Pdoc appointment today

[[Da...]]

I saw my pdoc today and it was, um, interesting.

 

First, he said I was tapering faster than planned - he put me on a taper schedule of .25mg every week! I slowed down from there and now he's saying I'm going faster than we planned.

 

Then he said I should hold for 2 weeks between dose changes but to keep tapering .125mg at each cut.

 

I asked for a .25mg tablet instead of .5mg and he said they don't make them.

 

Then he told me that I probably have an underlying anxiety disorder and I need to take the lexapro he prescribed at my last appointment and that even though I was ok with minor anxiety prior to meds that my brain could permanently change.

 

If I cut .125 every 2 weeks how bad is that going to be?! What other options do I have for cutting the .5mg tab?

[[bu...]]

1)  From .875, .125mg cuts are almost 15%...pretty big chunks!

 

2)  A very unprofessional opinion, based on your many recent posts, you suffer from more than "minor anxiety" 

 

3)  To do small reductions, you either need to use a precision scale, or liquify your med.

[[Da...]]

No, I mean I was legit ok before I was put on an ssri by my GP and then the shit hit the fan so to speak.

[[be...]]

They make .25 tabs at least here in Canada. I originally took off .125 but after that only.0625 mg and only when ready. With your troubles those are big cuts. And permanent brain damage? I think you need a new doctor. I'm very serious. Can you find one? If they sell .25 mg pills here no idea why not in the States. Very odd but yes. Can you get scales for awhile? Liquid? Much better than such a big cut. B

[[Da...]]

Oh he's straight up mad that I come here for support and suggestions.

[[bu...]]

They make .25 tabs at least here in Canada. I originally took off .125 but after that only.0625 mg and only when ready. With your troubles those are big cuts. And permanent brain damage? I think you need a new doctor. I'm very serious. Can you find one? If they sell .25 mg pills here no idea why not in the States. Very odd but yes. Can you get scales for awhile? Liquid? Much better than such a big cut. B

 

.5 is the smallest tablet in the US.

[[Da...]]

which was is easier for cutting?

 

Liquid or weighing? Both seem kinda complicated for my brain right now.

[[bu...]]

which was is easier for cutting?

 

Liquid or weighing? Both seem kinda complicated for my brain right now.

 

liquid is easier.

[[Da...]]

Sorry, I'm sure this is somewhere but how do I make a liquid?

[[Be...]]

Its in this section.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=62.0

[[bu...]]

Sorry, I'm sure this is somewhere but how do I make a liquid?

 

Dissolve a .5mg tablet in 1ml vodka and add 4ml water.  You now have 5ml liquid, each ml contains .1mg K.

 

Using a 1ml syringe, you can easily measure out doses in hundredths (.01) of a mg.  You could even measure thousandths (.001), but that  probably isn't necessary.

[[Da...]]

How often would you taper the liquid? Daily?

[[Da...]]

Is it safe to mix with vodka?

[[Da...]]

Ok so let me see if I have this straight.

 

I'm currently at .875mg total per day.  So that would be 8.7 ml of liquid.

 

Then I'd decrease-

8.6ml

8.5ml

8.4ml

8.3ml

8.2ml

8.1ml

8.0ml

7.9ml

7.8ml

7.7ml

7.6ml

 

And so on?

 

Is it the same if I use milk?

[[Da...]]

And would I mix it for the day, dose in the AM, store it in the fridge for the day, then take my PM dose?

 

Sorry, my brain isn't working right these days.

[[bu...]]

Ok so let me see if I have this straight.

 

I'm currently at .875mg total per day.  So that would be 8.7 ml of liquid.

 

Then I'd decrease-

8.6ml

8.5ml

8.4ml

8.3ml

8.2ml

8.1ml

8.0ml

7.9ml

7.8ml

7.7ml

7.6ml

 

And so on?

 

Is it the same if I use milk?

 

Yup, that schedule would work.

 

Yup, its safe to mix with vodka (Alcohol is the most commonly used solvent by pharma mfgrs for liquid med.)

 

No, it doesn't need to be refrigerate.

 

Yes, you could use milk.  If of course must  be refrigerate.

 

Or you can use propylen glycol (the 2nd most common liquid med solvent)

[[Da...]]

One more question.... ok  maybe a couple lol.

 

Since I dose twice a day, id alternate which dose I take the .01 from?

 

4.3        4.4

4.3        4.3

4.2        4.3

4.2        4.2

 

 

Am I decreasing too much? Would it be...

 

8.75

8.74

8.73

8.72

[[Da...]]

Do I adjust the daily taper based on where I'm at?

 

For example 5% of .875 vs 5% of .25

 

Or do you just set it at the beginning and go with it?

[[Da...]]

Maybe I have it....

 

8.75

8.70

8.65

8.60

8.55

8.50

8.45

8.40

8.35

8.30

8.25

8.20

8.15

8.10

8.05

8.0

7.95

7.90

7.85

7.80

7.75

7.70

7.65

7.60

7.55

7.50

7.45

7.50

 

8% every 14 days.... then readjust to a smaller amount from here?

[[bu...]]

Maybe I have it....

 

8.75

8.70

8.65

8.60

8.55

8.50

8.45

8.40

8.35

8.30

8.25

8.20

8.15

8.10

8.05

8.0

7.95

7.90

7.85

7.80

7.75

7.70

7.65

7.60

7.55

7.50

7.45

7.50

 

8% every 14 days.... then readjust to a smaller amount from here?

 

You've got the idea.

 

Here is general guideline to construct a daily liquid taper:

 

1)  choose a taper rate/time frame.  ex:  10% 14 days

 

2) multiply the rate X your current dose  ex .875mg X 10%= /.0875mg

 

3) Divide that reduction by the days ex: .0875/14=.00625m cut each day.

 

If your liquid is 1mg=10ml,  .00625mg=.0625ml rouund  down to .06ml

 

So your schedule would be:

 

.875mg (8.75ml)

.815mg (8.15mg)dual

.755mg (7.75ml)

etc. 

 

In this example, your daily dose will always be yesterday's dose minus .06mg (.6ml)

You can divide up each days dose anyway you choose.

 

You can continue that cut rate unless you feel your sxs starting to creep up.  If you sxs start to emerge, it will be graual...you won't get slammed like you do with C&H.

[[er...]]

They make .25 tabs at least here in Canada. I originally took off .125 but after that only.0625 mg and only when ready. With your troubles those are big cuts. And permanent brain damage? I think you need a new doctor. I'm very serious. Can you find one? If they sell .25 mg pills here no idea why not in the States. Very odd but yes. Can you get scales for awhile? Liquid? Much better than such a big cut. B

 

.5 is the smallest tablet in the US.

 

Sorry Builder, you're absolutely wrong on this data.. I'm in the USA and tapered off of clonazepam last year, and it is available in .25mg tabs and in .125mg tabs - I used each of them, and it helped significantly in my taper.

 

That doctor you have sounds like a moron - definitely get a new one.  It is very important for you to shop for the right doctor..

 

I just read the entire post and (with all respect) you guys are complicating the shit out of this!  Just get a new doctor, who supports your tapering efforts, and have the doctor prescribe appropriate number of smaller sized clonazepam tabs.  The .25mg and the .125mg tabs dissolve under your tongue, and are easy to break up as needed.  Like I said, these sizes made things a lot easier for me..  good luck!

[[bu...]]

They make .25 tabs at least here in Canada. I originally took off .125 but after that only.0625 mg and only when ready. With your troubles those are big cuts. And permanent brain damage? I think you need a new doctor. I'm very serious. Can you find one? If they sell .25 mg pills here no idea why not in the States. Very odd but yes. Can you get scales for awhile? Liquid? Much better than such a big cut. B

 

.5 is the smallest tablet in the US.

 

Sorry Builder, you're absolutely wrong on this data.. I'm in the USA and tapered off of clonazepam last year, and it is available in .25mg tabs and in .125mg tabs - I used each of them, and it helped significantly in my taper.

 

That doctor you have sounds like a moron - definitely get a new one.  It is very important for you to shop for the right doctor..

 

 

 

The smallest  conventional tablet dose available in the US is .5mg.  K is, however, available in .125 and .25mg orally disintegrating tablets.

 

http://www.rxlist.com/klonopin-drug.htm

[[be...]]

Well mine were hard very easy to cut .25s. But my Ativan was sublingual or melt in your mouth. Cut ok but best to use those on the same day or next day after cutting. I did and they worked just fine. Too bad they aren't in the states though (the .25 tablets). Odd. But it's true. But dad once you get this liquid figured out it will get easier I'm sure. But again if you can find a better doctor I'd try. B

[[Da...]]

Maybe I have it....

 

8.75

8.70

8.65

8.60

8.55

8.50

8.45

8.40

8.35

8.30

8.25

8.20

8.15

8.10

8.05

8.0

7.95

7.90

7.85

7.80

7.75

7.70

7.65

7.60

7.55

7.50

7.45

7.50

 

8% every 14 days.... then readjust to a smaller amount from here?

 

You've got the idea.

 

Here is general guideline to construct a daily liquid taper:

 

1)  choose a taper rate/time frame.  ex:  10% 14 days

 

2) multiply the rate X your current dose  ex .875mg X 10%= /.0875mg

 

3) Divide that reduction by the days ex: .0875/14=.00625m cut each day.

 

If your liquid is 1mg=10ml,  .00625mg=.0625ml rouund  down to .06ml

 

So your schedule would be:

 

.875mg (8.75ml)

.815mg (8.15mg)dual

.755mg (7.75ml)

etc. 

 

In this example, your daily dose will always be yesterday's dose minus .06mg (.6ml)

You can divide up each days dose anyway you choose.

 

You can continue that cut rate unless you feel your sxs starting to creep up.  If you sxs start to emerge, it will be graual...you won't get slammed like you do with C&H.

 

As you know I've been cutting like a madman so I'm not sure what rate I should start at. Is 10% too much?

[[bu...]]

Well, as I said, you must choose the cut rate/time frame.  (And note there must be time frame attached to the %age rate.)

 

10%/2 weeks is 20% per month.  For most folks, that would be moderate.  But in view of your previous difficulties, why not just start with the 8% you have already laid out.  You can always make changes as you go forward