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JanCarol

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Hi Jan Carol,

Thanks again for your post in october. Sorry I did not read or reply till now! You sound a bit down, and yet are working really hard looking after yourself! Hope you eventually do get your black belt in karate. I am also impressed! And good luck with all the yoga.

I know how it feels when you don't feel like doing anything but make yourself do it anyway. One foot after the other. But I hope you soon get a little joy to lighten things up as well!

I had IBS for ten years or so and followed an exclusion diet after 5 yrs or so to find out what could help. I found removing gluten helped. Then weirdly after 5 yrs the problems stopped. I hope you have found a cure for yours!

Take care,

Rosie

<p>Became depressed and anxious after persistent bulliying at school. started with fluoxetine 20 years ago(1995), when I was 21, was changed to seroxat(citalopram) 20 mg after a couple of years or so because of side effects. This enabled me to get through university and beyond but whenever I tried to stop, usually tapering, I never got past one year off meds. This time I stopped around Christmas 2014. I did taper but very fast I guess, from 40 to 30 to 20, then 10, then 5(I think), over a few months. I cannot remember precisely. I stopped while moving from the Netherland to Holland so am no longer under any medical supervision. However I am trying a reinstatement; I tried 1mg from the 29th of June for ten days, 2 mg from the 11 th July 2015, 1.8mg from 10th Aug, 1.6mg from 16th Sept.

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Thanks Rosie - that is so encouraging to know that this IBS thing might just "go away" some day.  I'm having another bout of it today.  But it's so much better to have just 2 bouts a month instead of 2 bouts a week!

 

Fresh - the drains in my feet are like I've got taps down there, but they are leaking and all my energy drains out of them.  It makes me heavy and listless, and slow.

 

People think I'm busy - and I have been running around a lot (but it feels like running in place) - but the fact is, I think I'm slower than usual, getting less done in more time.  That's what we all want, right?  (Not!)
 

You're right Peggy, I am down.  BUT - I will say since I've been on the Kanna, I've been productive.  You know those million little things like refilling the shampoo bottle from the "back stash" or sorting out things, or organizing things - most of them little things - but instead of just saying "frack it I'll do it later" I'm doing it now.  It makes me slower, less efficient, but I feel better.

 

I took a Tai Chi class at the University of 3rd Age today.  This is a special social and educational organization which has classes in exercise, music and art, travel and games (they have a real mah-jonng group!).  This Tai Chi is called "Tai Chi for Arthritis" but includes Tai Chi for Diabetes, and it was designed by Dr. Daniel Lam.  I've been following Dr. Lam for awhile because he's one of the writers about adrenal fatigue, and has an excellent program for it.

 

So I find out, he's based in Australia - I could consult with him by going towards Sydney!  And he's designed this Tai Chi - 

 

It was do-able, but it got my poor adrenal-fatigued heart rate up.  I could feel the effort on my shoulders and feel the effect on my lymph system.  I was completely comfortable with it.  It is not a fighting style, but I'm happy about it.  YAY!  Something good to look forward to.

 

Hubby says I need to pick my pizza (being naughty tonight and getting a pizza!) so I have to go for now....

 

Thank you all for visiting.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Jan.  Never forget , that you're beautiful  !   Love you and your spirit !    :)  

Love ,

Ali

Many SSRI's and SSNRI's over 20 years. Zoloft for 7 years followed by Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, Pristiq, Valdoxan, Mianserin and more - on and off. No tapering. Cold turkey off Valdoxan - end of May 2014

 

                                                  Psych Drug - free since May 2014
.
         

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You are always an inspiration!

1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms.

Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12

Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13

Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15

11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble)

9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol

7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol

56 years old

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:blush: Thank you!

 

I am paying for that pizza.  IBS (cheese).  Back to the enemas.  But golly it was wonderful, creamy prawn & garlic and spinach . . . ahhhhhhhh.

 

I was in therapy today.  She asked if I was "high," and I didn't quite communicate well (because we've got 2 of us and 50 minutes to cover it all) but it's like - I've got 50 minutes to tell you about small "d" depression, taps in my feet, IBS, what I'm doing, why I'm afraid to increase my lithium again (my annulare granuloma is back, and this time it hurts - a circle shaped rash above and below my right armpit), and my frustrations with hubby's inability to talk about anything involving feelings.  Non VIolent Communication (thank you KarenB), and all of the things I'm trying - yoga, rebounding, tai chi, art class, etc....

 

I didn't even have time to talk about SA this time.  And she wonders why I was talking fast?  I kept saying, "no, no, not high, just the opposite.  I'm fakin' it - waiting to for the "makin' it" part."

 

But then again, apart from basic stuff, I haven't been posting much to SA.  Gotta do something about that.  Kind of like - what I do (when I'm not doing art, yoga, tai chi, physio, occupational therapy, acupuncture, massage, shopping, errands, etc.).  I've missed you all!

 

I also feel like if I add one more thing to the plate, it will overheat and explode from the inside.  I think I am building stamina - but I need to build more.  When we are travelling (soon) I can use the road to increase my walking stamina.

 

Keep plugging!  Isn't there a cartoon in the US called "Pluggers?"  I feel like a Plugger.  Plugging along.  Every now and then I look up - and have beautiful moments like the sulfur crested cockatoo who swooped above me into the tallest tree to roost, and preened with his beautiful lemon-yellow crest all fluffed up and grooming.  There are moments.  It's not all despair.  :P

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Whoops.  I did it again.

 

When filling my trays I forgot to put in the lithium carbonate.

 

If my head weren't attached, I'd lose it.

 

I am seriously reluctant to updose now.  I'm just going to let it go, and hope that it was the Universe's way of saying it's time to get off the lithium carbonate.

 

I'm only going to do one more month of the 2.5 mg of lithium orotate, I will back it down to 1.25 again, as I feel toxic - skin eruptions, kidney struggles, general heavy, toxic feelings.

 

It's not a drug to be messed with, that's for certain.  My concern is that - 3 months after the last precipitous drop - I had this slip into depression, and I still haven't quite recovered from that small "d" depression.  I'm functioning, I'm getting out of the house, I'm getting things done, but I'm not having much pleasure or even mindfulness about it.  It's just a job to be done.

 

Acupuncture today, yoga tonight, at least it won't be in a sauna like it has been of late. (been a heat wave here, and the studio is a windowless box with no a/c)  I'm looking forward to the smoothie afterwards.

 

Tomorrow I face the colo-rectal surgeon guy, the humiliation to my face and to my arse.  Wheeeeee!  I'll be glad when that is over!

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Today, I had an excellent day.

 

It looks like I might be teaching a shamanism class at the yoga studio (see, Andy, there's a reason I'm at that studio, even if it's not "right" in other ways).  I did a preview class for 2 of the teachers - they didn't seem to "get it," and I need to step up my game to communicate better.  

 

But since teaching it, it's like I"m switched on.  It's like the haze is lifting, and good things are coming my way.  I'm getting things done, I'm running around like a headless chook (but still not "normal" as far as task accomplishment - but not crashing, like I have in past).  My stamina is up. 

 

I read a lot of yoga (elephant journal) today, especially about Bikram (naughty) and Iyengar (love him) and a few others (usually naughty).  But in reading the yoga, in understanding some things - when I went to yoga tonight, I could feel my entire yoga career supporting me on the mat.  I even got a little shamanic message which said, "stick to the mat like a grasshopper," and that enhanced my practice.

 

So - the work on the mat tonight was a great breakthrough.  I could feel all my yoga teachers - and yet - go into the practice.  Replace the "master's" voice with my own voice.  Deep into each pose, solid in the breath - it was cellular yoga, transformative yoga.  Like all of my experience, my history, my practice - came to me - but without the baggage of abuse it has had in the past.  I can reclaim some of my former practices now - the trauma is in the past - the practice need not be scarred by it.

 

Sure, the trauma is still in me, that's not released - but my practice is freed from the trauma, and that's huge.  It's like I've been walking on yoga eggshells - until today.  Today I was fearless, and stuck to the mat like a grasshopper, strong and solid.  

 

I'm loving the Tai Chi class, too - I recommend all Aussies over age 50 to go to U3A and take a local Tai Chi class!  It's AWESOME!  Or - if you can't get it through U3A (or are not an Aussie) see if Dr. Paul Lam (yes, Paul, not "daniel" like I said before) has an instructor near you:

 

http://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/instructors/certified-instructors/

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Tai Chi class! :) thanks I will keep it in mind 

You are so busy now my goodness good for you... wishing you peace :)

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Today was pdoc day. 

 

I was able to talk about some of the things I don't get time for in psychologist, because it's now "couples" counseling.  (basically, it's counseling for both of us, each of us, 2 for 1 in the same hour.)

 

She was okay with the lithium drop - I knew that, she said I could go off over 6 months ago.

 

She didn't seem concerned about the lithium orotate - the dosage is small but it's not TGA approved, so I worried she wouldn't like it. She asked about my supplements, I told her about the kanna, the NAC, the PS, and whatever mood support I could remember.  She took notes.

 

She said that my condition of exhaustion, agony, and struggling is because I'm making real changes, and it's like giving birth, it's hard work - but also rewarding work.  I've got a lot of irons in the fire, and I'm not always managing them well, but I am doing more than I have in over a decade, as far as "getting it done," and taking an interest in living.  

 

It was a rewarding discussion.  I'll not see her for another 6 months, all being well.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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  • 2 weeks later...
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"No bird soars in a calm."  - Wilbur Wright

 

My life is exploding like fireworks, all my little pots are boiling over at the same time.  It's frantic, it's fertile, but also very fulfilling.

 

I'm getting requests from all around for "doing this and doing that" in a number of arenas, and it's kicking my arse, but also making me move.

 

I always said, in Indiana, when I had a Community, that Peer Pressure was my best motivator.  I cooked a meal because my neighbor was hungry, and I wanted to share my bounty (and he mowed my lawn).  I went to work because I was called and asked to come.  Peer pressure.

 

It's taken me over a dozen years to build up enough communities (notice they are small "c" communities, still, not quite enough to replace the Community I had in my hometown) - to start building Peer Pressure to get me off my arse and doing things.

I still remember my first fireworks show.  I was 3-4 years old, and I screamed from the pain of the noise.  This is kind of like that - explosive, exciting, and just a little too intense - but beautiful, too.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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JC,

 

So nice when both you and Petu post uplifting and positive reports on the same day!

 

Glad to see you are seeing improvements.

 

Time, time, time.

 

Best,

 

Andy

Sertraline 50mg and Clonazapam .375mg from 2000 -- symptoms of dizziness Spring 2012

increased to .5 Clonazapam and 100mg Sertraline -- no improvement

Benzo microtaper from November 2012 to November 2014 (followed benzo sites "taper benzo first")

Started Sertraline taper in December 2014 cut by 25mg to 75mg; 62.5mg 1/1/15 and 50mg on 2/1/15

Held at 50mg through April 5 to use liquid 
Reduced dosage in 10% or less drops from 50mg to 25mg -- at single tablet of 25mg on 10/5/15

Transitioned to all liquid for accuracy while tapering -- Horrible insomnia -- back to 25mg liquid and held until October 1, 2016

10/16 -- 11/18 tapered very slowly to 10.6mg.  No real improvement and never really stable so updosed to 12.5mg (1/2 a pill) for convenience and long hold.

After 8+ months of holding with no noticeable improvement decided to add .4ml of liquid Prozac (about 1.5mg) to see if that improves the situation

Supplements, Magnesium, D3, Omega 3, curcumin, Valerian, 81mg Aspirin, L-Theanine, Vit. C,

 

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How excellent! We can see the light at the end of the lithium tunnel.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Thank you Alto and Andy - it's good to not be numb, flat, bored and boring. Scary to come out from under the blanket of depression and the heavy winter quilt of lithium, but it also seems to be =  LIVING!!!!!

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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  • 4 weeks later...
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OMG it's been a Real month.

 

Travelling all over Australia - a hospital and 2 doctor visits along the way (UTI).  One country doctor (Narandera, NSW) was OUTSTANDING, looked at me like a whole human being, as if he was going to care for me for the rest of my life - instead of just a quick visit to re-do the labs on my UTI.  

 

4 courses of 3 different antibiotics, ending with Norfloxacin.  Yes.  20 days on a FLOX drug.  I survived.

 

Landing home to need new glasses (lost them in Parliament House), appointments every day for something.  Thursday was Colonoscopy day - I just finished the norfloxacin today.  So - 20 days of stripping my gut of all biome, finished with - stripping my gut of everything else.  Additionally, I had a week without any fish oil, B vitamins, herbs, or anything that might compromise the colonoscopy.  I was afraid of that - but now I'm wondering - what do the supplements do for me? 

 

I start re-populating my gut tonight.  It may take awhile to get the balance back.  But at least the colonoscopy was clear, nothing other than "floppy bowel" and "some prolapse" (that's if I read the doctor's hand correctly).  (maybe that's what the supplements do for me!)

 

I don't know how this fits in the bone broth realm of things - but I had to make up a broth to survive my "clear fluids" day prior to colonoscopy - I looked in the freezer and found a ham bone - and made up a dense, gelatinous broth that I mixed with hot water for a steaming cup of yum!  I thank the broth that my hunger and head were not spinning by the time they wheeled me into the Day Surgery.  Ham Broth.  

 

Tai Chi is off for Easter holidays for a few weeks, so it will be back to the yoga mat again.  I'm still in discussions with the yoga studio about how are we going to run this shamanism thing.  She wants to do weekly one hour classes - while I would like to do an introductory 2 hour seminar.  It's not for everyone.  Unlike yoga, where you can just show up and do what teacher says, and then go home and feel better and forget all about yoga until the next time - the shamanism thing asks a lot more of its participants.

 

You have to learn something, or you won't get anything out of it.  And most people want to achieve enlightenment or whatever, IN class with NO homework.  

 

Hmmm.  

 

Well, just popping in to say hi, I'm still alive, I'm still running like crazy (taxes and renting my house in USA - an amazing good thing - but also - a hassle until we get all the repairs, utilities, and government Section 8 paperwork and occupancy permits and inspections blah blah blah, as well as - making CD's for people and stuff and more stuff) but feel mostly good. 

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Hi JC,

 

Welcome back.  Sounds like you had a good time and coped well.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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My new, weird massage therapist.

 

She's a spiritual bird, and her studio is a sanctuary on 2 acres of bushland, with chooks and trees and a beautiful welcoming home.

 

But she digs at the places she feels "emotionally pent up" and then does a vibration and "ohh ohho hah ha ha haaaa oooooooooooh" thing that seems to do her lots of good but doesn't do much for me.  (this story tells better verbally than in writing).  Her "deep work" left me in pain for a week, and I'm going to give her a few more sessions.  Just because it's uncomfortable, doesn't mean it's wrong.

 

It may be my "cutting edge" of learning.  I won't know until I try.  I can tell her that because of my adrenal fatigue, the inflammation is not always a good thing for me, it takes so long to heal and clear.  She may just tell me that I'm holding on to pain or anger.  She's a big Louise Hay fan - when I talked about pain, she said, "Pain is a way of punishing ourself."  I don't think that's a very compassionate thing to say - but wasn't clear enough at the time to go there.  I will give her a fair shake, but I may need to find a more pleasurable massage - if I find I'm dreading going to her - well.  It defeats the purpose of the massages.

 

I have 2 friends in sorts of crisis right now, I'm struggling to get my house ready for a new tenant to move in (in Indiana, 14,000 miles away).  I harvested my first lemon balm, and will try some chilled with honey tomorrow.

 

The colonoscopy and antibiotic are still messing with me - I've been doing lots of probiotics.  Yogurt starter in my drinks, and extra probiotic tablets until I repopulate my gut biome.  

 

I guess it is time to share my current enema recipe.

 

I make 500 ml of black or green tea - strong (steep until it cools to body temperature).  I add:

himalayan salt

deep earth clay (can use bentonite, but my clay is special, from sacred ground, 60 metres below the surface from a freshwater well)

coconut oil

yogurt starter

 

I hold it in for as long as possible - sometimes up to 20 minutes, but often for only 10.     The coconut oil helps soothe the inflammation and heals the gut, the clay absorbs gas, bloating and nasty stuff, and the yogurt starter is like a poo transplant without the poo.  Salt in the water matches my natural tissue - and also is healing and anti-inflammatory.  The tea helps solidify the diarrhea.  But with the clay in it - it will absorb some nutrients - so I try and keep it down to less than a week.

 

I've been taking probiotics orally like mad - in hopes that I won't need an enema.  But if I do, I know it will help.

 

I've found a good source on San Pelligrino mineral water with lithium, so maybe I can decrease my lithium orotate to 1.25 mg.  I'm still on 1/2 dose of St. John's wort, but will switch to 5HtP as soon as the St. John's runs out. 

 

Does anyone know how much lithium is in San Pelligrino water?  The San Pelligrino is nearly as tasty as the beautiful mineral water we bottled while down in Victoria - it comes up from the deep earth, naturally carbonated, and fizzy tasty beautiful healthy water.  I'm going to drink it from now on.  I just read on https://www.bulletproofexec.com/mineral-water-benefits-pellegrino-sulphates/ that it has sulphates in it - which might be a natural form of MSM?

 

San Pelligrino (a Nestle product - ugh!) - lists the mineral constituency as this:

San%20Pelligrino%20Mineral%20Content_zps

 

This does not indicate any lithium.  But I read somewhere here - from Alto, even? - that it does.  Any information on that greatly appreciated!

 

Ah - this list includes lithium:  .2 mg/liter.  Since I take 2.5 mg per day - this is miniscule unless I drink 10 San Pelligrino's a day.

 

San%20Pelligrino%20alt%20min%20content_z

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Hi Jan Carol,

After reading through your thread, it seems that most of your problems started when you went off of Effexor. Do you think Effexor was helping you at that time?

I'm on 1800 mg of gabapentin 3x600, .325 Klonopin(.25 in am, .125 afternoon), in the evening I take cymbalta 30mg down from 60mg, remeron 30mg and lamictal 100 mg. Nausea and anxiety are my worst symptoms. C

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Hi Toomany - oh no.  Effexor was one of the later ones, sure, but there were many more before that which gave me troubles.

 

I had trouble with Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil - and the trying of them set me up for wild mood swings that got me diagnosed as bipolar.  I was put on Wellbutrin in the late 90's, and had trouble coming off of that.  Couldn't come off it until I was put on Effexor (and Depakote).

 

Additionally, I had conservative docs, and while I was on Effexor for 5 years or so - (sometimes combined with low dose Mirtazapine) - I was never on more than 75, and most often was on just 37.5 mg per day.  

 

I was tapered off that 37.5 in 2 months (fast by SA standards, but slow by pdoc standards) and moved to prothieden and lithium - don't remember withdrawal - but I was really struggling to adjust to a new country at that time - so cannot distinguish withdrawal from situation.

 

The prothieden taper went well, too.  I am lucky that I was only ever on the very lowest dose of anything (except lithium).

 

NOW, about that lithium.  I am questioning my ability to measure out accurately .125 mg of my lithium orotate.  The Swanson brand has a great amount of variability in it, that the KAL brand did not.  So there may be a plus-or-minus 5% difference in my capsules.  I will have to stay at 2.5 mg I think.  

 

And my daily lithium is likely equivalent to 8-10 litres (depending on absorbability and type of lithium in the water) of San Pelligrino water per day.  That's a bit much, but maybe I can get so that the water is good enough.  It looks like Costco is going to be good enough to stock San Pelligrino pretty regularly, so - I'm happy to use it.  It's almost as tasty as that bubbling aquifer naturally carbonated spring water from rural Victoria.  ALMOST - that's some darned tasty water!  It was great being in Victoria in the car - so we could fill up about 20 litres of bottles to drink while we were there - and - bring about a dozen litres home.  It won't last long enough - tastes better than Perrier (to me) or many other mineral waters I've tasted.

 

Here's a thought - lithium in the kidneys.  Natural water - in order to get these "therapeutic doses" = drinking LOTS of water.  Hydrotherapy levels of water.  That's probably a natural way to protect the kidneys from "too much lithium," reckon?

 

So I will probably stay at 2.5 mg for awhile.  At least while this explosion in my life is happening!  What I want to know is:  where is the energy for this combustion coming from?  Is it purely from situations I've been cultivating?  Or do I really have some gas in the tank that I'm not aware of?  (it could be the tiny amount of SJW I am still taking for the next month or so)

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Today was Breast Health Day.  I finally submitted to mammogram / ultrasound.

 

You should've seen the concerned look on the rad-tech and the diagnostic Doctor when it became clear that I skipped a year.

 

I have gotten this every year since age 28.  And nothing has been found. 

 

And Peter Gotzsche wrote a book about the harm caused by mammography and false positives.  I haven't finished reading the book (it's quite dense) but - I thought - just stretch them out a bit - not quit - just stretch them out.

 

The diagnostic Doctor even used the phrase "radio-phobia" like I had some sort of disorder or something.  I'm sorry (sorry guys) but is it healthy to squish my breasts between 2 plates with 50 pounds (or so) of pressure and then radiate them?  Even if it is "lo-rad" imaging?

 

THEN - when I went to the audiologist to get my last report (also from 2 years ago) she asked what was up.  I said I was going to Costco for hearing aids.

 

You Americans save 25-50% by going to Costco.  Here in Australia, that is more like 70%.  The Audiology receptionist looked at me sadly, like I was delusional, and told me that Costco had a "bad reputation" among audiologists (yeh, stealing their business), and to ask lots of questions, and she even referred me to their competitor who had an office in my neighborhood - because they were "real" audiologists.

 

(later, I went on line, and found out that, by Australian law, the Costco people are required to be proper audiologists!)

 

So - not a medically affirming day.   :wacko:

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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hey Jan - i think it might be hard to find out exactly how much lithium is in water because they don't tell you what the lithium is bound with - lithium orotate has a different amount of elemental lithium per mg than lithium carbonate. so if it is elemental lithium in the water then you probably don't need 8 - 10 litres per day?

 

thanks for the reminder - i am due for a mammogram too!

Started in 2000 - On 150mg most of the time, (but up to 225mg at highest dose for 6 months in the beginning)
Reduced off easily first time - but got depressed (not too much anxiety) 6 months later
Back on effexor for another 9 months.
Reduced off again with no immediate w/d - suddenly got depressed and anxious ++ again 3 or 4 months later.
Back on effexor - this time for 3 years
Reduced off over a month - 6 weeks later terrible anxiety - back on.
Rinse and repeat 4 more times - each time the period before the anxiety comes back got shorter and shorter
Jan - July 2012 75mg down to 37.5mg;, 8/3/12 - 35mg. 8/25/12 - 32mg. 9/11- 28mg, 10/2 - 25mg, 10/29 - 22mg, 11/19 - 19.8mg; 12/11 - 17m,
1/1- 15.5mg; 1/22 -14mg, 2/7 14.9mg, 2/18 - 17.8mg - crashed big time: back to 75mg where i sat for 2 years....

4th  March 2015 - 67.5mg;   31st March - 60mg;  24th April - 53mg; 13th May - 48mg; 26th May - 45mg;  9th June - 41mg; 1 July- 37.5mg; 20 July - 34mg; 11 August - 31mg; 1st Sept - 28mg;  1st Dec - 25.8mg;  28th Dec - 23.2mg; 23rd Jan-21.9mg; Feb 7th- 21mg; March 1st - 20.1mg, March 30th - 18mg

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"radio-phobia" :lol: 

Nice to see they did not get your brain or your sense of humour :)

WARNING THIS WILL BE LONG
Had a car accident in 85
Codeine was the pain med when I was release from hosp continuous use till 89
Given PROZAC by a specialist to help with nerve pain in my leg 89-90 not sure which year
Was not told a thing about it being a psych med thought it was a pain killer no info about psych side effects I went nuts had hallucinations. As I had a head injury and was diagnosed with a concussion in 85 I was sent to a head injury clinic in 1990 five years after the accident. I don't think they knew I had been on prozac I did not think it a big deal and never did finish the bottle of pills. I had tests of course lots of them. Was put into a pain clinic and given amitriptyline which stopped the withdrawal but had many side effects. But I could sleep something I had not done in a very long time the pain lessened. My mother got cancer in 94 they switched my meds to Zoloft to help deal with this pressure as I was her main care giver she died in 96. I stopped zoloft in 96 had withdrawal was put on paxil went nutty quit it ct put on resperidol quit it ct had withdrawal was put on Effexor... 2years later celexa was added 20mg then increased to 40mg huge personality change went wild. Did too fast taper off Celexa 05 as I felt unwell for a long time prior... quit Effexor 150mg ct 07 found ****** 8 months into withdrawal learned some things was banned from there in 08 have kept learning since. there is really not enough room here to put my history but I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things especially any of the drugs mentioned above.
One thing I would like to add here is this tidbit ALL OPIATES INCREASE SEROTONIN it is not a huge jump to being in chronic pain to being put on an ssri/snri and opiates will affect your antidepressants and your thinking.

As I do not update much I will put my quit date Nov. 17 2007 I quit Effexor cold turkey. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1096-introducing-myself-btdt/

There is a crack in everything ..That's how the light gets in :)

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Hi!  Thanks for stopping by!

 

No B - SHE ACTUALLY SAID THAT:  "we find in cases of 'radio-phobia' that it is largely unwarranted."

 

She then went on to say the (magic words to an SA'r): "PRESTIGIOUS journals have PEER REVIEWED studies about radio-phobia showing that the amount in medical exams compared to say, Hiroshima or Chernobyl, are miniscule and all radiation dissipates within 24 hours...."

 

Jeez, just what I wanted to hear:  prestigious journals, peer reviewed (haven't ANY doctors ever heard Ben Goldacre speak?) and then comparing my dosages - not to X-rays - but to MAJOR NUCLEAR disasters.

(my rad-tech was at least kind enough to tell me that x-raying a baby's lungs is 100 rad, while my mammogram is only 26 rad)

 

At one point I said, "I don't believe in 90% of 'standard medical practice.' "  

 

It probably doesn't help that I'm reading Dr. Lucire's thesis on RSI (repetitive stress injury) from the 90's which explains a LOT of her attitudes towards medicine in general.  She appears to be a student of Szasz, and her approach is the sociological harm done by doctoring and the dominant doctoring model.

 

Sense of humour?  I was horrified!  AND disgusted to be classed as yet another disorder:  radio-phobic.   :angry:

 

Peggy - I have no intention of drinking 8-10 serves of Pelligrino a day.  I just thought of it as an interesting comparison of fluids / lithium ratio for retaining kidney health.  If it takes 8-10 (depending on absorption) of Pelligrino water for 2.5 mg of lithium (regardless of form) = how much water should a person drink, who is taking lithium carbonate?   (answer:  Gazallions!)

 

I will continue taking my 2.5 mg of orotate per day, but I'm adding the Pelligrino.  I may get to the point where I eliminate the orotate entirely - but I'll think about that NEXT year!   :P

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

I'm having coffee with a friend. .

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Hi all. 

 

I'm tired, tired, tired.

 

It seems my dreams (at least I'm sleeping) are all frustration dreams.  I couldn't get to my friends house to watch her children before she had to leave, my clothes kept getting wet before I even put them on, people want things of me that I cannot deliver, I'm always a day late and a dollar short.

 

But waking, even though I'm slow and tired, and my delayed cycle sleep is back (4 am to noon are my sleep times now), I'm not distressed upon waking.

 

Sometimes I think that dreams point the way to new things, sometimes I think that dreams help you process the old ones.

 

So I reckon I'm dealing with my dissatisfaction and frustration in my dreams so that I can deal with my stuff while I'm awake.

 

Still chugging along, but I posted this in "Humour" here, because it's exactly how I'm doing.  I'm somewhere between point 3 and point 4 on the line right now......

 

The%20curve%20of%20responsibility_zpsibj

 

The goal is to add as much as I can, without tipping the balance into "System Failure"!!!!!

 

Right now, I'm tired, and slow - but I think I am back into "stamina" mode.  I'm not getting extra things done like making barley water (I've been meaning to make a batch for a week now, and it just seems like "too much.") - but it's also important, as AliG pointed out to me - not to "beat yourself up" about what is not getting done.  

 

All we can ever do is our best.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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I like to think of dreams as playground for my brain. I’ve read somewhere that dreams are a way for our brains to safely explore and reinforce new neural pathways. A safe place to test the circuits without the body getting into any danger.

 

Btw, love the graph. It neatly sums up how I feel about doing stuff too.  :D

2001: 20mg paroxetine
2003-2014: Switched between 20mg citalopram and 10mg escitalopram with several failed CT's
2015: Jan/ Feb-very fast taper off citalopram; Mar/ Apr-crashed; 23 Apr-reinstated 5mg; 05 May-updosed to 10mg; 15 Jul-started taper; Aug-9.0mg; Sep-8.1mg; Oct-7.6mg; Nov-6.8mg; Dec-6.2mg
2016: Jan-5.7mg; Feb-5.2mg; Mar-5.0mg;  Apr-4.5mg; May-4.05mg; Jun-3.65mg; Jul-3.3mg; Aug-2.95mg; 04Sep-2.65mg; 25Sep-2.4mg; 23Oct-2.15mg; 13Nov-1.95mg; 04Dec-1.75mg; 25Dec-1.55mg.
2017: 08Jan-1.4mg; 22Jan-1.25mg; 12Feb-1.1mg; 26Feb-1.0mg; 05Mar-0.9mg; 15Mar-0.8mg; 22Mar-0.7mg; 02Apr-0.6; 09Apr-0.5mg; 16Apr-0.4mg; 23Apr-0.3; 03May-0.2mg; 10May-0.1mg

Finished taper 17 May 2017.

Read my success story

 

I am not a medical professional. The information I provide is not medical advice. If in doubt please consult with a qualified healthcare provider.

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I like that, Dan.  I have lots of other theories about dreams, too - it's like pre-learning, or post-learning sometimes, too.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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I may be actually building a bank of positive doctor experiences.  Of course, I researched this guy before I went to him:  endocrinologist.

 

I decided that this "adrenal fatigue" / thyroid issues / "pyroluria" / whatever this drag on me is - needed to be addressed by someone with fresh eyes and ideas.

 

He had no idea who he was getting, and he talked like a functional medicine doctor, even though that's not really a thing here in Oz (that I have found).

 

First off, talked to me for 2 hours solid, showing me charts and graphs to convince me to eat more ketogenically, and less plant based foods (especially grains.  He hates grains, says they are the least efficient nutrient delivery system on the planet, and so hard on our internal organs).

 

He didn't tell me anything new about my weight, but he had interesting insights into a few behavioural and cognitive questions (for example, he said:  hypothyroid is usually also accompanied by cog-fog, especially short term memory - the ability to remember what you just heard.  because my brain is behaving pretty well, he didn't think I was actually hypothyroid)

 

He asked me, as an American expat, if I thought I was at risk for Lyme Disease.  I told him I had not been tested, but that I had been exposed to that kind of tick in Indiana - but never had a rash.  That he asked this question showed me that he is very forward thinking in looking at alternate causes for problems.

 

He left me on the NDT (natural thyroid), even though it is not approved by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Admin).  BUT he took it a step further and explained to me the difference between porcine T3 and T4 balance, and human balance, and he said he would be happy to address that, once he got me so that I was less:

 

Insulin resistant (He didn't tut-tut my big belly, but addressed it as a symptom of insulin resistance.)

Leptin resistant (sleeping)

 

He gave me a diabetic drug.  Oh.  Bummer.  I had just posted that I am pharma drug free in my sig, now I have to change that to "psych drug free."   <_<

 

The drug is:  Glucobay (acarbose), and I'm to take it with every meal.  It binds 20% of the carbs I eat.  He assured me that it does not bind to aminos or nutrients, only carbs, and he insisted that there are no "essential carbs," while there are essential aminos, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.  

 

I'm a bit scared of the drug - I do not have IBS (this month) for the first time in years, after the big colonoscopy / antibiotic cleanout. 

 

If I eat too many carbs, it will give me gas, bloating and discomfort (and, therefore, discourage me from eating carbs).

 

I'm tapering the drug in - only taking it with low carb meals, to start with (I've only taken 2 tablets this week), to see if it messes me up.  I warned him that I didn't like doctors, and when he realized that I especially don't like surgeons who take my organs out - he laughed and said, "I am not a surgeon.  I don't take things away from you - I give things to you - and you don't have to take them."

 

If anyone else is on this drug, or there is anything psych or otherwise, to worry about, I would surely like to know.  My internet searches turned up nothing more than what I just told you now.

 

He was warm, friendly, generous, and he emphasized to me (about diet) that what I have been doing IS NOT WORKING - so why not change to his way?

 

Emotionally, it's a mess, because I don't cook, haven't for decades, and hubby doesn't like the wide array of vegetables required to pull it off.  So the transition to the no grain, low carb, high protein diet - will take some doing.  Breakfast is the hardest one, because I feel so awful when I wake up - that I don't want to cook meat (and usually grab toast or granola).  Today I ate a twiggy pepperoni and some smoked salmon - but - the pepperoni is unhealthy, too.

 

It's been a big week, and I still have a lot to do before the upcoming New Zealand trip.  Sigh.  Hubby retires, now he wants to travel.  20 years ago, that sounded great!  Now, well.  I could not travel and be quite alright!  It's not that I don't want to see things, experience stuff - and New Zealand is Heaven On Earth - it's just that I don't travel as well as I used to, as evidenced by my Aussie travel experience recently.

 

I held my first, full, paid Shamanism experience class.  OMG!  I'm going to have a circle of awesome women to practice with (that was my goal!)  We each had a number of experiences, a wide variety.  They responded well to the drumming - now - if we can just get them to keep coming!  We will meet once a month at the yoga studio, and my next meeting is to ask how they want to structure things:  fees, "messages" (it takes a few days for the messages to filter through - do they want the messages right away by text - as I am inclined?  Or do they want to have a messages section of the class and wait a month to get them?).  Mostly it's building confidence in their experiences, and trusting them, and allowing them space to open up so that they get messages of their own.  AWESOME stuff.

 

I've managed to pull my "religious" stuff out of the practice (I had never made that distinction before), so that it doesn't resemble any rituals or rites of any particular religion, but instead - like with yoga - is a practice that can offer access to inner information.  I don't even like to use the word "spiritual" - just information.  It's turning out like a Jungian drum circle!  Um, except without Jung!   :lol:

 

Other news, friends in and out of hospital, some hard lessons going around in my circle of friends, but I feel very strongly, for the first time, perhaps, in my entire time here in Australia, that I have community around me, and have something to offer.

 

I will attend a new "spiritual" meeting next week - like a "beyond Course in Miracles" thing held by one of my shamanic ladies.  It may or may not be my cuppa tea, but I'd like to give it a fair shake.  This is the Year of Saying Yes.  So I will go at least 3 times.

 

The massage therapist is not so scary now, too.  She did a thing with my toes - some kind of Brazilian toe thing - that was 15 minutes of pure bliss!  If she does that every time, she can beat up on me (on her table) all she wants!

 

and OMG!  I can feel BLISS!  If you read the beginning of my thread, I was sure I would never feel or care about much of anything ever again.  Wow.  It does get better!!! (as I so frequently say here on site)

 

And yes, it's crazy, I'm running around a lot - I'm now trying to hold monthly local SA lunches - just social things where some of us get together and chat and feel safe with people who understand.  

 

But the hurrier I go, the behinder I get, and I see lots and lots of opportunities to say Yes.  What if I wanted to give a talk about Surviving Antidepressant related stuff to the University of the 3rd Age?  I could expand it to include Arman Neel's work and talk about "prescription cascade" and maybe, if I'm lucky, "tapering psych drugs."  Could I talk for 45 minutes on these topics?  I'll bet I could.  Would I have an audience?  Maybe!  Australians - especially U3A Australians - are incredibly open and natural about many things.  (even if they are inherently obedient to "rules," ironic given the convict origins of the country)

 

And while I'm on the topic of U3A - I wonder if there are any Shamans in the bunch, just waiting to be discovered?  Hmmmmm.....

 

(Oh yes, took a lovely 1.5 hour bush walk with the U3A - even had a naturalist along to teach us stuff.  AWESOME value for, um $30 a year to be a member!)

 

Good things are happening.  It's hard, and I'm trying not to look too far ahead - just make it with what I have on my plate, which is apparently a rich array of varied and nourishing items! 

 

But as much as I tell people "you can never go back," there is something - the essence of me - that is coming out now that was buried, suffering under stress and drugs for years - that is now expressing itself in my life.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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O how I wish that had been an update I wrote, but it's not. Does not take away from the fact that I was thrilled with every word.

 

'Beyond ACIM'? I thought the original was pretty far out there. Y9u are in places I may have only dreamed of.

 

Sounds like a good life.

What happened and how I arrived here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/#entry50878

 

July 2016 I have decided to leave my story here at SA unfinished. I have left my contact information in my profile for anyone who wishes to talk to me. I have a posting history spanning nearly 4 years and 3000+ posts all over the site.

 

Thank you to all who participated in my recovery. I'll miss talking to you but know that I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, suffering and rejoicing with you in spirit, as you go on in your journey.

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Thanks CW!  Yeah, I never made it to any ACIM meetings, but I had friends who went and talked to me about that stuff.  You're right:  I cannot imagine BEYOND ACIM, but we'll see!  I'll send you a PM, if you care or are interested, after the meeting.

 

Of course, that was before I had my religion & beliefs ripped away from me by a psychopathic yogi control freak boyfriend and I'm just now starting to feel safe exploring "faith," and "belief" again.  It's tentative, but at least it doesn't feel traumatic or existential anymore.

 

I got a little overstressed today and yelled at hubby.  It was too-full plate - talking on the phone - putting laundry on the line - other stuff going on the internet - and he wanted to start dinner (he cooks, not me) - but I yelled at him, "can you wait until I get off the phone? GOSH!"  He melted down, and we made up later, but I haven't lost it like that in awhile.

 

Not quite manic, just - I - CAN'T - DO - ONE - MORE - THING - STOP - ASKING!  He didn't deserve what I dished out - so it's not all "peaches and cream,"   

 

I thought I'd share a realistic story so that you know I'm not a saint, even when things are going well for me! 

 

I had NO IDEA how well they could go!

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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I may be actually building a bank of positive doctor experiences.  Of course, I researched this guy before I went to him:  endocrinologist.

 

I decided that this "adrenal fatigue" / thyroid issues / "pyroluria" / whatever this drag on me is - needed to be addressed by someone with fresh eyes and ideas.

 

He had no idea who he was getting, and he talked like a functional medicine doctor, even though that's not really a thing here in Oz (that I have found).

 

First off, talked to me for 2 hours solid, showing me charts and graphs to convince me to eat more ketogenically, and less plant based foods (especially grains.  He hates grains, says they are the least efficient nutrient delivery system on the planet, and so hard on our internal organs).

 

He didn't tell me anything new about my weight, but he had interesting insights into a few behavioural and cognitive questions (for example, he said:  hypothyroid is usually also accompanied by cog-fog, especially short term memory - the ability to remember what you just heard.  because my brain is behaving pretty well, he didn't think I was actually hypothyroid)

 

He asked me, as an American expat, if I thought I was at risk for Lyme Disease.  I told him I had not been tested, but that I had been exposed to that kind of tick in Indiana - but never had a rash.  That he asked this question showed me that he is very forward thinking in looking at alternate causes for problems.

 

He left me on the NDT (natural thyroid), even though it is not approved by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Admin).  BUT he took it a step further and explained to me the difference between porcine T3 and T4 balance, and human balance, and he said he would be happy to address that, once he got me so that I was less:

 

Insulin resistant (He didn't tut-tut my big belly, but addressed it as a symptom of insulin resistance.)

Leptin resistant (sleeping)

 

He gave me a diabetic drug.  Oh.  Bummer.  I had just posted that I am pharma drug free in my sig, now I have to change that to "psych drug free."   <_<

 

The drug is:  Glucobay (acarbose), and I'm to take it with every meal.  It binds 20% of the carbs I eat.  He assured me that it does not bind to aminos or nutrients, only carbs, and he insisted that there are no "essential carbs," while there are essential aminos, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.  

 

I'm a bit scared of the drug - I do not have IBS (this month) for the first time in years, after the big colonoscopy / antibiotic cleanout. 

 

If I eat too many carbs, it will give me gas, bloating and discomfort (and, therefore, discourage me from eating carbs).

 

I'm tapering the drug in - only taking it with low carb meals, to start with (I've only taken 2 tablets this week), to see if it messes me up.  I warned him that I didn't like doctors, and when he realized that I especially don't like surgeons who take my organs out - he laughed and said, "I am not a surgeon.  I don't take things away from you - I give things to you - and you don't have to take them."

 

If anyone else is on this drug, or there is anything psych or otherwise, to worry about, I would surely like to know.  My internet searches turned up nothing more than what I just told you now.

 

He was warm, friendly, generous, and he emphasized to me (about diet) that what I have been doing IS NOT WORKING - so why not change to his way?

 

Emotionally, it's a mess, because I don't cook, haven't for decades, and hubby doesn't like the wide array of vegetables required to pull it off.  So the transition to the no grain, low carb, high protein diet - will take some doing.  Breakfast is the hardest one, because I feel so awful when I wake up - that I don't want to cook meat (and usually grab toast or granola).  Today I ate a twiggy pepperoni and some smoked salmon - but - the pepperoni is unhealthy, too.

 

It's been a big week, and I still have a lot to do before the upcoming New Zealand trip.  Sigh.  Hubby retires, now he wants to travel.  20 years ago, that sounded great!  Now, well.  I could not travel and be quite alright!  It's not that I don't want to see things, experience stuff - and New Zealand is Heaven On Earth - it's just that I don't travel as well as I used to, as evidenced by my Aussie travel experience recently.

 

I held my first, full, paid Shamanism experience class.  OMG!  I'm going to have a circle of awesome women to practice with (that was my goal!)  We each had a number of experiences, a wide variety.  They responded well to the drumming - now - if we can just get them to keep coming!  We will meet once a month at the yoga studio, and my next meeting is to ask how they want to structure things:  fees, "messages" (it takes a few days for the messages to filter through - do they want the messages right away by text - as I am inclined?  Or do they want to have a messages section of the class and wait a month to get them?).  Mostly it's building confidence in their experiences, and trusting them, and allowing them space to open up so that they get messages of their own.  AWESOME stuff.

 

I've managed to pull my "religious" stuff out of the practice (I had never made that distinction before), so that it doesn't resemble any rituals or rites of any particular religion, but instead - like with yoga - is a practice that can offer access to inner information.  I don't even like to use the word "spiritual" - just information.  It's turning out like a Jungian drum circle!  Um, except without Jung!   :lol:

 

Other news, friends in and out of hospital, some hard lessons going around in my circle of friends, but I feel very strongly, for the first time, perhaps, in my entire time here in Australia, that I have community around me, and have something to offer.

 

I will attend a new "spiritual" meeting next week - like a "beyond Course in Miracles" thing held by one of my shamanic ladies.  It may or may not be my cuppa tea, but I'd like to give it a fair shake.  This is the Year of Saying Yes.  So I will go at least 3 times.

 

The massage therapist is not so scary now, too.  She did a thing with my toes - some kind of Brazilian toe thing - that was 15 minutes of pure bliss!  If she does that every time, she can beat up on me (on her table) all she wants!

 

and OMG!  I can feel BLISS!  If you read the beginning of my thread, I was sure I would never feel or care about much of anything ever again.  Wow.  It does get better!!! (as I so frequently say here on site)

 

Good things are happening.  It's hard, and I'm trying not to look too far ahead - just make it with what I have on my plate, which is apparently a rich array of varied and nourishing items! 

 

 there is something - the essence of me - that is coming out now that was buried, suffering under stress and drugs for years - that is now expressing itself in my life.

 

 

What a wonderful and uplifting update, JanCarol!!! I'm so glad you're doing so well.

 

Giving an SA talk sounds awesome! I hope you do it! 

It's so exciting to hear that the "real you" or the essence of you is coming back and expressing itself. 

 

:) 

 

(Interestingly, I see a naturopathic doctor -- I, too, love how much time they spend listening to you -- and he actually took me off the ketogenic diet! lol :lol:   Not saying anything bad about it -- I did it for about 9 months and there were many benefits.) 

 

2020: After 18+ years (entire adult life) on Paxil, a dangerous doctor-led "taper" in 2015, and four years tapering off the last 1 mg thanks to SA and the Brassmonkey slide, 

I AM COMPLETELY FREE OF PAXIL! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Forever.

 

2021: Began conservative, proper, CNS-respecting taper of Zoloft, led by the only expert on me -- me. Making own liquid. 5-10% plus holds.

2022: Holding on Zoloft for now. Current dose 47 mg. Hanging in, hanging on. Severe protracted PAWS, windows and waves. While I may not be doing "a lot" by outside standards, things are graaaaadually getting better

 

Yoga (gentle to medium); walks; daily breath practice; nutrition, fruits/veg; nature; water; EastEnders (lol); practicing self-compassion, self-care; boundaries; connection; allowing feelings; t r u s t ing that I, too, will heal. (--> may need to be reminded of this.)

"You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story." - Baylissa

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Thanks SkyBlue - when I said "ketogenic," he said "not so extreme as that"

 

I think he just hates grains.

 

It does feel good.  I learned from my Shamanism class that I can be a public speaker.  I knew it at University, where Speech class was one of my favorite classes - that was an easy class for me.  Debate, too - but I did a lot less of that.

 

Years of depression and bad relationships and psych drugs can rip a lot of that away.

 

Would I be terrified speaking in public?  CERTAINLY!  But - I know that I ***can***

 

And Alan Alda said, "I find the things in my life that terrify me.  That's how I know what to do next!"    :D

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Okay, I'm sure there are others of us dealing with metabolic syndrome.

 

All endocrine out of whack, high cholesterol, obese, insulin resistant, and in danger of cardio, diabetes, and just plain sucky health.

 

Tonight I saw on our ABC's science show, "Catalyst" (I have recently discovered that their reporter Maryann DeMasi did a report on the harm caused by antidepressant drugs, but the Australian Medical Association got it pulled for being "unbalanced reporting" - she also did the 2 part report on statins that was so groundbreaking, and it got banned - but only AFTER it went to air!)

 

The reporter was Anja Taylor (Maryann has gotten into too much trouble with her medical reports) on HIT - High Intensity Interval Training.

 

It talked about 6 minutes a week (in 3x 20 minute sessions) of HIT can:

improve collagen

improve insulin resistanct

remove visceral (organ) fat

reduce stress on liver

improve cardio

improve endurance

improve muscle strength

and (here's the big one)

MAKE THE MITOCHONDRIA WORK BETTER!!!!!

 

Here is the iView Link - it will change in a month's time, and I'll try and update it to the archive link.  But this is too important not to put it out there.  I looked for a topic on metabolic syndrome here, but couldn't find one, so, until I find an appropriate place for it on SA, I'll keep it here on my thread.  This looks like vitally important stuff for regaining your health - AFTER recovery from withdrawal (I don't recommend HIT for people in withdrawal)

 

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4463644.htm

 

So hubby and I are both going to add 3 x 10 second sprints to our 10 minute "sun walk" to see if we can get improvement, maybe build up to a 30 sec sprint, and then build up to 3 x 30 sec sprints.  If the article on Catalyst is true, we should start to see benefit in 4-6 weeks of this.  And it's uncomfortable - so - "yes."

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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i watched that too Jan, it was very interesting wasn't it? I have seen something before on it and was going to implement it, but forgot.....

Started in 2000 - On 150mg most of the time, (but up to 225mg at highest dose for 6 months in the beginning)
Reduced off easily first time - but got depressed (not too much anxiety) 6 months later
Back on effexor for another 9 months.
Reduced off again with no immediate w/d - suddenly got depressed and anxious ++ again 3 or 4 months later.
Back on effexor - this time for 3 years
Reduced off over a month - 6 weeks later terrible anxiety - back on.
Rinse and repeat 4 more times - each time the period before the anxiety comes back got shorter and shorter
Jan - July 2012 75mg down to 37.5mg;, 8/3/12 - 35mg. 8/25/12 - 32mg. 9/11- 28mg, 10/2 - 25mg, 10/29 - 22mg, 11/19 - 19.8mg; 12/11 - 17m,
1/1- 15.5mg; 1/22 -14mg, 2/7 14.9mg, 2/18 - 17.8mg - crashed big time: back to 75mg where i sat for 2 years....

4th  March 2015 - 67.5mg;   31st March - 60mg;  24th April - 53mg; 13th May - 48mg; 26th May - 45mg;  9th June - 41mg; 1 July- 37.5mg; 20 July - 34mg; 11 August - 31mg; 1st Sept - 28mg;  1st Dec - 25.8mg;  28th Dec - 23.2mg; 23rd Jan-21.9mg; Feb 7th- 21mg; March 1st - 20.1mg, March 30th - 18mg

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We had a similar programme about that. Might give it a go myself - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17177251

2001: 20mg paroxetine
2003-2014: Switched between 20mg citalopram and 10mg escitalopram with several failed CT's
2015: Jan/ Feb-very fast taper off citalopram; Mar/ Apr-crashed; 23 Apr-reinstated 5mg; 05 May-updosed to 10mg; 15 Jul-started taper; Aug-9.0mg; Sep-8.1mg; Oct-7.6mg; Nov-6.8mg; Dec-6.2mg
2016: Jan-5.7mg; Feb-5.2mg; Mar-5.0mg;  Apr-4.5mg; May-4.05mg; Jun-3.65mg; Jul-3.3mg; Aug-2.95mg; 04Sep-2.65mg; 25Sep-2.4mg; 23Oct-2.15mg; 13Nov-1.95mg; 04Dec-1.75mg; 25Dec-1.55mg.
2017: 08Jan-1.4mg; 22Jan-1.25mg; 12Feb-1.1mg; 26Feb-1.0mg; 05Mar-0.9mg; 15Mar-0.8mg; 22Mar-0.7mg; 02Apr-0.6; 09Apr-0.5mg; 16Apr-0.4mg; 23Apr-0.3; 03May-0.2mg; 10May-0.1mg

Finished taper 17 May 2017.

Read my success story

 

I am not a medical professional. The information I provide is not medical advice. If in doubt please consult with a qualified healthcare provider.

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I forgot to report on the Beyond ACIM thing.  It was a worshipful guru "more spiritual than thou" marathon session where we listened to this guy drone on (recording) for an HOUR.  My friend was snoring (almost literally) and there was nothing new under the sun, and it was just - a - little hypnotic, guru focused, Jesus focused, and controlling for my tastes.  It's like - where I was maybe in the early 90's.  I would've liked it then.

 

Before I got my own personal guru yogi control freak to deal with.  After that, my tolerance for such stuff is wayyyy lowered.

 

ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO "WANT TO TRY" HIT - you have no excuse.  Do 10 seconds RIGHT NOW.  Then tomorrow, do it twice (rest a minute in between).  You only need to do it 3x a week to see benefit.  6 minutes total.  No excuses.  No forgetting.  TO borrow from Nike, JUST DO IT.

That said, I got derailed today when my computer gave me Blue Screen Of Death, and our Sunday Routine got shifted back by HOURS.  I get so stressed on Sundays, because he wants it a certain way, and I just want to get on with my business.  I understand where he's coming from, it helps us to organize and structure our week by doing a "meeting" on Sunday - but - what part of Blue Screen Of Death doesn't he get?  (at least he will pay for a geek to come fix it)

 

So - no HIT today, not even a sun-walk today.  I wasn't free until the sun went down.  I'm soooo behind the 8 ball today.

 

Like - I'm teaching a class this week - I planned a class for people returning.  If people don't return, and I have all new people, we will never make progress!  We'll just keep initiating over and over and over.  This will get dull for anyone who does return, and it also makes me wonder why I'm not retaining interest.

 

I know, it is very different to anything these women have done before.  And Australians are less straightforward than Americans - who would tell me upfront if they don't like it.  This kind of feedback really helps me make the class better.  Australians will not (usually) - they will just slink off and if they feel I'm an a**ehole, try to undermine my work with gossip.

 

So - I'm unprepared for this class on Tues, which has 2 newbies, 2 previously initiated folks.  How do I teach this?  "Winging it" is not a good idea, because I'll come up with something inappropriate on the fly.  I need some sort of structure that ties it all together.

 

I was feeling so good, because if I got the same women, I was confident that they could "stay inside" for journeys up to a half hour at a time. Because of the yoga studio's practice, these women went deep, quickly.   Now, I will have to tiptoe around newbies, cater to the newest in the class, and hope I don't bore the heck out of the others.  At least one of them is a friend - so - that's okay, she will be patient with me.  

 

But if it goes like this over 6 sessions, and I"m just repeating the first lesson each time.  Frustrating.  I need to find a way to springboard those who have done it before., while helping those who have not.

 

GREAT article, Shep - right in keeping with my beliefs and practice.  I was a big fan of Jung, long before I took shamanistic training.  By the time Joseph Campbell was big - I thought it was uninteresting, I'd heard it all before - but rationalized that it was "published to bring the masses in"  I need to give Campbell another look though - I'm not nearly as arrogant as I used to be!

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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