Newbies Nest

[Muddle]

Newbies Nest

I'm sure willing to give Amoryn a try! I've already placed the order, the website is very friendly and easy to use. Now I just need to wait the 4 - 8 days for it to arrive. Although I do understand it will take some time to take affect, but I feel a little better just having some hope. Thanks for that.

I was on an awful anti-depressent called Remeron, which I dumped after about 8 weeks. I gained 15 pounds (I generally hover around 105 lbs), my face broke out, I had these irrational temper tantrums, and I was still depressed. Unlike most people, it didn't make me drowsy, so I still couldn't sleep. Now I'm on Prozac, but just don't see much affect. The doctor still is convinced it will help and wants me to up the dosage. Lav, do you know if I should I taper off the Prozac before starting the Amoryn, or is it safe to take both?

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Maisie,

It's always safest to call your Doc's office for a weaning schedule.
They should tell you something like cutting the dose in half each day for the first week, then take that same half dose every other day for the second week, then every third day for the third week, then discontinue.
I did that with the Lexapro and had no problems.

Here is the Drug Interaction statement from the Amoryn website:
SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and SNRIs
Including Celexa? (citalopram), Lexapro? (escitalopram oxalate), Luvox? (fluvoxamine), Paxil? (paroxetine), Prozac? (fluoxetine), Zoloft? (sertraline), and SNRIs such as Cymbalta? (duloxetine) and Effexor? (venlafaxine)
Individuals taking SSRI anti-depressants should consult a physician before taking AMORYN. Combining SSRI medications with the 5-HTP in AMORYN may increase the risk of developing a condition called serotonin syndrome. Individuals who wish to take AMORYN with their current SSRI medication should do so only with the guidance of the prescribing physician. Individuals who wish to stop taking their current SSRI medication and begin taking AMORYN should consult their doctor about the best way to do so. (Discontinuing an SSRI "cold turkey" can cause uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. It's best to wean yourself off the SSRI by gradually tapering down the dose over many weeks. Consult your doctor for more information.) Unless a doctor says otherwise, AMORYN should not be taken less than seven (7) days after discontinuing an SSRI.


Dill, sorry you experienced withdrawal symptoms like that. Just goes to show how harsh most of these meds really are.

I'm a huge fan of taking as little medicine as possible. Unfortunately when you present at the Doc's office looking like hell, you end up walking out with a Rx, whether you want it or not!

Be very careful ladies, want to see you well

[ChickenNumber3]

Newbies Nest

Hi All!
Right then, as of today it will be 30 days AF for me! You have my permission to give me some gentle ribbing if I look like failing! After that I may choose/try to moderate again. I am sick of turning the whole situation over in my mind..it is exhausting and demoralising! Although I have done ok moderating it could be alot better! I want to feel healthy again...I want that...I will get it too..just watch me!!
Here goes,
Chicken

[TranqWilly]

Newbies Nest

Warrior - My son, now off at school, is my only son. I too am excited about him being able to spread his wings and grow. But there's no denying that I'm gonna miss him being around - only a couple hours drive for me, but far enough for a significant "right of passage" to new and exciting opportunities for him.

Chicken - Wishing you luck on your 30 day af commitment. I believe you when you say "I want to feel healthy again...I want that...I will get it too..just watch me!!" Congrats on coming to terms on this -- you won't need any ribbing, you'll be just fine. Hey, someone said you designed that avatar yourself? Cool! Like I said I really like it -- there's also a lot of yin and yang speaking in the earthbound (male) warrior and transcendental (female) princess if you will. Nice. What did you use to create it?

Queen - It is kind of weird for me to be asked for advice about drinking beyond - "Wanna grab a beer?" "Okay!". Or "Time to go already? Ah, let's have another one." LoL. New territory here indeed!

First thing, there is a lot to be said for taking off from al for 30 days or more. Like Chicken says, you want to taste feeling healthy and clear-headed, and that only started to come after a few weeks without a drink. So I made that commit to myself and stuck to it much like Chicken just did. It helped me get my head around this and to identify areas that are challenging for me too.

Okay, so your question was how does it feel? Honestly, not as wonderful or pleasant as you might imagine. I thought one drink would have a stronger effect on me after being af, but I was also mindful about sipping and making it last. I have to be cognizant of not getting smashed, and limiting intake -- going over the edge and losing control is the enemy. One thing for sure is that three beers over four hours doesn't feel like eight or twelve!!! And quite honestly, it actually feels better to me being sober than having that minor chemical influence in my system, without the real buzz-and-beyond that I was used to.

If anything feels good, it would be about having the choice. But I'm certainly learning here, and not advocating one way or another -- and I will need to prove to myself that I can responsibly handle the myriad choices. I had a thought the other day that I need to treat moderation as "Abstinence with Benefits".

I'm thinking I want to be af 99% of the time. Someone on this site has a signature that says "I'd like to have a drink on occasion, but every weekend is not an occasion." That kind of said it all to me.

I know myself well enough to know that I won't moderate very well if choose to open a twelve-pack early on a Saturday night alone and with nothing else to do. So I'm thinking that in most situations I won't drink at all, but in appropriate situations I'd like to have the choice. We'll see what happens.

Congrats to all on the accomplishments!

Hope everyone finishes the weekend well. Take care.

tw

[mltp]

Newbies Nest

Day 1

Hi all,

:new: Sadly not new to trying to stop drinking. I'm not sure what type of category I fall into seeing as I'm not drinking every day, but I'm defintely an Alcoholic I've come to realize since I repeatedly fail to quit drinking for any lengthy period of time. I don't usually drink during the week except on club nights which fall on Wednesdays. I manage to drink in moderation for a week or two and then I overcook it and wake up at home knowing I made an idiot of myself and not quite remembering how I rode my bike home! :blush:My Hubby is frustrated with me everytime it happens seeing as he is obviously embarrassed about me falling all over the place and he has passed the point where he doesn't believe me when I promise to stop drinking seeing as moderation doesn't last with me. I'm so tired of failing again and again x 10000...

So I thought I'd try something new and see if at least being able to talk to people who understand how hard it really is to stop, will help me stick to my decision. One of my greatest difficulties is the fact that my Hubby just can't understand how it can be so hard to decide to stop at just one drink. He genuinely seems to think that it is something that I should be able to do. Aaargh its so hard to explain the craving one has for a drink about 3 milliseconds after you decide not to have one! And its also very difficult to stick to the decision when it feels like you are expected to fail. Another huge problem for me is that all our friends at our Bike club drink and when I've tried before to stop drinking there I get funny looks, people keep asking me if I'm alright, telling me I'm quiet etc and I also find I get a bit bored because it seems as if I'm watching the coversation from the outside. Sheesh and alchohol reallly seems to skew your sense of humor, jokes are seldom as funny and hearing the story for the third time does become a bit irritating. But sure as God made little apples its not an environment I can remove myself from seeing as my hubby and I both love riding our motorcycles and, unfortunately smoking and drinking are part of that package, at least in our neck of the woods. Fortunately we don't smoke so that's at least one less addiction to worry about.

So here I go 1 AF day. My big hurdles will be AF parties and Wednesday Club nights. Hold thumbs for me please. I'm not used to chatting on forums but I will try to update twice a week and perhaps more as I get used to it. Cheers

[Skittles]

Newbies Nest

Warrior, just wanted to tell you I too suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome, Mine is pretty severe and it seems that just about anything can aggravate it. My antidepressants do, any type of cold medicine does................its awful. So I know what your going through. I have researched it online, there is no known cause, and really no cure, but they say daily exercise can improve it. I have just learned to accept it because what else can i do.

[warrior22]

Newbies Nest

RLS

Skittles,
I've suffered from it for years, too. It's an off and on thing, not every night, but often. I try doing stretches before bed and that seems to help a little. But as you've said, there seems to be no real cure, so I just deal with it . . . and I'm grateful every morning when I wake up with a full night's sleep and no RLS the night before.

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Hope you all had a great day!
I spent most of my day making & freezing 8 pints of salsa. What else do you do when your garden goes nuts with tomatoes & peppers?

TranqWilly, you sound very solid..........you've come a long way, good for you!

Welcome to mltp! Find a comfy twig and settle into the nest, it's a good place. We will do whatever we can to help. You do have some real challenges in dealing with your friends and bike club. Be sure you have a plan in place before you head out. Check the Toolbox thread in the Monthly Abstinence section - it's full of good ideas to help you.

Skittles, (love your avatar!) and warrior - You should find an improvement with your RLS as your body heals from AL. If you smoke you should think about quitting that at some point as well. Nicotine is bothersome with RLS and low Iron levels as well. Hope you both find some relief soon.

I'm calling it a day, hope everyone has a safe, comfortable night in the nest.
Lav

[4lovingme]

Newbies Nest

Today was a First

TODAY I AM SOBER NOT CLOSED UP IN MY ROOM WITH THAT DAMM 24OZ BUD LIGHT BEER CAN IN MY HAND. I WAS IN THE KITCHEN MAKING A CUP OF COFFEE. WHEN MY HUSBAND AND SON CAME INTO THE ROOM AND SHARED WITH ME A LITTLE STORY THAT HAPPENED THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE STARTED TO LAUGH.

THIS WAS A FIRST TIME IN A LONG I ACTUALLY HEARD LAUGHING. NOW I LAUGHING WITH MY FAMILY IN OUR HOME IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES. MY TEENAGE SON AND YOUNG DAUGHTER CAME UP PLACED THEIR ARMS AROUND ME (), THEN TOLD ME THEY LOVE ME. THIS TIME IT WAS DIFFERENT.

WE USE TO BE VERY CLOSE, BUT SINCE MY DRINKING GOT SO OUT OF CONTROL THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE AROUND ME WHO COULD BLAME THEM.

I JUST CAN?T EXPLAIN HOW IT FELT TO GET THAT HUG THEN BEING TOLD THEY LOVED ME. HEARING LAUGHTER IN THE HOUSE WAS A GOOD MOMENT.

WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES ANOTHER OPENS.

4LOVINGME

[sunshine_gg]

Newbies Nest

G'd evening, peepers!

OMG, 11pm here.. and I'm just turning on my puter now. That's a first! :H

Somehow I ended up designing and digging out a new flower bed Not sure, how that happened... certainly wasn't on today's agenda. Oh well.

Tranq... I totally get what you're saying. I found the same. Although, I have to admit that one glass of wine DID hit me like a ton of bricks. But, I also was extremely mindful about SIPPING it... and all in all, it really wasn't all that enjoyable. Guess that's why I ended up abolishing the sipping in the end, huh? I, too, was able to moderate nicely for a few weeks... and then found myself on a downhill slide. No more. I'd really rather stay AF than do the merry-go-round again. End of Day 16, I believe.

My eldest (daughter) has gone off to college as well (a little over 2 hours away) :upset: I miss her tons. Funny, how we prepare them for life on their own and then have a hard time with them leaving

Welcome, mltp! Glad you found and joined us!

Chicken... you better not need ribbing... I don't rib gently! :H Good for you... 30 days does clear your head. I found that my thinking really did shift... until I went and thought I was 'over it'. Duh.

Lav.. how's the heat wave today? It was actually COLD here tonight... I mean goose bumpers cold. Mr. Wonderful and I went out for a quick dinner and had coffee by the lake to watch the sun go down... Brrrrrrr.

Ok, I'm yawning my head off here.. better wrap up and stagger to beds (fatigued, not sloshed) Night night everyone.. have a restful sleep and sweet dreams!

[openheart]

Newbies Nest

Hello my fine feathered friends!

Just checking in--Day 6 for me and I am feeling relief. Where I started out so apprehensive and scared, I am truly feeling hope that I will be able to stick with it.
Chicken, I am in with you for 30 days and everyone else who's up for it--I say let's go for it! (Though my in laws will be here during that time--that will be a test!).

Sunshine, TW and Warrior--my youngest son (I have two boys) is going off to college in a couple of days to join his bro there. Like TW, right now am excited for him to start his next adventure--he's ready! But I know there will be empty moments and spaces that will hit me out of the blue.

4lovingme--welcome! :welcome:Your post really touched my heart--you can do it--stay strong. We are all in this together!
:hopenheart

[ChickenNumber3]

Newbies Nest

WOW!

Hi The Nest!

This place is buzzing and has such a good energy!

Tranq-thanks for the nice comments re my Avatar...haven't actually done art for awhile now..seem to have forgotten how..but maybe without alcohol....?
Anyhow, just wanted to say that I can't contemplate the thought of my 'babies' leaving home one day..so I am feeling for those of you who are watching their chicks leave their respective nests!

Lav-don't you just love heatwaves? Where we used to live (up until 5 yrs ago) it rarely got below 30degrees in the day as we were right on the edge of the desert, but would plummet at night! I used to hate how you woould walk outside and feel like you had just stuck your head in an oven!
mltp-welcome! I will have a large hurdle this weekend coming up as hubby goes away from Friday through to late Sunday, so I will be home alone...which is usually when I succumb! So this will be a good test of my new committment!!

4Loving-I had a similar experience not so long ago..sharing a laugh with the kids and hubby,a real belly laugh and all sharing the joke! It's like I forgot what that really felt like!

Sunny-I'm all good here...!Learning not to get cocky (not a trait I ever would have attribtued to me..urgh!)

Open- well done on Day 6! Let's keep on the sober bus! I was asking Sooty if we could maybe make it a duouble-decker bus in rainbow colours??!!!!

Early for bed for me tonight nesters,see you on the morrow!
*cluck*

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Hi Nesters,


Happy Monday morning!

The sun is out, it's 73 degrees...........wish it would stay like this!
Sunni, we had somewhere between 3-6" of rain this weekend according to the weather reports - it's definitely wet! Hope it helps break the heat, ugh! Congrats on 16 days for you - keep going girl because you know it just gets better & better

openheart, congrats on your 6 days, you're going to love the freedom, the clear head, guilt free conscience, etc!

chicken, I think I heard some hearty clucking from you Stay strong and plan to stay commited to your quit this coming weekend. Take the kids out, enjoy your new found freedom. Stay out of the bottle shop.........buy ice cream, something to share with the kids

Have some embroidery work to attend to today, will check in later.
Have a great AF day everyone.
Lav

[sooty]

Newbies Nest

Hello nesters, the ticket taker of the rainbow coloured double decker bus here!!!
Had no internet for 2 days, big panic ....but seems to be ok again now. I have this theory that we have had so much rain that the signals can't get up to the satellite and back down again cos of the cloud - husband says this is rubbish as signals go through phone but I like my idea best - and the sun is shining now and I'm reconnected so I am right!

I've missed you all and haven't got anytime now as going off to my beading class in a minute but I just wanted to log in in case i lose signal again.

All well here, visitors gone, its good to be AF

All the best to all of my fellow fledglings will be back later - cloud cover permitting
Sooty :H

[choppersmom]

Newbies Nest

Good Morning Nesters ~ Well, I am back and should be able to start posting a lot more. I am looking forward to getting to know all the new nesters and visiting with all of you.

I just finished up two classes yesterday, and now I am on to the next two. Schooling will be done in March, and I am so looking forward to that.

Not only was school keeping me busy, but my family's tragedy took up a lot of time. My stepdad passed away unexpectedly. We have gotten through the funeral, and now my sister and I are trying to help my mom with all the other details. It is going to be hard, and we all miss him, but I know we can do it. The upside is that I have to stay AF so I have a clear head for my mom, my son, my sister and the rest of the family.

I look forward to being around the nest more. I have missed you all. Hope everyone's Monday is off to a great start. Will talk to you all later. :l