A bit scared of new dose wd sxs

[[or...]]

I've been tapering only 1% and holding for about 9-10 days each time.  I recently was prescribed .5 C Tablets, same brand, TEVA and I was struggling so much with my scale.  I was having to add a little piece, or a bit of powder to get up to my 54% taper I'd left off at on my 1 mg tablets.

I went ahead and just took one of my new .5 mg tablets by itself.  It can't hurt to try it, I hope, and pray.  I just want to succeed, make it through this so I can be well into the next year, maybe less, of tapering.  We'll see, and I know I don't have to be alone in this because of this forum.

I realized I made it through wd sxs after I'd cut 11% of my 1 mg tablet when I first got to BB a year ago this month.  Folks just kept encouraging me, and I kept holding that dose.  I think it took about 2 months, but my history shows about how long I held before tapering.

I know my wd sxs are nothing compared to what some are going through , but I did have some sort of seizure when my MD was tapering me 25% of my 1 mg a month. On the 3rd month I had the whole left side of my body go completely numb, and my left arm has never come back completely.  That was 3 Summers ago.

After that fiasco, I found Benzobuddies, and much more education/peers showing me what they've learned on benzos and how to taper. 

Anyway, just want a thread for this topic so I can let others know about my wd sxs, and how this all goes.  Just took my first .5 mg tablet this a.m., hugs, hope, and encouragement to all of us here, oregonlady PS  I want to focus as much as possible on helping others here, so I plan to be here often again. And as always, feedback so welcome and appreciated ♥️♥️♥️

[[...]]

I think it was a good move to start using .5 mg tablets, it will be easier to weigh and make smaller reductions for the rest of the way off.

it’s a little larger reduction than you’re used to hopefully you won’t notice it at all.

congratulations getting to your halfway mark!!!!

 

 

[[or...]]

It's usually taken about 3 to 5 days for sxs to show up after tapers in that first year.  I feel I've learned how to cope better now, and hope I can just tough it out for however long I might need to hold.  3% a month (or 27 days, close to anyway) has worked so well for me, but I do feel good that I'm at least trying this out, thanks @[...], for the encouragement oregonlady

[[...]]

I really don’t think it’s too big of a reduction. .5 mg is a good place to hold for as long as you need. You can put your scale away, and not worry about fluctuations of weighing. 

[[El...]]

@[or...]You are so brave!  I think that was a 7-8% cut.  Please let us know how it goes.

[[or...]]

I hope your wrong Ellie, but I was so confused because I was at 54% and minus 4% would be just .5 wouldn't it?? Yikes, now I am scared, brave I'm NOT!!

 

You're right, I'm adding back to 52%, geesh, I hope it will work, it's late after my morning dose.

 

Edited March 28 by [or...]

[[...]]

It’s not too late, remember, it usually takes three days to feel the effect. I once forgot to take my dose of .625 and didn’t remember till the next day. It did not affect me at all. I just skipped it and continued my normal dozing

remember, the percentage cut is from your current dose. 

[[Ma...]]

I know the powder plus the new tablet was a little daunting/frustrating for you, so I think just going down to .5 from .54 is reasonable.  It’s a 7-8% cut which is fine even though it’s more than what you’ve been doing.  It may cause a little more WD at first for a few days but nothing your body can’t handle with a little time.  Just listen to your body and hold longer if you need to.  

[[El...]]

@[or...]A 4% cut from 0.54 mg would be 0.518 mg. (0.54 ×0.96 = 0.518 which can be rounded to 0.52 mg.)  You are certainly not too late to add the extra amount!  No worries!

[[or...]]

3 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

I know the powder plus the new tablet was a little daunting/frustrating for you, so I think just going down to .5 from .54 is reasonable.  It’s a 7-8% cut which is fine even though it’s more than what you’ve been doing.  It may cause a little more WD at first for a few days but nothing your body can’t handle with a little time.  Just listen to your body and hold longer if you need to.  

I'm so glad you understood that, not that others didn't as well, but it was a comfort to hear.  I just took my regular amount, added it to the scale, which would be 0.008 right?? I hope so   Maybe tomorrow I can do it right and just get down to 52%, I'd like to try so I'm guessing I would just add .004 to the weight of my .5 tablet, whatever that is   Thanks matt, oregonlady

[[Ma...]]

Yep, that sounds right to me.  .52 would be a 4% cut.  I’m sure you’re looking forward to just having that one .5 pill to deal with.  

[[or...]]

47 minutes ago, [[E...] said:

@[or...]A 4% cut from 0.54 mg would be 0.518 mg. (0.54 ×0.96 = 0.518 which can be rounded to 0.52 mg.)  You are certainly not too late to add the extra amount!  No worries!

Hi Ellie, just to make sure, did you get the .096 from subtracting 4% from 100% as in 100% ?  Thanks much and hope you are feeling much better today.  I so appreciate you showing me how you get these numbers.  I am copying the formulas down so I can proceed through my taper correctly, oregonlady

[[or...]]

[[El...]]

@[or...]Yes.  To use 4% in a calculation, take 1.00 - 0.04 = 0.96.  If you wanted to do 5% it would be 1.00 - 0.05 = 0.95.  3% would be 1.00 - .03 = 0.97.  As geno said above, just make sure you apply it to your current dose (not your starting dose of 1 mg).  Then you are good!

[[or...]]

25 minutes ago, [[E...] said:

@[or...]Yes.  To use 4% in a calculation, take 1.00 - 0.04 = 0.96.  If you wanted to do 5% it would be 1.00 - 0.05 = 0.95.  3% would be 1.00 - .03 = 0.97.  As geno said above, just make sure you apply it to your current dose (not your starting dose of 1 mg).  Then you are good!

Yessss, it finally dawned on me where the .096(I had this wrong, Ellie showed me it should be 0.96) came from.  I used to be able to do math much better!  Thank you again for the confirmation, and I will use that formula!!  You're a real blessing Ellie, as well as everyone else that came to my rescue!! oregonlady hugs for all,

Edited March 28 by [or...]

[[El...]]

@[or...] One more note.  Just be careful of your decimal place.  For a 4% reduction, you need to use 0.96 (not 0.096). OK?

[[or...]]

Yes, I see I did that above, thanks Ellie, again, I'll be careful. I have it written down right in my journal at least oregonlady

[[Ad...]]

Hi @[or...], just wanted to let you know I’m thinking of you and I too get so confused with the math. I think I keep mixing up grams on the scale with milligrams in the pill. I hope your new larger cut is a success. I guess I’ve been cutting about 4% every couple of weeks and it’s going all right. Anyway, just checking in to offer support. 

[[or...]]

Hi Adella yes it was a really big fiasco today but I ended up taking my regular dose because I'm messed up again but Ellie and the other replies were wonderful and helping me not have a total panic attack haha so tomorrow I'm going to try again using the formula Ellie taught me and I do want to try a bit larger taper this time 😁 thanks for checking in with me and on me I'm doing fine hope you are as well Oregonlady

[[ji...]]

hello @[or...].  i too get confused with the math and scale.  i just waned to wish you well. im sure you'll be fine.  sending wishes of health & healing your way. ~~~jill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29 by [ji...]

[[or...]]

27 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

hello @[or...].  i too get confused with the math and scale.  i just waned to wish you well. im sure you'll be fine.  sending wishes of health & healing your way. ~~~jill

Thank you Jilly, I'll be starting again in the morning and I've got Ellie's formula written down so I should be just fine thank you so much for caring and I'll keep people posted on how it goes with the new taper big hugs Oregonlady 

[[or...]]

17 hours ago, [[E...] said:

@[or...]Yes.  To use 4% in a calculation, take 1.00 - 0.04 = 0.96.  If you wanted to do 5% it would be 1.00 - 0.05 = 0.95.  3% would be 1.00 - .03 = 0.97.  As geno said above, just make sure you apply it to your current dose (not your starting dose of 1 mg).  Then you are good!

Oh Lord, I'm having trouble.  I decided to just cut 2% which I can get that to the 0.98.  Then I'm lost again as my scale weight should "say" 0.98 mg??  I'm so sorry, my brain scrambled because I'm too used to just weighing out grams on this scale.  Oh kera'pppp, I'll just go a minus .002 from my .093 g weight dose   I just can't seem to fully understand dose vs weight, true apologies Ellie. PS I'm just going to take .091 g weight of dose. I sware my scale hates me now, it's just a bad time I guess.  More wd sxs than I realize.  It finally landed on 0.091 and who knows if it was even right, but I just took it and hope for the best. I really wanted to try 2 % taper this time.  It feels like I can't do this a whole year more but I know I can, just upset.  Cry a little and get over it.

Edited March 29 by [or...]

[[or...]]

LOL, good Lord, if you are young, enjoy as much as you can because it's not fun being old (er) I just realized I look just like Yoda in that stupid pic I took of myself, who cares right, I've finally lost my one remaining marble😢

[[El...]]

@[or...] Sorry you are having having difficulties!  To be truthful, I am getting a little lost here as well.  But let's go back to the beginning.

Are you trying to make a 2% reduction from your 0.5471 mg dose?  Are you still using the bits from the 1 mg pill?  If so, a 2% reduction would be 0.5363 mg.  That means you would need to add to your 0.5 mg pill, 0.0363 mg using your 1 mg pill.  That would  equate to 0.006 grams on your scale.  So you would add 0.006 grams of the 1 mg fragments to whatever the weight of your 0.5 mg weighs today. 

Let me know if that is what you mean?  Don't stress.  I am very happy to help you, if you want, to figure this out.  Really, no worries!

[[or...]]

18 minutes ago, [[E...] said:

@[or...] Sorry you are having having difficulties!  To be truthful, I am getting a little lost here as well.  But let's go back to the beginning.

Are you trying to make a 2% reduction from your 0.5471 mg dose?  Are you still using the bits from the 1 mg pill?  If so, a 2% reduction would be 0.5363 mg.  That means you would need to add to your 0.5 mg pill, 0.0363 mg using your 1 mg pill.  That would  equate to 0.006 grams on your scale.  So you would add 0.006 grams of the 1 mg fragments to whatever the weight of your 0.5 mg weighs today. 

Let me know if that is what you mean?  Don't stress.  I am very happy to help you, if you want, to figure this out.  Really, no worries!

you are more than kind to keep helping me Ellie, I think I made it harder for myself to understand.  I'm sorry I mixed you up as well.  I'll take a look at your figures and my goal in figuring them is to know the complete formula so I can convert the dosage to scale weight of dose.  I'll be working on that, and practicing it over and over today until I know exactly how to do this myself.

I won't stress, I'm better now after a good cry/pity party   PS Yes to answer your question as well, about the 2%. If I handle wd sxs on that, maybe another taper at about 10 days, or hold, whichever I need to do.

Edited March 29 by [or...]