Some Additional Information on Medications 2

PREGNANCY

There have not been any official studies specific to pregnant or lactating women

and the use of Empowerplus™. If you are pregnant, or are considering becoming

pregnant, show the nutritional breakdown ofEmpowerplus™ to your caregiver.

EFFECTIVE MAINTENANCE

You are effectively maintaining wellness when you make being physically healthy a part

of your daily lifestyle. Remember that everything you ingest affects your body chemistry

in one way or another. Seek to find balance and moderation in the things that you eat

and the activities you participate in. Listen to your own personal intuition about what you

should and should not eat. You’ll find that with practice, you will be able to establish a

routine of health and wellness in your life. Lifestyle changes don’t occur overnight, but

as you heal, you will find ways to improve your health along the way.

DEFINITIONS / TERMS USED

1. Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR): ADR can occur anytime after the beginning of

supplementation and the elimination of medication. In Step Three of this workbook, you

identified contraindications and signs of overmedication. The symptoms that will likely

manifest if you have an ADR are the symptoms of overmedication that you recorded. In

theory, ADR occurs when  the Participant begins toestablish a functional

neurochemistry. ADR can only beeliminated by changing the levels of drugs that are

over-stimulating an otherwise functional nervoussystem. All Participants should discuss

this information with their prescribing physician.

2. Initial Withdrawal: Reducing a medication too quickly can lead to withdrawal. By

completing Step Three, you have been made aware of the recommended timing for

withdrawal of the medication that you are taking. Consult with your prescribing doctor

concerning your medication and the withdrawal possibilities with your medication.

3. Drug Flashbacks and Protracted Withdrawal: Drug flashback can happen with

medications that were recently discontinued or with medications that were discontinued

years ago. Flashback can last for a few hours or for as long as a few days. Protracted

withdrawal may have the same root as a drug flashback, but the symptoms are

generally longer lasting. A protracted withdrawal of medication can be extremely difficult

to endure and may mimic the primary symptoms of illness. The most common

symptoms of protracted withdrawal are intense anxiety, overall fatigue or malaise,

restlessness or akathesia, and a feeling often described as “wanting to crawl out of

ones skin”. Many participants experiencing protracted withdrawal also report feelings of

anxiety preceding loose stool or diarrhea like bowel movements.

Protracted withdrawal isa condition that is continual with very few periods of relief.

Truehope has little to offer in the way of support for those suffering from the symptoms

of protracted withdrawal, although it has been helpful for many to be able to recognize

the many different characteristics of protracted withdrawal.

In theory, both of these conditions occur because of medications that store themselves

within the body tissues. These medications continue to be released into the blood

stream at low levels even after the drug has been discontinued. The presence of the

drug, even at low levels, re-stimulates the neurons and creates the short effect of a

Copyright © January 2001, Truehope Nutritional Support Ltd.  Page 10 of 12

flashback, or the longer and more painful effectof protracted withdrawal. The release of

these discontinued medications may be triggered by physical exercise, severe stress,

drastic changes in diet, or even the body’s natural cleansing process. Some participants

are encouraged by the occurrence of a drug flashback or the symptoms of protracted

withdrawal believing it to be an indication that they are healing and progressing towards

better health.

Symptoms of drug flashback may include those listed as side effects in the drug

manufacturer’s information as recorded in Step Three of this workbook, or other side

effects specific to the individual.

Additional information on protracted withdrawal can be found in Dr. Heather Ashton’s

PHD work on Benzodiazapines,SSRI’s and anti-psychotics. “Addicted by Prescription”

by Joan Gadsby is also an excellent source of support and information.