Discontinuing medication you currently take newsletter

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D I S C O N T I N U I N G M E D I C A T I O N S Y O U C U R R E N T L Y T A K E At some point in care, most patients will ask, “How do I get off of these medications?” Some patients ask this when beginning care, most ask when they finally experience relief of the symptoms for which they were using the medication, and some ask when they are far above relief and into correction. If you have your doctor’s approval and you decide to make this change, the ideal time is at significant relief of your symptoms (40% and higher on the Patient Progress Graph). Waiting until this point makes for the easiest transition. This can be a difficult process (especially with anti-depressants) as medications are chemicals manufactured in a laboratory. A person may become physically dependent on these substances, so withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, mood swings, digestive troubles, headaches, aches/pains, and nausea may occur when the medication is discontinued. Detoxification symptoms may also be experienced as the medication’s chemicals are released from the body’s fatty tissue and organ system (the liver and kidneys, mostly). What follows are recommended steps if you decide to discontinue medications of any kind. Be aware that it can be a difficult, up and down process for some individuals. Remember: the higher the function of the body, 1. Obviously, communicate with the doctor who prescribed the medication about any changes you would like 2. Get your body’s function as high as possible. 3. Take Vitamin B-1: 100-200 mg one or two times daily, especially before bed. This will calm the mind. All medical and street drugs deplete the body’s Vitamin B-1. For this purpose, take Vitamin B-1 separate from any other B Vitamins you take. (available at health food stores and our clinic) 4. Take Vitamin C (500mg) with the Vitamin B-1. (available at health food stores and our clinic) 5. Take Calcium and Magnesium in powder form before bed. This will calm the mind and relax the muscles, allowing for deeper sleep and a quicker recovery. (available at our clinic) 6. Take walks 1-2 times daily outside. Focus on things far away from you (buildings, trees, clouds). Walk until you feel like smiling or have a bright idea, etc. This can take anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes, 7. Read the section on ‘withdrawal’ in the book, Potatoes not Prozac, (available at libraries and bookstores, check in the book’s index). 8. Read the book Clear Body, Clear Mind which explains how to rid the body completely of the harmful, long-term effects of these chemicals that get trapped in the body. 9. Call if you ever encounter difficulties in the process. Curry D. Chaudoir, Diplomate in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine 2008Acupuncture & Holistic Health Associates

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