Daily Micro-Tapering Support Group

[[sh...]]

Hello Buddies,

 

I have all my equipment now to make my first patch to begin my daily micro taper.

 

As suggested, I will hold for a week at my current dose to get used to using the liquid.

 

Before everyone takes off to enjoy their 4th of July weekend, I was hoping someone could please tell me by how much I should begin my cut.

 

I currently take 1/4 of a 0.5 mg tab twice daily of ativan.

 

You are all so much appreciated by me.  I can't wait to share my progress.

 

With much gratitude,

doodle dog

 

Hey doodledog,

 

So glad you are ready to roll.  If you follow the plan that I did for you,  I would reduce by 1ml (CORRECTION) a day which would be .0025mg a day.  I think we did a .5mg/200ml solution right?

 

sharkey

 

Hi Sharkey,

 

I might have this wrong, but I think Doodledog is on 0.250 mg/day and not 0.5 mg/day.  He only needs to use 100 mL of the liquid and save the other 100 mL for the next day (or toss it). 0.5 mg in 200 mL (0.0025 mg/mL) gives him 0.25 mg/day for two days. If he uses 100 mL of  liquid and reduces by 1 mL/day, after two weeks this would be a 14% cut. If he reduces by 0.5 mL/day this will be a 7% cut after 2 weeks. 

 

Anne

 

Hi Anne,

 

Now I am really confused.  Yes, I take the 0.5 mg pills and cut them 4 ways and take 2 of the quarters daily.

 

Oh by the way, I am a she and not a he.    But, it's all good.

 

With gratitude,

doodle dog

 

Doodle Dog,

 

I am sorry about typing he instead of she.   

 

You take 0.250 mg daily. When you make up your liquid, you use a 0.5 mg pill in 200 mL.  Each 100 mL contains 0.25 mg and each mL will contain 0.0025 mg. 

Removing 0.5 mL from your 100 mL liquid, will be a 7% reduction in 14 days. If you remove 1 mL/day this would be a 14% cut in two weeks.  Removing 0.5 mL/day which will be much easier on you than a 14% cut.

 

Anne

 

I see what you mean. I guess I was just following my own taper which was .0025mg a day at her dose.

[[...]]

Hi Anne,

 

Now I am really confused.  Yes, I take the 0.5 mg pills and cut them 4 ways and take 2 of the quarters daily.

 

Oh by the way, I am a she and not a he.    But, it's all good.

 

With gratitude,

doodle dog

 

Doodle Dog,

 

I am sorry about typing he instead of she.   

 

You take 0.250 mg daily. When you make up your liquid, you use a 0.5 mg pill in 200 mL.  Each 100 mL contains 0.25 mg and each mL will contain 0.0025 mg. 

Removing 0.5 mL from your 100 mL liquid, will be a 7% reduction in 14 days. If you remove 1 mL/day this would be a 14% cut in two weeks.  Removing 0.5 mL/day which will be much easier on you than a 14% cut.

 

Anne

 

Just wanted to reinforce that I think .5ml (.00125mg) is an appropriate cut to begin at a dose of .25mg K.  1ml (.0025mg) may work out okay, but it is a bit too aggressive to begin looking there I think.  I'd establish .5ml first, then think about moving up if all is well.

[[sh...]]

Hey doodle dog and Anne,

 

You are doing 2 days worth of batches at a time.  This is so you don't have to break a pill in half before making the solution.  That can cause inconsistencies.  So you will take one of your .5mg pills and make a 200ml solution.  So 100ml will contain .25mg which is your daily dose correct?

 

So your schedule will look like this:

 

100ml/.25mg solution

Day 1:  100ml (divide into 2 even doses)

Day 2:  99ml (divide)

Day 3:  98ml

Day 4:  97ml

And so on....

 

Each 1ml represents .0025mg.  After you start,  you can them decide if you want to keep this rate, increase it, or slow down some.

 

Anne, I glad someone is checking my math.  I do make mistakes so I'm glad I have someone to catch them.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

Doodle dog,

 

So here is a sample schedule based on Anne and SG57's suggestion:

 

100ml\.25mg

Day 1: 100ml

Day 2: 99.5ml

Day3:  99ml

Day 4: 98.5ml

And so on...

 

They are simple suggesting to start slower and see how is goes before you start reducing a full ml a day. Make sense?

[[ga...]]

 

Oh by the way, I am a she and not a he.    But, it's all good.

 

With gratitude,

doodle dog

 

Ah ha! You have revealed your secret! Now how about you go into your profile and select "female" so all of us benzo-brains remember it! 

 

And best wishes to you, too! WE CAN DO THIS!

[[bi...]]

Much thanks to you Anne and Sharkey.  I think i understand. We are taking a break till 1st week of august.  Need to give him break and get stabilized if possible.  we have out of town guests coming and want to try  to be social if possible.  I'll post again as soon as we get started. Wish we would have taken this slower at the start but it's hard when you want to be well again and have little if no patience.  Didn't realize the hellish beast this drug is!!!  I know something positive will come from this.  It's what keeps me going and this sight is a blessing.

[[an...]]

Much thanks to you Anne and Sharkey.  I think i understand. We are taking a break till 1st week of august.  Need to give him break and get stabilized if possible.  we have out of town guests coming and want to try  to be social if possible.  I'll post again as soon as we get started. Wish we would have taken this slower at the start but it's hard when you want to be well again and have little if no patience.  Didn't realize the hellish beast this drug is!!!  I know something positive will come from this.  It's what keeps me going and this sight is a blessing.

 

You are welcome Bigbird.  I hope your partner stabilizes soon. It will work out in the end.

Have a great weekend!!

Anne

[[do...]]

Hey doodle dog and Anne,

 

You are doing 2 days worth of batches at a time.  This is so you don't have to break a pill in half before making the solution.  That can cause inconsistencies.  So you will take one of your .5mg pills and make a 200ml solution.  So 100ml will contain .25mg which is your daily dose correct?

 

So your schedule will look like this:

 

100ml/.25mg solution

Day 1:  100ml (divide into 2 even doses)

Day 2:  99ml (divide)

Day 3:  98ml

Day 4:  97ml

And so on....

 

Each 1ml represents .0025mg.  After you start,  you can them decide if you want to keep this rate, increase it, or slow down some.

 

Anne, I glad someone is checking my math.  I do make mistakes so I'm glad I have someone to catch them.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

Doodle dog,

 

So here is a sample schedule based on Anne and SG57's suggestion:

 

100ml\.25mg

Day 1: 100ml

Day 2: 99.5ml

Day3:  99ml

Day 4: 98.5ml

And so on...

 

They are simple suggesting to start slower and see how is goes before you start reducing a full ml a day. Make sense?

 

Hey Sharkey, SG57 & Anne,

 

You guys are the best.  It is incredibly kind of you all to be helping me in my journey.  It is hard for me to put in words how grateful I am to all of the Daily Micro Tapering Buddies.

 

With much appreciation and hugs to you all,

doodle dog

[[do...]]

 

Oh by the way, I am a she and not a he.    But, it's all good.

 

With gratitude,

doodle dog

 

Ah ha! You have revealed your secret! Now how about you go into your profile and select "female" so all of us benzo-brains remember it! 

 

And best wishes to you, too! WE CAN DO THIS!

 

Hey Gardener,

 

I was not really focused on it until I got called a boy instead of a girl.    I will take your advice and complete my profile.  I guess when I joined my main focus was/is on getting this yucky stuff out of my system.

 

I hope that your taper is going well.

 

With gratitude,

doodle dog

[[Cl...]]

Wow Guys! You are helping so many people! You All are great! May you have a very smooth wd!

[[Sh...]]

Hi all  to anyone thats in fear of all the 'What ifs  that may well be the ''what never happened after all ''  before, during tapering and withdrawal here is a  couple of quotes that I really believe in and maybe others will find it helpful . Paolo Coelho was right when he wrote: ''The fear of suffering is worse than suffering itself.

 

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

Aman Dahanda

 

 

 

To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness.

Eckhart Tolle

 

Love Nova xxx  :smitten:

I needed to read these.  Fear of the WDs and being unable to function keeps me from taking action.  I never want to updose. I have one shot at this in my mind. I have had an emotional week. Reading any threads other than this one terrifies me.  Some of you are close to finishing your tapers. I am so happy for you. You rock.  Shaani 

[[ga...]]

 

Hey Gardener,

 

 

I hope that your taper is going well.

 

With gratitude,

doodle dog

 

Hey Ms. Doodle. I've been micro-tapering for 3 days and I'm feeing better today than I have in months.  I guess this is called a window. And it's just in time to make all the fireworks still going on at 11PM much more tolerable. My neighbors have been at it two nights in a row and it's not even the 4th yet! Sheesh! I am glad I am not having a wave right now. I'd probably be out there strangling somebody.   

Instead I'm just watching old TV shows on DVDs and waiting for it to quiet down.

 

Hope your taper is going well, too! Have a great weekend!

 

[[ga...]]

 

 

I needed to read these.  Fear of the WDs and being unable to function keeps me from taking action.  I never want to updose. I have one shot at this in my mind. I have had an emotional week. Reading any threads other than this one terrifies me.  Some of you are close to finishing your tapers. I am so happy for you. You rock.  Shaani 

 

Shaani, I read about three threads on this forum and just force myself to ignore the rest. I'm done gathering information, so there's no point in reading any more horror stories. The people who suffer the most are a small but understandably vocal minority. My heart goes out to them but I'm not in any kind of condition to be immersing myself in negativity and misery. At this point, I need to focus on the positive so I can get better.

 

BTW, I up-dosed slightly once after a stupidly huge cut, stabilized (took 3 very miserable weeks), and went on again. I think with the micro-tapering, I will more likely need to hold than to up-dose. But, even if I have to again, it's not a failure. It's a bump in the road. There will be bumps, but, remember we are on the right road and that's what matters!

[[Ul...]]

I just realized how close we are to Independence Day!!  I think im going to hold at 1ml on Friday so my Benzo Free day is on July 4th!!!

LOLOLOLOLOLOL  how cool is that 

 

I don't know whether to cry from happiness for you or from sadness for us. You're not leaving us, are you?!

 

If he ever left us, then we'd begin a huge man-hunt! Sharkey, you're on a 3-year contract with me (since I have so far to go).  You're not allowed to leave any of us    Hang tight, all!!!!!

 

You tell him, Ultra!! And at the rate I'm going, I may need that 3-year contract, too. Ugh!

 

You're THERE, Gardener!! Just keep rockin' it slowly and you'll be just dandy. I've learned two things: we all start somewhere, and slow is good. Like SG has said so often...go slow enough for the brain to heal so withdrawals won't be a problem (for the most part) and "recover" at the end will be mostly done. You're all good!!

[[do...]]

 

Hey Gardener,

 

 

I hope that your taper is going well.

 

With gratitude,

doodle dog

 

 

 

Hey Ms. Doodle. I've been micro-tapering for 3 days and I'm feeing better today than I have in months.  I guess this is called a window. And it's just in time to make all the fireworks still going on at 11PM much more tolerable. My neighbors have been at it two nights in a row and it's not even the 4th yet! Sheesh! I am glad I am not having a wave right now. I'd probably be out there strangling somebody.   

Instead I'm just watching old TV shows on DVDs and waiting for it to quiet down.

 

Hope your taper is going well, too! Have a great weekend!

 

Hey Gardener,

 

That's so funny that you called me Ms. Doodle (no mistaking my gender that way). 

 

Glad to hear that so far you are doing good.  I will probably begin my journey this weekend.  I will post when I do.

 

Yes, coming off this stuff around the 4th of July can make one hyper vigilante just  like it does the poor doggies.

 

I am in your corner.

doodle dog

[[Ul...]]

 

Mercy! From all of my physiology and chemistry labs I had when I went back to graduate school at my old age (Lord only knows how I managed to complete the masters degree while being on boat-loads of K as well as other psychotropic meds), I learned one hard lesson...ALWAYS use glass. I do know that plastics mess with various solvents and meds, not to mention the toxins released by the plastic into the solution. For what it's worth...

 

Ultra, I store my liquid alprazolam and its dilution in glass bottles. But, after supper each day, I draw up my bedtime and the next day's alprazolam into 6 separate syringes, one for each dose. My son is there to check to make sure I do it right. I have serious cog fog. I need to do this when I know I can focus and get it right. The syringes have little caps. I can grab one and go if I need to leave the house. The med is in the syringe for 3-24 hours depending on the dose. Do you think keeping the med in the plastic syringe that long is risky? The manufacturer said not to do it. Another person on BB said she does it all the time.

 

Hey Gardener. Well, I'm sure Sharkey, SG and Builder would have their opinions. I'm pretty weird and pretty sensitive when it comes to ANYTHING that can possibly mess with side effects, W/D's, etc. Personally, I'm sticking with glass because things have been good with that situation. BUT, if you use the syringe with no problems, then I'd say 'let er rip'. I also have read other places on BB that plastic was O.K. for them. I just know that it's not good for ME. Forgive me if I'm wrong (correct me here, Sharkey, if you know differently), but I heard and read other areas online that Valium is most effected by plastic. You have a small amount of med in each syringe, so I bet you'd be O.K. with plastic. Thoughts, SG, Builder, anyone?

[[Ul...]]

 

 

I needed to read these.  Fear of the WDs and being unable to function keeps me from taking action.  I never want to updose. I have one shot at this in my mind. I have had an emotional week. Reading any threads other than this one terrifies me.  Some of you are close to finishing your tapers. I am so happy for you. You rock.  Shaani 

 

Shaani, I read about three threads on this forum and just force myself to ignore the rest. I'm done gathering information, so there's no point in reading any more horror stories. The people who suffer the most are a small but understandably vocal minority. My heart goes out to them but I'm not in any kind of condition to be immersing myself in negativity and misery. At this point, I need to focus on the positive so I can get better.

 

BTW, I up-dosed slightly once after a stupidly huge cut, stabilized (took 3 very miserable weeks), and went on again. I think with the micro-tapering, I will more likely need to hold than to up-dose. But, even if I have to again, it's not a failure. It's a bump in the road. There will be bumps, but, remember we are on the right road and that's what matters!

 

Yeh, Shaani. I'd say don't read any of the other things on BB (or anywhere). None of it matters anyway. You're educated enough by now. You know what to do, so just go for it and take it slow. Nobody else in any other thread can control your mind. I made the mistake of reading other BB threads and practically freaked. My wife went through a killer bout with cancer over the past two years, and she told me that the people that do poorly with cancer (or anything, for that matter) usually do so because they don't follow a known workable protocol and end up feeling horrible and then go online and complain about it, or whatever. In other words, the people that do the worst because they don't do something the correct way...well, those are the ones that tend to go online and hash it out. You and I just need to take it one day at a time, and spend the majority of our time focusing on something else other than THIS. We're not going to let some drug control our lives anymore!!!!! WE'RE in control. Live life. Just titrate for a while as you live it, and soon the titration will be a thing of the past and life will go on. Today I did some volunteering, worked in the yard, and talked to some really nice neighbors. I forgot I was even on a drug!! Get rockin' and you'll do great. You'll see.  Hugs to ya!

[[Mo...]]

 

Mercy! From all of my physiology and chemistry labs I had when I went back to graduate school at my old age (Lord only knows how I managed to complete the masters degree while being on boat-loads of K as well as other psychotropic meds), I learned one hard lesson...ALWAYS use glass. I do know that plastics mess with various solvents and meds, not to mention the toxins released by the plastic into the solution. For what it's worth...

 

Ultra, I store my liquid alprazolam and its dilution in glass bottles. But, after supper each day, I draw up my bedtime and the next day's alprazolam into 6 separate syringes, one for each dose. My son is there to check to make sure I do it right. I have serious cog fog. I need to do this when I know I can focus and get it right. The syringes have little caps. I can grab one and go if I need to leave the house. The med is in the syringe for 3-24 hours depending on the dose. Do you think keeping the med in the plastic syringe that long is risky? The manufacturer said not to do it. Another person on BB said she does it all the time.

 

Hey Gardener. Well, I'm sure Sharkey, SG and Builder would have their opinions. I'm pretty weird and pretty sensitive when it comes to ANYTHING that can possibly mess with side effects, W/D's, etc. Personally, I'm sticking with glass because things have been good with that situation. BUT, if you use the syringe with no problems, then I'd say 'let er rip'. I also have read other places on BB that plastic was O.K. for them. I just know that it's not good for ME. Forgive me if I'm wrong (correct me here, Sharkey, if you know differently), but I heard and read other areas online that Valium is most effected by plastic. You have a small amount of med in each syringe, so I bet you'd be O.K. with plastic. Thoughts, SG, Builder, anyone?

 

From what I understand it's only certain types of plastic and. To the ones used for syringes etc.

I mean, some meds are kept IN syringes from production on. And what about the plastic liquid bags used in hospitals?

Also, Roxanne liquid Valium comes in a plastic bottle.

 

I remember there was this question on the Valium  thread last year so I recall it doesn't go for every kind of plastic...

 

I have my main supply in a glass jar . Don't want to store it in plastic for weeks or days . But I do fill my syringe for the next morning to put on my night stand and leave it overnight in the syringe.

But I would not be comfortable keeping my Valium in any kind of plastic for storage. Either way. 

 

 

 

[[do...]]

Hey doodle dog and Anne,

 

You are doing 2 days worth of batches at a time.  This is so you don't have to break a pill in half before making the solution.  That can cause inconsistencies.  So you will take one of your .5mg pills and make a 200ml solution.  So 100ml will contain .25mg which is your daily dose correct?

 

So your schedule will look like this:

 

100ml/.25mg solution

Day 1:  100ml (divide into 2 even doses)

Day 2:  99ml (divide)

Day 3:  98ml

Day 4:  97ml

And so on....

 

Each 1ml represents .0025mg.  After you start,  you can them decide if you want to keep this rate, increase it, or slow down some.

 

Anne, I glad someone is checking my math.  I do make mistakes so I'm glad I have someone to catch them.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

Doodle dog,

 

So here is a sample schedule based on Anne and SG57's suggestion:

 

100ml\.25mg

Day 1: 100ml

Day 2: 99.5ml

Day3:  99ml

Day 4: 98.5ml

And so on...

 

They are simple suggesting to start slower and see how is goes before you start reducing a full ml a day. Make sense?

 

Yes Sharkey, I am glad to report that it makes sense.  Wow, thank you for the schedules.

 

With gratitude,

doodle dog

[[Ul...]]

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

[[Gy...]]

Hi all  to anyone thats in fear of all the 'What ifs  that may well be the ''what never happened after all ''  before, during tapering and withdrawal here is a  couple of quotes that I really believe in and maybe others will find it helpful . Paolo Coelho was right when he wrote: ''The fear of suffering is worse than suffering itself.

 

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

Aman Dahanda

 

 

 

To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness.

Eckhart Tolle

 

Love Nova xxx  :smitten:

I needed to read these.  Fear of the WDs and being unable to function keeps me from taking action.  I never want to updose. I have one shot at this in my mind. I have had an emotional week. Reading any threads other than this one terrifies me.  Some of you are close to finishing your tapers. I am so happy for you. You rock.  Shaani 

 

Hey Shaani

 

I think we have all been in your situation, fear of taking action because of WD is pretty common, I have been at BB since 2013 and still here, this thread by far is the most positive around probably due to the fact that daily micro tapering works. It is so much easier on the body than cut and hold ( been there done that). My last hold was  1 year because of the fear. I only started daily taper in April going slow but slow is better than stagnant. This is not a race or a competition. Go at your own pace we are all individuals with our own unique set of problems. Support of each other and encouragement is the name of the game on this thread

 

Luv n hugs

 

Gypsy

 

 

[[sh...]]

Wow!!!  You guys are amazing,  just love the energy, support, and encouragement I am seeing from all of you.  I really needed to come back this morning and read all of your posts. 

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

[[mf...]]

I decided to start MCT today. Can someone check my math? I'm going to be doing 5% cut at 21 day intervals. Started at 1.08 mg K. I came up with .0026 as my daily decrease. I'm using whole milk for liquid titration.

[[...]]

Your dose is 1.08mg K and you want to spread a 5% cut over 21 days.  5% of 1.08mg is .054mg.  Divided up into 21 parts is .0026mg per day.  Check!  And I can tell you that is a very reasonable cut at your dose.

[[mf...]]

Your dose is 1.08mg K and you want to spread a 5% cut over 21 days.  5% of 1.08mg is .054mg.  Divided up into 21 parts is .0026mg per day.  Check!  And I can tell you that is a very reasonable cut at your dose.

 

Yes, I'm starting by shortening the hold time between cuts so it bumps it up a little faster. As a rule, my symptoms in a cut and hold would peak around day 10-14 (but at this cut they were minor) and would be gone by week three. I was holding that extra few days for 'security'. But I think with a MCT that would be smoother because it's not even 1% daily. I would suspect if there was an impact it would actually take longer to feel it since I wouldn't even arrive at the actual 5% until the 3rd week when I was ready for my next calculation. If I'm right, I wouldn't really experience w/d with an MCT or it would take longer to feel it (but that is adjusted for because my body is not reacting to a sudden larger cut).

 

At one point I was doing 5.5% with some low level w/d but I had a lot of stress, anxiety and fear of the taper as well as fear of the w/d and fear of taking the med - all that crazy stuff. So I think that now that I feel much calmer about the whole thing and have come to terms with all of it I might be able to get to that 5.5% and maybe even a little higher. I'll play it by ear. The good things is that MCT doesn't really blind side you. You can adjust as you go and hold rather than a big blindside from too big of a cut. You nip it in the bud with MCT before those sxs reach a higher level like with cut and hold method. That's my logic anyway.

[[an...]]

I decided to start MCT today. Can someone check my math? I'm going to be doing 5% cut at 21 day intervals. Started at 1.08 mg K. I came up with .0026 as my daily decrease. I'm using whole milk for liquid titration.

 

Hi Mfate,

 

Yes, you are correct.  Removing 0.0026 mg/day will be a 5% cut for three weeks.  These are very small cuts so you should do just fine. 

 

Anne