possible, though I use it when I absolutely must. I often wait until I'm already miserable before I remember to use it but mostly because I'm scared of it. Anyway. I have tried hypnotherapy and that worked some, the therapist gave me a cd for use at home which helps for calming me. I am working on cognitive behavioral therapy with my therapist. Most recently I have been given a new medicine in hopes that it will help calm the anxiety, its called Luvox, usually used in the US for OCD but in other countries as an antidepressant and recently approved for social anxiety. I've been on it for about 3 weeks and I am seeing some improvement as there are things going on right now that normally I would be totally out of it over and I seem to be dealing pretty well all things considered.
Obviously you need to speak to your dr about any medicine and what works for one person may not work for another as we all have different body chemistries. hope this helps some.