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Testimonials
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My wife had an anxiety disorder. She went to a psychiatrist who prescribed
her alprazolam, (a sedative/hypnotic) and zolpidem (a sleep aid). This combination of pills, complicated by the fact that
she was medicating herself and using the psychiatrist as a "prescription pad", I believe ultimately resulted in
her recent death.
The path Amy chose and is promoting on this wonderful site, was not chosen by my wife. Instead,
she chose the prescription medication
path, possibly due to the long term illness her mother had, because medicating is what she knew. Her mother died young and
was most likely the source of her anxiety. She was convinced she killed her mom.
My wife also had health problems
which complicated her treatment path. She had gastric bypass surgery and was not in the best
physical health.
I observed my wife's mental condition slowly deteriorate over
the last two years of her life. She started taking the alprazolam, but took more than the prescription called for and ran
out early. After a few days of having none, she had a seizure while holding our 7 month old child and fell flat on her back,
hitting the back her head on the concrete. This caused a lesion on the front part of her brain and compounded the anxiety
issues she already had. Seizures are a side effect of abruptly terminating usage of this drug.
Six weeks after
the head injury she tried to kill herself. She spent some time in a mental
hospital, but knew that if she signed herself in voluntarily she could sign herself out. She actually met someone
at the hospital who had the same psychiatrist. She ended up going to the mental hospital 2 more times in the next 4 months,
once on her own, and once forced by the police. She never spent more than 5 days on any stay, as she knew what to say to get
out. Everytime I took her back home, we stopped off at the pharmacy and walked out with new prescriptions. The diagnosis from
one of the hospital stays was "severe depression". She was prescribed anti-depressants but would not take them.
She was also prescribed zolpidem "for sleep". Over time I can say this drug stops working and resulted in
her sleep walking and cooking things while 'asleep'. I woke up to a burning smell many times, only to find she had put something
in the microwave on 60 minutes, or all the burners on the stove on high. After a couple of months of use, it would only last
2 hours max. She even started taking it during the day. When I informed her doctor of her abuse, they did not stop prescribing
it. My attempts to hide the medicine and control the dosage resulted in her hiding things I needed, to trade for the pills.
After the seizure due to alprazolam withdrawal, she started taking Quetiapine fumarate, a strong anti-psychotic. This
drug would make her slur her speech and many times I found her passed out and barely breathing. After a visit to the doctor,
he told us to use a daily pill scheduler, so she would not have to remember if she took the medicine. This did not last more
than a week. One time when I hid the medicine for when she was suppose to take it, she hid my work computer until I gave her
the medicine.
The addiction got so bad, she was arrested and convicted for altering two prescriptions. At the moment
I write this I do not know what ultimately killed her, but after seeing her push the limits of what a human body can take,
I suspect it all finally caught up with her. As my 11 year old daughter says, "I guess she is not as invincible as she
thought she was."
I always considered my wife a smart person. But when it came to prescriptions she made
many mistakes. I partly blame the doctors for leaving the patient in control of these psychiatric medications. It makes no sense to put the patient in control of the
medication when the medication affects the decision making process. In the end, it was really her choice to take this path,
and her choice to ignore all the help everyone was trying to give.
I know she is at peace now and no longer suffering
the anxiety issues she could never seem to shake. I also pray that people read this testimony and choose a less risky and
more permanent solution to the their anxiety problems through the information on this site.
Amy, I wish she
would have listened.
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Hi Amy I'm doing
well, all thanks to you! This is the first week I printed off the daily healing journal and it has really helped me to realise my sleep patterns and how little water I'm drinking!! I wish I lived in the
states as I'd definitely be ordering a healing journal book from you, I've found them so eye opening. Things you think
you do for instance " who me? Yes, I always have 8 hours sleep!" Really, then why does your journal say
5?? LOL Oh, I also love the Penzu.com online journal, it was hard at first to write but its like taking a weight off your shoulders getting all that worry off
me and onto "paper". Thanks again for all your help! If you're ever in the UK drop by for coffee! Have
a fun weekend! Peep Rean *Great News - We do ship internationally! Check out
The Egg Tools Today!
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Hi Amy! I only have
a second but just wanted to tell your advice is working wonderful! I love you and I feel like I really have an awesome
friend in you! You are truly doing what God put you on this earth to do =) HUGS! Peep
Sheryl
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Hi Amy. I was on medication
for a short time several years ago. I wasn't strong like you - I had no idea where else to turn or what else to try,
so I just took the pills, desperately hoping to get some relief. I USED to be strong, but the anxiety had worn me to
the bone. I had many side effects, tried various meds and strengths, and lived for nearly two months in
a fog. I wasn't anxious anymore, but wasn't able to process anything else much either. One weekend, we went to
visit my parents, and I slept for 14 hours in the one day. Note here that I had/have two beautiful young children.
They deserved/deserve a mum that was present. I can so vividly remember thinking "gee, I'm so thirsty" but
not being able to make the mental connection that "gee, I should have a drink of water then!". Seems funny
now, but it was totally true.
The tablets were stopped the day that I woke up and told my husband, a
truly good man, about a dream I had. I dreamt I was taking an overdose of some injected drug. I described my dream
to him fully about how I could feel the warmth flowing up my arm and then blacking out, and knowing I had died. He freaked
out. I have never even smoked anything "naughty", let alone considered this. I don't know if it was
the dream that got him firied up, or whether it was my blank unemotional recount of it, but his response was what made me
snap back to "reality". I didn't take another tablet. I felt empowered for the first day - (I'm
finally taking charge of my life - ???) - then vomited consistantly for around three or four days as the medication worked
out of my system, with weird heartbeats for the first few days to the point where I went to pick up my kids from childcare
and the carers didn't want me to take them because they were scared I was about to, well, I hate to say it. I thought
I was dying. My doctor was on leave and his replacement wasn't saying much, but I know realise that this was all connected.
We saw a documentary the next week about exactly this, and it was like a whole box of lightbulbs flashing one after the other.
These medications are just so so dangerous, but because they are given to "fragile" people to start with, they blame
any "unfortunate side effects" on the fact that the person obviously had problems
to start with. So the drug companies stay clean, and continue on without any real "watching".
For
me, I struggled for a few more months, strengthened by the idea of getting over the side effects.... but the bad stuff was
still there. Fortunately, the Christmas break came, and we had had a few major major
life changes which somehow led me to FlyLady, which got me moving forward. Then I heard about you. I wish
I had found your so-sensible advice years ago. I wish everyone was prescribed a dose of "hatched-egg" before
being allowed to even try the medications. Doctors are often wary of common sense, though - the drug companies teach
them that the only answer is in some expensive pills.
Please stay strong. Please keep
going. Please do everything you can to get sponsorship, because people like us often don't feel we are "worth"
spending money on and can't/won't justify paying for help. If we believed it was the answer, we would probably pay anything,
but the anxiety stops us from believing in the first place. You have a difficult audience to get to (and keep)
commercially, and I just hope you stay strong for all the people who get your emails and/or download your podcasts but can't
manage a call or email. Please remember we are here, and that you are making a difference every day.
S,
in Australia.
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Oh my goodness. I am learning so much
in such a short time on this website. -Joanne
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Amy, Hello! It’s been a couple
weeks since we last spoke, so I want to give you a mini-update.
The last week or so has been a bit difficult.
I could feel myself falling back into that place where I just didn’t feel like doing anything. As far as I’ve
come, it’s still so easy to get sucked into that darkness, you know? I’ve been working on cheering myself up,
and it’s working pretty well so far. Today I feel closer to my equilibrium. It’s been rainy and dreary for a few
days. I keep reminding myself that it’s good for the plants, even if I don’t enjoy it. The Daily Healing Journal
you sent me has been helping a lot.. I can’t wait to see what I’ve written when I get to the end of the month!
I’ve been trying not to look at my past pages.
Anyway, I have another reason for writing. I did something
out of the normal today: I went to a health screening. Yes, I’m finally trying to take care of me! My work had
a free health screening to all members on the public workers’ health insurance.. While I’m not on it as a primary,
my mom still has me listed because I’m still in school. She doesn’t pay for my bills or anything like that, but
keeping me on her insurance is a huge help. Today’s screening included height/weight (for BMI), blood pressure, blood
sugar, and cholesterol for FREE! My papaw had diabetes, so getting my sugar tested is crucial. I’d never had a sugar
or cholesterol test before today.
Unfortunately, the only way to test for sugar and cholesterol is by drawing
blood. I’m not a fan of this process. The veins in my arms are usually too thin, so it’s not uncommon for them
to take the blood from my hand. Last time that happened, I remember feeling the phlebotomist nearly scraping my wrist bone.
The next thing I remember is having smelling salts waved in front of my face and hearing “Amber, stay with me!”
Needless to say, I was more than a little nervous for today, and I told the nurse. She placed my arm in position and told
me to count to ten and it would be over by the time I finished counting. I was going to count in my head, but she said, “No,
I want to hear you counting!” When I reached six, she told me that I was counting too quickly, so I laughed and slowed.
I passed ten and counted ten and a quarter and ten and three-eighths; then she was finished! It was (mostly) painless. I told
her that it was excellent and that I want her to do all my blood work from now on. She laughed and told me where she worked.
I think I did very well, and I’m quite proud of myself.. I didn’t pass out, I didn’t have a panic attack,
and I didn’t feel like crying, not even a little. If she had taken more than one try or had needed to draw it from my
hand, I might be singing a different tune right now. However, I stayed calm and braced myself for the idea that she might
have to do those things. Fortunately, she didn’t. I also want to applaud her for understanding my nervousness and helping
me to relax. She was calm and confident, two things you definitely want in someone who is about to dive into your skin in
hopes of getting a blood sample.
Today’s experience makes me feel confident that when I have to give another blood
sample (doctor’s appointment) next week, I can handle it. It’s been almost a year since the negative experience,
and I now understand that it doesn’t have to be that way. Another good consequence of the screening was the free Food
Diary they supplied. I think it will hold at least three months. It has space to write what you ate for each meal and snacks
(similar to the Daily Healing Journal), but it also has space for the calories, fat, protein, and carbs. I’ll probably
carry it and the DHJ with me!
After I left the makeshift clinical area, I knew I had to tell you of my triumph!
Not many people would understand why it’s a celebration, but I know you will.
Sincerely,
Amber
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Hello and let me commend you for
doing a wonderful job with this blog. Your post are informative and the layout of your blog is smooth and clean.
I would like to offer my congratulations as I have finished reviewing "The Hatched Egg" and I'm happy to inform
you that your blog has been added to Blogging Women.
I wish you continued success with this blog and all you do. -Fay
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I just publically want to thank you for taking the time to research and write your Daily
Egg Notes. It has given me many things to think about when it feels like life is spinning out of control. Peep Sheryl **Do you get The Daily Egg - Sign up Now!
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Amy & Patrice, Thanks again
for introducing me to Inositol. This supplement made such a difference to me, I felt better after 5 minutes! I'm
still perfecting the right dosage, but I literally feel like a different person (most all anxiety, panic, depression, OCD
symptoms completely gone) after taking inositol for 5 days, and I'm so thankful for the prospect of getting my life back!
I'm still working on these problems from other angles, too, and taking as good care of my body & mind as I can.
We'll see what happens in the long run. (I'm quite used to anti-depressant medication working wonders for a short
time, then pooping out on me.)
In the meantime, thanks again so much!
Peep Natalie
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Hello Excuse Workout Team,
This is Jonathan Roche writing - your Virtual Personal Trainer. I hope
you had a great day.
I wanted to pass on a great web site to help you if you suffer from anxiety and/or panic attacks.
Amy Furbee, a Flybaby, a No Excuse Workout Yahoo Group Member and Momentum Member created a web site called The Hatched Egg:
http://www.thehatchedegg.com/I rarely point out a site unless I have 100% faith that what is being offered can help some of
you and that the person who created the site truly cares about helping people.
Amy had reached out to me a few
months ago about her web site and I met Amy at the 500,000 member FlyLady celebration in Dallas. She is a great person and
she really cares about helping others who have struggled with anxiety and panic attacks. As you will read if you also suffer
from anxiety or panic attacks and you
visit her site, she battled both for 5 years and eventually came out on top.
I want to thank Amy for creating a great tool and for truly caring about helping people.
Take care.
Jonathan
aka "Your Biggest Fan"
Jonathan Roche
Founder & CEO
Breakthrough Health
& Fitness, Inc.
www.MomentumFS.com/Flylady
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