Status Report On Jerry

[JerryK]

Hey there everyone.

Just wanted to check in. I'm doing pretty well. I cut down on my dose of Lexapro by about 1/3.

I'm taking a bit less than 1/4 of a pill now. The first couple days were fine...yesterday was a bit shaky. Be advised that going off an AD is no easy task, gluten-free or not. Although being gluten-free certainly seems

to help.

gluten-free wise, I'm being very careful. I have no desire to combine a glutening with AD withdrawal

Hope everyone has a great weekend. j

[Lisa]

Sounds good. Just a reminder, slowly.

[Guhlia]

I had a very, very hard time getting off of AD's. I was on Cymbalta. Granted, my doc didn't ween me at all, she told me to just stop taking it. I was sick as a dog. Hopefully you'll be able to ween slowly enough that you don't have to go through any of that. Brain shivers are the worst.

[JerryK]

I had a very, very hard time getting off of AD's. I was on Cymbalta. Granted, my doc didn't ween me at all, she told me to just stop taking it. I was sick as a dog. Hopefully you'll be able to ween slowly enough that you don't have to go through any of that. Brain shivers are the worst.

Not that I have any plans to "cold turkey" Lexapro, but how long did it take to feel better?

Just curious...

[Generic]

I quit taking paxil cold turkey. Dr. didn't advise there could be problems. Can we say road rage? I wanted to rip a few peoples faces off too. I had severe anger problems, it was horrible. I was like super jerk w/ a raging case of pms.

I think it lasted for about 2 weeks....at least that I noticed, LOL. It may have gone on longer, I'm not sure.

[Guhlia]

Well, the vomiting stopped within 24 hours. I had "brain shivers" for about a week and a half. I can't explain what they are, you'd have to experience it. I had horrible ups and downs emotionally for about a month. I think within two months I was pretty much all better. It was definitely a nasty experience. I will NEVER take anti depressants again. NEVER!!!

[JerryK]

I quit taking paxil cold turkey. Dr. didn't advise there could be problems. Can we say road rage? I wanted to rip a few peoples faces off too. I had severe anger problems, it was horrible. I was like super jerk w/ a raging case of pms.

I think it lasted for about 2 weeks....at least that I noticed, LOL. It may have gone on longer, I'm not sure.

Yah, what I noticed I would characterize as "heightened emptions" where my feelings are hyper intense....don't know how to explain it other than that. I feel good, bad and ugly all at the same time.

(I feel better today).....

Nice to know it goes away!!

[annie-is-GF]

I went off of Celexa cold-turkey last summer because I didn't have enough money to refill my prescription.... it was the worst summer of my life! I got SOOO sick. I was nauseous and dizzy for at least a month... no appetite, because of the nausea... I got carsick after driving only a couple blocks... my dreams were bizarre. I lived on gravol. After a long time things settled down again but it was a ROUGH experience! ughhhhh

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Would exercise and fresh air help?

Hope you are feeling wonderful very soon!

[JerryK]

Would exercise and fresh air help?

Hope you are feeling wonderful very soon!

Oh yeah, exercise, fresh air and sunshine are the best prescriptions I've found. It works better than

any AD.......Today seems like a good day. j

[nikki-uk]

Good Luck Jerry - you are nearly there

Finally got myself off of my AD after 6 yrs (Ha!! - yes 6 yrs!) ...but found I HAD to do it slowly.

I tried to do cold turkey and that had some pretty nasty ''panic attack - can't breath'' type effects ...so done it VERY slow (half a tab, then a quarter, then a quarter every other day ..etc...).....got there in the end

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Jerry,

It is wonderful that you were able to reduce your dosage again. Like many other posters on this thread, I too, had bad experiences trying to get off of these pills. I do not know if I will ever get off of the AD I am on now. Those jerks up at IU got me stuck to it. I was weaned off of Paxil, but still had withdrawal. Jitters, nausea, and some other milder symptoms persisted for a couple of weeks.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[Phyllis28]

It's great that you have been able to lower your dosage.

[loco-ladi]

I have managed to stay off any medication for my prior depression, knowing most of it was directed at my Dr's inability to hear and read. I am glad to know you are lowering your dose and are finding alternative means to combat those "blue times" and I highly recommend walks outdoors, the last 2 days here wasn't such a good idea however as we reached the lower 90's both days. We have a T-Storm moving in and its cooling things off and freshing the air!

Anyone want a dog who is scared of T-storms? She really sweet except for then.

[NoGluGirl]

I have managed to stay off any medication for my prior depression, knowing most of it was directed at my Dr's inability to hear and read. I am glad to know you are lowering your dose and are finding alternative means to combat those "blue times" and I highly recommend walks outdoors, the last 2 days here wasn't such a good idea however as we reached the lower 90's both days. We have a T-Storm moving in and its cooling things off and freshing the air!

Anyone want a dog who is scared of T-storms? She really sweet except for then.

Dear loco_ladi,

Our Standard Schnauzer we used to have was afraid of storms! They sense when severe weather is coming. They know. They sense when the barometric pressure drops. We live in Tornado Alley, so it has not been a week unless a tornado has hit! I can always tell the people from out of town, because they freak when it storms and are like "OMG! We are gonna die!"

As far as depression goes, I am still stuck on Celexa. I should never have been on it in the first place. It really sucks. Doctors are idiots. If they were giving narcotics, at least there is rehab for that!

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[loco-ladi]

NGG I hope your situation improves and I know that "OMG I am going to die" look... each year we get "temporary workers" here at the railroad, those that end up staying longer than others get that look when they find out about the tornado's... or in the wintertime, the "gee I need a winter coat" stupidity of wintertime is good also.

[NoGluGirl]

NGG I hope your situation improves and I know that "OMG I am going to die" look... each year we get "temporary workers" here at the railroad, those that end up staying longer than others get that look when they find out about the tornado's... or in the wintertime, the "gee I need a winter coat" stupidity of wintertime is good also.

Dear loco_ladi,

Hopefully, I will get straightened out soon. Any improvement is welcome! I may have Lyme, Babesia, other food intolerances, and all kinds of other stuff! The weather thing is so funny. I know it is something I cannot do anything about. I grew up here, so it is nothing new. All you can do is be ready when the tornadoes hit. We also get floods, and winter storms. In fact, we are probably the only place on the planet that can get a tornado one night, and a winter storm the next! The weather in our state is very bizarre!

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[JerryK]

So I continue to feel just peachy. Whittling down my Lexapro. It's unclear to me how I go about

getting off that last 1/4 pill of Lex as they get mighty hard to cut down accurately....

I would entertain any good ideas on that...

Last night was a horrible food evening. Got home at 7...starving...most of what I could find in the house was glutenated...I didn't feel like spending a lot of time making anything.

I decided I'd have some mashed potato's...I love mashed taters and butter (well fake butter).

I made my mashed potatos....lumpy but not too bad.....Then I get out the butter tub

and the butter has mold all over it....yuck....now I'm really frustrated

I end up eating my mashed potatos dry...with garlic salt....not really very satisfying....

It is frustrating when I'm struggling to find something to eat and everyone else in the house is cheerfully chomping away on their gluten loaded treats.

However, gluten-free is absolutely making a world of difference getting off of Lexapro...simply because off of Gluten, I am not depressed. Who knew...j

[JerryK]

Also, when did I become advanced...how special!

[nikki-uk]

Also, when did I become advanced...how special!

You are indeed special Jerry - and this means you can now add some witty comment underneath your avatar!!

When I was down to a 1/4 tablet (and found it too hard to make it any smaller without it disintergrating into dust) I took it every other day - then every 2 days ...etc....

[Guhlia]

I agree with Nikki-UK. Start taking it every other day, then every two days, etc. Eventually, when the dosage gets really spaced out, you'll probably just end up forgetting to take it and you'll realize you feel okay after a day or two. If you're having a really hard time weaning, you may want to get a mortar and pestel and grind a pill into powder (provided that they're not time release pills), then seperate that into 5ths, then 6ths, etc. Be really careful doing this as it's easy to get different sized proportions and screw yourself up. You'll probably be fine just weening down with every other day and so forth.

[JerryK]

I agree with Nikki-UK. Start taking it every other day, then every two days, etc. Eventually, when the dosage gets really spaced out, you'll probably just end up forgetting to take it and you'll realize you feel okay after a day or two. If you're having a really hard time weaning, you may want to get a mortar and pestel and grind a pill into powder (provided that they're not time release pills), then seperate that into 5ths, then 6ths, etc. Be really careful doing this as it's easy to get different sized proportions and screw yourself up. You'll probably be fine just weening down with every other day and so forth.

Thanks, This is good advice...I will try to start taking it every other day and see if I wig out

Nikki...thank you, now how do I add that witty comment?

[jerseyangel]

now how do I add that witty comment?

Unless this changed when the board updated, you have to have 500 posts to do it. I see you're almost there...

Just in case, cuz I could be wrong, go to

"My Controls"--click on "Edit Profile Information"--"Custom Member Title" should come up.

Put in what you want, scroll to the bottom of the page and hit "Amend My Profile".

That outta do it

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Jerry,

Congratulations on your success! I know how you feel about the boring food and food lust.

I miss pizza, cookies, Big Macs, Chinese Takeout, but not enough to get sick from them! I have been gluten-free for 8 months! I never once have intentionally eaten the crap. As sick as it makes me, it is not tempting! Welcome to advanced community memberdom!

Dear Guhlia,

Congrats on your baby girl! You must be excited! This is wonderful! How far along are you again? I thought it was maybe 4 months?

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[JerryK]

Unless this changed when the board updated, you have to have 500 posts to do it. I see you're almost there...

Just in case, cuz I could be wrong, go to

"My Controls"--click on "Edit Profile Information"--"Custom Member Title" should come up.

Put in what you want, scroll to the bottom of the page and hit "Amend My Profile".

That outta do it

OK, thanks, I guess I'll start posting silly responses, like this one, until I get to my 500