success ☼ Happy2Heal: Hope I'm doing this right

[Blondiee1915]

Hi Cat,

 

Since it has only been 5 days I would say wait to see how you feel a bit longer . The main reason why you increased the dose was to get some sleep. It was a well thought decision and to see if it is the right thing to do I would say you give it time (unless the symptoms become truly unbearable) . When I increased and decreased the first few days were always rough and more strange with weird emotional physical sensations but then with time my body and brain slowly settled into the new normal . And who knows maybe in few more days your sleep would improve due to up dose. I think you have to give it a chance to see if it works. And as you mentioned above try to focus on other things besides WD and reading others experiences . Sometimes I get caught in that but when I do things that distract that thought process I feel somewhat better. How is knitting going ? Did not you start on the new project ?

[Happy2Heal]

hi Blondie, thanks for stopping by!!

OH I just read back thru my last dozen or so posts, omgoodness I posted a lot in a few days!! I was just feeling so awful.

 

I am just now starting to feel a bit better, this morning was rough as usual, but as the day goes on it's easing up.

 

I didn't start my new sewing project, nor the new crocheting project, because I just can't concentrate on anything.

 

today I am trying to get the rat cage cleaned and even that's hard. I have to keep taking breaks because I feel overwhelmed and out of it.

 

I don't think updosing was  the right thing to do, I didn't have these symptoms before but I don't know if it's ok to go right back down, waiting on a mod to weigh in on that.

 

even if this was a wave, it's brought new symptoms that I didn't have before- that makes me think the updose didn't work and that I was adjusted as well as I could be to the lower dose, and just needed to hold

 

I got greedy- I was getting about 4 hrs sleep total, and resting ok when I wasn't asleep. I wanted MORE. Now I'm getting next to NO sleep and not able to rest or relax, just miserable and watching the minutes drag by, each minute lasts like a half an hour, it's torture.

 

so, yeh, it's looking like the updose was a mistake.

[apace41]

Hi, Catnapt,

 

Sorry you are having a small blip.  You are doing great otherwise.  

 

It's always hard to know what causes what in this whole crazy drug withdrawal thing.  Given the facts here, and assuming that the updose is causing the problem, I would be inclined to go back to where you were at .27.  I'm not usually a fan of hopping up and down but since you feel worse at the higher level and it's only been 4-5 days, I would think you would do okay going back to where you were.  There are, of course, no assurances, but I don't see it being likely to cause you any additional harm.  

 

I would note however that your post to Blondie suggests you are doing a little better. If you feel like you are settling in you could stay at .3 if you want.  The alternative would be to do .285 for a couple of days and then do .27 again.  I don't feel strongly that any one is better than the others.  If it were me, I would go back to .27.

 

Best,

 

Andy

[Happy2Heal]

 

I would note however that your post to Blondie suggests you are doing a little better. If you feel like you are settling in you could stay at .3 if you want.  The alternative would be to do .285 for a couple of days and then do .27 again.  I don't feel strongly that any one is better than the others.  If it were me, I would go back to .27

 

 

thanks Andy,

well, the "doing a bit better this afternoon" could be from the sun coming out, &/or my friend sending me reiki &/or me eating some food I don't normally eat (eggs), it's hard to say.

 

I think I'll see if my sleep has improved any tonight, that was the main reason for going up, to try to get more sleep.

If I have another rough night, I'll start inching my way back down again.

 

I can't believe I did this, I was steadily getting better with just small waves!! but I'd read a bunch of thread where ppl had updosed "enough" to be able to sleep, and just wanted to sleep SO bad, I thought I'd give it a try.

 

People my age tend to sleep less and have broken sleep, anyway, I may never go back to the way I used to sleep.

and four hours isn't so horrible, after the past couple of nights, that sounds like heaven LOL

 

I'm a very slow learner, eh?  :/

 

[LexAnger]

HOW TO TELL IF AN UP DOSE WAS A MISTAKE and what to do about it?

 

on the 25th, I decided to try updosing from 0.27 back to 0.3 (where I'd been for several months) because I was still having so much trouble sleeping.

 

well, I was feeling ok for the first couple of days, but my sleep didn't get better, it got worse. and my anxiety level has gone up and I'm feeling disconnected and unmotivated and no where near as good as I did just a few days ago.

 

I don't know what to do. I was not sleeping well on the 0.27 but at least, when I wasn't asleep, I could just lay there and relax and not feel bad. Now I can't sleep, and I lay there with all these thoughts in my head that I can't shut off.

I am terrified of making another change but I feel like going up may have been a mistake.

 

 

should I go back down to 0.27?

 

should I gradually reduce from 0.3 to 0.29, etc to see if things get better?

 

so much for holding :/

I am disgusted with myself. I really just wanted to sleep for like 5 hrs in a row, it's been SO long since that's happened (about 6 mos now) only time I got a long stretch of sleep, about 6hrs, was on zyprexa, so that's drugged sleep, not natural sleep.

 

I don't want to have drugged sleep but I am having a lot of anxiety at night now about not sleeping.

 

for those of you who got thru months and months without sleep, how did you manage it?

Hi Catnapt, I am sorry about what the dose increase did to you! What are the symptoms (new or worsening) did you get that you think from the dose increase?

[Survivor1]

Hi Catnapt,

 

 I wanted to respond to your answer about seroquel use on Shep's thread.  Thank you for chiming in.  It is good to know that the body twitches are not necessarily from seroquel use, but could be good ol' wd.  And that the neuropathy will eventually go.  

 

How lucky you are to ct unscathed from seroquel!  I was only on it for 6 weeks followed by two or three 10-day short-term uses, mostly at 25 mg and less, and developed unbelievable wd.  Hope you stabilize on the lexapro. Insomnia is a b****.

 

Thanks again!

[JanCarol]

Hey Catnapt!

 

So - what have you decided to do?

 

1.  Stay at 0.30

2.  Go back to 0.27

or

3.  Grade yourself and do like Andy suggested - a week of 0.285 before going down to 0.27

 

?

 

I'm with Apace, I'd be inclined to go back to the 0.27, especially if you only had one dose of the 0.30.  If it was over 4 doses, though, I'd strongly consider option 3.

 

Let us know what you decide!

 

I'm glad you saw the sun today, and I hope you see the sun tomorrow, too!

[Happy2Heal]

Hi Catnapt,

 

 I wanted to respond to your answer about seroquel use on Shep's thread.  Thank you for chiming in.  It is good to know that the body twitches are not necessarily from seroquel use, but could be good ol' wd.  And that the neuropathy will eventually go.  

 

How lucky you are to ct unscathed from seroquel!  I was only on it for 6 weeks followed by two or three 10-day short-term uses, mostly at 25 mg and less, and developed unbelievable wd.  Hope you stabilize on the lexapro. Insomnia is a b****.

 

Thanks again!

 

no problem, I know we are all very different, but I figure if someone makes it thru a CT of a high dose of a drug, it's at least hopeful news for anyone else getting off that same drug, regardless of dose or length of treatment.

 

 

thanks for your good wishes. I know the insomnia will resolve in time.

[Happy2Heal]

Hey Catnapt!

 

So - what have you decided to do?

 

1.  Stay at 0.30

2.  Go back to 0.27

or

3.  Grade yourself and do like Andy suggested - a week of 0.285 before going down to 0.27

 

?

 

I'm with Apace, I'd be inclined to go back to the 0.27, especially if you only had one dose of the 0.30.  If it was over 4 doses, though, I'd strongly consider option 3.

 

Let us know what you decide!

 

I'm glad you saw the sun today, and I hope you see the sun tomorrow, too!

 

Hi JC,

I was waiting to see how I slept last night before I decided, if I slept any better, I was going to stay at the 0.3, if my sleep was poor, I was going to start inching down and see how that goes.

 

sleep was still very poor, worse than when I was on the 0.27, so I decided going back down was the thing to do.

 

So this morning I inched down to 0.29!

figured the smallest change was the safest.

 

I'll wait a few days and see if my sleep improves, if it does, I may inch down to 0.28 and re evaluate then.

 

man, this is stuff is so ridiculously strong!!

 

my friend is sending me reiki at least once a day, and that is making a huge difference in my anxiety level.

UPDATE:

change of plans, after further input from another mod, I've decided to stick to 0.29 and hold for at least a month.

He made a good point about changing doses, it's what I've done way too much already, I need to stay stable.

 

It's the hardest darn thing to do, though!!

[apace41]

 

UPDATE:

change of plans, after further input from another mod, I've decided to stick to 0.29 and hold for at least a month.

He made a good point about changing doses, it's what I've done way too much already, I need to stay stable.

 

It's the hardest darn thing to do, though!!

 

 

Always your choice, Catnapt.

 

I would still go the other way but nobody will ever criticize you for going slower.

 

Best,

 

Andy

[Happy2Heal]

 

 

UPDATE:

change of plans, after further input from another mod, I've decided to stick to 0.29 and hold for at least a month.

He made a good point about changing doses, it's what I've done way too much already, I need to stay stable.

 

It's the hardest darn thing to do, though!!

 

 

Always your choice, Catnapt.

 

I would still go the other way but nobody will ever criticize you for going slower.

 

Best,

 

Andy

 

 

 

thanks Andy

I think I have one thing in my favor, I have always healed quickly. True, I'm not as young as I used to be, and healing slows down as you age, but overall, in my past, I've been quick to heal.

 

The thing I don't have in my favor is a long long history of CT's of many psych drugs, and esp on lexapro, many many ups and downs since 2002. I had 8 mos off it, and went back on. I was on 40 mgs at several points, and then down to 30, but luckily in the most recent past, since say, 2009, I've only been on 20 mgs.

But I tried to go off lexapro in 2014 and crashed and went back to 20mg

I didn't try to get off again til June 2015, and then I went down too fast, from 20 all the way down to 2.5 every other day (as the dr told me to do- grr!) by Dec 2015

 

then, steady on 2.5 mgs til the end of May 2016 and jumping off there, thinking I was ok.

a crash in Sept and reinstatement in Oct, and well, that's really a LOT of ups and downs in the past 3 years.

 

so, the most sensible thing for me to do, is to stay as steady as I can.

It will also be the HARDEST thing to do, so don't be too surprised if I have a bad wave and think I should go back down a bit more

*blush*

 

my overall plan is for a very very long hold, but I was hoping to hold at a dose where I felt most days were manageable. I can see that IF I had just not kept making changes, I might already BE at that point now.

 

but I think I'm getting there.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

yoga today with meditation and mindfulness

 

and tomorrow, I try Tai Chi!!

I need to move more, when I have bad symptoms, I tend to just want to curl up in a ball, or I will literally freeze and stay stuck in one spot, for hours, afraid that any wrong move will make things worse.

I did much better before my crash in Sept, because I just kept going, I had more confidence that I could get thru just about anything WD threw at me.

My confidence was severely shaken by that crash, and now I'm working on rebuilding it.

 

it's coming along, though, bit by bit.

 

[apace41]

 

my overall plan is for a very very long hold, but I was hoping to hold at a dose where I felt most days were manageable. I can see that IF I had just not kept making changes, I might already BE at that point now.

 

Perhaps the hardest thing in this whole process (other than feeling like crap a lot) is remembering not to be too harsh on yourself.  Nobody can possibly anticipate how these drugs will affect us and to chastise oneself for doing something so innocuous is to hold oneself to an unfair standard.  Making a .03 drop in the hopes of a little better sleep?  Heaven forbid.  Thou shalt be banished to purgatory forever.

 

Seriously.  You should not be so critical of that action.  You never know if you were simply primed for a short downturn in any event.  It happens in this process.  You will bounce back quickly.

 

You are doing great.

 

Best,

 

Andy

[Happy2Heal]

 

 Heaven forbid.  Thou shalt be banished to purgatory forever.

that cracked me up!!

 

thanks so much Andy, you really know how to make someone feel better!!

 

 

[Happy2Heal]

hesitate to say anything cuz as soon as I mention a good day I'm hit with a wave but last two days have been pretty decent

 

gonna try Tai Chi today

 

keep on truckin, peeps, keep on truckin

;-)

 

PS

another small improvement: my body temp seems to be getting better regulated. I can eat now without always having a hot flash.

I can have a strong emotion without breaking out in a sweat sometimes too.
Even though it's gotten colder again, I can tolerate it ok, and the night sweats have decreased quite a bit.

 

 

Yoga was yesterday and that definitely makes a big difference.

[JanCarol]

I'm glad to hear you are doing yoga and tai chi!

 

I was out at the theatre tonight (great production, but it's so hard to sit and pay attention when so uncomfortable, but I did it) - and someone there said - hey weren't you in my Tai Chi class?

 

I was proud to say that even though I don't go to class anymore (she said, it's too crowded now, and not as much fun), that I do it every day.  It keeps my hips and shoulders and knees freer of pain.

 

Yoga hurts somewhat more (because it tests my poor joints) - but it's also excellent for "tuning in" to my condition.  Was it easier or harder than last time?  Maybe forward bends were better, but twists not so good - it's a really excellent tool for touching base with the body.  When the body hurts a lot, it's easy to get in the habit of ignoring it.

 

I hope you see the sun today!

[Happy2Heal]

I'm glad to hear you are doing yoga and tai chi!

 

I was out at the theatre tonight (great production, but it's so hard to sit and pay attention when so uncomfortable, but I did it) - and someone there said - hey weren't you in my Tai Chi class?

 

I was proud to say that even though I don't go to class anymore (she said, it's too crowded now, and not as much fun), that I do it every day.  It keeps my hips and shoulders and knees freer of pain.

 

Yoga hurts somewhat more (because it tests my poor joints) - but it's also excellent for "tuning in" to my condition.  Was it easier or harder than last time?  Maybe forward bends were better, but twists not so good - it's a really excellent tool for touching base with the body.  When the body hurts a lot, it's easy to get in the habit of ignoring it.

 

I hope you see the sun today!

 

Good for your for going to the theatre in spite of not feeling totally up for it! I get that, I am making myself do things when I'm not so comfortable, it's good to challenge myself from time to time. So long as I don't over do it, of course.

 

I am nervous about the Tai Chi, I am not familiar with the moves. I'm not very coordinated so I'm afraid I'll be doing it wrong. But then I suppose I can't expect to get it right til I've done it for awhile, right?

;-)

 

I'm watching a beginners video now and it looks like there's a lot of bending at the knees, oh dear LOL

Interesting that you said you find yoga more painful, I don't have any pain w/yoga except for anything where we bend the knees. Tai Chi may be more challenging for me.

 

of course the yoga I do is at a Sr's Center and is geared for ppl who are older, we don't do any of the more advanced stuff at all.

lol

[Frogie]

Hi Catnapt:

 

Just dropped by to say hi.

 

Glad you are doing so well.

 

Good luck with the Tai Chi.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Happy2Heal]

thanks Frogie

[MNgal1960]

Wow, both yoga and Tai Chi! I still haven't even gotten going with my yoga yet.

 

Hope you find a routine that feels good for you. I do think gentle exercise is very helpful in w/d.

 

MN

[Happy2Heal]

Wow, both yoga and Tai Chi! I still haven't even gotten going with my yoga yet.

 

Hope you find a routine that feels good for you. I do think gentle exercise is very helpful in w/d.

 

MN

 

honestly the yoga is very easy and very relaxing

 

the Tai Chi looks like it's going to take more concentration, and that makes me nervous LOL not sure if my poor battered brain is up for it

but gonna give it a try!!

[MNgal1960]

I would agree. Tai Chi is much harder than yoga, especially trying to follow a video of it.

[Happy2Heal]

I would agree. Tai Chi is much harder than yoga, especially trying to follow a video of it.

 

heh, well Tai Chi was even harder to do in a class. But I think that's because the instructor is not very focused, gives too much information that's totally irrelevant to the class (personal information mostly)  I was very frustrated trying to get her to use the same name for each movement we were doing, and trying to get her to give instructions clearly and slowly enough.

BUT in spite of that, I did pick up a few things that will benefit specific ortho issues I have, so I'll go back and give it another try next week.

I wandered into a knit and crochet group afterward, met some lovely ladies and will gather up some yarn and my crochet hook and join that group again next week.

 

so, it worked out well.

I was also so worn out from walking there and back, plus the hour of exercise,  that I could not stay awake to watch the end of the mini series I was following (darn it!!) however, I fell asleep around 10pm and only woke up a few times, to hear a wee bit of the news and some of the show after that, then fell asleep again til around 4:40, got up, fed the cat, and laid back down til my back started to hurt.

 

so it seems my sleep is starting to get better, a tiny bit at a time.

that's a huge relief! I know I have to expect waves and all, two steps forward and one back, but it's encouraging that things are continuing in a generally positive direction, as they have been since the start of this journey (or rather, since reinstating in Oct, at least)

 

[MNgal1960]

Very glad to hear things are getting better for you, catnapt. Still waiting to hear about your rats! Or did I miss that?

[JanCarol]

Hey Catnapt! 

 

You're being intrepid!  I love it!

 

The important things about Tai Chi are these:

 

Gently shifting your weight as you move.  This protects your knees (a good instructor is greatly helpful).  

 

and

 

Filling your hands.  This is what moves the lymph and chi around your meridians.  Imagine that you have balloons in the palms of your hands that gently inflate and deflate as you move them.

 

and

 

Awareness of Dantien.  This is your "chi battery" below your naval, and your center of gravity.  All movement goes into, and flows from your center of gravity.  It doesn't matter how much you bend your knees, if you can "pump" your dantien, you will receive benefit.

 

 

The last tai chi class I did was Dr. Lam's "Tai Chi for Diabetes" - so - designed for people with illness.  Do you know what "style" of Tai Chi you are doing?

[Happy2Heal]

Very glad to hear things are getting better for you, catnapt. Still waiting to hear about your rats! Or did I miss that?

hi, sorry MN, I've not been up to chatting about them, I get too confused because while I adore them, right now I don't have access to my real feelings for them. It's like I "think" my love for them instead of feeling it. Hard to describe. I guess it's emotional anesthesia..?

 

anyway I will try to get your a link to a couple of videos of past and current rats, they really show you a lot more what they are like. It's hard to describe a pet in words but you can see how interesting they are in the videos.

[Happy2Heal]

Hey Catnapt! 

 

You're being intrepid!  I love it!

 

The important things about Tai Chi are these:

 

Gently shifting your weight as you move.  This protects your knees (a good instructor is greatly helpful).  

 

and

 

Filling your hands.  This is what moves the lymph and chi around your meridians.  Imagine that you have balloons in the palms of your hands that gently inflate and deflate as you move them.

 

and

 

Awareness of Dantien.  This is your "chi battery" below your naval, and your center of gravity.  All movement goes into, and flows from your center of gravity.  It doesn't matter how much you bend your knees, if you can "pump" your dantien, you will receive benefit.

 

 

The last tai chi class I did was Dr. Lam's "Tai Chi for Diabetes" - so - designed for people with illness.  Do you know what "style" of Tai Chi you are doing?

 

 

OK thanks JC, yes the shifting your weight was, at least, one thing the instructor was able to stress to me, when I spoke with her after the class.

She said what style of Tia Chi it is, but she mentioned SO many different kinds and other things, I got totally confused after that.

She also seems to have combined some stuff from things she does elsewhere.

Tai chi is challenging enough on it's own without having an instructor who is all over the map, but I am going to go and get what I can out of it, at least for a little while. I got some good exercise out of the hour, at least. It will help me strengthen my tolerance for confusion, I guess. Or help me learn to be kind to myself and to block out things that are not useful to me (such as I would need to do if around a negative or constantly complaining person)

 

I mean, I can get some thing out of it, I think. IF I stop getting any benefit from it, I'll move on to something else ;-)

 

she did mention the energy center and we did some stuff where we were supposed to pretend we were holding a beach ball. Those moves were the hardest for me.

She didn't seem too interested in making sure the students were doing the moves correctly, which bothered me. I know it's only $5 a class, but that's actually a lot of money to me, and I want to get my money's worth. So I did stop her and ask for clarification when I was confused,

plus talked to her after the class to try to get more info.

I can be quite a determined bugger, LOL some might say pest, but hey, I didn't come to the class to NOT learn Tai Chi, so...!! It's on her to teach it correctly, that's my thinking

 

I am going to do some beginner stuff I found from you tube videos to see if I can at least capture the essence of it.

 

I got the yoga down fairly well, and it mostly relaxes me.

I wanted the Tai chi to help me use up excess energy from anxiety etc.

at least til the weather is better and I can get out and walk more.

[JanCarol]

Hey Catnapt!

 

She didn't seem too interested in making sure the students were doing the moves correctly, which bothered me. I know it's only $5 a class, but that's actually a lot of money to me, and I want to get my money's worth. So I did stop her and ask for clarification when I was confused,

plus talked to her after the class to try to get more info.

 

I was lucky.  I had teachers who looked you in the eyes and told you what to adjust, guiding you gently into new things.

 

BUt this "not checking students" - well - I hadn't run into that until I moved to Australia, where the yoga teacher does it perfectly at the front of the room, and the students are all grunting (and doing horrible things to hips, lower back, knees, etc in the process) and we pay $10-15 a class!

 

I noticed it at my Mom's Tai Chi class.  And she's in a retirement home - these people have no idea - and could use more than just the guy at the front of the room, making the motions, and not saying anything about filling the hands, or resting your spine in a comfortable curve, or any corrections at all.  The end result was elders in their 80s waving their hands around (it was seated tai chi) and wondering what that was all about!  The men in particular were very frustrated with this activity.

 

Right now I'm doing yoga and circuit training.  The weights feel really good, help me relax, and help keep me from muscle wasting.  The yoga helps me feel connected to my body, and is a great check in - what hurts?  how am I moving? breathing?  thinking?  focusing?  balancing?  all that stuff.

 

 

[Frogie]

Hi Catnapt-

 

Thought I would drop by and say hi, and see how you are feeling?

 

I'm on my way to the chiropractor in about 20 min. Then mail our taxes finally.

 

The wind is blowing here about 50mph/gusts 80mph. Supposed to be 58 this morning, then drop to 35 because of the wind. Brrr. Hope you are staying warm.

 

Give the rats and Crispie hi's from me.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

[Happy2Heal]

more improvements:  my ears seldom ring now, that's gradually been getting better to the point where I just realized last night that my ears haven't been ringing at all... and I don't even know when it stopped LOL

 

also sleep is improving, and my vision  has been pretty decent most of the time.

 

even though I still have waves, the overall trend continues to be toward better health and healing.

 

:)

[Happy2Heal]

saw the NP today, she's got me down as "depressed" but I have a feeling she knows the truth, and can't/won't admit it, my symptoms are from WD

 

she's gotta put down something that agrees with the system as the way it's set up.

 

that said, she was very nice and gave me an Rx for 5mgs of lamictal

 

if someone could please let me know how to make a solution out if it, so that I could try taking 0.5 or 1mg, to see if it helps me sleep.

[scallywag]

Why are you trying a new medication to treat the symptoms of withdrawal?  I'm not sure that strategy has worked out well for you with other medications.

 

The easiest way to make a liquid is to use either the same # of ml as the dose is in mg, or to use 10x the ml as the dose mg. So for a 5 mg tablet, you would use either 5 ml water or 50 ml water.

 

With 5 ml water, you have a liquid where 1 ml = 1 mg.

With 50 ml water, you have a liquid where 10 ml = 1 mg.

[Altostrata]

more improvements:  my ears seldom ring now, that's gradually been getting better to the point where I just realized last night that my ears haven't been ringing at all... and I don't even know when it stopped LOL

 

also sleep is improving, and my vision  has been pretty decent most of the time.

 

even though I still have waves, the overall trend continues to be toward better health and healing.

 

:)

 

This ^^ isn't broken, why are you trying to fix it? You might have a bad reaction to Lamictal that will set you back.

 

catnapt, I'm getting the impression that you're a bit of a drug experimenter. Please consider changing your ways, you need to protect your nervous system, not experiment with it.

[Happy2Heal]

 

more improvements:  my ears seldom ring now, that's gradually been getting better to the point where I just realized last night that my ears haven't been ringing at all... and I don't even know when it stopped LOL

 

also sleep is improving, and my vision  has been pretty decent most of the time.

 

even though I still have waves, the overall trend continues to be toward better health and healing.

 

:)

 

This ^^ isn't broken, why are you trying to fix it? You might have a bad reaction to Lamictal that will set you back.

 

catnapt, I'm getting the impression that you're a bit of a drug experimenter. Please consider changing your ways, you need to protect your nervous system, not experiment with it.

 

 

thanks for your input Alto

I don't think it's entirely fair to say that I'm a drug experimentor,  the only other med I tried was zyprexa.

I also read this thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3769-lamictal-lamotrigine-to-calm-post-discontinuation-withdrawal-symptoms/

and understand that it's not easy to find the right dose.

I am being very careful (I think) and of course take full responsibility for my decision to give it a try.

[Happy2Heal]

Why are you trying a new medication to treat the symptoms of withdrawal?  I'm not sure that strategy has worked out well for you with other medications.

 

The easiest way to make a liquid is to use either the same # of ml as the dose is in mg, or to use 10x the ml as the dose mg. So for a 5 mg tablet, you would use either 5 ml water or 50 ml water.

 

With 5 ml water, you have a liquid where 1 ml = 1 mg.

With 50 ml water, you have a liquid where 10 ml = 1 mg.

 

thanks Scallywag

I made a 1:1 solution for now.

 

so when I am ready to taper off the lamictal, I should use the weaker solution to do that? so that I can make smaller cuts?

 

I guess I can cross that bridge when I get to it.

 

yes I am sure this is confusing for you, but I PM'ed Alto and explained, she's free to share that info with other mods if she wants to, but I prefer not to have it in my thread, it's just too personal.

[Happy2Heal]

went for a long walk yesterday, it was nice.

 

I think it's helping to regulate my body temperature, I'm having fewer night sweats and not getting as cold either.

 

 

 

I am not going to be reporting on how I do when/if I take the lamictal for some time, not until I see how I do without any outside influence of other ppls opinions.

There's definitely a place for other's opinions and input, but at times, one must look only to one's self to make the tough decisions, and to deal with the consequences.

 

I find that I am often unduly influenced by things outside myself, for example, just a simple question, like "do you think that's wise?" can undermine my confidence. And I think what I need now most of all is confidence in myself and in the healing process.

I had that all of last year before my crash in Sept/Oct and I am now working on getting that back.

 

In any case, I'm doing ok. I got one of the books I ordered, on Hardwiring Happiness, great read so far, check it out if you have a chance.

[apace41]

 

In any case, I'm doing ok. I got one of the books I ordered, on Hardwiring Happiness, great read so far, check it out if you have a chance.

 

Rick Hanson is great Catnapt.  Enjoy! 

 

He also has lots of audio books for your walks if you want.

 

Best,

 

Andy