✨Sunday Intention Setting✨

[Cuddlebear]

@Captain24  Hello it is so wonderful to meet you. How are you doing? 

Thank you so much for sharing how it’s been for you. So many people don’t understand the brutality of a taper. Like you every drop in medicine makes everything worse and I hate waking up each day knowing it’s another battle to make it through. 

My GP says to just get it over and done with but my body can’t cope going fast. I’m just hanging in by a thread so to speak. He wanted me to drop further this week after having dropped more medicine last week. I said no. I told them I could not tolerate anymore and that I’m doing this alone and have to live with how I’m actually feeling. I want my body to adjust and have less intense symptoms before another drop but GP is in a hurry. 

Thank you for understanding. It means a lot to me that you posted to let me know. 

[Captain24]

It’s your body and your mental health that has to deal with all of this. @Cuddlebear.

I was lucky, I had my psych and she was the one who suggested having a break and slowing it down. It took me longer to get off them but I got to have a rest at times. I didn’t do it every time but sometimes I just needed the break and left it for a week. In the end I counted down that I only had 4 more left or 3 more left. It was still a struggle and seemed to get harder but counting it down made it go quicker know that there was only a few to go. Not sure how far along in the journey you are. 

The GP is not the one who is suffering. I get the sooner you get off it the sooner you will feel better and stop going through this but it is so hard. 

I think, do what is best for you. You are the one living it. 

[Appleblossom]

@Kashmina hey

 @Cuddlebear I agree with @Captain24 perhaps your Gp is a little hasty, and should try it him or herself. It’s not fully in his area anyway. Do you have an actual psychiatrist who can oversee the tapering?

I have observed many people at close quarters on and off meds. For decades . For me, 10 years ago I was on the highest dose and very slowly tapered down. I mean each step was at least a couple months. They were small steps. I researched it and told my psychiatrist and he agreed with me and let me take the initiative at my speed.

@AuntGlow I understand medical training and liability and duty of care but we need to be able to discuss these matters in some form. Yes, I realise medicos often outrank lived experience, yet I am not sure they are always right. 

I was going to post a further intention when I read this discussion.

 I am allowing myself to relax into my feelings more when I perform music publicly, and did so today. It is huge as there are so many aspects to concentration, discipline, performance nerves, expression etcetc. Funny thing, meds impact feelings. Hmmm. I am very careful modeling appropriate and responsible medication use, cos I have seen so much.

Anyway, I thought this thread was a good place to share. It’s about me not being so controlled in playing with the intellect in total charge, but more an interaction up and down my chakras… if anyone can relate to that?? It feels like a next step for me. 

haha I probably dissociated far too much from feelings as a young person into my intellect. Though I always had plenty of feelings it was not possible to express them with others. 

Healing trauma insights seems to suggest this is the way to go.

[Kashmina]

Hello lovely @Cuddlebear 😊

ATM I volunteer about 4 x week. Sometimes it is very tiring with events and other shifts are quite cruisy.

I have only been coming off my meds for a few weeks now but it comes in waves for me. The tiredness and general feeling unwell is what is hard. I have read some of your posts about you tapering and honestly my heart goes out to you 🤗 I dont feel the best but I know I am not doing it as hard as you. I will be doing this for a couple of months yet to make sure my brain and body are coping with the transition. I will be staying on the dose I am now and then come off, I think! Will be seeing my doc in a few weeks.

If you ever need to chat I am here 💖

[Kashmina]

Thanks for the tag @Appleblossom I have to agree with you.

@Captain24 @Cuddlebear @AuntGlow

It was me who did the research on my meds and how they can be reduced. Again for me personally I was put on these meds (I know I can not say which ones or why etc) when I first became sick about 5 years ago for a particular reason, I had other symptoms aswell. I do not suffer from this condition anymore and the meds are not helping with any of the other symptoms that can challenge my life greatly at times (except giving me side effects which are unpleasant). I have asked to come off and if need be go on something else but to wait and see how things go. The tapering is guided, absolutely by my doctor but also myself, if need be I can slow it down. Regular visits throughout with my doc to check I am going ok. Everyone is different and everyone is going to respond differently coming off medication.

Sorry I am not sure of what the guidelines are in talking about this.

Just to reiterate, a medical practitioner definitely directs us but I do feel as the person who is experiencing the withdrawal symptoms we should be able to monitor how it is affecting us and be guided by this on how long this should take in a responsible way.

[Cuddlebear]

@Appleblossom @Kashmina @Captain24 

Hello to you all. 

The best science at the moment says to do slow taper in small amounts and be guided by how the patient is feeling. I doubt he could live with how I’m feeling right now. I doubt he understand he is a GP and I’m not saying he knows nothing. All I’m saying is my body and mind isnt coping with the fast taper he wants. All the new science says slow and hyperbolic. My body is saying slow and wait till brain and body have adjusted from the severity before dropping more. 

I don’t have a psychiatrist. I can’t afford one. I saw one at APARC for a medicine review and that was it. So I just have the GP. 

I am really glad your psychiatrist was happy to take it slowly and listen to how you felt plus the research you did. 

I am so happy with how your music and public performances are going. Relaxing into your feelings more really brings the best vibe inside as you produce those beautiful sounds through the instrument you are playing. Music is a something that can really help with trauma. I’m just so happy that you are able to relax into your feelings in public spaces. 

[Kashmina]

Hi @Cuddlebear everything you have said re tapering makes sense. It is hard to understand why your doctor is suggesting this?!

I feel the more I get into the reduction the more I dont feel great but I know I will come out the other side at some stage.

Today not feeling great so I am changing what I do when I really feel not good. Have done some house stuff and drinking lots of tea, crocheting and watching some nice channels on Youtube.

Lots of hugs to you 🤗

[Cuddlebear]

@Kashmina   Hello friend. How has your day gone? 

Yes for some people the withdrawals become worse as you get to the lower doses. You will definitely get through this and you are not at all alone.

Im so pleased you have an alternative plan that works for you when you are not feeling great? What are some of the nice YouTube channel's?  I can’t crochet but I do like it a lot. What are you making? 

I think GP just wants to get it over and done with. They don’t understand the severity despite me explaining. 

Im here for you if you need to chat. Lots of love and hugs too. 

[Kashmina]

Morning @Cuddlebear I hope your night resembled some comfort 😊

My day was definitely up and down and I was back in bed early - very tired.

I have a few channels I watch and new ones that present themselves all the time that I have an interest in!

Ones that are relaxing for me and I enjoy their content especially in times like this.

Unexpected gypsy - a woman in the UK in her late 40s who is an artist - she is whimsical and whacky

Girls and their cats - I have just come across this one and I was watching a lot of it yesterday - so many beautiful cats and their lives with their owners

Little Boho Cottage - a woman who lives in a cottage in the state of New York I think - she is great with photography and making her vlogs  are whimsical too

I also watch various van life adventures as I would love to be able to do this. Since becoming unwell I have not been able to work so money is tight and I am not self-sufficient in this way.

I am still working on coasters but yesterday I tried a cat one - if I can get the picture to go where it should I will post it later. I have really enjoyed learning to crochet and I am hoping to continue and venture to more complex projects.

What do you do hobby wise or interests you may have that you can try and take your mind of your withdrawals? That is what I am trying to do - sometimes it works - sometimes not.

I do really feel for you in terms of how your meds are being tapered and how it is affecting you.

Here's to another day and I hope it is even a little better for both of us 😊

[Cuddlebear]

@Kashmina   Hello my friend. How are you going today? Did you get some sleep?

The YouTube content sounds really good. I’m really glad it is helping you get through the day and it’s entertaining. 

Id love to see your coasters when you are ready. 🙂 Cats are awesome! 

I’m really sorry you are feeling withdrawals too. I wish I could just take it all away and you’d be well. I am here though and others in our community are also here to support and encourage. 

At the moment I am finding it impossible to do any of the things that I usually enjoy. Stuff like gardening, growing veggies, cooking for people and socialising. I also love reading and just basic craft stuff. Unfortunately I’m not able to do those things right now. My body has shut down. 

Yes here’s to another day one thwt is better for us.