dlmt using alcohol as solvent - need some clarification from those in the know

Hi all,

I have been using a dlmt since the beginning of my taper in the summer of 2020.  I use 2ml of titos vodka to dissolve 1mg of Xanax , let the pills dissolve usually 5 min, then add in my water.  To keep my monthly percentage reductions where I want them, I add in more water as needed to reduce the potency.  So, for example: I dissolve 1mg of Xanax in 2ml of vodka, add in 498ml of water to make a 500ml solution  --- One divided by 500 gives me a .002mg per ml reduction that I reduce daily.  once I make the daily reduction, I add water back in to equal 500ml and then divide evenly into five 100 ml containers since I dose 5 x per day. 

I have had very high functioning times in this taper, then due to supplements and stress had a setback about a year ago, then recently have hit a big wave brought on by, what I think, was about five weeks of various stressors. 

My benzo brain and a few non-benzo friends feel that my current wave is brought on by the fact that I use a minute amount of vodka in my titration and that it is affecting me.  My assumption if that was the case that it would be a consistent problem -- not a few months of higher functionality followed by some rough patches.  I am also going through menopause-- so I am assuming that is affecting the variability of my symptoms.  That said, I wanted to run this past others who might be using alcohol or who are aware of this as a possible approach to get some feedback. 

I began at 1.5mg of Xanax and am down to .84mg.  That is only because when I hit a snag a while back my doc forced me to updose.  It didn't really help but it is what it is.  I have been slow tapering again since Christmas and have been pretty high functioning (certainly not 80%, but able to be up and moving around and participating in life) -- then this wave hit.  when some friends questioned the alcohol - being in a wave, my benzo brain took off running looking for all sorts of excuses.  That said, I am wanting to check in with others who know more about this. 

I can't tolerate klonopin and I am a poor metabolizer of valium - -so I am sticking with Xanax.  dosing five times a day I don't have interdose withdrawal - just good days and bad days.  I thought about a compounded pharmacy in the beginning but living now in a small town and its not readily available.  does my method sound nuts or is it most likely just the regular windows and waves of withdrawal --- having been kindled and other things -- I didn't expect for it to be a super smooth ride for me. 

thanks for your help

grace

Dear Libertas

Thank you so much for that very thoughtful response.  I think what you are saying makes a lot of sense.  Would this potential issue I am running into, also potentially be a factor if I were just using water to do the same thing without the alcohol?    I have had several people tell me to just use water and shake well - but I felt it could yield the same potential variations dose to dose/day to day since it is not water soluble.  Do I have that right?  Also a possible issue with dry cutting as well, right, in terms of uneven distribution in the pill of the active ingredient? 

I have done relatively okay with this process, but I will absolutely pay close attention and if this "wave" persists, and I will consider a pharmaceutical version -- the 1mg to 1ml that you describe that is available.    If I am needing to taper very slowly, would I just add in water --- for example -- if I add 1mg of the Pharma grade Xanax and dilute into 300mg of water - it would be 1mg divided by 300 which would give me a daily reduction where each ml reduced is equal to .003?  Am I thinking about that clearly? 

thanks again for taking the time, I greatly appreciate it!

Dear Libertas,

Wow, thank you for all of this great information.  yes, I can imagine any of the DIY approaches have their potential limitations and I like what you said - that probably the best way to think about my taper is to think about it still primarily as a suspension since there is no way to know how much is actually dissolved in the vodka and then what happens once I add in the water.

the one thing I do try to do to help with that a bit is that as soon as I add in the water, I shake vigorously and immediately pull out my discarded dose for the day.  then shake well again and then divide into the five containers.  I am sure there is still quite a bit of inaccuracy in that approach --- but I took that from the play book from those that just use water.  hopefully using even a bit of alcohol is better than none at all...

thank you for all of these resources -- I will definitely take a look.  As I said, I wasn't having a terrible time with my taper but have hit a wonder wave and it just has me looking at all possible sources.

thank you for your time and care -- it means a great deal

grace33