Taper plan

[[Mo...]]

Just now, [[M...] said:

Just now, [[M...] said:

I was feeling better this morning, but now (@1:30) not good

 

[[Mo...]]

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

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

I was thinking the first dose at 6am, 2nd at 12pm, 3rd at 6pm and last at 12am.

I already took a 6am dose and 12pm. Should I wait and take 2 tonight or go with 6pm and 12am

[[Mo...]]

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

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

I was thinking the first dose at 6am, 2nd at 12pm, 3rd at 6pm and last at 12am.

How do I do it gradually and is it even a good idea

[[Mo...]]

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

How do I do it gradually and is it even a good idea

Oh yeah, I probably need to weigh to continue a taper.  Anyway, please let me know what you would suggest.

[[Pa...]]

Hi @[Mo...], I wanted to ask you about your dosing, are you setting an alarm to take them or are these your normal hours of wakefulness?

[[El...]]

You could go ahead and take 0.5 mg at 6 pm and 0.5 mg at 12 am and see how you do. It is a pretty abrupt change from your usual dosing schedule. Another option is to transition a little more slowly. You could take 0.75 mg around 8-9 pm and then take 0.25 at 12 am. I am just trying to think of ideas to ward off a potentially huge “crash” if you don't take your usual 1 mg at 11 pm. Your CNS “remembers” that you customarily take 1 mg at 11 pm and may not take kindly to having it cut off (even though you are not reducing your overall dose). With an already sensitized system, any change may be problematic. I guess, just play it by ear. See how you feel at 6. If “OK”, wait until 7….then decide if you need 0.5 or 0.75 mg. If you are “OK” at 7, wait until 8….etc. I wish I could be more specific and say you will feel better if you do x, y or z. Unfortunately, any change you make is going to result in changes to which your system must adapt. These adaptations do not usually come quickly and we have to patiently wait while our nerves and brains adjust. Certainly after you make the complete transition (however you end up doing so), give yourself a few days before you do any reductions. Perhaps you could think of starting reductions when your new scale comes. I would be glad to help you with a plan.

Meanwhile, just try to figure out the rest of today. I’ll be thinking of you.

 

[[Mo...]]

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

You could go ahead and take 0.5 mg at 6 pm and 0.5 mg at 12 am and see how you do. It is a pretty abrupt change from your usual dosing schedule. Another option is to transition a little more slowly. You could take 0.75 mg around 8-9 pm and then take 0.25 at 12 am. I am just trying to think of ideas to ward off a potentially huge “crash” if you don't take your usual 1 mg at 11 pm. Your CNS “remembers” that you customarily take 1 mg at 11 pm and may not take kindly to having it cut off (even though you are not reducing your overall dose). With an already sensitized system, any change may be problematic. I guess, just play it by ear. See how you feel at 6. If “OK”, wait until 7….then decide if you need 0.5 or 0.75 mg. If you are “OK” at 7, wait until 8….etc. I wish I could be more specific and say you will feel better if you do x, y or z. Unfortunately, any change you make is going to result in changes to which your system must adapt. These adaptations do not usually come quickly and we have to patiently wait while our nerves and brains adjust. Certainly after you make the complete transition (however you end up doing so), give yourself a few days before you do any reductions. Perhaps you could think of starting reductions when your new scale comes. I would be glad to help you with a plan.

Meanwhile, just try to figure out the rest of today. I’ll be thinking of you.

OK, thank you so much 

[[Mo...]]

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

OK, thank you so much 

I'm sorry to keep asking some of the same questions, but since I always take a dose at 630 or 7am and I moved my afternoon dose up a just a couple of hours only today, should I just wait till 11pm and take the 2 pills at 0.102 like I have been or just take the full 1mg at night and start over with a new taper when I get the new scale?

[[El...]]

@[Mo...] Please, please don't apologize.  Tapering is hard.  And you have to make decisions when you don't even feel well!  I guess if I were you, and I was feeling OK, I would take my normal dose at 11 pm.  Then, if you decide to move to 4 doses, we could work out a plan to slowly move in that direction.  Or another option would be to eventually work toward making each of your 3 doses equivalent.  It might be that you don't need 4 doses (if you think you are experiencing interdose withdrawal).  You may just need more evenly weighted doses.  I think that you need to decide what is ultimately going to give you the most successful taper. *On a side note...the more doses you have, the more cutting and weighing may be needed each day.

Just keep monitoring your symptoms tonight.  Try to relax.  Together, we can work out your dosing.  No worries!

Keep me posted!

[[Mo...]]

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

@[Mo...] Please, please don't apologize.  Tapering is hard.  And you have to make decisions when you don't even feel well!  I guess if I were you, and I was feeling OK, I would take my normal dose at 11 pm.  Then, if you decide to move to 4 doses, we could work out a plan to slowly move in that direction.  Or another option would be to eventually work toward making each of your 3 doses equivalent.  It might be that you don't need 4 doses (if you think you are experiencing interdose withdrawal).  You may just need more evenly weighted doses.  I think that you need to decide what is ultimately going to give you the most successful taper. *On a side note...the more doses you have, the more cutting and weighing may be needed each day.

Just keep monitoring your symptoms tonight.  Try to relax.  Together, we can work out your dosing.  No worries!

Keep me posted!

Probably should try to work toward the evenly weighed doses. The 4 doses sounds like it would be too much cutting later like you said. I can't wait to start a consistent taper on my new scale!

[[Mo...]]

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

Probably should try to work toward the evenly weighed doses. The 4 doses sounds like it would be too much cutting later like you said. I can't wait to start a consistent taper on my new scale!

As far as deciding on a successful taper, I wish I knew. I'm hoping with my new scale, we can figure out a consistent plan that I can stay with without feeling so terrible. I understand there will be some bad symptoms from a benzo taper, like when I got off Klonopin.  I guess i question sometimes if i can taper from a short-acting benzo like Ativan. I really want to so badly.

[[Ca...]]

I just ordered that same scale.

[[Mo...]]

Great. I'll get mine this Tues. I know the Gemini scale can be good and I got off of Clonazepam with it a few yrs ago, but I really think this one will be a lot better for a micro taper with Ativan.

[[Ca...]]

I used the Gemini to go from 40 mgs of valium to 12.2 and then updosed to 14 and have been holding for three months. Apparently I was not using the scale correctly. I was not calibrating it before each use nor wiping off the tray nor pushing Tare after I put the weighing tray on it or adding extra weight like a quarter under the weighing scale and then pushing Tare. I microtaper. So we should be getting it around the same time. It's bad enough we have to go thru the withdrawal but having to work this hard to get accurate reads when I am so exhausted is over the top for me.

[[Mo...]]

1 minute ago, [[C...] said:

I used the Gemini to go from 40 mgs of valium to 12.2 and then updosed to 14 and have been holding for three months. Apparently I was not using the scale correctly. I was not calibrating it before each use nor wiping off the tray nor pushing Tare after I put the weighing tray on it or adding extra weight like a quarter under the weighing scale and then pushing Tare. I microtaper. So we should be getting it around the same time. It's bad enough we have to go thru the withdrawal but having to work this hard to get accurate reads when I am so exhausted is over the top for me.

Oh, yes I hear you on that! It's so hard when you can't think clearly and still try to figure a plan that will work best.  Ellie is really helping me, but I realize she can only give me suggestions because everyone is different and has to listen to their body and symptoms. Let me know how you like your new scale and I'll do the same.

[[Ca...]]

Apparently that scale weighs a little differently than the one Ellie M has and we need to add more weights to it. I am hping I can figure out how to use it.

I take my valium in three doses and I only taper one pill at a time.

I have made two cuts on the Gemini scale so far and my anxiety is through the roof. And they are not big cuts. I am on 14 mgs tapering on a microtaper one mg a month.

[[Mo...]]

4 hours ago, [[C...] said:

Apparently that scale weighs a little differently than the one Ellie M has and we need to add more weights to it. I am hping I can figure out how to use it.

I take my valium in three doses and I only taper one pill at a time.

I have made two cuts on the Gemini scale so far and my anxiety is through the roof. And they are not big cuts. I am on 14 mgs tapering on a microtaper one mg a month.

I should be getting my scale tomorrow. Hopefully we can figure it out and Ellie can probably help us.

Sorry for your anxiety. I felt really good yesterday and horrible today. I am barely shaving off any right now. I'm hoping with the new scale I can micro taper more easily than with the Gemini scale and have a consistent schedule.

 

[[Ca...]]

Okay good....I had some PMs with her tonight and she is saying to put the two weights from the Gemini scale on the new scale's weighing pan and then push Tare and then put the shaved pill on the weighing pan.

I used my Gemini tonight and it was bouncing between 161 and 164 and I needed 162 so since it hit 162 twice I decided to go with that.

I have only made two cuts on my old scale so have had two days of tapering and I have gone from very bad to horrible. My anxiety is beyond anything I have had before. Usually I get a small window by this time 12:30 in EST but I am just a bundle of nerves.

I am glad we are starting this together.

[[Mo...]]

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

Okay good....I had some PMs with her tonight and she is saying to put the two weights from the Gemini scale on the new scale's weighing pan and then push Tare and then put the shaved pill on the weighing pan.

I used my Gemini tonight and it was bouncing between 161 and 164 and I needed 162 so since it hit 162 twice I decided to go with that.

I have only made two cuts on my old scale so have had two days of tapering and I have gone from very bad to horrible. My anxiety is beyond anything I have had before. Usually I get a small window by this time 12:30 in EST but I am just a bundle of nerves.

I am glad we are starting this together.

Yes, so good to have support from ones who know how you feel!

[[Mo...]]

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

Yes, so good to have support from ones who know how you feel!

We just have to remember that we will get through this and we'll be ok.

Edited June 18 by [Mo...]

[[Pa...]]

8 hours ago, [[C...] said:

I had some PMs with her tonight and she is saying to put the two weights from the Gemini scale on the new scale's weighing pan and then push Tare and then put the shaved pill on the weighing pan.

Please keep all taper discussions on the open forum, this serves two purposes.  It can insure that if incorrect information is passed along, others will see it and be able to correct it.  Keeping these conversations public can also help others experiencing the same issues.  

You may not use the PM (Personal Message) system for withdrawal or taper advice. PMs are primarily intended for moral support, fun, and distraction. Please post your taper plan or withdrawal questions and concerns to the Community forums for wider discussion and feedback. Please refer to Guidelines for use of the Direct Messaging System

 

[[Mo...]]

On 15/06/2024 at 14:24, [[P...] said:

Hi @[Mo...], I wanted to ask you about your dosing, are you setting an alarm to take them or are these your normal hours of wakefulness?

I just saw your post-don't know how I missed it.

I usually wake around 7am, so that is when I take my am pill.

[[El...]]

@[Ca...] and @[Mo...]. As per @[Pa...], we should be posting on the open forum.  I am still very happy to answer questions, but we need to keep it public.

Hope you are well today!

[[Mo...]]

Hi Ellie! I haven't tried to do any pms yet, but that's good to know.

Feeling bad most of the time now. I have some windows here and there, but hopefully when I get on a consistent taper, it'll get better.

[[Mo...]]

Hi Ellie, just an update here. I actually received the new scale Tues., but we have been dealing with a slab leak all week.  Water all in the walls, up thru the floors,  etc. We had just had our kitchen redone completely last year and now this. I can't believe how overwhelming this has been trying to deal all the contractors, paperwork and all the decisions that go along with it. Of course, even for a person who feels 'normal', it is a difficult situation, but for most of us on here, it can be unreal.

I've stayed at the 0.102 which might have been a good thing because I've actually had a few windows here and there.  I probably needed to give my cns time to calm down. Anyway, hopefully I can start some slow reductions next week.

I hope you are still doing well on your taper!