Can you please help me on taper schedule

[[Co...]]

Hi Paul,

 

There is also a more technical issue about when the taper schedule switches over from one where cuts are made relative to the dose taken at the time, to one where cuts become linear (they no longer grow smaller as you dose is lowered). because you dose is so small, you should not be making cuts relative to your dose. Doing this on a small dose draws out taper for far too long at low doses. In the original schedule, linear (absolute cuts, as I call them in the schedule) started at one tablet - this is far too low. In the new schedule, I've increased the taper rate 10% every 7 days, and linear cuts start at 2.5 tablets. This means that your taper would finish on the 22nd June, which seems much more sensible. Here's the new schedule, but if you feel it is too fast, let me know and I make up a new one. Don't worry if this all sounds too technical. Just ask yourself which seems the more sensible schedule.

 

Version 2: http://www.benzobuddies.org/spreadsheets/tt-paul1-2009-04-03-v2.html

 

Use the following for your signature:

 

[url=http://www.benzobuddies.org/spreadsheets/tt-paul1-2009-04-03-v2.html][u]My Titration Schedule[/u][/url].

[[Pa...]]

Thanks Colin and Eljay and so sorry you had to do it again.  I really appreciate your effort and support 

Not just sure what you mean by linear cuts start at 2.5 tablets.

 

All the best to you great people,

Paul

[[el...]]

Thanks Colin and Eljay and so sorry you had to do it again.  I really appreciate your effort and support 

Not just sure what you mean by linear cuts start at 2.5 tablets.

 

All the best to you great people,

Paul

 

Paul,

 

Just ignore Colin's techy talk. 

[[Co...]]

Paul, benzo tapers usually follow a pattern something like this (20mg Valium in this example):

 

20mg; 18mg; 16mg; 14.5mg; 13mg; 11.5mg; 10mg; 9mg; 8mg; 7.5mg; 7mg; 6.5mg; 6mg; 5.5mg; 5mg; 4.5mg; 4mg; 3.5mg; 3mg; 2.5mg; 2mg; 1.5mg; 1mg; 0.5mg.

 

The amount cut is relative to the dose taken at the time. So, as your dose lowers, the size of your cuts grow smaller too. Then, at a low dose (8mg to 7.5mg in the above example), the size of the cuts stop growing any smaller - I refer to this as a 'linear taper'. This can be a problem if it starts at too high a dose. This is sometimes forced upon people that use tablets of too high a dose (the tablets cannot be divided into small enough doses to make small enough cuts). Or, even if they use the smallest dose pill available, they cannot make small enough cuts to suit them. This is why we use titration.

 

However, because titration allows us to design a taper plan than can make smaller and smaller cuts down to ridiculously small dose, we can end up with the opposite problem and the taper plan can make the end part of the taper far too long. So, at a reasonably low dose, the cuts are deliberately stopped from growing any smaller in size in our titration plan. My mistake (in the first plan I posted to you), was to allow the cuts to grow far too small at the end of the taper.

[[Pa...]]

Thank Colin for explanation, now fully understood 

will see how it goes in my situation, will keep you posted.

Have a great day,

Paul

[[Co...]]

Hi Paul,

 

Good, I'm glad you understand. It is somewhat technical, but it is important that you understand what's going on and why. Tapering off your benzos must your decision, but if the decision is uninformed, then no real decision has been made. Additionally, if you need to adjust your taper rate at any stage, you will have a much better understanding of what's happeing and what to do about it.

 

Good luck.