Dr. Love, today was an uncomfort day (for my central nervous system) and none of my home remedies seem to help.

Thank you Dr. Love. This is helpful. I made it through today, but if I am finding the symptoms too difficult, I will surely try taking the amityptaline to help. It is good to know it is there. Now, if I take it at night, then should i stop taking benedryl? Or if I just take it during the daytime when my sympoms are bad, then can I still take benedryl at night? I really think these syptoms are getting worse because I am healing and my brain is struggling and wonderfing what is going on. Do you think so? My sleep is getting better I think.

If there were no anxiety nor depression problems before taking the amitryptaline, should it still help with the withdrawal symptoms, Dr. Love?

I have a keen interest in poetry and teach it to my writing groups and study it and just love it. I am missing doing that. I was into all the technical terms of the old poetry and poetry forms as well as free verse with good cadence. I think I was a happy, engaged individual with lots to enjoy in my life. Soo, would amitryptaline be helpful for the symptoms of withdrawal anyway?

Well, I am the only one, then, who had neither anxiety or depression who was prescribed xanax. My dr. said it would help be stop thinking about "things" and get back to sleep in the early morning wakenings. Our conversation (about it) lasted about three minutes and I had no clue as to what I was taking, but I simply trusted my Dr. He had helped me with a few things before, like a cortizone shot in a hip I had injured i a fall at a mayan ruin etc. I Liked him and thought he was a good dr. I had never menetioned anxiety nor depression to him before. I did say that i would wake up early and start thinking about things, sometimes might worry abiut something and couldn't get back to sleep. He immediately asked if the worry "could" be considered anxiety --- or --- depression. I guess I said that it might be more like anxiety? He said "I have something that i think will help. It is the lowest dose" -- and then he handed me the prescription. It was for a three month course of xanax .25 mg. The instructions said "take one by mouth every day as needed." I just figured that since i usually would wake up early and not be able to get back to sleep, that i should simply take one every day. But after a month, my head began to feel tight and funny and so I guessed that it must be the little white pills and I stopped taking them at that time, only to resume taking 1/2 pills during our vacation to Mexico. I am afraid to take the kinds of drugs now where one has to deal with tapering and withdrawal oe discontiuation syndroms. That is why I am holding back on taking the amitryptaline. If i could only contnue tofind herbs to combat the symptoms. I couldn't seem to today, but maybe it won't get any worse, yet if it does I probably should consider the amitryptaline? Is there anything you now of that might help that is a non drug, herb,over the counter----augh!

Did we dr.? Oh yes, I asked you about all the herbs i was taking and thank you for all you valuable help there. One thing with herbs. I don't think one has to worry esp about slowly tapering many of them nor about withdrawals from them (except the opiate kinds etc.?) I feel I can take calms forte' without worrying about a withdrawal kind of problem. Am I wrong? Or if I use passionflower extract, do I need to worry about tapering? If I use alka seltzer cold plus, could I develope a craving, or have to taper? I didn't think so??

So that is what I was trying to do, go with something that would work that wasn't as demanding of my central nervous system esp. I just worry about introducing a strong, alien, foreign substance that has to be slowly tapered etc.

Thankyou Dr. Love. You are so patient, and again, so helpful. I will think about the amitryptaline and be glad to have it (if things should get worse before they get better) . There is a huge natural foods and herb store in Coeur d' Alene and maybe I haven't found "all" those that can help yet?

Maybe something silly like tomato seed extract (God knows). I guess the bible says our medicines are in our food. I need a healing food fir sure. Oh, One thing I did want to ask you about. Hylands makes another product called "Nerve Tonic". It contains calcium phos. 3x., Iron phos. 3x, potasssium phos 3x, natrum phos. 3x and magnesium phos 3x. Would it be helpful to take these pills, (or harmful)? Thank you so very much -- and that is my last question for awhile!!

Wish me luck for tomorrow, that the symptoms do not worsen. I think (from my experience with taking that amitryptalene one day when I felt bad) that amytriptalene may indeed help and it's good to know I have it should I feel I need it. I wonder if dramamine might be of any benifit with this? It has dimenhydrinte 50 mg. Good night Dr. Love.

You have a much better memory that I have. I must reread your previous answers. I think I remember...now --- yes! I asked you about dramamine.

You always have the correct, knowlegable answers and they are just so helpful.

I am looking for the smiley faces. Where are they? Oh, I finally just now took an amitryptaline and it may be my magination, but I think I can feel it taking effect (in a positive way) just a little.

Dr. Love, I hate to write to you again so soon as I do not want to overuse my privages, so I hope you understand. You know how I told you that I tried just everything yesterday in order to try to feel better, but nothing worked. Then, finally last night, after taking a benedryl, I took one amitryptline and felt better. It seemed to do the trick and I went to ed, oly to lie there wide awake. My brain is showing no sign of sleeping even though I am finally comfortable. So I took a 3mg melatonin and am still wide awake at 2:41. I doesn't seem fair. I was tired yesterday as I had been awake a long time, having awakened at about 2:30 Friday in the am. I don't really know what to do, but just lie there. So very frustrating. Should I take another benedryl? Another amytriptaline? or just call it part of the misery and lie awake all night?

What would you do?

Thank you Dr. Love. I just don't know why my brain decided not to sleep tonight. Maybe the combination of things. I won't take anymore amitryptaline tonight. I'll think about the benedryl, although I have a feeling that it wouldn't help. It's like my brain has made up its mind. Thank you for being there. I hope that this time next year my condition will be a distant memory! Good night again.