Daily Micro-Tapering Support Group

[[ga...]]

 

 

 

Probably reading about people getting more symptoms at lower doses is influencing.

 

Folks have difficulty at lower doses because they try to maintain the same absolute (mgs) cut rate, instead of adjust in the cut rate so they have a steady percentage cut rate.

 

If you maintain a fairly stable percentage cut rate, it is extremely unlikely you have any problems at lower doses.  Most folks who keep the percentage manageable find the lower doses easier.

Percentages is definitely safer, but I'm doing the same absolute cut rate now and still doing OK. Knock wood!

 

 

How do you manage percentages?

That I really don’t understand

Does it mean you stay longer on a cut than the continous lowering ? holding?

Until now it went ok but now either doubt gives uncertainty, thus restlessness or I cut too fast...

 

People use percents because the common idea is that cutting 10% per month is safe for most people. An easy way to do this is to figure your 10% at the beginning of each month. You can just ask on this thread or the Titration board how much to cut each day to make your taper rate 10% for the month. Today is June first, so you could ask today. Then ask again on July 1st. And again on August 1st. That would keep you at 10%.

 

If you want to do it yourself, here's how:

 

Take your total milliliters. Divide it by 10. That's 10%. You want to take 30 days to reduce by that much so divide that by 30. That is how much you reduce each day in June.

 

If that's confusing, don't worry about it. Just ask and someone will do it for you.

 

I'm sorry but I don't do math for other people because I make silly mistakes. I will make them for myself, but not someone else.

 

Another thing to remember is you will have waves (bad days or hours) and windows (good days or hours) no matter how you taper. This is normal. I tell myself, "This is a wave. It's normal. It will pass." Over and over and over. And I distract with things to keep my mind on other things, a video, a book, cooking, even coloring, anything I find pleasant. When the bad stuff pops in again, I say, "It will pass," again.

 

If the waves are consent and getting worse, I hold for a week or so. And I slow my taper down. But usually they not constant and they do pass. Yours will, too. One day at a time.

[[Co...]]

 

 

 

Probably reading about people getting more symptoms at lower doses is influencing.

 

Folks have difficulty at lower doses because they try to maintain the same absolute (mgs) cut rate, instead of adjust in the cut rate so they have a steady percentage cut rate.

 

If you maintain a fairly stable percentage cut rate, it is extremely unlikely you have any problems at lower doses.  Most folks who keep the percentage manageable find the lower doses easier.

Percentages is definitely safer, but I'm doing the same absolute cut rate now and still doing OK. Knock wood!

 

 

How do you manage percentages?

That I really don’t understand

Does it mean you stay longer on a cut than the continous lowering ? holding?

Until now it went ok but now either doubt gives uncertainty, thus restlessness or I cut too fast...

 

People use percents because the common idea is that cutting 10% per month is safe for most people. An easy way to do this is to figure your 10% at the beginning of each month. You can just ask on this thread or the Titration board how much to cut each day to make your taper rate 10% for the month. Today is June first, so you could ask today. Then ask again on July 1st. And again on August 1st. That would keep you at 10%.

 

If you want to do it yourself, here's how:

 

Take your total milliliters. Divide it by 10. That's 10%. You want to take 30 days to reduce by that much so divide that by 30. That is how much you reduce each day in June.

 

If that's confusing, don't worry about it. Just ask and someone will do it for you.

 

I'm sorry but I don't do math for other people because I make silly mistakes. I will make them for myself, but not someone else.

 

Another thing to remember is you will have waves (bad days or hours) and windows (good days or hours) no matter how you taper. This is normal. I tell myself, "This is a wave. It's normal. It will pass." Over and over and over. And I distract with things to keep my mind on other things, a video, a book, cooking, even coloring, anything I find pleasant. When the bad stuff pops in again, I say, "It will pass," again.

 

If the waves are consent and getting worse, I hold for a week or so. And I slow my taper down. But usually they not constant and they do pass. Yours will, too. One day at a time.

 

 

 

Thank you so much Gardie!!

I will definitely need to ask...I don’t dare to do math.

The way I taper now has been giving less symptoms than what I did before.

I dry cut, weigh but trust mostly on my eyeball measuring.

I see the pill diminishing and that is all I need.

My question was, you have answered it, thank you! when to hold, if to hold.

When to call it ‘worrying ‘ when a ‘wave’

If it is ok to just continue to lower the tiny piece every two days or to be cautious and hold for a few days.

I mean that I don’t want to push it until I feel it too strongly, as I did it with the rest of the doses until now.

I am quite functional, continuing to work, perform( musician).

You have helped a lot! :thumbsup:

 

[[bu...]]

Even when its measured in milligrams ("absolute"), every quantity IS a percentage.

 

Cut amount/dose amount = cut percentage  Ex:  .5mg cut/10mg dose = 5%  (.5/10=.05)

 

So if you were at 10mg and were cutting .5mg every 2 weeks, then that's 5% every 2 weeks.

 

But when you get down to 5mg, then its .5mg/5mg=10% every 2 weeks.

 

And when you get down to 3mg, then its .5mg/3mg=17% every 2 weeks.

 

A steady milligram cut is OK, as long as the percentage is low enough to be tolerable. If you start at a slow enough rate, then you might be able to stay at that rate all the way down.

 

But...when folks find it more difficult at lower doses, its almost always because they have reached a percentage cut rate that exceeds their body's recovery rate.

[[Co...]]

Even when its measured in milligrams ("absolute"), every quantity IS a percentage.

 

Cut amount/dose amount = cut percentage  Ex:  .5mg cut/10mg dose = 5%  (.5/10=.05)

 

So if you were at 10mg and were cutting .5mg every 2 weeks, then that's 5% every 2 weeks.

 

But when you get down to 5mg, then its .5mg/5mg=10% every 2 weeks.

 

And when you get down to 3mg, then its .5mg/3mg=17% every 2 weeks.

 

A steady milligram cut is OK, as long as the percentage is low enough to be tolerable. If you start at a slow enough rate, then you might be able to stay at that rate all the way down.

 

But...when folks find it more difficult at lower doses, its almost always because they have reached a percentage cut rate that exceeds their body's recovery rate.

 

 

Thank you!!

I need to understand it in pill weight numbers .

I cut 0,10 out of 0,120 pill weight in 23 days.

That means 1 mg / 3 weeks  = 1%?

That should be, in case I did the math correctly?? quite a slow pace?

 

[[Co...]]

Even when its measured in milligrams ("absolute"), every quantity IS a percentage.

 

Cut amount/dose amount = cut percentage  Ex:  .5mg cut/10mg dose = 5%  (.5/10=.05)

 

So if you were at 10mg and were cutting .5mg every 2 weeks, then that's 5% every 2 weeks.

 

But when you get down to 5mg, then its .5mg/5mg=10% every 2 weeks.

 

And when you get down to 3mg, then its .5mg/3mg=17% every 2 weeks.

 

A steady milligram cut is OK, as long as the percentage is low enough to be tolerable. If you start at a slow enough rate, then you might be able to stay at that rate all the way down.

 

But...when folks find it more difficult at lower doses, its almost always because they have reached a percentage cut rate that exceeds their body's recovery rate.

 

 

Thank you!!

I need to understand it in pill weight numbers .

I cut 0,10 out of 0,120 pill weight in 23 days.

That means 1 mg / 3 weeks  = 1%?

That should be, in case I did the math correctly?? quite a slow pace?

 

 

I hope you don’t despair with my math!

 

[[bu...]]

 

 

Thank you!!

I need to understand it in pill weight numbers .

I cut 0,10 out of 0,120 pill weight in 23 days.

That means 1 mg / 3 weeks  = 1%?

That should be, in case I did the math correctly?? quite a slow pace?

 

I'm pretty sure you mean you cut 1mg (weight) from a 120mg (weight) tablet.  1)Most tablets usually weigh about 120-160mg(.120-.160g) and 2) most scales can NOT read to .0001g (.1mg)

 

If that's correct, then its 1/120=.008  = .8%

 

and if you cut 1mg (weight) each day for 3 weeks (21 days) then its...

 

23mg/120=.19 =19% per 3 weeks, or about 6% per week.

[[Co...]]

 

 

Thank you!!

I need to understand it in pill weight numbers .

I cut 0,10 out of 0,120 pill weight in 23 days.

That means 1 mg / 3 weeks  = 1%?

That should be, in case I did the math correctly?? quite a slow pace?

 

I'm pretty sure you mean you cut 1mg (weight) from a 120mg (weight) tablet.  1)Most tablets usually weigh about 120-160mg(.120-.160g) and 2) most scales can NOT read to .0001g (.1mg)

 

If that's correct, then its 1/120=.008  = .8%

 

and if you cut 1mg (weight) each day for 3 weeks (21 days) then its...

 

23mg/120=.19 =19% per 3 weeks, or about 6% per week.

 

 

That sounds a bit too fast?

Compared with 10% month

[[Co...]]

 

 

Thank you!!

I need to understand it in pill weight numbers .

I cut 0,10 out of 0,120 pill weight in 23 days.

That means 1 mg / 3 weeks  = 1%?

That should be, in case I did the math correctly?? quite a slow pace?

 

I'm pretty sure you mean you cut 1mg (weight) from a 120mg (weight) tablet.  1)Most tablets usually weigh about 120-160mg(.120-.160g) and 2) most scales can NOT read to .0001g (.1mg)

 

If that's correct, then its 1/120=.008  = .8%

 

and if you cut 1mg (weight) each day for 3 weeks (21 days) then its...

 

23mg/120=.19 =19% per 3 weeks, or about 6% per week

 

 

 

I cut  1mg every two days .

10 mg in 23 days

 

[[bu...]]

I cut  1mg every two days .

10 mg in 23 days

 

OK, then 10mg (weight)/120mg (weight) =.08 X 100 =8%

 

So your cutting 8%/23 days or approx 2.5% per week.

[[Co...]]

I cut  1mg every two days .

10 mg in 23 days

 

OK, then 10mg (weight)/120mg (weight) =.08 X 100 =8%

 

So your cutting 8%/23 days or approx 2.5% per week.

 

 

Thank you for your patience builder!

 

[[ga...]]

I cut  1mg every two days .

10 mg in 23 days

 

OK, then 10mg (weight)/120mg (weight) =.08 X 100 =8%

 

So your cutting 8%/23 days or approx 2.5% per week.

 

 

Thank you for your patience builder!

 

8% every 23 days is a reasonable rate. 

[[Co...]]

I cut  1mg every two days .

10 mg in 23 days

 

OK, then 10mg (weight)/120mg (weight) =.08 X 100 =8%

 

So your cutting 8%/23 days or approx 2.5% per week.

 

 

Thank you for your patience builder!

 

8% every 23 days is a reasonable rate. 

 

 

Thank you Gardie!!

[[Ul...]]

 

 

 

Probably reading about people getting more symptoms at lower doses is influencing.

 

Folks have difficulty at lower doses because they try to maintain the same absolute (mgs) cut rate, instead of adjust in the cut rate so they have a steady percentage cut rate.

 

If you maintain a fairly stable percentage cut rate, it is extremely unlikely you have any problems at lower doses.  Most folks who keep the percentage manageable find the lower doses easier.

Percentages is definitely safer, but I'm doing the same absolute cut rate now and still doing OK. Knock wood!

 

Yes, same Gardie. A few days to go! 

 

Oh, wow, so happy for you!

 

I'm reducing about 1 milligram a month, so I see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

 

One mg each MONTH??!!! Holy cow! It takes me years to go down a mg! By the way, congrats to you

 

Super hugs!

 

Jeff

[[ga...]]

 

 

 

Probably reading about people getting more symptoms at lower doses is influencing.

 

Folks have difficulty at lower doses because they try to maintain the same absolute (mgs) cut rate, instead of adjust in the cut rate so they have a steady percentage cut rate.

 

If you maintain a fairly stable percentage cut rate, it is extremely unlikely you have any problems at lower doses.  Most folks who keep the percentage manageable find the lower doses easier.

Percentages is definitely safer, but I'm doing the same absolute cut rate now and still doing OK. Knock wood!

 

Yes, same Gardie. A few days to go! 

 

Oh, wow, so happy for you!

 

I'm reducing about 1 milligram a month, so I see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

 

One mg each MONTH??!!! Holy cow! It takes me years to go down a mg! By the way, congrats to you

 

Super hugs!

 

Jeff

 

  Only been able to do that in the final stretch. Plus Librium is a very, very weak benzo.

[[de...]]

I dont post often but I am at my wits end and need some input.

 

Does anyone else's mind feel like it is always speeding along processing thoughts?

Like your thinking about things and stressing about things constantly? I cant stop. Its like my mind is on speed and its hard to talk to others like my husband because my thoughts are all over the place. And he thinks i am trying to control him and he said why are you like this i cant get a word in edge wise and I can never finish a sentence.

 

Went to my first psychiatrist appt on friday i have been seeing a psychologist for months now but with so much stress from my daughter thats 28 and back home my hr has been consumed about her and what to do rather than working on me.

 

So now I am trying not to speak to anyone at home unless I am asked something and I feel like I am going to implode. And now i have everyone asking me whats wrong,

 

The psychiatrist picked up on it and said she would suggest either i take more k when i feel like i am in a stressed situation (not happening) and then she offered me a script of gabapentin (I know to many people struggling to get off of that one too) and i told her how addicting it was and she said i was mistaken. She tried to convince me its ok to take just a bit more of k when stressed to calm my brain and help me. I just listened and told her thank you and have a nice day.

 

I would appreciate any help with my problem I feel like i am losing my family..but to be honest i think i have always been this way with being on k for 38 yrs. I am desperate to change but not sure what coping skills might help either.

 

thanks in advance..and even tho i dont post often i do read here daily and have all of you in my thoughts.

[[...]]

I want to tell you you are a very impressive person with how careful and dedicated you are to your taper. I see in your signature line how are you carefully reduce your dose. You’re doing the right thing.

 

You are clearly smart enough to do this

 

That’s sad you have a long way to go. I remember when I finally get down to .125 mg of Klonopin. That’s what it was really difficult for me and it still took me four months to get off the rest. 

 

You’re just gonna have to be patient -  stopping benzos takes time. But be comforted, many people have done this before you.

 

 

[[Co...]]

I dont post often but I am at my wits end and need some input.

 

Does anyone else's mind feel like it is always speeding along processing thoughts?

Like your thinking about things and stressing about things constantly? I cant stop. Its like my mind is on speed and its hard to talk to others like my husband because my thoughts are all over the place. And he thinks i am trying to control him and he said why are you like this i cant get a word in edge wise and I can never finish a sentence.

 

Went to my first psychiatrist appt on friday i have been seeing a psychologist for months now but with so much stress from my daughter thats 28 and back home my hr has been consumed about her and what to do rather than working on me.

 

So now I am trying not to speak to anyone at home unless I am asked something and I feel like I am going to implode. And now i have everyone asking me whats wrong,

 

The psychiatrist picked up on it and said she would suggest either i take more k when i feel like i am in a stressed situation (not happening) and then she offered me a script of gabapentin (I know to many people struggling to get off of that one too) and i told her how addicting it was and she said i was mistaken. She tried to convince me its ok to take just a bit more of k when stressed to calm my brain and help me. I just listened and told her thank you and have a nice day.

 

I would appreciate any help with my problem I feel like i am losing my family..but to be honest i think i have always been this way with being on k for 38 yrs. I am desperate to change but not sure what coping skills might help either.

 

thanks in advance..and even tho i dont post often i do read here daily and have all of you in my thoughts.

 

 

Hi Deepcanyon,

 

I read your post .

From my own experience I know when on a benzo or in withdrawal , our system is overactive, over sensitive.

Thoughts can be rushing , the stress level high, especially when you have real reasons for it.

What helped me in such moments was writing down the thoughts.

No matter what thoughts, just write them.

 

Not even the close family members cannot understand what you feel.

You are right , trying not to share.

It makes you feel more lonely when not understood.

 

Also breathing excercises are helping , clean the mind, name thoughts ‘Thoughts’ and let them pass.

 

I think you were very brave and very right not to listen to the psychiatrist!

More benzo will not be a solution.

It is difficult to change lifetime habits but Never Impossible!

Self help, willingness to do it Slowly, the help we all get on the BB, communicating with people who do understand what you are going through, are tools to achieve it.

 

Much strength continuing the taper.

You did a great job until now, keep going.

 

[[mo...]]

I dont post often but I am at my wits end and need some input.

 

Does anyone else's mind feel like it is always speeding along processing thoughts?

Like your thinking about things and stressing about things constantly? I cant stop. Its like my mind is on speed and its hard to talk to others like my husband because my thoughts are all over the place. And he thinks i am trying to control him and he said why are you like this i cant get a word in edge wise and I can never finish a sentence.

 

Went to my first psychiatrist appt on friday i have been seeing a psychologist for months now but with so much stress from my daughter thats 28 and back home my hr has been consumed about her and what to do rather than working on me.

 

So now I am trying not to speak to anyone at home unless I am asked something and I feel like I am going to implode. And now i have everyone asking me whats wrong,

 

The psychiatrist picked up on it and said she would suggest either i take more k when i feel like i am in a stressed situation (not happening) and then she offered me a script of gabapentin (I know to many people struggling to get off of that one too) and i told her how addicting it was and she said i was mistaken. She tried to convince me its ok to take just a bit more of k when stressed to calm my brain and help me. I just listened and told her thank you and have a nice day.

 

I would appreciate any help with my problem I feel like i am losing my family..but to be honest i think i have always been this way with being on k for 38 yrs. I am desperate to change but not sure what coping skills might help either.

 

thanks in advance..and even tho i dont post often i do read here daily and have all of you in my thoughts.

 

You’re doing a great job Deepcanyon. These low doses can be difficult I know it was for me. I don’t think it’s fair to say you’ve been like this all along the truth is you don’t know how you’ll be without k. I experienced so many emotions including depression, rage, cog fog and racing thoughts too. It all passes eventually. Well I still have some cog fog but hopefully it will pass. Explain to your family you’re not well and you were injured by a drug your doctor prescribed. Hopefully they’ll understand. You can only do the best you can. Just find ways to distract yourself. You have to essentially beat your mind. Also try deep breathing, meditation and especially yoga. Yoga really does heal our brains and helps us be in the moment. Definitely no coffee I saw huge improvement in anxiety after I stopped coffee. Best of luck and stay strong.

[[te...]]

Congratulations so happy for you !

 

Lisa

[[mo...]]

Congratulations so happy for you !

 

Lisa

 

Thanks so much Lisa. 

[[ga...]]

I think I missed your jump, mountaintop! (Or maybe it got lost in my cog fog. )

 

Congratulations!

 

 

[[...]]

I am working on doing the DLMT. I was wondering if I could make a batch to last a month. Would it be stable and not go bad?  Thanks. I am using the PG for suspension.

[[mo...]]

I think I missed your jump, mountaintop! (Or maybe it got lost in my cog fog. )

 

Congratulations!

 

Thank you gardie! So far so good. 

[[Ma...]]

I am working on doing the DLMT. I was wondering if I could make a batch to last a month. Would it be stable and not go bad?  Thanks. I am using the PG for suspension.

 

I am pretty certain it is okay, I use milk so let's hope someone can give us a 100% answer. 

[[bu...]]

I am working on doing the DLMT. I was wondering if I could make a batch to last a month. Would it be stable and not go bad?  Thanks. I am using the PG for suspension.

 

It will not "go bad". or lose potency, or degrade in any way.

 

But as a result of opening and closing, dipping your syringe(s) in, etc, it can become contaminated with bacteria.  And even that will not effect its usefullness; it just gets kind icky.   

 

You might be fine at a month, but I always have suggested 10-14 days.