Introducing the Fire Breathing Introvert! We’ve been pretty busy this year working on new programs. Now we’re rolling out the first of these, a video/audio coaching series called ‘The Fire Breathing Introvert. It’s a specialized coaching series aimed specifically at introverts, and includes tons of techniques, demonstrations and coaching sessions to make sure that introverts not only survive in the world of extroverts, but also THRIVE out there!

Watch the video on the homepage to learn more about what the FBI series (as I call it) can offer you! I think you’ll be impressed: www.firebreathingintrovert.com

AND…The FBI Coaching series marks the very first time I’ve demonstrated ‘The Hemisphere Techniques” to the public. The Hemisphere techniques are a series of physical NLP ‘tricks’ for making very rapid changes in self-esteem, and socializing. These little beauties have been very well received by my coaching clients. Now you can try them too. Check  out @ www.firebreathingintrovert.com

And before I forget,  Follow Me on Twitter!  Come’on,  join the conversation already! What’s the matter with ya!

Take care!
Jon

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My friend Kat gave me a great recommendation today to post a “warning” about the potential for the antibiotics known as Fluoroquinolones and Quinolones to cause anxiety and a host of related central nervous system issues.

 Dr Jay Cohen published a study in 2001 demonstrating a link between patients taking the fluoroquinolone-class of antibiotics, and adverse effects on the central nervous system. Dr Cohen’s study found that the nervous system symptoms typically were long-lasting, with the majority of respondents suffering one year or longer after taking the medication.

In addition to the clinical research, there has also been a LOT of anecdotal evidence that Fluoroquinolones and Quinolones can cause anxiety and related nervous system issues. It has been noted on many benzo-recovery message boards, for example, that people attempting to taper off of benzodiazepines often have very negative reactions to taking either Fluoroquinolone or Quinolone antibiotics.

Of course, in these cases, the individual’s nervous systems are already somewhat compromised by the benzo withdrawal; but even so, it suggests that Fluoroquinolones and Quinolones have a pretty profound negative impact. Anyone who is already dealing with anxiety related issues should discuss this with their doctor before taking these particular antibiotics.

These meds are primarily prescribed for combating infection and the have a variety of trade and generic names, including:

Unfortunately, many doctors are unaware of the potential nervous system problems associated with Fluoroquinolones and Quinolones, so they continue to be prescribed often. But personally, even without anxiety issues, I would be hesitant to take either of these drugs.

Before considering taking any of the Fluoroquinolones or Quinolones, please do your research first, especially if you already have any anxiety issues. More information here: http://www.medicationsense.com

Take care,
Jon

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A while back I posted a blog about my experience with Ativan withdrawal, and the hell I went through trying to get off of those evil little pills. I never imagined how many responses I would get! Emails poured in from people all over the world dealing with withdrawal from Ativan, Xanax and other benzodiazepines. Some of their stories sounded eerily similar to mine, but others had it even worse.

 The most common question I got after publishing that benzo withdrawal article was, “Is their anything I can do make withdrawal easier?”

 Obviously, everyone’s experience will be a little different when it comes to withdrawal from Ativan or Xanax. I can only tell you what helped me get through it. Hopefully these tips will help some of you too:

1. My first mistake was quitting Ativan cold turkey. NEVER do that. Cold Turkey benzodiazepine withdrawal is much worse, and can potentially be dangerous (seizures, etc are possible). Drugs like Ativan and Xanax need to be tapered slowly over time (several months usually). Talk to your doctor about helping you taper off gradually.

Also, read ‘The Ashton Manual.’ Dr. Ashton ran a benzodiazepine withdrawal clinic in the UK for years, and is an authority on safely withdrawing from Ativan, Xanax and all benzos. You can download The Ashton Manual benzo withdrawal guide in PDF format here:

http://lonelylinks.com/ashton.htm

2. During benzodiazepine withdrawal I COULD NOT tolerate any supplements! Even fish oil or multivitamins would make my symptoms worse. For 2-3 months I stopped taking any supplements at all, with the exception of an occasional ibuprofin for pain. 

However, I did discover that Noni Juice seemed to slightly improve the Ativan withdrawal symptoms at times. It was actually the only supplement that didn’t make things worse. I don’t normally promote Noni juice, and I’m not affiliated with it in any way. But in my experience, it did seem to help slightly (don’t expect miracles). NOTE:  I took it only 2-3 times weekly, NOT every day.

I also took an occasional Benadryl to help me sleep, but NOT very often. I even cut them in half most times because my system was so sensitive to any outside influence. FYI: some experts advise against taking benadryl during benzo withdrawal, but occasional use didn’t seem to have a negative effect on my recovery from Ativan. As always, your results may vary.

3. On bad withdrawal days I stayed on the sofa and watched mindless comedies. Nothing heavy or dramatic, just unchallenging films or shows to distract me. I also kept the room fairly dark and cool as the withdrawal made me extremely sensitive to bright light and heat. I drank lots of water and avoided spicy, exotic or unusual foods–I lived off soup and crackers some days–tried and true “bland foods” were tolerated the best.

4. After being off of Ativan about one month I began to develop an extreme intolerance to heat. Even being in sun for 20 minutes could cause my withdrawal symptoms to flair up. I also noticed the same problem whenever I showered. Hot water would irritate my skin and cause me to feel itchy and “tingly” all over, leaving me feeling fatigued. I began to reduce the heat in the shower, eventually almost taking cold showers (something I normally hate). It took some getting used to but it did help.

5. I used guided relaxation sessions to help calm down when the anxiety got unbearable. This was back before I was producing anti-anxiety visualization sessions myself, so these days I would recommend the kinds of sessions we include in the EasyCalm series (there are three different types included).

This may sound like self promotion (which I am certainly not above ,-), but I’m keeping it real here. These kind of visualization sessions did help me when I was struggling with Ativan withdrawal, and I’ve heard from lots of EasyCalm users who’ve said the same thing.

When you’re dealing with severe benzodiazepine withdrawal, very few things can offer any real relief. The “usual” anxiety remedies tend to fall flat because your central nervous system is just too fried during the recovery process. But guided visualization is one thing that DOES help many people, to one degree or another. To try some of these sessions free, check out the Easycalm homepage here.

6. I also could not tolerate vigorous exercise while withdrawing. My symptoms would go nuts! Some people say they can exercise normally during ativan withdrawal, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. I could walk around the block or do moderate (not heavy) weights, but that was about it. Whether you can tolerate working out during withdrawal or not will be obvious after a few attempts. The symptoms will either flare up of they won’t…

 Getting off of Ativan or Xanax can really test your patience, but it DOES get better over time. Keep telling yourself that and do everything you can to keep a positive state of mind–it does help! Try visualization, and beware of too much sun or heat. Otherwise, benzo withdrawal is a waiting game. It will eventually fade and you WILL return to your old self, even if it doesn’t always seem like it when you’re in the middle of heavy withdrawal symptoms.

Wishing all the benzo sufferers out there increasing peace and all the very best!

Jon
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