Daily Micro-Tapering Support Group

[[wa...]]

When I switched to liquid I actually felt my med more strongly. I felt more sedated than I had before. So I waited 4 days and started tapering. Going slow.

Badsocref.... If you are able, can you double check the calculations of my question in #5....above.... I'm not sure who else to ask and I think builder just didnt have a chance to get to me....

 

I just need to know ASAP since I started this already...... Thank you all so very much!!!!!

 

Like Builder said, there's not enough info to do the calculations, but you're not the first person who has felt that liquid formulations felt like a cut and returning to pills felt like a boost.  It's not unusual to up-dose slightly (10-20%) when you move from solid to liquid.

[Guest [ba...]]

When I switched to liquid I actually felt my med more strongly. I felt more sedated than I had before. So I waited 4 days and started tapering. Going slow.

Badsocref.... If you are able, can you double check the calculations of my question in #5....above.... I'm not sure who else to ask and I think builder just didnt have a chance to get to me....

 

I just need to know ASAP since I started this already...... Thank you all so very much!!!!!

 

Like Builder said, there's not enough info to do the calculations, but you're not the first person who has felt that liquid formulations felt like a cut and returning to pills felt like a boost.  It's not unusual to up-dose slightly (10-20%) when you move from solid to liquid.

 

WFL - are you using whole milk for your LT?

[[wa...]]

Badsocref, I was not going to do milk but i found goat milk and went with that. I am only taking out .2 mls daily. The only hard thing I have found is making my doses equal. My milk gets frothy when I shake it right before i draw up so the foam throws off my measurement. Should I be shaking it and draw or shake it and let it sit then draw up? Can you look at signature and see if tapering rate is coreect? Thanks.

 

 

 

When I switched to liquid I actually felt my med more strongly. I felt more sedated than I had before. So I waited 4 days and started tapering. Going slow.

Badsocref.... If you are able, can you double check the calculations of my question in #5....above.... I'm not sure who else to ask and I think builder just didnt have a chance to get to me....

 

I just need to know ASAP since I started this already...... Thank you all so very much!!!!!

 

Like Builder said, there's not enough info to do the calculations, but you're not the first person who has felt that liquid formulations felt like a cut and returning to pills felt like a boost.  It's not unusual to up-dose slightly (10-20%) when you move from solid to liquid.

 

WFL - are you using whole milk for your LT?

[[ga...]]

If anybody hears from SG, please let us know how he is!

 

Gard

 

Hi Gard. I had the lithotripsy procedure this morning. It went really well and I have been pain free all day so far without taking any painkillers. I am not sure if I am out of the woods yet as I have been peeing through a screen and have not caught anything. ..not even a trace of any particles. So I assume it is all still caught up somwhere, but no longer big enough to cause pain? Confusing. I would really like to pass all the pieces and get this over with, but I'll take no pain.

 

Well, this is quite a relief! I'm so glad all went well and you have this behind you. Thanks so much for updating us. (Maybe you need a finer screen. Coffee filter? )

 

Gard

[[ga...]]

Yeah, I mean obviously I've tapered for a while and had neuropathic pain for a while. So my questions come in the context of the earlier conversation about waiting to taper until symptoms are low. Can't remember if that was in this thread or another thread. I thought it was this one.

 

As a generalization, you should begin, or continue, tapering when you are stable.  Stable is NOT a qualitative measure. It does not mean good, or asymtomatic.  The medical definition of stable is the same as the conventional definition...steady, unchanging, consistent, etc.

 

Okay. I've heard symptom free used at times. I think with regards to the concept of glutamate damage. So I was just wanting people's opinions. I know what stable feels like. At least in this new normal. Stable feels like a little anxiety and a little neuropathic pain, both of which I tolerate.

 

My 2 cents. That sounds like stable for me.   That's what I'm hoping to achieve before I ramp up the taper again.

 

Gard

[[Pl...]]

 

 

 

 

 

"I am currently on .92 mg of kolonopin which I dose 3xs a day.... That currently comes out  to  .312 total grams for the day......

 

so for each dose I weigh out .104 grams for the day ... So 104 grams x 3 equals 312 grams which equals .92 mgs. for the day...."

 

Actually, I haven't answered because 1) I really can't make any sense out of those numbers, and 2)  some of the calculations appear to be wrong.  In short, there really isn't enough good info there to give you an answer.

 

To help you, I need to know:

 

What is the dosage of the tablets, in MGs?

 

What is the average weight of the tablets in MGs

 

What is your total daily dose, in MGs?

 

Oh my gosh builder.... If you can please answer ASAP as I've been doing this dose for a few days now....

 

Here it is:

 

1) The dosage of the tablets in MGS is:  2 (.50mg) pills which equal 1 MG

 

2) The average weight for 1 (.50 MG) pill  is 0.169 or 0.170  i believe  in GRAMS divided between 10 pills.... I don't know what the weight is in MGS..... Hoping you could help with that please? ..I don't know... Brain fog ...

 

3) my total daily dose is this:  I got down to .92 MG ( I don't know if I put the decimal in the right place, please look at my signature for better understanding)

I basically dropped 8 percent I'm assuming?  from the 1 mg that's where I'm at 92 MG  STILL VERY CLOSE to the whole 1 MG..

 

92 MGS divided by 3 separate doses according to my calculator each dose equals .3066666 MG?

 

Please correct me how that number should be written out to reflect 92 mg with the decimal points

 

I dose 3 xs a day under the assumption that this averages out to 312 GRAMS a day

 

Each dose divided would be like between .103 and .104 GRAMS .... It always fluctuates between those two numbers on the GRAM scale...... Can't get it exact...was told that was okay...

 

Is this all correct?

 

 

[[bu...]]

 

 

Oh my gosh builder.... If you can please answer ASAP as I've been doing this dose for a few days now....

 

Here it is:

 

1) The dosage of the tablets in MGS is:  2 (.50mg) pills which equal 1 MG

 

2) The average weight for 1 (.50 MG) pill  is 0.169 or 0.170  i believe  in GRAMS divided between 10 pills.... I don't know what the weight is in MGS..... Hoping you could help with that please? ..I don't know... Brain fog ...

 

.170 grams (G) = 170 milligrams (MG)

 

3) my total daily dose is this:  I got down to .92 MG ( I don't know if I put the decimal in the right place, please look at my signature for better understanding)

I basically dropped 8 percent I'm assuming?  from the 1 mg that's where I'm at 92 MG  STILL VERY CLOSE to the whole 1 MG..

 

Your does is .92mg (920 thousandths of a mg), NOT 92 mg.  Yes, if your previous dose was 1mg and you are now at .92mg, then that's an 8% cut ( 1-.92=.8  .8/1=.08, or 8%)

 

92 MGS divided by 3 separate doses according to my calculator each dose equals .3066666 MG?

 

Again it's .92mg, NOT 92mg.  Yes, a total daily dose of .92mg divided into 3 seperate doses is .3067mg per dose

 

Please correct me how that number should be written out to reflect 92 mg with the decimal points

 

See above, your daily dose is .92mg, NOT 92mg.

 

I dose 3 xs a day under the assumption that this averages out to 312 GRAMS a day

 

Its 312mg.  312 grams would be 312000 mg

 

Each dose divided would be like between .103 and .104 GRAMS .... It always fluctuates between those two numbers on the GRAM scale...... Can't get it exact...was told that was okay...

 

Is this all correct?

 

So in spite of your serious problems with where to put the decimal points, it looks like your actually doing your taper correctly.

[[Pl...]]

 

 

Oh my gosh builder.... If you can please answer ASAP as I've been doing this dose for a few days now....

 

Here it is:

 

1) The dosage of the tablets in MGS is:  2 (.50mg) pills which equal 1 MG

 

2) The average weight for 1 (.50 MG) pill  is 0.169 or 0.170  i believe  in GRAMS divided between 10 pills.... I don't know what the weight is in MGS..... Hoping you could help with that please? ..I don't know... Brain fog ...

 

.170 grams (G) = 170 milligrams (MG)

 

3) my total daily dose is this:  I got down to .92 MG ( I don't know if I put the decimal in the right place, please look at my signature for better understanding)

I basically dropped 8 percent I'm assuming?  from the 1 mg that's where I'm at 92 MG  STILL VERY CLOSE to the whole 1 MG..

 

Your does is .92mg (920 thousandths of a mg), NOT 92 mg.  Yes, if your previous dose was 1mg and you are now at .92mg, then that's an 8% cut ( 1-.92=.8  .8/1=.08, or 8%)

 

92 MGS divided by 3 separate doses according to my calculator each dose equals .3066666 MG?

 

Again it's .92mg, NOT 92mg.  Yes, a total daily dose of .92mg divided into 3 seperate doses is .3067mg per dose

 

Please correct me how that number should be written out to reflect 92 mg with the decimal points

 

See above, your daily dose is .92mg, NOT 92mg.

 

I dose 3 xs a day under the assumption that this averages out to 312 GRAMS a day

 

Its 312mg.  312 grams would be 312000 mg

 

Each dose divided would be like between .103 and .104 GRAMS .... It always fluctuates between those two numbers on the GRAM scale...... Can't get it exact...was told that was okay...

 

Is this all correct?

 

So in spite of your serious problems with where to put the decimal points, it looks like your actually doing your taper correctly.

[/

 

Thank you for clearing up my mess....

 

Main issue was making sure I was converting .92 MG properly into GRAMS on the gram scale

I now divide my 3 doses into GRAMS.....each dose equaling between 103 and 104 GRAMS.. Total for the day being 312 G

 

As long as this GRAM conversion equals to .92MG that is what I needed confirmation on....

 

SG originally helped me; and he is great,  but as you can see, I fear the errors I make in my explanations and needed a second eye that what I was trying to explain appeared correct...

 

Thank you

..

[[bu...]]

Main issue was making sure I was converting .92 MG properly into GRAMS on the gram scale

I now divide my 3 doses into GRAMS.....each dose equaling between 103 and 104 GRAMS.. Total for the day being 312 G

 

 

NO, NO, NO! 

 

1 gram =1000 milligrams  so..

 

103 grams would be 103,000 milligrams.

 

Your pills weigh 170 milligrams, that's .170 grams!

 

2 pill weight 2X .170 grams, or a total of .340 grams.

 

92% (your current dose) is .92 X .340 grams, or .313 grams.

 

.313 grams = 313 milligrams

 

To convert grams to milligrams, multiply X 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the right)

 

To convert milligrams to grams, divide by 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the left)

[[Pl...]]

Main issue was making sure I was converting .92 MG properly into GRAMS on the gram scale

I now divide my 3 doses into GRAMS.....each dose equaling between 103 and 104 GRAMS.. Total for the day being 312 G

 

 

NO, NO, NO! 

 

1 gram =1000 milligrams  so..

 

103 grams would be 103,000 milligrams.

 

Your pills weigh 170 milligrams, that's .170 grams!

 

2 pill weight 2X .170 grams, or a total of .340 grams.

 

92% (your current dose) is .92 X .340 grams, or .313 grams.

 

.313 grams = 313 milligrams

 

To convert grams to milligrams, multiply X 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the right)

 

To convert milligrams to grams, divide by 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the left)

 

Please look under post 35 or 36 under my name and then #162...... That's how SG explained it to me and those are the numbers I'm using.... Please look at this right away..... I'm freaking out right now.... Please!!!!!

 

What am I not getting?

[[Pl...]]

Main issue was making sure I was converting .92 MG properly into GRAMS on the gram scale

I now divide my 3 doses into GRAMS.....each dose equaling between 103 and 104 GRAMS.. Total for the day being 312 G

 

 

NO, NO, NO! 

 

1 gram =1000 milligrams  so..

 

103 grams would be 103,000 milligrams.

 

Your pills weigh 170 milligrams, that's .170 grams!

 

2 pill weight 2X .170 grams, or a total of .340 grams.

 

92% (your current dose) is .92 X .340 grams, or .313 grams.

 

.313 grams = 313 milligrams

 

To convert grams to milligrams, multiply X 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the right)

 

To convert milligrams to grams, divide by 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the left)

 

.92 mgs converted on the gram scale for EACH dose ( 3xs a day)  I was told is 0.104 or 0.103 grams?  That would equal 0.313  or 0.312 grams total for the day.... 0.104x3= 0.312 GRAMS for the total amount for the day........

 

That's what I'm concerned about is just converting that .92mgs into grams.... I thought that was right!!!! 

 

I thought I was supposed to convert the .92 mg into grams in order to daily dry micro taper ( right now I'm just getting used to the pills at that dose)

 

Please help.... I'm freaking out!!!!

[Guest [ba...]]

These calculations are pretty easy.  One just needs to gather the right numbers...

 

P = mass of one intact pill (in milligrams)  [will probably be something like 121 or 274]

D = dose of medicine contained in one intact pill (in milligrams)  [will probably be something like 0.25 or 2 or 10]

A = amount of medicine that you want to take (in milligrams)

W = weight of the pill that you need in order to take the amount of medicine that you want to take (in milligrams)

 

    A / D = W / P

 

Solving for W (the amount that you need to weight out)...    W = P * A / D

Solving for A (to see how much you just took)...                  A = D * W / P

 

1000 milligrams = 1 gram;  0.191 grams = 191 milligrams

 

[[Pl...]]

These calculations are pretty easy.  One just needs to gather the right numbers...

 

P = mass of one intact pill (in milligrams)  [will probably be something like 121 or 274]

D = dose of medicine contained in one intact pill (in milligrams)  [will probably be something like 0.25 or 2 or 10]

A = amount of medicine that you want to take (in milligrams)

W = weight of the pill that you need in order to take the amount of medicine that you want to take (in milligrams)

 

    A / D = W / P

 

Solving for W (the amount that you need to weight out)...    W = P * A / D

Solving for A (to see how much you just took)...                  A = D * W / P

 

1000 milligrams = 1 gram;  0.191 grams = 191 milligrams

 

Badsocref... Thank you... I'm in a state right now where I actually have to give numbers to people so they can do the math for me.... I'm very cognitively not okay...

 

I need it explained to me like a child: first do this, then do that  :'( its that bad......

Thank you very much for everyone's patience...

[[wa...]]

Builder, Badsocref, or SG57: So recently I switched to DLMT with milk if you look at my signature below.  But every time i shake the milk it froths up and my doses dont seem even. Thinking of trying water with alcohol to dissolve my pills afterall. Someone suggested 5 ml of alcohol and 70 mls of water. Is that enough alcohol to dissolve my pills and form my solution? Not to mention my pill was not fully dissolved this morning after shaking the crap out of my milk so that was awesome. Any input you can offer would be much appreciated.

[[bu...]]

Main issue was making sure I was converting .92 MG properly into GRAMS on the gram scale

I now divide my 3 doses into GRAMS.....each dose equaling between 103 and 104 GRAMS.. Total for the day being 312 G

 

 

NO, NO, NO! 

 

1 gram =1000 milligrams  so..

 

103 grams would be 103,000 milligrams.

 

Your pills weigh 170 milligrams, that's .170 grams!

 

2 pill weight 2X .170 grams, or a total of .340 grams.

 

92% (your current dose) is .92 X .340 grams, or .313 grams.

 

.313 grams = 313 milligrams

 

To convert grams to milligrams, multiply X 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the right)

 

To convert milligrams to grams, divide by 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the left)

 

.92 mgs converted on the gram scale for EACH dose ( 3xs a day)  I was told is 0.104 or 0.103 grams?  That would equal 0.313  or 0.312 grams total for the day.... 0.104x3= 0.312 GRAMS for the total amount for the day........

 

That's what I'm concerned about is just converting that .92mgs into grams.... I thought that was right!!!! 

 

I thought I was supposed to convert the .92 mg into grams in order to daily dry micro taper ( right now I'm just getting used to the pills at that dose)

 

Please help.... I'm freaking out!!!!

 

 

Fortunately, you seem to be getting thei actual calculation for your dose/cut correct.  But you continue to misunderstand the relationship between grams and milligrams.  I guess as long as you come up with the right final numbers, it maybe doesn't matter.

 

And I'm not trying to pick on you, but it just seems kinda important to me to understand the relationship between grams and milligrams.

 

One gram is 1000 milligrams.  There is no way you would be taking 100 or 300 grams of tablets, or 91 grams of ativan.  (300 grams is over 1/2 pound!) 

 

But as long as you understand that  when you reduce the weight of the tablet by X%, you are lowering your dose by X%, you will be OK.  Follow bads formula, and you'll be alright.

[[ga...]]

Please, it's not just you. My ability to do algebraic equations is 99% out the window. Just do what builder says. He can do the math for now. Our brains will come back.

 

Gard

[[Pl...]]

Main issue was making sure I was converting .92 MG properly into GRAMS on the gram scale

I now divide my 3 doses into GRAMS.....each dose equaling between 103 and 104 GRAMS.. Total for the day being 312 G

 

 

NO, NO, NO! 

 

1 gram =1000 milligrams  so..

 

103 grams would be 103,000 milligrams.

 

Your pills weigh 170 milligrams, that's .170 grams!

 

2 pill weight 2X .170 grams, or a total of .340 grams.

 

92% (your current dose) is .92 X .340 grams, or .313 grams.

 

.313 grams = 313 milligrams

 

To convert grams to milligrams, multiply X 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the right)

 

To convert milligrams to grams, divide by 1000 (move decimal 3 places to the left)

 

.92 mgs converted on the gram scale for EACH dose ( 3xs a day)  I was told is 0.104 or 0.103 grams?  That would equal 0.313  or 0.312 grams total for the day.... 0.104x3= 0.312 GRAMS for the total amount for the day........

 

That's what I'm concerned about is just converting that .92mgs into grams.... I thought that was right!!!! 

 

I thought I was supposed to convert the .92 mg into grams in order to daily dry micro taper ( right now I'm just getting used to the pills at that dose)

 

Please help.... I'm freaking out!!!!

 

 

Fortunately, you seem to be getting thei actual calculation for your dose/cut correct.  But you continue to misunderstand the relationship between grams and milligrams.  I guess as long as you come up with the right final numbers, it maybe doesn't matter.

 

And I'm not trying to pick on you, but it just seems kinda important to me to understand the relationship between grams and milligrams.

 

One gram is 1000 milligrams.  There is no way you would be taking 100 or 300 grams of tablets, or 91 grams of ativan.  (300 grams is over 1/2 pound!) 

 

But as long as you understand that  when you reduce the weight of the tablet by X%, you are lowering your dose by X%, you will be OK.  Follow bads formula, and you'll be alright.

 

Builder.... I understand and appreciate very much the time taken to do this....very much... I'm just so impaired and ill right now  ..... I need all the extra help I can  get.... My brother does my  doses for me....

 

It was Sg57 who got me this far thats how i got the numbers right....bless him....I just didnt understand the intricacies or details .... I'm slowly starting to in very tiny bits... It will take me time... Lots of time to get used to this modality after doing liquid.....

 

I dread when it comes time for me to try to do reductions what that will be like...

 

I will need all the help, patience and reassurance if you are all willing to give it to me when I do this...

I know its taxing...but I could never do this without all of you.... I'm afraid because I'm in a real bad place.... I've been extremely sick.

 

I thank all of you....

[[...]]

It made me feel better to read that there are some people here who are doing 1% or less tapers. It's awful that our CNS's are sensitive but I'm glad we are able to find the pace that works for us.

 

I'm still working on finding my pace. I cut for ten days and ended up with horrible symptoms and became non-functional so I held for five days at which point I was back to my baseline or my stable. So I decided to cut again. Today is my second day of cutting and I am planning on holding tomorrow as last time it was the third day that I noticed symptoms starting.  However today I have been in a window all day despite being in the second day of a cut. I'm not symptom free but they are low enough that I can get out and do things. I actually went to the store and the library. Agoraphobia along with anxiety are my main symptoms so when the agoraphobia lifts, for whatever reason, I try to make sure to get out if I can.

 

I'm wondering if my sxs are going to wax and wane the same way they have been before I started to taper and if that means I can taper more when I'm in a window. Not sure I want to though because I want to have days that I can get out and feel mostly normal. This is all so crazy. So should I just continue to try to find a pattern and stick with that? I have to admit I'm trying to make sure I'm as low on symptoms as I can be for Thanksgiving so I'm not planning on cutting as aggressivley.

 

Does anyone have experience with symptoms waxing and waning before tapering and how that works into the tapepring schedule?

 

Thanks

 

Hugs and healing energy to everyone 

[[bu...]]

But every time i shake the milk it froths up and my doses dont seem even.

 

Don't worry about it, it won't make any difference.  Expecially with long half-life benzos like K, dose-to-dose variation isn't going to have any significant effect.

 

Thinking of trying water with alcohol to dissolve my pills afterall. Someone suggested 5 ml of alcohol and 70 mls of water. Is that enough alcohol to dissolve my pills and form my solution? 

 

Yes, but milk (fat) is probably a better solvent for K.

 

Not to mention my pill was not fully dissolved this morning after shaking the crap out of my milk so that was awesome. Any input you can offer would be much appreciated.

 

Remember that your pills are less than 1% actual K, the rest is binders, fillers, colorants, and other inactive, excipient ingredients.  The K is soluble in the milk, but some of the other ingredients almost certainly will not be.  You don't have to dissolve the whole tablet, only the K.

 

[[wa...]]

Thanks Builder. Very helpful info. I will continue with my milk medium then so as to not rock the boat. I agree with the fillers but I really feel it was a rather big piece of my pill that had not dissolved. Will be more mindfull when shaking my milk. Your help and guidance is greatly appreciated.

But every time i shake the milk it froths up and my doses dont seem even.

 

Don't worry about it, it won't make any difference.  Expecially with long half-life benzos like K, dose-to-dose variation isn't going to have any significant effect.

 

Thinking of trying water with alcohol to dissolve my pills afterall. Someone suggested 5 ml of alcohol and 70 mls of water. Is that enough alcohol to dissolve my pills and form my solution? 

 

Yes, but milk (fat) is probably a better solvent for K.

 

Not to mention my pill was not fully dissolved this morning after shaking the crap out of my milk so that was awesome. Any input you can offer would be much appreciated.

 

Remember that your pills are less than 1% actual K, the rest is binders, fillers, colorants, and other inactive, excipient ingredients.  The K is soluble in the milk, but some of the other ingredients almost certainly will not be.  You don't have to dissolve the whole tablet, only the K.

[[...]]

But every time i shake the milk it froths up and my doses dont seem even.

 

Don't worry about it, it won't make any difference.  Expecially with long half-life benzos like K, dose-to-dose variation isn't going to have any significant effect.

 

Thinking of trying water with alcohol to dissolve my pills afterall. Someone suggested 5 ml of alcohol and 70 mls of water. Is that enough alcohol to dissolve my pills and form my solution? 

 

Yes, but milk (fat) is probably a better solvent for K.

 

Not to mention my pill was not fully dissolved this morning after shaking the crap out of my milk so that was awesome. Any input you can offer would be much appreciated.

 

Remember that your pills are less than 1% actual K, the rest is binders, fillers, colorants, and other inactive, excipient ingredients.  The K is soluble in the milk, but some of the other ingredients almost will not be.  You don't have to dissolve the whole tablet, only the K.

 

Builder,

 

I hope you don't mind another question.  I didn't know that different benzos were more soluble in different solvents.  I'm on 2 doses of Valium a day and one dose of Ativan (I didn't bother to cross that dose over because the Ativan seemed to hit a few symptoms better than the V.0 I'm doing a hold but thought I'd taper off the Ativan first.  Do you happen to know which solvents (milk, alcohol, water) would work best for Ativan and which for Valium when I do start tapering again?  Thanks!

 

AF

[[bu...]]

But every time i shake the milk it froths up and my doses dont seem even.

 

Don't worry about it, it won't make any difference.  Expecially with long half-life benzos like K, dose-to-dose variation isn't going to have any significant effect.

 

Thinking of trying water with alcohol to dissolve my pills afterall. Someone suggested 5 ml of alcohol and 70 mls of water. Is that enough alcohol to dissolve my pills and form my solution? 

 

Yes, but milk (fat) is probably a better solvent for K.

 

Not to mention my pill was not fully dissolved this morning after shaking the crap out of my milk so that was awesome. Any input you can offer would be much appreciated.

 

Remember that your pills are less than 1% actual K, the rest is binders, fillers, colorants, and other inactive, excipient ingredients.  The K is soluble in the milk, but some of the other ingredients almost will not be.  You don't have to dissolve the whole tablet, only the K.

 

Builder,

 

I hope you don't mind another question.  I didn't know that different benzos were more soluble in different solvents.  I'm on 2 doses of Valium a day and one dose of Ativan (I didn't bother to cross that dose over because the Ativan seemed to hit a few symptoms better than the V.0 I'm doing a hold but thought I'd taper off the Ativan first.  Do you happen to know which solvents (milk, alcohol, water) would work best for Ativan and which for Valium when I do start tapering again?  Thanks!

 

AF

  Water doesn't work for any, milk (fat) works for both.  Valium is readily soluble on alcohol or PG, and ativan is poorly soluble in alcohol, but can be dissolved in PG.

 

To simplify, I would use PG for both.

[[wa...]]

Builder, I am coming at you with another question. When I measure my milk in my cylinder I measure 75mls of fluid. Pour that into my container and plop .75mg of clonazepam in there. I let it sit overnight in fridge shaking it several times before bed then wake up and shake it up. I let it sit out for about 20 minutes or so because when it isnt so cold it doesn't froth up as much. But this morning I took out .8 mls and wasted that. Then I measured out my doses and it seems like 5 mls of my liquid is just gone. Am I doing something wrong? Should I even worry about it or just keep on track with how much I waste? Confused.

But every time i shake the milk it froths up and my doses dont seem even.

 

Don't worry about it, it won't make any difference.  Expecially with long half-life benzos like K, dose-to-dose variation isn't going to have any significant effect.

 

Thinking of trying water with alcohol to dissolve my pills afterall. Someone suggested 5 ml of alcohol and 70 mls of water. Is that enough alcohol to dissolve my pills and form my solution? 

 

Yes, but milk (fat) is probably a better solvent for K.

 

Not to mention my pill was not fully dissolved this morning after shaking the crap out of my milk so that was awesome. Any input you can offer would be much appreciated.

 

Remember that your pills are less than 1% actual K, the rest is binders, fillers, colorants, and other inactive, excipient ingredients.  The K is soluble in the milk, but some of the other ingredients almost will not be.  You don't have to dissolve the whole tablet, only the K.

 

Builder,

 

I hope you don't mind another question.  I didn't know that different benzos were more soluble in different solvents.  I'm on 2 doses of Valium a day and one dose of Ativan (I didn't bother to cross that dose over because the Ativan seemed to hit a few symptoms better than the V.0 I'm doing a hold but thought I'd taper off the Ativan first.  Do you happen to know which solvents (milk, alcohol, water) would work best for Ativan and which for Valium when I do start tapering again?  Thanks!

 

AF

  Water doesn't work for any, milk (fat) works for both.  Valium is readily soluble on alcohol or PG, and ativan is poorly soluble in alcohol, but can be dissolved in PG.

 

To simplify, I would use PG for both.

[[bu...]]

Builder, I am coming at you with another question. When I measure my milk in my cylinder I measure 75mls of fluid. Pour that into my container and plop .75mg of clonazepam in there. I let it sit overnight in fridge shaking it several times before bed then wake up and shake it up. I let it sit out for about 20 minutes or so because when it isnt so cold it doesn't froth up as much. But this morning I took out .8 mls and wasted that. Then I measured out my doses and it seems like 5 mls of my liquid is just gone. Am I doing something wrong? Should I even worry about it or just keep on track with how much I waste? Confused.

 

No don't worry about.

 

When folks start a taper, especially a liquid taper, they get obsessed about accuracy and precision.  But really doesn't matter. Just follow a consistent procedure so you are gradually reducing over some time frame, and you'll be fine.

Somewhere along the line during my taper, I realized that 1)  sometimes my batch either lasted longer than I had calculated, and sometimes, I ran out sooner than expected, and 2) that there were some day-today measurement errors that meant my daily cuts probably weren't exactly what I planned.  But none of that matters. If you adjust  your dose over a period of, say, 10 days, and at the end of 10 days, your lower than when you started, that's all that matters.

 

Folks tend to overlook the fact that the pills the have been taking for months or years vary as much as +/- 10 from pill to pill or batch to batch.  But that never seemed to worry anybody.

[[...]]

But every time i shake the milk it froths up and my doses dont seem even.

 

Don't worry about it, it won't make any difference.  Expecially with long half-life benzos like K, dose-to-dose variation isn't going to have any significant effect.

 

Thinking of trying water with alcohol to dissolve my pills afterall. Someone suggested 5 ml of alcohol and 70 mls of water. Is that enough alcohol to dissolve my pills and form my solution? 

 

Yes, but milk (fat) is probably a better solvent for K.

 

Not to mention my pill was not fully dissolved this morning after shaking the crap out of my milk so that was awesome. Any input you can offer would be much appreciated.

 

Remember that your pills are less than 1% actual K, the rest is binders, fillers, colorants, and other inactive, excipient ingredients.  The K is soluble in the milk, but some of the other ingredients almost will not be.  You don't have to dissolve the whole tablet, only the K.

 

Builder,

 

I hope you don't mind another question.  I didn't know that different benzos were more soluble in different solvents.  I'm on 2 doses of Valium a day and one dose of Ativan (I didn't bother to cross that dose over because the Ativan seemed to hit a few symptoms better than the V.0 I'm doing a hold but thought I'd taper off the Ativan first.  Do you happen to know which solvents (milk, alcohol, water) would work best for Ativan and which for Valium when I do start tapering again?  Thanks!

 

AF

  Water doesn't work for any, milk (fat) works for both.  Valium is readily soluble on alcohol or PG, and ativan is poorly soluble in alcohol, but can be dissolved in PG.

 

To simplify, I would use PG for both.

 

Thanks so much!  You don't have to answer this one unless I'm wrong, but I'm assuming I mix it with enough PG to dissolve the med and add water to that mix to get the amount of liquid I need.

AF