JR:

Honey:

JR, what time do you arrive in Mel from Tas? You can either go straight to Philip Island watch Penguin parade then head to Mornington the next morning. Spend the next 2 days at Mornington and then head for home. There are quite a few things to do at Mornington. We love Victoria. It is a place which we can go over and again. We might head there again this year. Still undecided.

Thanks Floppy, Pirated and Honey for info on what to do in Mel.

If we take Jetstar domestic flight from Launceston, we will reach Mel prob around 2-3 pm. Another option we are considering is taking the Spirit of Tasmania overnight ferry which will bring us to Mel by 7 am the next day.

Has anyone tried the ferry crossing?

The ferry journey may not be smooth and time consuming. Go by flight should be better. You may want to read up TripAdvisor forum for advice.

janet88:

ezmum:

Your sudden cut of 50% is quite drastic to the body & brain, especially if you've been taking this regularly for more than 4 weeks. Try a more gradual cut, say 1/8 (using a pill cutter cut into quarters, then using 1/4 cut into 1/8), and then slowly up to 1/4 cut once your body adjusts. Ideally, 10% cut would be the best.

Alternatively, you can discuss with your psydoc doing a gradual switch to Diazepam (Valium), see my post above to Janet.

Blessings!

hi ezmum,
I am not aware the reduction has to be gradual...no wonder I hyperventilate when I tried to reduce from 0.25mg to 0.125mg. thanks for the advice.

Hi Janet,

Happy to share. Do start with a gradual cut and stay at this dosage for 3-4 weeks for your brain/body to adapt before you make another gradual reduction. Avoid changing your dosage too quickly as it can be very unsettling for your brain & body.

These drugs are no ordinary med and you cannot start/stop or change the dosage as and when you like. The psydocs will tell you it's ok to cut by 25%-50% or there are no side effects, but from our experience and from other patients' forum I've read (http://survivingantidepressants.org), this is definitely not the case.

Do try to read up on the links I sent you earlier for a better understanding. Each reduction may come with some discomfort or withdrawals. Once you understand what your body is going through, you will not panic and will be better prepared for it.

bebe:

I cut xanax from 0.25mg to 0.125mg for 1week plus...and I find my insomnia creeping back. Not sure if it is due to PMS, but the fatigue is wearing me out, esp during the day.

Hi Bebe,

Your sudden cut of 50% is quite drastic to the body & brain, especially if you've been taking this regularly for more than 4 weeks. Try a more gradual cut, say 1/8 (using a pill cutter cut into quarters, then using 1/4 cut into 1/8), and then slowly up to 1/4 cut once your body adjusts. Ideally, 10% cut would be the best.

Alternatively, you can discuss with your psydoc doing a gradual switch to Diazepam (Valium), see my post above to Janet.

Blessings!

janet88:

bebe:

I am taking prozac and xanac currently. I am not sure if I am hooked..but I definitely feel more relaxed and definitely a happier mum. There are days when I will still be down and it is hard to survive - only can sleep and hope that things will be different when I wake up and open my eyes. I am heeding my psychiatrist advice to cut down xanax slowly. I think medication helps for pple like us to stay afloat while waiting for our mind to stabilise. I also try to take omega oil, limit alcohol and try to do more pleasurable things together with my loved ones.

I am taking antidepressant and Xanax daily...with the medication, I am definitely in control of my anxiety although there are days when I feel very lousy. I hope to reduce the intake of Xanax after the kids' major exams this year. the psychiatrist helps me calm down and see things in a more positive light.

Hi Janet,

It's very courageous of you to decide on reducing Xanax. i'm not sure how long you've been on Xanax and at what dosage. Generally, the body gets addicted once you take it regularly for more than 4-8 weeks. Hence, it's wise to reduce your dependence on this tranquillizer as soon as you can.

As Xanax has a short half-life in our bodies, it requires strong willpower and good support from your loved ones. In case you encounter difficulty in tapering to a lower dosage, do not be discouraged. Consult your psydoc for a gradual switch to Diazepam (Valium). It is a weaker benzo compared to Xanax with a longer half-life in your body which should make the tapering process easier for you. More info may be found here http://www.benzo.org.uk and http://www.btpinfo.org.uk.

Meanwhile, Be positive, eat healthily and go out to the sun more. There's definitely light at the end of the tunnel!
We are behind you! 加油！

ngl2010:

ezmum,


I am sorry to hear about your husband but each person is different. In my relative's case, the anti-depressant helps a lot. It made a difference in my relative's life and immediate family.

I knew somebody whose depression was not treated and followed up with psychiatrist and finally committed suicide. It is very dangerous to try to self medicate. I still recommend to see a psychiatrist if depressed.

ngl2010,

My suggestion was one should research and know more about these drugs before embarking on them. It has helped some but it certainly has done worse for many others. If you google on surviving antidepressants forum, you will know more. My DH's experience is very similar to many of these patients there. We went on a roller-coaster ride for about almost 2 years trying out all kinds of drugs recommended by our docs and making abrupt changes before we realised that it was the drugs that made him confused and worse! But the docs kept saying he has a relapse and suggested more drugs to sedate him. He was sleeping almost 15 hours a day but his docs think it's normal!

Sure, taking such med is the quickest way but it comes with many side effects which may erode the 'benefit'. There are many other ways to tackle such problems.

The gist is: Be informed, do your own research and don't just trust your doctors so easily.

On the case of the person you've mentioned who've committed suicide - it is unfortunate but not something new especially for someone who has taken the drugs and then stopped abruptly. It could be due to the brain being very confused and nervous, hence if one is unwilling to continue on such drugs, very gradual tapering (5-10% reduction on only one drug, per month) is recommended.

Hi,

Have been reading some posts here and have some concerns on those who recommend updosing of antidepressants or changing of psy drugs.

I’m currently a caregiver to DH, whose problem started with just insomnia. His problem became worse after he took the psy drugs, antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzo (xanax, lorazapam, valium…) and he became dependant and addicted to them. These drugs while letting him sleep, also made him drowsy during the day, very agitated, nervous and confused. As these symptoms developed, his docs prescribed even more drugs to "bring him under control". Soon, he could not function and had to give up everything and stay home. We’ve seen many senior psychiatrists whose advice mainly is drugs! We are currently on a slow tapering journey and has seen an improvement. He is more alert and active now but will take a while to be off drugs as weaning off such drugs must be done very slowly and carefully. As these drugs are highly addictive, one cannot simply quit them cold turkey or the brain will feel disorientated and confused!

These drugs are not for long term as your brain will be dependent on it, and the longer you take, the harder to quit. It may help initially, actually it is just "masking" your problem, and after sometime, the side effects kick in causing more pain to your problem.

Also, avoid changing your drugs too often as this will cause turbulence to your brain. This should be done at the last resort and do not switch drugs abruptly.

I encourage taking supplements eg omega 3 (recommended 3000mg of EPA/DHA daily), magnesium, probiotics instead.
You can get a wide range of these at a good price thru iherb.com.

Yes, exercise and getting close to nature definitely helps. Go for natural therapy (yoga, meditation) rather than relying on drugs. If you consult the doctors, with no offence, but their advice are drugs as that’s what they’re taught in school! They will tell you that these drugs are safe, no side effects. Bullsh**!!

Do google patients forum (eg surviving antidepressants) to get an indepth understanding before you or someone you know decide on taking these psy drugs. Of course, there are people who have benefitted from it but it may not work for everyone and do look at other natural therapies before you decide to embark on taking such potent med.

It has been and still is, a long and painful journey for us and our family. Wish I had done more research before letting him take these med, as his problem was insomnia whereby some herbs or supps do help eg a low dose of melatonin (<3mg) or magnesium, tcm does help!

Blessings to all with good health.

Hi,


Our family of 5 had a great self-drive 12 days holidays in MEL-Launceston-Cradle Mt-Bicheno-Hobart last Dec. Happy to share some of our experiences with you here:

We stayed in airbnb houses (except Cradle Mt). Our best liked accomodations are:

- Diamond Island Retreat in Bicheno. Internal wood furnishings, lovely beach front with outdoor bbq. There is a sheep farm just infront of the house and you can watch the sheep 24/7! There are plenty of penguins burrows nearby and we went night penguin hunting at the nearby beach, pitch dark! There is a small remote Diamond Island which we crossed over on foot during low tide.

- Cradle Mt Wilderness Village. We came without much expectation as this was on a mountain, but it turned out to be the cleanest place we've stayed in Tassie! There are 2 bedrooms with a Queen and 4 bunkbeds and a separate spacious living room with a simple kitchette. We booked through Agoda after reading the good review.

- we rented a very good brand new Camry 2.4 from Avis. The rate was about A$300 for 9D and the service was very professional and fuss free, unlike our experience with EuropCar in Mel.

- Driving in Tassie was mostly a breeze compared to Sg except in some winding or narrow roads near Cradle Mt. Plenty of wildlife casualties found lying on the roads. So do keep your speed in check, take frequent stops to rest and drive responsibly not only for ourselves but for other motorists too.

Enjoy your hols!

Importantmum2012, CindyLeong, YanniLim


自导自演, CONGRATULATIONS! You have won the Golden Hoof Award 金马脚 2014！！
:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rahrah: :rahrah:
:imcool: :imcool: :imcool:

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Hi Harlequin / Nutty mum,

The texture is like lard with a strong animal \"lard\" like scent - still bearable and it doesn't stay for long.

It doesn't sting like medicated oil though. Just imagine applying a thin layer of lard.

I've attached a pic fyi.

Hope this helps.

Hi Xiaohu,


As the name implies, it's made of mainly crocodile fats. Understand now the smaller bottle is not available, only $50 - you may wish to call & verify. But still worth the money as it's long lasting and has multi-purpose uses eg cuts, burns, insects bites, itch etc...

You can visit http://www.chopwahon.com for more info. It's located at 34 Upp Cross Street, Tel 6223-4349 (nearest MRT: Chinatown).

Good Luck!
:xedfingers: