Hey, glad to hear you're over the withdrawal.  I have a feeling that now you've experienced it & you know it's possible this next one will be easier. You know there is light @ the end of the tunnel.  Sometimes not knowing is the worse & makes you doubt your decisions.

Congrats on your progress TJ!  

Ok, here begins a new subheading in the thread:

Lamictal Withdrawal

Last night I started on half a pill (50 mg).

Today I've been kind of achey and not quite as energetic, a bit defensive, and when I got home from work I felt very tired and "heavy", and took a serious nap.  All of which may be due to

1) reduced Lamictal dose;
2) taking a chance with my corn-poisoned vitamin C and multivitamin supplements over the last four days;
3) working out yesterday ("treadwall", back extensions, and inclined sit-ups);
4) something else I'm unaware of; or
5) some combination of these!

I'm favoring #5 myself.

Goodness.

Quoted from TJ

I'm favoring #5 myself.

These things rarely happen in a vacuum...  What would possess you to take corn poisoned supplements?  For as reactive as I am to corn anything, I stay as far away as possible from it.

You can get non-corn vitamin C sources, such as Tru C, by NOW.  It is from Amla berries.  200 mg/capsule

Quoted from ABJoe

What would possess you to take corn poisoned supplements?

Lack of anything else at hand, plus ignorance of the extent of my corn sensitivity.  I don't think it's as bad as gluten, but I could be wrong.

I'm doing my research for better replacements.  Vitamin Shoppe has a gluten- and corn-free vitamin C and milk thistle.  I was waiting to see if GNC would suggest some offerings (including a multi) but I might just splurge on the Exacta or Polyvite B instead.

Thanks for the reference Victoria.  I didn't know about that source.  They look promising!

I take camu-camu powder for C.

Quoted from TJ

I think... I HOPE... I'm through it.  Saturday was kind of rough, but as long as I get out of the house and socialize a little, I'm good!  I see my Dr. Thursday 7/29, and Lamictal will be going on the chopping block then!

Quoted Text

Ok, here begins a new subheading in the thread:

Lamictal Withdrawal

Last night I started on half a pill (50 mg).

What made you decide to cut out the Lamictal now, instead of waiting until after your dr visit next Thursday?

Quoted from ruthiegirl

What made you decide to cut out the Lamictal now, instead of waiting until after your dr visit next Thursday?

Impatience.  When I see my Dr., I'm not going to ask her permission to quit.  I'm going to tell her that I'm quitting, and can you please tell me the best way to go about doing that?  I know the first step is reducing the dosage, so I'm just getting a head start.

Quoted from Ribbit

I take camu-camu powder for C.

I love the Camu powder too.  But the only one I can find out here is cut with Maltodextrin.

TJ,

Congrats on getting off the Paxil! I took Paxil and Buspar for about a year in high school, convinced I had "social anxiety" ...but who doesn't sometimes? I weened myself off because it made me hungry and tired and totally killed my libido. I cut my dosage in half for a couple of weeks and never went back to the psychiatrist. Once I missed two days between prescriptions and felt like total c**p - fatigued, achy, irritable, and not happy.

My next self-diagnosis was ADD for which I took Adderall, and more recently Vyvanse, which I no longer take as well.

This was long before I discovered the BTD, and now food is my medicine. Much more effective  . Check out the book "Gut and Psychology Syndrome." Very informative.

Quoted from TJ

Impatience.  When I see my Dr., I'm not going to ask her permission to quit.  I'm going to tell her that I'm quitting, and can you please tell me the best way to go about doing that?  I know the first step is reducing the dosage, so I'm just getting a head start.

I like your proactive approach here TJ.  Chances are she will try to discourage you from quitting.  This way you've got an advantage and can resist the persuasion to continue its use.  

Quoted from de_nogent

I weened myself off because it made me hungry and tired and totally killed my libido. I cut my dosage in half for a couple of weeks and never went back to the psychiatrist. Once I missed two days between prescriptions and felt like total c**p - fatigued, achy, irritable, and not happy.

My next self-diagnosis was ADD for which I took Adderall, and more recently Vyvanse, which I no longer take as well.

de_nogent, I like hearing things like this.  Good for you!  Food has been a much better medicine for me, too.  It really stinks that I was in such a stressful, unhealthy situation that I had to rely on drugs to get me through it, but that's behind me now.  I definitely got/get more irritable, but I'm also more assertive now, which I need.  I seem to remember a long time ago that I was more assertive, not just on the internet either!   I remember in a psychology class that the prof defined "libido" as not just sex drive, but any kind of drive to activity, motivation.  It's good to feel more motivated, even if sometimes I just feel more motivated to break something!!!

Definitely Rob, she will try.  Reading the ingredients and seeing potential sources of gluten/corn is just more fuel in the fire.

Quoted from TJ

...It really stinks that I was in such a stressful, unhealthy situation that I had to rely on drugs to get me through it, but that's behind me now.

You got it.  It's behind you and there's no reason to beat yourself up over it.  It helped you through a rough era in your life and now that food is healing you you're able to move forward.  

My appointment on Thursday conflicted with my new work schedule, so I've had to move it to Wednesday of next week.

The Lamictal withdrawal hasn't been as pronounced as the Paxil, but it's still here.  It's more "blah" and less "angry"!  It seems like I don't feel the withdrawal kick in until the day after the day after I first take the reduced dose (i.e. begin lower dose on Wednesday, feel fine Thursday but yucky on Friday).  With that in mind, I'm going to make my next cut Thursday night; that way, my "yucky" falls on Saturday when I'm not at work.

Sounds like a good plan to me TJ.

Quoted from TJ

With that in mind, I'm going to make my next cut Thursday night; that way, my "yucky" falls on Saturday when I'm not at work.

  I know how frustrating it is to try to "time" your yucky day.

It's not your lucky day, it's your yucky day!  Get ready for it!  

Congrats again TJ.  Keep up the great work buddy!

Hang in there and keep sharing your thoughts. I need a lot more sleep than the average person. So does every B that I know. Not getting enough sleep can lead to irritation.

Quoted from Stefina

I need a lot more sleep than the average person. So does every B that I know. Not getting enough sleep can lead to irritation.

My B brother runs on 6 hours a night, and he's as cool as you please... /jealous

I'm an O and I need about 9 hours of sleep a night. I'm not sure if blood type is an indicator of how much sleep a person needs. I think that somebody whose body is busy detoxing/healing, or whose body is overwhelmed with toxins or lectins and can't even begin healing yet, would need more sleep than a "healthy" person.

I'm pretty sure that Paxil withdrawal killed my grandmother.  She was either a Teacher or A-type Explorer.  At 86, she had a perfect memory, lived by herself, in Chicago.  Was active, engaged with a solid circle of friends and family.

She developed bronchitis that came and went fairly regularly.  It was after a bout of it that they discovered she had a weak/small heart (from childhood), but PERFECTLY CLEAR ARTERIES.  At 86!

A particularly nasty bout ended her up in the hospital.  The hospital put her on diuretics (to keep fluid out of the lungs to help her heart), something to help her heart not have to work as hard (maybe nitroglycerin, I'm not sure), some other minor stuff, and Paxil because they thought she was anxious?  Well, yeah, she was anxious, but come on!  This is a woman who was never really on anything except for the occasional antibiotic and vitamins, and tylenol for arthritis.  She got upset about having to take all of the drugs and quit them all, cold turkey.

After that, she was very sick.  She wouldn't eat at all and my normally very vibrant grandmother basically starved herself to death because she felt horrible.  Isn't that bizarre?  It still makes me mad.  

Quoted from ruthiegirl

I think that somebody whose body is busy detoxing/healing, or whose body is overwhelmed with toxins or lectins and can't even begin healing yet, would need more sleep than a "healthy" person.

I agree!  I can tell a difference when I am detoxing heavily or lightly...