Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted September 3, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted September 3, 2015 Similar topics merged and title changed. Any members who have changed their diet in an attempt to aid recovery, please add to this discussion with your results. I'm not a doctor. My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one. My Introduction Thread Full Drug and Withdrawal History Brief Summary Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects 2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010 Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal) May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins. Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens. Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days. April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close. VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from? VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made? VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects? VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cressida Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 I've had a really ugly withdrawal after eating like 50% raw and drinking green smoothies daily. It set me off pretty bad, I am still recovering. I think people on psych meds can be pretty sensitive to such changes. I don't know, maybe a gradual introduction would have been more tolerable. But just be careful folks!Someone bought me a Nutribullet and three days of smoothies sent me back into acute for months. I now avoid all sugar,all processed or prepared foods. In restaurants I go for grilled meat or fish. Nothing with a sauce. Food proved a big trigger for waves for me since I ve identified the triggers and stuck rigidly to avoiding those my recovery has progressed better with less ups and downs Paxil 10mg 21/2 years to June 2012 after a 2 month taper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freespirit Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 After a few months of physical misery when I jumped off, I found information about histamine. I decided it was worth trying to reduce histamine in my diet. Within a short period, I had improvement in sleep, pain, headaches, brain fog, digestion, vertigo, and nausea; the frequency of hives also reduced. I eliminated sugar, dairy, wheat, berries, tea, any leftover food, beans, most condiments--vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, mayo, as well as tomatoes, most spices, spinach, dried or sweet fruits, and tofu. Not saying this would work for just anyone. As Gia says, you need to try an elimination diet, combined with eating more antihistamine and anti-inflammatory foods. I tried to eat nutritionally as well as I could. Overall, I found I could eat some things considered high in histamine, but couldn't tolerate the "safe" things in some cases. Over the past few months, I've been able to gradually add in some of the foods I was unable to eat before. I tend to eat smaller amounts and fewer carbs, because I can't tolerate a great amount of grains (rice, quinoa, oats) and I feel better eat less of them. As much as possible, I try to follow what my body tells me. I'm not putting much attention on histamine these days. When I grocery shop or cook meals, I attend to what feels right at the time. Some days, I exercise more (ie. 30k on my bike)...where I tend to need more protein and carbs, in order to sustain me. I don't abide by anyone's notion of the "correct diet"...because experience has shown me I do best by following what's working, and trusting that to be an ever-evolving, ever-changing thing. For some periods of time, I'm able to do very nutrient dense smoothies...but at times, I don't want anything cold and know that there are periods when I can't digest them. I eat almost no processed food, a lot of veggies with a small amount of lower sugar fruits as the center of my diet. I aim for 6-8 servings a day, but not always possible, when I'm having days of very low hunger. I don't believe diet alone would be enough for me...this is the first time in my life I've felt that I'm attending to all aspects of my health, including exercise, spiritual practice, a lot of stretching and moving my body, and being much more mindful of my thinking patterns. Before WD, I tried to address each of these things individually, but never saw any great improvement...but doing them all together has been much more powerful. Remeron for depression. Started at 7.5 mg. in 2005. Gradual increases over 8 years, up to 45 mg. in 2012.Began tapering in June 2013. Went from 45 to 30 mg in the first 3-4 months. Held for a couple of months.Started tapering by 3.75 mg every month or 2, with some longer holding periods. Eventually went down to 3.75 mg. about April 2014. Stopped taking Remeron August 2014. Developed issues with histamine a week after stopping--symptoms reduced through diet and a few supplements. Currently having issues with a few foods. Most of the histamine intolerance has resolved or is at least, in remission. Current Medications: Current Supplements: Cannabis (CBD and THC), Vitamin C, D, Quercetin, CoQ10, Tart Cherry, Probiotic, Phytoplankton oil, magnesium, Methyl B. What has helped me most: spending time in nature, qi gong, exercise, healthy diet, meditation, IV vitamins, homeopathy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, music, and cuddling my cats.. My introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/8459-mirtazapine-withdrawal-freespirit/#entry144282 Please note: I am not a therapist or medical practitioner. Any suggestions offered come solely from my personal experience in recovering from childhood trauma, therapy, and AD use. Please seek appropriate care for yourself. “After a cruel childhood, one must reinvent oneself. Then re-imagine the world.” ― Mary Oliver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 5, 2015 Administrator Share Posted September 5, 2015 Very interesting, thanks, freespirit. Also see Histamine food intolerance 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMeaning25 Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 http://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/VEG%20DIET.htm Im just looking for ANYTHING that can make me feel better. I am 39 months off and im still in acute and i cant carry on anymore. Im suffering severely Was on Citalopram 20mg since Feb 2008 - switched to Paxil 20mg in August 2010 Tapered way too fast in April 2012 by skipping days. Taper completed in 6 weeks Tried prozac 20mg for 3 days - felt spaced out, not better. Tried 30mg Cymbalta for 2 days. SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION Antidepressant free since 14 August 2012 Birth control on and off during this time - Last taken 18 June 2017 - Morning after pill Started mainly using 0.5mg Xanax beginning 2016 for severe panic attacks and anxiety due to trauma Xanax on and off never more than 0.5mg at a time, never taking it 3 days in a row - used sparingly 6 Years antidepressant free - Still in severe withdrawal with over 60 symptoms Severe setback started May 2018 with no let up to date. Developed many new symptoms like tremors, inner vibrations, insomnia, visual distortions and dr/dp are 100x worse, i have severe sensitivity to movement, My dizziness and vertigo got worse and it now feels like im constantly rocking on a boat, my anxiety is sky high, suicidal idiation is back, i feel extremely brain damaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scot Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 http://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/VEG%20DIET.htm Im just looking for ANYTHING that can make me feel better. I am 39 months off and im still in acute and i cant carry on anymore. Im suffering severely Hi,I don't agree with this diet regarding not eating raw salads and also excluding fruits.Both contain a plethora of substances that help human health.If i were in your position I would try Mediterranean diet.Just try to eat as more vegetables and fruits as possible without excluding anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 if i look my past, i begin to really improve only at 4 years and a half, before that it was not real improvements, a mix of waves, try to wait and eat good as a normal people, i tried many things, nothing worked, only time and calm have functioned for me, i am part of severe cases for anxiety 12 years paxil - cold turkey 1,5 month - switch celexa 1 year taper; total 13 years on brain meds 67 years old - 9 years med free in protracted withdrawal rigidity standing and walking, dryness gougerot-szoegren, sleep deteriorate, function as have a lack of nerves, improving have been very little Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMeaning25 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Thanks Stan. I am a severe case too. I hope i will also see improvements at 4 - 4.5 years if i look my past, i begin to really improve only at 4 years and a half, before that it was not real improvements, a mix of waves, try to wait and eat good as a normal people, i tried many things, nothing worked, only time and calm have functioned for me, i am part of severe cases Was on Citalopram 20mg since Feb 2008 - switched to Paxil 20mg in August 2010 Tapered way too fast in April 2012 by skipping days. Taper completed in 6 weeks Tried prozac 20mg for 3 days - felt spaced out, not better. Tried 30mg Cymbalta for 2 days. SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION Antidepressant free since 14 August 2012 Birth control on and off during this time - Last taken 18 June 2017 - Morning after pill Started mainly using 0.5mg Xanax beginning 2016 for severe panic attacks and anxiety due to trauma Xanax on and off never more than 0.5mg at a time, never taking it 3 days in a row - used sparingly 6 Years antidepressant free - Still in severe withdrawal with over 60 symptoms Severe setback started May 2018 with no let up to date. Developed many new symptoms like tremors, inner vibrations, insomnia, visual distortions and dr/dp are 100x worse, i have severe sensitivity to movement, My dizziness and vertigo got worse and it now feels like im constantly rocking on a boat, my anxiety is sky high, suicidal idiation is back, i feel extremely brain damaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMeaning25 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Thank you. I just want a diet that improves health and this diet looked simple enough. I do have weight to loose butci am too ill to focus on weight loss now. http://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/VEG%20DIET.htmIm just looking for ANYTHING that can make me feel better. I am 39 months off and im still in acute and i cant carry on anymore. Im suffering severelyI'm so sorry to hear that you're feeling so low NoMeaning. Please try to carry on. It is so hard, I agree, but ultimately you will feel better and that is something to cling to.May I ask why you want to try this diet? Is it weight loss or healthier eating or simply grasping at anything that may help with w/d?I found that limiting food choices produced an extreme result for me. I limited fat on the British Heart Foundation diet and felt so awful. I couldn't believe or understand why it affected me at the time.Much, much later when I felt a lot better I tried the Atkins diet to lose weight, and did so, dramatically. I don't know if this had anything to do with w/d at all, but it didn't do me much good...I lost a lot of hair due to dramatic weight loss.I'd eat organic and nutritious food and try to keep your stress and anxiety low.As I say, it's not easy and I know how tempting it is to grasp at straws after so long.Hang in there.x Was on Citalopram 20mg since Feb 2008 - switched to Paxil 20mg in August 2010 Tapered way too fast in April 2012 by skipping days. Taper completed in 6 weeks Tried prozac 20mg for 3 days - felt spaced out, not better. Tried 30mg Cymbalta for 2 days. SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION Antidepressant free since 14 August 2012 Birth control on and off during this time - Last taken 18 June 2017 - Morning after pill Started mainly using 0.5mg Xanax beginning 2016 for severe panic attacks and anxiety due to trauma Xanax on and off never more than 0.5mg at a time, never taking it 3 days in a row - used sparingly 6 Years antidepressant free - Still in severe withdrawal with over 60 symptoms Severe setback started May 2018 with no let up to date. Developed many new symptoms like tremors, inner vibrations, insomnia, visual distortions and dr/dp are 100x worse, i have severe sensitivity to movement, My dizziness and vertigo got worse and it now feels like im constantly rocking on a boat, my anxiety is sky high, suicidal idiation is back, i feel extremely brain damaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMeaning25 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I think i might have loads of food sensitivities and trying to eliminate that with a simple diet although i dont think this diet is as simple as it seems. http://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/VEG%20DIET.htm Im just looking for ANYTHING that can make me feel better. I am 39 months off and im still in acute and i cant carry on anymore. Im suffering severely Hi,I don't agree with this diet regarding not eating raw salads and also excluding fruits.Both contain a plethora of substances that help human health.If i were in your position I would try Mediterranean diet.Just try to eat as more vegetables and fruits as possible without excluding anything. Was on Citalopram 20mg since Feb 2008 - switched to Paxil 20mg in August 2010 Tapered way too fast in April 2012 by skipping days. Taper completed in 6 weeks Tried prozac 20mg for 3 days - felt spaced out, not better. Tried 30mg Cymbalta for 2 days. SEVERE ADVERSE REACTION Antidepressant free since 14 August 2012 Birth control on and off during this time - Last taken 18 June 2017 - Morning after pill Started mainly using 0.5mg Xanax beginning 2016 for severe panic attacks and anxiety due to trauma Xanax on and off never more than 0.5mg at a time, never taking it 3 days in a row - used sparingly 6 Years antidepressant free - Still in severe withdrawal with over 60 symptoms Severe setback started May 2018 with no let up to date. Developed many new symptoms like tremors, inner vibrations, insomnia, visual distortions and dr/dp are 100x worse, i have severe sensitivity to movement, My dizziness and vertigo got worse and it now feels like im constantly rocking on a boat, my anxiety is sky high, suicidal idiation is back, i feel extremely brain damaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJJ Posted December 1, 2015 Share Posted December 1, 2015 Hi Everyone, Just thought I'd share my positive experience with making bone broth. As I've been reluctant to take herbs and supplements in case of a reaction my Uncle who is a acupuncturist suggested bone broth. I thought I would give it a go and after a couple of months I have noticed a big difference. In particular it has helped my hormones which have been out of wack from being so sick. I have noticed -stronger nails and hair. -decreased bloating and improved digestion. -a lot less dry skin which now feels smooth. Don't know if this is related or I'm just recovering in general. -improved concentration -less headaches There are heaps of receipes on the net. Apparently the way it works is your extracting the vitamin and minerals from the bone when cooking. [*]At 15 years was put on 50mg of Zoloft for generalized anxiety and panic disorder. [*]2006 Tried to withdrawal from 50mg . Doctor told me I would have no trouble. I tampered over about a month (50mg-0) which left me with severe and debilitating withdrawal symptoms. Doctors put my dose up to 75mg mistaking my withdrawal symptoms as a relapse. Stayed on Zoloft 75mg since 2006. March 2015- adverse reaction between Zoloft (75mg) an antibiotic and anti nausea drug resulting in debilitating symptoms/recovery identical to withdrawal. Have not altered or changed dose since 2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladybug Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 I think I may try this! How often do you drink it? a.k.a JMarie Paxil since Mar.1998 2006-2007:40-20mg 2009: 20mg to 14mg 2010: 14mg to 10.5mg 2011: 10.5 to 7.6mg 2012: 7.5 to 6.8mg 2013: 6.7-6.3mg 2014: 6.2mg-5.8mg 2015: 5.7 to 5.15mg 2016: 5.1-4.6mg 1/19/17: 4.5mg 3/17/17: 4.4mg 6/15/17: 4.35mg 8/10/17: 4.3mg 1/29/18: 4.1mg 5/07/18: 4.0mg 7/31/18: 3.9mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJJ Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 Hi Silver star, I just buy about half a kilo of soup bones from butcher or supermarket. Bake them for 30min. Then place them in a big pot of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, just enough water to cover the bones. Boil for about 6-10 hours. Last two hours you can add what ever veggies, herbs you want. That usually lasts for about 4-5 days and I drink about a cup a day or second day. [*]At 15 years was put on 50mg of Zoloft for generalized anxiety and panic disorder. [*]2006 Tried to withdrawal from 50mg . Doctor told me I would have no trouble. I tampered over about a month (50mg-0) which left me with severe and debilitating withdrawal symptoms. Doctors put my dose up to 75mg mistaking my withdrawal symptoms as a relapse. Stayed on Zoloft 75mg since 2006. March 2015- adverse reaction between Zoloft (75mg) an antibiotic and anti nausea drug resulting in debilitating symptoms/recovery identical to withdrawal. Have not altered or changed dose since 2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Fresh Posted December 3, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 3, 2015 WOW , thanks NJJ !! I just looked at what DR Axe has to say about bone broth , and it's chock-full of nutrients. Apparently the apple cider vinegar helps pull out the vitamins and minerals during cooking. http://draxe.com/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/ 1987-1997 pertofran , prothiaden , Prozac 1997-2002 Zoloft 2002-2004 effexor 2004-2010 Lexapro 40mg 2010-2012Cymbalta 120mg Sept. 2012 -decreased 90mg in 6months. Care taken over by Dr Lucire in March 2013 , decreased last 30mg at 2mg per week over 3 months. July 21 , 2013- last dose of Cymbalta Protracted withdrawal syndrome kicked in badly Jan.2014 Unrelenting akathisia until May 2014. Voluntary hosp. admission. Cocktail of Seroquel, Ativan and mirtazapine and I was well enough to go home after 14 days. Stopped all hosp. meds in next few months. July 2014 felt v.depressed - couldn't stop crying. Started pristiq 50mg. Felt improvement within days and continued to improve, so stayed on 50mg for 8 months. Began taper 28 Feb. 2015. Pristiq 50mg down to 45mg. Had one month of w/d symptoms. Started CES therapy in March. No w/d symptoms down to 30mg. October 2015 , taking 25mg Pristiq. Capsules compounded with slow-release additive. March 2016 , 21mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJJ Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 Fresh, yes for me I think its a good alternative. Apperently over time ADs strip your body of nutrients. I think preparing my body and getting it as nourished as possible may help with possible withdrawal symptoms. [*]At 15 years was put on 50mg of Zoloft for generalized anxiety and panic disorder. [*]2006 Tried to withdrawal from 50mg . Doctor told me I would have no trouble. I tampered over about a month (50mg-0) which left me with severe and debilitating withdrawal symptoms. Doctors put my dose up to 75mg mistaking my withdrawal symptoms as a relapse. Stayed on Zoloft 75mg since 2006. March 2015- adverse reaction between Zoloft (75mg) an antibiotic and anti nausea drug resulting in debilitating symptoms/recovery identical to withdrawal. Have not altered or changed dose since 2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus KarenB Posted December 4, 2015 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted December 4, 2015 Really helpful thread - thanks. I've been using bone broth for years now for my family, and we find it really good. We cook brown rice in it - tastes yummy. I understand that it helps the body digest food, and also makes up for nutrients that can be lost/leached from our bodies when we eat white flour, rice or grains. It's also a good base for soup etc. I like knowing I've got good things going into my body, but especially now I'm in w/d. 2010 Fluoxetine 20mg. 2011 Escitalopram 20mg. 2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS. Effexor 150mg. 2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants. Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms). 8 month hold. 2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent). 2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well. Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea. 2023 December - Now on 5 micro-beads Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops. Symptoms begin to increase. 2024 April - Updosed to 6 microbeads - immediate increase in symptoms for 4 days. Decreased to 5 microbeads. 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.' Dr Gabor Mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Help777 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Has anyone tried a potato before bed to boost serotonin and maybe curb cortisol spike in the middle of the night? May 12th 2016 took last bead of effexor. 8 month taper. Bridge = prozac 5mg, 300mg Lithium May 31st took last of prozac. Lithium 300 mg, estrogen patch 150, magnesium. June 14th reinstated 1mg Prozac due to intolerable emotional distress. Cont with lithium 300mg, 150 magnesium, re added omega 3, cont estrogen patch. June 15-july 5th had marked improvement of emotional wd symptoms, likely due to the reinstatement. July 5th intense emotional symptoms returned. July 15 decreased 50 mg of lithium to see if it improved low heart rate. July 19th - increased prozac to 1.5mg. July 22 marked improvement of emotional symptoms...again, likely due to increase of prozac. However sudden agitation developed so decreased back down to 1.25mg prozac. Realizing increasing dose is dangerous because of these adverse effects and also seeing that wave is inevitable regardless of reinstatement. Continuing 250 lithium, 1.25mg prozac, estrogen. Oct 31st - continued 250 lithium, 1 mg prozac, estrogen patch. Jan 2018 - off of prozac (bridge) as of Dec 2017. Starting to taper Lithium 250 mg. Will do 10% per month. May 2018 - lithium 115mg. Still having waves but they aren’t as bad. However, I really struggle with emotional symptoms about 1 week after a cut. dec 2018- 80mg lithium. Tapering 1 mg per week since last June. Symptoms improving overall but still very sensitive to light, sound, social stimulation and I cry a lot. March 2019 - 65 mg lithium. Still tapering 1mg per week. Jan 2021- down to 4 mg lithium (get it compounded). Reinstated 5 mg Prozac. Jan 2023- withdraw 5mg prozac over one month Feb 20th 2023- reinstated 1mg Prozac. Still taking 4 mg lithium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted July 28, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted July 28, 2016 Hi help -- Are you talking about Kathleen Desmaisons' work? I subscribed to her programs about 10 years back. I never got as far as adding the potato at night but did learn a great deal as I worked the previous steps -- eating breakfast, getting sufficient protein, eating complex carbs vs refined, processed carbs. Her "prescription" of a potato before bed is based on the serotonin deficiency theory of depression which was a very shaky hypothesis to start with and has been discredited. Why not give it a try for a week or so to see if it works for you? Just remember start small - maybe one of the yummy and tiny new potatoes that are in season now. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genlady Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Has anyone on here ever gone on a Ketosis diet? Seems like it's powerful stuff. It will stop seizures in folks who do not respond to anticonvulsants. It's shown promise in treating other conditions of the brain such as TBI, Parkinsons, Stroke and there it improved the memory and cognition of folks who suffered from early signs of Dementia. It's a rough diet and not one that is easy to adhere to but is it possible it could help our situations if adhered to for a short period of time. Anyone ever try? I was on the Ideal Protein Diet for one year and lost 100 pounds to get ready for surgery this year. My withdrawals were horrible during this time. I just recently stopped the diet so I could eat more fruits and vegetables rather than rely on supplements for my nutrients. July Medications: Started taking antidepressants in 1981, also benzos off and on; antiphychotics , anti-seizure for years. Trazodone, Lamotrigine, Klonopin for over 10 years all at maximum dosages,:Disconcontinued Klonopin in month of February 2011, discontinued Trazodone and Lamotrigine in month of March 2011 while in hosptial. Given Seroquel to "help" go off Klonopin gradually increased to 600 mg ; doctor took me off 600 mg. Seroquel in two weeks, and switched to Resperidal because of weight gain on Seroquel, went off Resperidal quickly, then gradually reinstated Seroquel to 600 mg. at my request. Went off Seroquel by myself at 25mg. per month in 2014. Last medication Seroquel completely off since May 2016. Also went off Morphine at the same time as last 25 mg. of Seroquel in May 2016. Started tapering Celexa 40mg. to 35mg. on 11 Aug. 2016 ; 16 Oct. Celexa 32.5 mg.; 6 Nov. 2016: 30mg. , 50 mg abt. Feb 26 with occasional 30mg. , : May 10, 2017 began tapering rapidly because of adverse reaction to Celexa;, 40 mg. Celexa; May 24, 2017: 35mg Celexa.; June 8, 2017, 30 mg. Celexa, June 22, 2017 25mg.Celexa,; July 6,2017 20mg. CELEXA, July 20: 15mg.; August 10: Sep 29 2017: 10mg. Celexa + 10mg. Prozac, 5 Oct, 2017: 5mg. Celexa + 10mg. Prozac.; Oct. 14 Celexa 0., Prozac 10mg.Took last Prozac on November 22, 2017, Jan. 31 30mg. Cymbalta........ May Cymbalta 90mg. Supplements Cal/Mag , Potassium, , Multi Vitamin. digestive aid, antioxidant Medications presently taking: Lyrica 150mg. 2x day , Synthroid 175mcg, Nasonex 2 sprays each nostril, once a day , Tylenol 1,000 mg. 2x day., , Restasis eye drops 2x day, Trazodone 100 mg, Cymbalta 90 mg. Arthrotec 50 mg., Plavix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted September 11, 2016 Administrator Share Posted September 11, 2016 Having complex carbs at night or a protein boost such as undenatured whey protein can keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the night. This can be helpful to calm the nervous system as a drop in blood sugar tends to increase adrenaline, the stimulating hormone. Ketosis also increases adrenaline. A ketogenic diet is probably not a good idea when one is struggling with withdrawal symptoms. It is possible that, with other hypersensitivities, withdrawal syndrome might increase sensitivity to histamine in foods, which can also be stimulating or trigger waves of anxiety. A trial of a low-histamine diet or elimination diet to identify other food sensitivities might be a good idea. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostInMarshes Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Good thread to bookmark. My body wants me to embark on the raw vegan food diet, but I will follow Dr Kelly Brogan's approach - "radishes for days, and then a day when the taste of home cooked meatballs is nourishing..." (not verbatim) 2000: Paxil, low dose. 2001: Paxil, quickly tapered off. 2006: Zoloft, 25mg. 2007: Wellbutrin, low dose, discontinued after a week or a month. 2007-2009: Zoloft, increasing dose (up to 75mg). 2009-2011: Zoloft, failed withdrawal attempts (cold-turkey; fast tapering). 2009-2011: Trying out Cymbalta, Celexa, Prozac, Lexapro, Ambien, Ativan, and Xanax. 2012-2015: Zoloft, 100mg to 200mg. 2013: Trazadone for Zoloft-induced insomnia, 25mg to 50mg. 2015: Trileptal, dose?, withdrew; Bupropion, up to 200mg. 2016: Zoloft, 137mg, Bupropion, 150mg, Trazodone, 25mg. 05/21/16: Began Zoloft taper - 10% from 150mg - 137ish mg 06/23/16: Zoloft taper - 125mg 08/03/16: Bupropion XL taper - cut 150mg pill in crude half (mistake) 10/31: Zoloft successfully down to 100mg. Staying on 100mg for 2-3 months to let my brain rest. 11/09: Wellbutrin SR prescribed, 150mg once a day, for withdrawal. 12/11: Wellbutrin SR, twice daily - minus 18ishmg = 112.50mg 09/30/17: Off Wellbutrin SR successfully. Zoloft taper: 90ish mg (shaving it off). Trazodone: still at 50mg. June 2018: Zoloft: 80ish (shaving off). Trazodone: 6mg. End of 2018: Off Trazodone. 01/20: Zoloft: 70ish? 08/20: Still around 80 or 70. Tapering by only 15 shaves each month. 04/2021: 50mg! 11/2022: 40ish mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thesearepowerfuldrugs Posted October 8, 2017 Share Posted October 8, 2017 I have cut out all starchy carbs and gluten and sugar and it has helped me get off antidepressants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghm2018 Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Hi Meimeiquest...I saw this thread and I'm curious. I experienced an adverse reaction to fluoxetine in January and am still suffering from multiple issues. My primary care recommended a "reset" through clean-eating and suggested a modified keto diet. Are you aware of any member who has had success with the ketogenic diet? Thank you, ghm2018 2002 - 2014, 500mg Keppra 2x’s/day (anti-seizure med) 2003 thru 2004 - 10 mg Remeron 2005ish - Adverse reactions to single doses of Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Lexapro (no long-lasting problems) 2012 - Buspar (overly energized, stopped immediately, no long-lasting problems) 2014 - 1 month taper off of 500mg Keppra (Leviteracitam) - seizure free for 12 years 2017 - 500mg Leviteracitam (generic keppra) 2017 - Mid-Dec experienced adverse reaction to Leviteracitam due to different manufacturer. Stopped on Dec 20. 2018 - Jan 1st, 10 mg Fluoxetine (generic prozac) experienced severe adverse reaction after 3 doses and continue to experience issues today. 2003 - 2018 Ativan, occasionally/rarely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbles Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 I have done keto and am planning to go back to it. It does require careful planning, but it wasn't that difficult - it's real food and the food is tasty. There are low carb friendly dietitians if you want some help. The hardest thing was social - birthday cakes etc. There's lots of information online. Check out: https://www.dietdoctor.com/ He's a medical doctor, if I recall correctly. Lots of free info and recipes. I felt well on it. You've inspired me! Back to it! 2005 St John's Wort / 2006-2012 Lexapro 20mg, 2 failed attempts to stop, tapered over 4.5 months in early 2012 January 2013 started Sertraline, over time worked up to 100mg July 2014 Sertraline dropped from 100mg to 75mg, held for six months, slower tapering until 2019 22 Dec 3.2mg 2020 Sertraline 19 Jan 3.1mg, 26 Jan 3.0mg; 1 Mar 2.9, 7 Mar 2.8, May (some drops here) 24 May 2.5, May 29 2.4, June 21 2.3, June 28 2.2mg, July 4 2.1mg, July 24 (or maybe a bit before) 2mg, early Nov switched to home made suspension; 29 Nov 1.8mg; approx 25 Dec 1.6mg) 2021 Some time in about Jan/Feb realised probably on more like 1.8mg and poss mixing error in making suspension; doses after 10 Feb accurate; 10 Feb 1.6mg; 7 Mar 1.4, continued monthly 10% drops until 1mg, then dropped 0.1mg monthly. May 2022,0.1mg, now dropping 0.01mg per week 29 August 2022 - first day of zero! My thread here at SA: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1775-bubbles/page/21/ Current: Armour Thyroid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikkiTikki Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 I've been doing it for a while and I have to say I feel much clearer in my mind. i wouldn't have listed brain fog as a symptom of mine before, but my mental clarity and focus and interest in the world has certainly increased. Early days though – could be due to other factors. The keto diet excludes sugar and grains, and it could be the absence of either of those, rather than the state of ketosis per se, that is causing the change. Also, just to caution that I have fairly mild withdrawal symptoms, largely emotional, so the diet could have adverse effects for those experiencing more varied symptoms. Celexa (Citalopram) 40mg - 60mg - 40mg for 7 years Tapered (over 3 months) drug-free Aug–Nov 2013 CRASH 40mg Dec 2013 – Jan 2017 (7 weeks reinstatement hell then relief) 2017: 20mg 30 Jan 18mg 19 April 16mg 6 May 14mg 20 May 12mg 10 Jun 10mg 7 July 9mg 7 Aug 8mg 16 Oct 7.5mg 27 Nov 2018: 7mg 8 Jan 6.5mg 12 Feb 6mg 17 Mar 5.2mg 14 Apr 5mg 28 Apr 4.8mg 4 Jun 4.6mg 23 Jun 4.4mg 24 Jul 4.2mg 13 Aug 4mg 20 Aug 3.8mg 1 Sep 3.6mg 28 Sep 3.4mg 14 Oct 3.2mg 11 Nov 3mg 5 Dec 5mg 26 Dec 10mg 28 Dec Added Valdoxan 25mg 12 Dec 2018 stopped 24 Jan 2019 Wellbutrin 150mg 25 Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghm2018 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 TikkiTikki- Thank you for commenting. I’m glad that your withdrawal symptoms are fairly mild. I am one of the unfortunate members who merely took three doses in January of this year and have been suffering consequences ever since. Prior to the three doses, I had been placed on a seizure medication that I did not need. I had an adverse reaction to it in mid-December of 2017, which caused unexplained anxiety, mild depression among other physical issues. My primary care then suggested fluoxetine (prozac), which I didn’t want to take, but at the encouragment of friends and family, I tried it. After the first dose, I knew immediately that something didn’t seem right. Sorry for the lengthy response. Just needed to express that, again. I tried the keto diet in June, but sudden changes to my diet and environment seem to cause issues for me. I am on a modified keto/paleo diet, if you will. Basically, I limit sugar & grains and caffiene, but I do cheat from time to time and have a little dessert. Best wishes to you as you continue your journey of healing. 2002 - 2014, 500mg Keppra 2x’s/day (anti-seizure med) 2003 thru 2004 - 10 mg Remeron 2005ish - Adverse reactions to single doses of Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Lexapro (no long-lasting problems) 2012 - Buspar (overly energized, stopped immediately, no long-lasting problems) 2014 - 1 month taper off of 500mg Keppra (Leviteracitam) - seizure free for 12 years 2017 - 500mg Leviteracitam (generic keppra) 2017 - Mid-Dec experienced adverse reaction to Leviteracitam due to different manufacturer. Stopped on Dec 20. 2018 - Jan 1st, 10 mg Fluoxetine (generic prozac) experienced severe adverse reaction after 3 doses and continue to experience issues today. 2003 - 2018 Ativan, occasionally/rarely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghm2018 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Bubbles - sorry that I didn’t reply sooner. I hope you’re doing wellsnd thst the keto diet is working for you. -ghm 2002 - 2014, 500mg Keppra 2x’s/day (anti-seizure med) 2003 thru 2004 - 10 mg Remeron 2005ish - Adverse reactions to single doses of Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Lexapro (no long-lasting problems) 2012 - Buspar (overly energized, stopped immediately, no long-lasting problems) 2014 - 1 month taper off of 500mg Keppra (Leviteracitam) - seizure free for 12 years 2017 - 500mg Leviteracitam (generic keppra) 2017 - Mid-Dec experienced adverse reaction to Leviteracitam due to different manufacturer. Stopped on Dec 20. 2018 - Jan 1st, 10 mg Fluoxetine (generic prozac) experienced severe adverse reaction after 3 doses and continue to experience issues today. 2003 - 2018 Ativan, occasionally/rarely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavendertealatte Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 I've been looking into diets.. Paleo specifically.. and at first I thought it would be great but the first day not even fully doing it, I feel more stressed and irritable. I also am finding it hard cause I'm already thin, and it's harder to get enough calories. I feel like my symptoms of anxiety are neurobiological and I'm getting frustrated by my lack of progress in spite of therapy, meditation, and increased exercises. I'm so lost now.. There is so much conflicting information out there. 29y.o. Started Lexapro, 15mg in 2013 for anxiety and depression. 9/28/15- Started taper, went down to 10mg, then 5mg by 10/31/15. 1/2016- anxiety, nausea, fatigue, crying spells, sadness, by January. Reinstated back to 10mg. Leveled out. 1/1/2018- Began further taper, down to 0mg by 1/31/2018. Last dose was 2.5mg. Feelings of dizziness during taper recommended by pdoc. Slowed down taper, but still had symptoms of stomach upset. 2/12/18 - Dealing with symptoms of dizziness, anxiety, sadness, stomach upset. 2/20/18 - Reinstating medication with .6mg. 2/21/18 - Emotionally feeling better. Dizziness much improved. 2/24/18 - Went to sleep with extreme feeling of chills. No fever. Fatigue. 3/19/18 - Increased anxiety. 5/1/18- Began therapy. Have trouble with anxiety and GI symptoms. 9/22/18 - Decrease to .5mg. Anxiety, GI, chills. 9/26/18 - back up to .6mg. 10/31/18 - app Curable, feeling distinct change in outlook and anxiety levels decreased. 2/1/19 - not seeing improvement in anxiety. started 10mg Prozac 2/7/19 - up to 20mg Prozac, experiencing chills, tiredness 2/21/19 - tapering down to 10mg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sadboy Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Going on the keto diet for me has been very benificial. One month in and the sleep problems i got from withdrawal are now gone. Also am i less anxious, less obessive and less suicidal while on it. To be honoust, if ur really deep in withdrawal i think doing this is too heavy. The first weeks were horrible and ramped up all the withdrawal symptoms. The thing is, i was at the point were i was just anhedonic, suicidal and was sleeping bad. Nothing physical or something. It was just everyday again the same empty, fatigued day. The diet gave me my energy and sleep partly back, which gave me all kinds of other benefits. Its definitly not a cure all but for me it made life more bearable and less torture. 1 Used zoloft for 5 months. Started with 25mg, upped to 50 and finished with 75mg. Tapered in one month time. Finished taper at 15/04/2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restoration123 Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 (edited) Has anyone else here tried keto for SSRI-induced weight gain? Edited August 16, 2019 by ChessieCat moved from weight gain/loss topic Low dose of Ativan for 2 months; quickly became physically dependent and experienced interdose withdrawals. Cold turkeyed in January 2019. Started Sertraline in November 2018. Highest dose of 100mg and currently on 93 mg and looking to taper off and become medication free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapunzel2 Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 any results on ketogenic diet for anybody else? I was doing Wahls protocol II level last year for half a year (about 60% of energy came from fat, 12% from protein and 28% from carbs - it´s not totally ketogenic but much higher fat content) and actually I was able to withdraw with astronomic speed (for me) at that time - I felt much less withdrawal symptoms, especially fatigue, and also depression. unfortunately I was doing very many things at that time and attributed my wellbeing to other factors. right now it seems that it was still due to diet. I have undrestood that my withdrawal symptoms mimic quite closely chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms. and I read that cfs is helped by ketogenic diet. then I started to analyse and realized that this wahl´s protocol might have been a reason for having an easier time with withdrawal on spring 2019. I have been severely ill with withdrawal now for half a year, after jumping off. I just started again on Wahl´s protocol and it seems to be helping although it´s early to tell. in 2002- 0,5 tablet cipramil for half a year, ended it uneventfully. in 2006 - citalopram for half a year, ended in horrific state, ditched the drugs CT. 2007-2008 not feeling well but drug free. in 2008 prozac 20mg + quetiapine 25mg. 2009 tried to stop, ended up in hole after couple of months, started zoloft. 2009-2011 zoloft 50mg. went to 25mg in 2011 summer, it resulted in half a year horrible suffering. reinstated, changed drugs, nothing happened. by 2012 beginning suddenly felt great and CT meds. after 4 months came suddenly most horrible human suffering that's possible. was started on prozac and questiapine. started tapering slowly, GFCF diet and Hardy Nutritionals vitamins in 2013 summer. current medications: 1) fluoxetine and quetiapine since Aug 2012; 2) Daily Essential Nutrients by Hardy Nutritionals 7 capsules / since May 2013 + omega3; 3) Gluten-free-casein-free diet since june 2013 Started withdrawing slowly since april 2013. Mostly around 10% cuts. April'13 - March'14: fluoxetine 40mg -> 19,5mg; quetiapine 50mg -> 40mg April'14-March'15: fluoxetine 19,5mg -> 14,4mg; quetiapine 40mg -> 22mg April'15-March'16: fluoxetine 14,4mg -> 7,4mg; quetiapine 22mg -> 15mg April'16-March'17: fluoxetine 7,4mg -> 5,0mg; quetiapine 15mg -> 7,25mg April'17-March'18: fluoxetine 5,0mg -> 4,0mg; quetiapine 7,25mg -> 0 (as of 1st Feb 2018)!!!! April´18-March´19: fluoxetine 4,0mg - > 2,3mg. Jumped off fluoxetine 1,4mg due to pregnancy in July 2019. Oct 2019 severe withdrawal syndrome started. Took mistakenly a complex for hormonal support that included pregnenolone dec2019-april2020. Stopped it april 2020 and immediately severe akathisia started. Have had life threatening akathisia since, 100% disabled, suicidal, very hard to hold on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Altostrata Posted August 9, 2021 Administrator Share Posted August 9, 2021 3 hours ago, Nsr99 said: @Altostrata For you information, and for the record. I came to know what agitated my WD symptoms. In short, it was Ketosis. I was thrown into this condition unknowingly. To control my diet and stay fit, I cut down tremendously on my Carb intake, mainly bread. I was also doing physical exercises and weight lifting. As a result, I lost most of my carb and starved my brain from the necessary energy it needs, causing my symptoms to flare up. I thought that stopping eating bread (a good source of carb) would not do harm. But, unfortunately, this has reduced my carb and got me into Ketosis. I was eating only a cub of rice a day. But with the exercises, it was all burned. I stayed on this setup for more than a month. Then, I started experiencing bad WD symptoms like: headache, insomnia, anxiety, etc. To get out of Ketosis, I started increasing my Carb intake and within 3 days things started to settle. I realize now that my nervous system is so sensitive that I should be careful about any changes I do to my body in the future. By the way, I read a statement in one your posts that says: A ketogenic diet is probably not a good idea when one is struggling with withdrawal symptoms. Indeed, you are right. Your statement is absolutely correct. I was a victim myself. Thank you. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariel Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 ChessieCat, (not sure where to post this question) May I ask, in regards to making the transition to keto/low carb, are there specific apps, books, or other tools you've found helpful in calculating macros, calories, and meal planning in general? 1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs) 2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?) Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg --> July 2018 - 0mg 2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg 2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg --> July 2021 - 0mg March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT) --> April 28th, 2021 - 0mg supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin Courage is fear that has said its prayers. - Karle Wilson Baker love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters. - Rev. angel Kyodo williams Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are. - text on homemade banner at Afiya house I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted June 27, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 27, 2022 54 minutes ago, Ariel said: ChessieCat, (not sure where to post this question) May I ask, in regards to making the transition to keto/low carb, are there specific apps, books, or other tools you've found helpful in calculating macros, calories, and meal planning in general? There are some videos linked in the Diabetes topic. I don't fast but I generally don't eat snacks, just 3 meals a day. This is a good starting point but is much stricter than what I do: Full Dr. Westman Page 4 Diet Revealed! (Page 4 in Description!) DietDoctor - YT & website AdaptYourLife - YT & website I don't fast, but eat 3 meals a day but I don't have snacks. I don't go hungry. I still eat salad dressings but try to pick the ones which are lower in carbs. I figure that I need to make sure I am enjoying my food otherwise I will not stick to it. I wrote the following to a YT commenter and kept a copy of it: One thing I realised right at the start was that if I didn't enjoy what I was eating I would not stick to it, so I chose to be really strict with/limit some things so I can include some other things to make my meals more enjoyable, in particular the salad dressings. Cut out all sugar, cakes, biscuits, lollies/candy/sweets, bread, all types of potatoes, rice, pasta, packaged meals. Eat salad (sometimes I will prepare two salads at a time, sometimes I will eat both on the same day, sometimes 1 one day and the other the next, omitting the "meat", dressing/sauce and avocado from the second one and adding just before eating) with tinned tuna, chicken, sausage, egg, cheese, ham, bacon, tinned Spam (ham and turkey), corned beef/silverside, roast pork. Salad: avocado, tomato, red capsicum/bell pepper, cucumber, mushroom, red onion, baby spinach, lettuce. Make bulk low carb meals: beef bolognaise/marina (bottled sauce), beef/chicken stroganoff, creamy chicken/beef with onion and mushrooms, creamy garlic and soy beef/chicken, zucchini, frozen: broccoli, cauliflower, brussell sprouts, baby green beans, spinach. Frittata, bacon. I make my own "waffle bread" (details and recipe in the part below) which is the chaffle recipe with NO cheese (I tried adding the cheese and got in an awful mess). After getting my a1c below 5.5 I now occasionally include: beetroot, canned baked beans, soup (try to choose wisely). Dressings/sauces: bottled both oil/vinegar and creamy but choose lowest carb and NOT low fat, tzatziki dip, other dips, yoghurt, mayonnaise. Other: some nuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds, carrots, tahini, 100% peanut butter no added sugar, cocoa powder, 95% cocoa chocolate, diabetic jello/jelly. Breakfast (I measure and put into 16 small individual containers): combo of chia seeds, pepitas/pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, psyllium husks, 2 Tbspn whey protein concentrate (I do not eat a lot of meat) with regular soy milk. And yes, sometimes I get fed up with what I am eating, but that used to happen every now and then before I went low carb. When this happens I allow myself a bit of a "binge" BUT I choose carefully and still still to low/lower carb foods. For example there was one night when I ate 2 pieces of homemade crustless cheesecake for dinner which *was* low carb but I felt like it wasn't a real meal. But I have found when I go "off diet" a bit for one meal that when I go back to the "regular food" I really enjoy it, even a simple salad! Second response: You are very welcome and I wish you well and I'm glad you found it helpful. It was very overwhelming when I got my diabetes diagnosis and I watched a lot of videos (including ones explaining what happens in our body which helped me to understand it better) and did a lot of research trying to work out what I was going to eat. To start with my mindset was "I will try this for 3 months to see if it works" so it was a short term goal, not a deprivation of oh no have to live like this for the rest of my life. I think that made it easier to stick to strictly. And of course during that time I made discoveries about food and recipes and it became more of a habit and the good results as well as learning more about the causes have given me the encouragement to continue low carb. I have continued to research, recently looking at why I have difficulty with over eating (I'm okay so long as I don't eat but once I start I have difficulty stopping - see info below about Adapt Your Life). Please note that I have NOT used a glucose monitor to test my response to foods. We have to find what works for us. My goal was to reverse my diabetes but there have been other benefits: I have lost 1/8th of my body weight, had to reduce my blood pressure drug, and my cholesterol numbers have improved. At the start I found it helpful to clean my teeth immediately after I ate to stop myself from continuing to eat (just realised that I might need to start doing that again!). I also sucked (not chewed - bad for teeth) on ice cubes. I also drink plain and sugar free flavoured (not strong, just a hint) sparkling mineral water, and recently bought some fruit "teas" (for winter) because I only drink coffee and wanted some different flavours. If you have difficulty with the quantity you eat, measure your portions. If you have this problem check out Dr. Vera Tarman's recent videos on Food Addiction on the Adapt Your Life channel. I have found it helpful to make sure that I have some "longer life" ingredients on hand (eg frozen waffle bread, my cheese free chaffles) as well as some easy to prepare meals to make it less likely that I go off track if I am in a hurry or get hungry suddenly which can happen if I get busy doing something and miss my usually meal time or get home a bit later than normal. Also, it is a good idea to carry a suitable snack with you in case you get hungry and also have a plan of what you might buy if you are out somewhere and you need to buy something (eg tin of tuna, pack of coleslow or salad, cheese, deli meat, nuts). I think having this plan in place means that you won't have to try and work things out and decide what to have if you get hungry. What it does it to reduce the stress: stress increases cortisol and cortisol uses glucose and can cause cravings for carbs (behavioural and/or physical). I wrote this to another member in PM tonight: I do carry a health nut bar in my handbag just in case of emergency. One thing that I think is very necessary is to plan in advance. Have some acceptable quick foods that you can grab if you are tired or get home late. I try to make sure that I have some homemade frozen meals that I can heat. I have frozen cauliflower, broccoli, baby green beans, brussell sprouts and spinach. And I have planned what foods I can eat if I ever needs to buy something when I am out or forget to take my lunch to work. For example, Subway salad bowl, nuts, deli meat, tin of tuna, cheese, if desperate Big Mac and only eat the meat! That way I am not going to be in a panic and end up buying food that I don't want to go back to. Another thing that I think has helped. When I go shopping I don't look at foods as what product they are but I look at them and think in terms of how many carbs they have. I think that helps because if I thought about the product my brain would automatically think of the flavour and I would feel like I was missing out. Breakfast was the hardest thing to change. I've always been a cereal person. I don't like to eat eggs and bacon or similar for breakfast. I've ended up making a mix of chia seeds, psyllium husk + a choice from the following: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds/pepitas, slivered almonds/almond flour, LSA (linseed sunflower almond mix). I have bought a waffle maker and make what I call waffle bread. Most keto people make chaffles with egg and cheese but I don't put cheese in mine. I just use 1 egg, 3 Tblspns almond flour and 1 Tblspn of melted butter. I used to put baking powder (1/4 tspn) in but I prefer it without. They take about 6 or 7 minutes to cook and can be frozen. You can put mashed avocado on them and then top with cheese and meat and have a small tossed salad (tomato, cucumber, onion, red bell pepper, baby spinach/lettuce) separately if you want to. I also have a "mug bread" mix that I found which I like (and have started using in my waffle maker. Both microwave and waffle versions can be frozen. 2 cups almond flour 4 Tblspns psyllium husk POWDER 6 Tbspns ground flaxseed meal 2 tspn baking powder 1/2 tspn salt Put in a contain with lid and shake well to mix. This is good to have on hand for a quick bread. They end up being thicker then English muffins so a bit to thick for a filled sandwich but work well as open sandwich. 1/4 cup mix 1 Tblspn melted butter 1 beaten egg 4" diameter mug Cook for 75 seconds on high in a microwave which is about 1000/1100 watt (I think) To use the mix in the waffle maker (Belgian 4 waffles) I use 3 Tbspn mix and add 2 tspn water, otherwise it is too thick. But I might try 3 tspn = 1 Tblspn next time And I make lots of different flavoured mug cakes too. Basic recipe: 3 Tbln almond flour, 1/2 tspn baking powder, 1 beaten egg, 1 Tblspn melted butter, 1 1/4 Tbspn sugar substitute (erithrytol + monk fruit or stevia). Examples of variety: 1 Tblspn coconut, 1 Tblspn cocoa powder, 1 tspn cinnamon, 1 tspn coffee powder, gingerbread: 1/4 tspn ginger + 1/4 tspn mixed spice + 1/4 tspn cinnamon. Sometimes I will add the coconut to the choc and gingerbread version. You can also add cake flavouring. I've got several different ones and want to get a banana flavour. Hazelnut & Chocolate/Nutella: instead of all almond flour, use 2 Tblspn hazelnuts ground + 1 Tblspn almond flour + 1 Tbspn cocoa powder 1 * 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariel Posted June 27, 2022 Share Posted June 27, 2022 Thank you ChessieCat! Does this mean you don't calculate exact macros -- carbs, protein, fat in grams -- and calories? Do you do a version of keto/low-carb where you don't aim for ketosis? and maybe don't aim for precision around macros? It's the calculation and precision bit I find can get overwhelming. Do you just not worry about that? 1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs) 2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?) Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg --> July 2018 - 0mg 2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg 2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg --> July 2021 - 0mg March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT) --> April 28th, 2021 - 0mg supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin Courage is fear that has said its prayers. - Karle Wilson Baker love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters. - Rev. angel Kyodo williams Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are. - text on homemade banner at Afiya house I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted June 28, 2022 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted June 28, 2022 13 hours ago, Ariel said: Thank you ChessieCat! Does this mean you don't calculate exact macros -- carbs, protein, fat in grams -- and calories? Do you do a version of keto/low-carb where you don't aim for ketosis? and maybe don't aim for precision around macros? It's the calculation and precision bit I find can get overwhelming. Do you just not worry about that? No I don't calculate anything. I wanted to keep it as simple as possible. If it was too hard I wasn't going to stick to it. Because you can see results in such a short period of time, unless there is an urgency to get your numbers down, then I think comparing blood test results (be aware that your LDL might go up but it may not be anything to be concerned about because the LDL is made up of small sticky and large fluffy particles, the HDL and triglycerides should improve) before and after 3 months and your waist measurement, weight, blood pressure, fit of your clothes are really all that you need to do. But because I don't eat a lot of meat I try to make sure that I protein every day. I also don't add any fat, I don't like fat on my meat, but if I'm frying something I will use some butter and not worry about how much I am using (that took a real brain shift, knowing that I can eat fats). It's more a case of just looking at the carbs and thinking is it worth adding those into my diet for what I will gain (will it help me to stay eating this way), so weighing up the pros and cons. For example I buy a Sweet and Creamy Greek yoghurt that has 8gm/100gm but it isn't as high in carbs as regular vanilla yoghurt which I think has 12gm/100gm (I tried a low sugar one and it was horrible). I've just realised that I could buy a regular Greek yoghurt and add my own sugar substitute to it. I add some to my low sugar jelly for lunch at work, because it would be messy to add cream. Another example, I have bought 4 different types of frozen berries which other low carbers use; strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. But I found out the other day that blueberries are the highest in carb of all of those, so even though I don't mind them I don't love them enough to consume the higher carbs and will stick with the others from now on. But might buy them at some other time every now and then. The same with using sugar substitute. At the start I wasn't using any but did after the first 3 months. I have noticed that I am not tasting as much flavour in my salads as I was before, but I'm the sort of person (in my past diet life) who would go out to dinner and look at the dessert list before the main course to see what was available and to make sure I had room for dessert after my main meal. So for me, sweet foods is just part of what I want to keep in my life. I've already changed my eating after 64 years of eating the old way. For the first 7 months I did keep a food diary and wrote down everything I ate. It was good to be able to look back and see what I had eaten and helped me to keep things varied. The first 3 months was because I wanted to know what I could cut out if my results weren't good, but they were good and then I started adding more carbs, so I kept going with the diary for information for the next blood test, but because I was doing it for so long I am better able to remember what I eat most days so I have stopped doing it now. 1 * 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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