Questions About The Gemini Scale Vs. Titration

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BB,

 

I have some questions. 

 

1.  Does anyone know how to measure out dose amounts using .5mg clonazepam pills (2 or 1mg of K) using the Gemini Digital MG Scale?

 

2.  For those who have one of these scales and some klonopin:  How much does a .5mg klonopin weigh?

 

3. Is it more accurate to use this scale than to water/milk titrate?

 

Really what I need is as much info as I can get on how to use a scale to start my clonazepam taper.  I still consider titration to be the next best method to dry cutting, but due to my severe tolerance after 21 years of K, I want to be PINPOINT accurate.  Is this possible with the scale? 

 

Please share any helpful detailed information if you have experience using the Gemini Scale to measure out doses of clonazepam.  I was thinking about buying the scale and then buying some empty capsules and splitting my daily dose into 4 doses.

 

I can't afford to get compounding done, and it is much cheaper to use the pills to either remain with the titration method or switch to the scale/capsule method. 

 

Which method is better and why? 

 

How do you do it?  It sounds difficult.  Do you crush the pills first?  How could you get all the dry powder residue into those capsules without making a mess and losing benzo?  Thanks in advance for any help with this. 

 

Kian

[[Ho...]]

Hi Kian,

 

I can tell you what I do. I'm using the Gemini scale.

 

I cut 5% of the weight of my pill. My pills weigh about .171 g. That can change depending on the make of the medication. I don't think it's more accurate than titration. I feel they are about the same. I tried titration and for some reason it didn't work for me so I changed to this method.

 

The scale is accurate to .005 g. When I weigh my pill, I allow for .002 g variance.

 

I don't crush my pills first but I do cut them in half then shave off the 5% from one of the halves (I dose twice a day).

 

I don't use capsules so I can't speak to that.

[[...]]

Hi Kian,

 

I can tell you what I do. I'm using the Gemini scale.

 

I cut 5% of the weight of my pill. My pills weigh about .171 g. That can change depending on the make of the medication. I don't think it's more accurate than titration. I feel they are about the same. I tried titration and for some reason it didn't work for me so I changed to this method.

 

The scale is accurate to .005 g. When I weigh my pill, I allow for .002 g variance.

 

I don't crush my pills first but I do cut them in half then shave off the 5% from one of the halves (I dose twice a day).

 

I don't use capsules so I can't speak to that.

 

Hope,

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to share that.  I really appreciate it.  I hope you are doing ok.

 

Kian

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Hope,

 

Are you saying that you did not notice a difference from using titration to using the scale?  Thanks.

 

Kian

 

[[Ho...]]

Hope,

 

Are you saying that you did not notice a difference from using titration to using the scale?  Thanks.

 

Kian

 

When I tried titration I had some pretty severe withdrawals, Kian. I'm not sure why. I suspect it had something to do with the milk and some sort of reason my body wouldn't absorb the medication. I can't say for sure. This is why I decided the dry cutting method using the scale would be the answer. I have found a difference with dry cutting using the scale but as I said I believe it's more to do with the milk. I would think both methods would be equal in terms of accuracy though.

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Hope,

 

Are you saying that you did not notice a difference from using titration to using the scale?  Thanks.

 

Kian

 

When I tried titration I had some pretty severe withdrawals, Kian. I'm not sure why. I suspect it had something to do with the milk and some sort of reason my body wouldn't absorb the medication. I can't say for sure. This is why I decided the dry cutting method using the scale would be the answer. I have found a difference with dry cutting using the scale but as I said I believe it's more to do with the milk. I would think both methods would be equal in terms of accuracy though.

 

Thank you, Hope.  This helps.  I suspect, I too, have noticed a difference since I changed from milk to water. 

 

I'm starting to think that using a scale might work better for me if I could learn how to weigh properly.  I'm currently holding so I have time to decide. 

 

Water titration is probably best when getting down to the really low doses.

 

Do you just discard the shaved powder and swallow the pill?  Or do you save the pill, and take the powder orally from the little dish on the scale?  I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time understanding what you told me.  It's not you.  It's my benzo brain.  Thank you for your patience...I still don't quite understand.  It sounds like you are shaving off 5%, then taking the remainder of the pill.  I guess I just don't get the math part.  I guess that means you weigh the powder being shaved off (with a razor blade?) after calculating what 5% of however much your pill weighs?

 

Kian

[[Ho...]]

Hope,

 

Are you saying that you did not notice a difference from using titration to using the scale?  Thanks.

 

Kian

 

When I tried titration I had some pretty severe withdrawals, Kian. I'm not sure why. I suspect it had something to do with the milk and some sort of reason my body wouldn't absorb the medication. I can't say for sure. This is why I decided the dry cutting method using the scale would be the answer. I have found a difference with dry cutting using the scale but as I said I believe it's more to do with the milk. I would think both methods would be equal in terms of accuracy though.

 

Thank you, Hope.  This helps.  I suspect, I too, have noticed a difference since I changed from milk to water. 

 

I'm starting to think that using a scale might work better for me if I could learn how to weigh properly.  I'm currently holding so I have time to decide. 

 

Water titration is probably best when getting down to the really low doses.

 

Do you just discard the shaved powder and swallow the pill?  Or do you save the pill, and take the powder orally from the little dish on the scale?  I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time understanding what you told me.  It's not you.  It's my benzo brain.  Thank you for your patience...I still don't quite understand.  It sounds like you are shaving off 5%, then taking the remainder of the pill.  I guess I just don't get the math part.  I guess that means you weigh the powder being shaved off (with a razor blade?) after calculating what 5% of however much your pill weighs?

 

Kian

 

I cut all my pills on Sunday night and after they're all done I put them in one of those weekly pill box things. Usually I do save the little bit I've cut in case I cut too much on a future pill. I can use the little chunk.

 

First I weigh the pill. Let's say it weighs .171 grams. Then I calculate 5% or whatever amount I want to cut. For instance; 5% of .171 grams is .008 grams. So, I subtract .008 from .171 grams. Then I cut/shave enough of the pill until it weighs .163 (the difference of .171 - .008). These numbers are approx. There is a variance with the scale that's about .005. I allow a variance of .002 or so. As long as it's within .004 you're ok.

 

Yes, I use a razor blade. I also use a mirror to cut the pill. It seems to work better on a smooth hard surface.

 

Don't worry about asking questions. I get the whole benzo brain thing. That's why I'm here to help. If you have more questions, ask away.

[[te...]]

Hi Kian!

My clon. tabs weigh 170g. They are the .05mg size. Whatever your dosage is, say, 0.5mg, weigh it to be accurate--Hope's are 171g mine are 170g. Whatever dosage you're on, let's say 0.125mg, weigh those pieces/powders to see what the gram measurement is. Make up a chart so that you'll remember the gram measurement. The empty gelcaps I have to use because of the commute to and from work. I can put my measured a.m. dosage into a gelcap to take while at work. I realize this is probably as clear as mud--sorry!

Sometimes, at night, I titrate the p.m. dosage in plain water--swirl it a lot and refill with water and swirl some more. Other times, I have the p.m. dosage measured out into capsules already and take it that way. Hope this helps in some small way!

 

....T2