Daily Micro-Tapering Support Group

[[Ma...]]

Thank you, Bad!

[[Ma...]]

One More question,

 

Do people re assess pill weight with every month prescription due to the hugh variation?

[Guest [ba...]]

I can't speak for 'people', but unless the manufacturer has changed, the pill weights should not vary by more than a few percent.  But there's no harm in weighing each batch.  Only takes a minute.  If that gives you a little more peace of mind, then go for it.

[[...]]

I don't reassess pill wt. I'm doing c/h so I figure in still going down even if there is some variation.

[[...]]

Hi everyone,

 

Thank you so much for all of your responses. I really don't know what to do right now. My pdoc said to hold for now and we are going to talk on Dec 28th. We will probably discuss my options. Go back to a super slow micro-taper or try cut and hold. I think I will stay on the K as my pdoc didn't suggest a change to Librium his resident did. I don't even know if my pdoc would be interested in it.

 

Is it any easier tapering from V vs K? Also my CT is making everything harder.

 

Jeff, you are more right than you know. Two peas in a pod indeed. My husbands name is Jeff too 

 

Kitty, what you had to say was very intersting. Did you have any issues with depression before you crossed over?

 

Gard, I dose three times a day because of interdose withdrawal but I seem to be doing fine with that now so it is not taking over my life. I'm not sure that changing to a different benzo would make any difference in the way I feel or my ability to taper.

 

libr, I already liquify as I was doing a micro-taper. I'm thinking of trying a cut and hold now. I've been told that some people go back and forth between the two and that works for them. It really is trial and error. I envy those who find what works and can just keep going!

 

It would be so nice if someone would just give us the answer. One size fits all!! 

 

As I said before you are all wonderful and I appreciate your input and good humor. 

 

 

[Guest [ba...]]

I don't think that V is necessarily any easier to taper than K.  V is a different beast, however, and crossing over to V may have it's own difficulties.  If it were me, I'd stick with K.

[[ga...]]

I don't think that V is necessarily any easier to taper than K.  V is a different beast, however, and crossing over to V may have it's own difficulties.  If it were me, I'd stick with K.

Agreed. As I mentioned, it's best to try to taper straight off your med (IMHO). Crossovers sometimes work and sometimes don't. I couldn't taper off my med, so I crossed and am doing better now that I only dose 3 times/day on L and can keep my blood levels even. I swear my levels weren't ever even on Xanax.

 

Sounds like you have a reasonable pc. Sorry you're having such hard time. You've really been through the wringer. Hang in there. Better days are ahead.

 

Gard

[[Ma...]]

How do you calculate your monthly decline percentage?

 

Let's say you are at 9. 

I let spreadsheet do it but I  would like the formula.

[Guest [ba...]]

How do you calculate your monthly decline percentage?

 

Let's say you are at 9. 

I let spreadsheet do it but I  would like the formula.

 

 

1 - ((dose at end of month) / (dose at beginning of month)) x 100%

 

Say you started the month at 9 mg and ended the month at 8 mg

 

= 1 - (8 mg / 9 mg) x 100%

 

= 1 - (.88889) x 100%

 

= 11%

[[Ki...]]

It seems like everyone does things differently and has to find out what works for them. I am glad I listened to the go slow and see how it goes first instead of the " oh go ahead and knock a mg off" folks. I remeasure each bottle too because I see there has been a big difference in filler amounts- some of my 5 mg pills weigh .155 and some as much as .165 and doing a microtaper thats a massive difference. If I cut more than .001 off the weight each night I can tell. Sometimes I have to go even slower, but I have knocked over 3 mg off in 6 months so Im happy with that. I hope you can figure out a good pace.

[[Ma...]]

Bad,

 

I hurt myself last month increasing mt rate. I have lost so much weight and felt so bad, now I'm reassessing everything.  So please tell me how to calculate a 8% decline from 9 to 8. I know this is well over 30 days.

[Guest [ba...]]

Bad,

 

I hurt myself last month increasing mt rate. I have lost so much weight and felt so bad, now I'm reassessing everything.  So please tell me how to calculate a 8% decline from 9 to 8. I know this is well over 30 days.

 

No comprendo??  Do you want to know what an 8% decrease would be from 9 mg?  9 to 8 is 11%.  Not sure what you're asking???

[[Ma...]]

I got it. Thanks

[[...]]

Thanks for all the input. I'm going to stay on K. Kgirl mentioned that maybe the liquid is causing me problems and I'm trying to figure out when I started liquifying my meds. For some reason even though I keep a journal of my medications and symptoms I can't find it. I'm wondering if I just didn't mention it. Constant Cog fog doesn't help with these things.

 

I think I'm going to talk with my doctor about trying a month of c/c/h/h/h and see how that goes. At least I would be moving forward. If it works I would be off in about 4 1/2 years. Who knows I might be able to move faster over time. Also if it takes 4 1/2 years I may be symptom free when I slide off the med. It would be nice if the symptoms abate before I'm done as I've seen happen for some people. If not I will have to find some way to deal with the daily anxiety and agoraphobia. Ah for a magic wand to make it all go away for all of us. No more magic pills!!

 

I hope everyone is finding some way to enjoy the holiday season.

 

Hugs and healing to you all. 

[[Ki...]]

If it helps, I do see a lot of posts that the long term slow tapers teaches you coping skills along the way. In dealing with the daily stress of the cuts and w/d you learn along the way to deal with things. So hopefully these things you learn along the way stay with you and when you get off the meds, you don't feel as much of a need for the meds anymore. Heres to hope!

[[st...]]

To those of you that dose more then once per day, how would you recommend transitioning? I currently dose once per day and am down to .18 of Lorazapam and the interdose withdrawals are getting ROUGH. I am currently taking 1.20 ml at bedtime.

[[ed...]]

To those of you that dose more then once per day, how would you recommend transitioning? I currently dose once per day and am down to .18 of Lorazapam and the interdose withdrawals are getting ROUGH. I am currently taking 1.20 ml at bedtime.

 

I went to 3x per day for a couple of months and then grew tired of the ritual and cut back to twice per day. If I were you, I'd split my dose in half and try it twice per day to see if that helps.

 

Good luck!

 

-Ed

[[ga...]]

If it helps, I do see a lot of posts that the long term slow tapers teaches you coping skills along the way. In dealing with the daily stress of the cuts and w/d you learn along the way to deal with things. So hopefully these things you learn along the way stay with you and when you get off the meds, you don't feel as much of a need for the meds anymore. Heres to hope!

 

Thanks for sharing that. I needed to hear that today!

[[jr...]]

If it helps, I do see a lot of posts that the long term slow tapers teaches you coping skills along the way. In dealing with the daily stress of the cuts and w/d you learn along the way to deal with things. So hopefully these things you learn along the way stay with you and when you get off the meds, you don't feel as much of a need for the meds anymore. Heres to hope!

 

Thanks for sharing that. I needed to hear that today!

 

me too!!!! good post!!!!

[[...]]

If it helps, I do see a lot of posts that the long term slow tapers teaches you coping skills along the way. In dealing with the daily stress of the cuts and w/d you learn along the way to deal with things. So hopefully these things you learn along the way stay with you and when you get off the meds, you don't feel as much of a need for the meds anymore. Heres to hope!

 

This means a lot, thanks Kitty.

 

Have any of the slow taperers noticed an improvement in your symptoms as you have tapered down. I'm holding onto this hope that as I taper the agoraphobia will go away. Especially if the calculated taper time of 4 1/2 years hold true.

 

Holding for now and I have a dr apt on Dec 28th. I think we are going to discuss my options. He doesn't care how long it takes, in fact he doesn't care if I get off of it at all. He is older though and is not going to be around forever and most of the other doctors at the VA don't know much about benzo withdrawal.

 

 

[[ga...]]

If it helps, I do see a lot of posts that the long term slow tapers teaches you coping skills along the way. In dealing with the daily stress of the cuts and w/d you learn along the way to deal with things. So hopefully these things you learn along the way stay with you and when you get off the meds, you don't feel as much of a need for the meds anymore. Heres to hope!

 

This means a lot, thanks Kitty.

 

Have any of the slow taperers noticed an improvement in your symptoms as you have tapered down. I'm holding onto this hope that as I taper the agoraphobia will go away. Especially if the calculated taper time of 4 1/2 years hold true.

 

Holding for now and I have a dr apt on Dec 28th. I think we are going to discuss my options. He doesn't care how long it takes, in fact he doesn't care if I get off of it at all. He is older though and is not going to be around forever and most of the other doctors at the VA don't know much about benzo withdrawal.

 

I'm not there yet, but I have heard of some people saying their symptoms got better as they got lower.

Gard

[[...]]

Gard, I'm glad to see that tapering is going better than holding for you. I hope that means you will be one of the lucky ones    How slowly are you tapering?

[[ga...]]

Gard, I'm glad to see that tapering is going better than holding for you. I hope that means you will be one of the lucky ones    How slowly are you tapering?

 

I think I'm at about 5% right now. I tried a little faster, but slowed down again. I'm not sure if I was tapering too fast or if life stressors were to blame, but I felt like I was heading in abad direction, so I slowed. Probably I'll feel better after the holidays. Won't we all? Gosh, holidays are hard.

[[...]]

Holidays are really hard.

 

I'm still debating doing a cut and hold, at 5% for the month, or doing a c/c/h/h/h pattern at .0019mg which is about 1.67% a month right now, obviously the percentage will increase as I reduce. It funny that both ways result in about a four year taper.

 

I read on the long hold board about trying a method and letting your body decide what works for you. They suggested trying the pattern for a month or two before you can really know what is going to work. I'm going to discuss that with my pdoc and see what he has to say. I'm also taking my husband with me to my appointment as I forget so much.

 

 

[[ga...]]

Holidays are really hard.

 

I'm still debating doing a cut and hold, at 5% for the month, or doing a c/c/h/h/h pattern at .0019mg which is about 1.67% a month right now, obviously the percentage will increase as I reduce. It funny that both ways result in about a four year taper.

 

I read on the long hold board about trying a method and letting your body decide what works for you. They suggested trying the pattern for a month or two before you can really know what is going to work. I'm going to discuss that with my pdoc and see what he has to say. I'm also taking my husband with me to my appointment as I forget so much.

 

 

Anybody have a spare husband around?