Help with math - titrating from 6.5mg, dry cutting 2mg valium tabs on scale

[[...]]

Let me know if you have any questions on the scale.

Just remember, all scales have drift at very tiny weights.

Most people can handle it because benzos stay in the blood long enough so if one day you get a little more and the next is a little less, it averages out.

Also, if you do not know what tare means, it is a button on the scale you press to zero it out before putting the drug on it.

[Guest [...]]

Hi Bob7

 

Thank you for helping me with this:

 

In relation to the scales: I do understand about ‘tare’ button, but I had read somewhere that these type of scales work more accurately if you put a penny or something of similar weight on before weighing your tablet/tablets, as the scales accuracy increases when it’s weighing in its midrange rather than just weighing from 0 weight. It didn’t explain it properly, but I assume you would put a penny on the scale and then tare before weighing your tablet. But I’m thinking that maybe the weighing trays that come with it already serve that purpose?

 

In relation to doses: With the online taper plan tool, it explains (because of inconsistent individual tablet weights) one needs to weigh up 10 or more tablets to get a average pill weight to avoid inconsistent cuts due to those fluctuating tablet weights. Apparently each tablet can vary in weight anywhere up to 10%. I can see that if each individual tablet is slightly different in weight, then shaving or filing each individual tablet to the taper cut weight reduction for each daily dose could make the cuts inconsistent because of that 10% fluctuation between the weight of each tablet.

 

My question is this: if one has to weigh up 10 tablets to get an average weight of each tab so the taper rate tool can calculate the taper rate, would it not be wise to also crush all 10 tabs into powder and weigh each dose reduction from the powder to minimise the fluctuation between tablet weights, or would you still just shave or file and weigh one tablet at a time to match each daily dosage reduction? 

 

Sorry if I haven’t explained myself very well, hopefully you’ll make some sense out of it.

[Guest [...]]

Hi Bob7,

 

I just watched a YouTube video on using scales to do a dry micro taper. It’s given me some answers.

 

I do have one other question which popped into my head while watching; Because of the fluctuation in weight between each tablet, does this mean that each tablet can have slightly more or slightly less of the active ingredient in each 2mg tablet? Meaning that each tablet could be slightly more or less than 2mg?

[[Li...]]

While we’re waiting to hear back from Bob7 …

 

Let me address your question about fluctuations in the amount of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) in tablets.  The answer is yes, it’s possible that the amount of API in one tablet can be slightly different than that in another.

 

Pharmaceutical manufacturing standards allow the amount of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) in solid dosage forms to vary.  For example, according to the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) (Uddin et al), the amount can vary by +/- 10% between tablets (i.e. from 90 to 110%). 

 

I do not have an authoritative source to confirm this, but based on multiple other sources I’ve read, the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) uses a similar +/-10% standard for most, but not all, drugs (drugs with a narrow therapeutic index have a narrower range).  I do not know what the standards are in your country but my guess is the allowed variability would be similar to that used by the IP and USP.

 

The good news is this high variability is unlikely within a given lot of a drug or even between different lots assuming that the drug manufacturer follows good manufacturing practice guidelines for manufacturing, testing, and quality assurance.

 

Citation:

 

Uddin, Md. Sahab et al. In-process and finished products quality control tests for pharmaceutical tablets according to Pharmacopoeias. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research. 2015, 7(19): 180-185.  Accessed online at: https://www.jocpr.com/articles/inprocess-and-finished-products-quality-control-tests-for-pharmaceutical-tablets-according-to-pharmacopoeias.pdf

[[...]]

I agree with Libertas.  I have seen talk of 10% in the pill itself, in particular between brands.

I cannot be sure, I suspect this is much greater than the variations you see in the scale and so I think when people are suffering, they blame the variation in the scale when it is just natural waves and windows of withdrawal.  Then they create anxiety about the scale and anxiety feeds withdrawal symptoms.

 

I found it best to not get hung up on being exact but trust the benzo stays in your blood long enough to average out.  After all, all drugs run a course during the day of peak concentration to low concentration (for example, you take a pill, 3 hours later it is most effective, then rolls off over 8 hours, whatever) which is way more than a 10% variation.

 

I recommend you pick the easily method to taper, something you can do, and do not get too concerned about being perfect.  You must experience withdrawal before getting free.

 

[Guest [...]]

Thank you, both, for covering those questions and alleviating some of the anxiety around starting a new method. I just did’t want to jump in without educating myself enough to minimise mistakes. I’m sure you can both understand that. I’m not starting just yet. I’m going to allow myself just a little longer to try and level out and regain some courage and confidence. Also give myself time to get other things out of the way in preparation. Things I’ve avoided and fallen behind in.

 

Thank you!