Require Assistance with Calculating API into Weight

Hi there,

 

I am looking into transitioning my liquid taper into a dry cut and hold.

 

Problem:  I have an API value of .96 mg Clonazepam which is my current dose via micro-liquid taper.  What I would like to know is what does this translate to in pill weight if I decide to covert to a dry-cut method using a scale?

 

The average weight of a pill is .165g

 

Concern:  When I convert to dry-cut method, how do I ensure that I do not inadvertently 'updose' in the process?  And, not cut too much as I am doing a 'turtle taper' at the moment.

 

Thank you for the help...much appreciated.

 

Warmly,

F

 

 

What strength are your pills?  0.5mg? 1mg? 2mg?

Hi Libertas,

 

Forgot that info...they are .5mg.

Got it.  I don’t have experience with dry cutting but have asked two members who do if they would be willing to assist.

Thanks for your help, Libertas.  Very much appreciate it.

Let's see, your total wt. for two .5 mg tablets would be .330 g.  So you'd want to start at .96 (or 96%) of the total weight.  .96 * .330 g = .317 g.  So you'd shave or break the tablets down to that weight.

Faith25624: You’re welcome.

 

Rocknroll: Thank you for lending a helping hand.

 

 

 

 

Thank you to you both!

 

Warmly,

F

Let's see, your total wt. for two .5 mg tablets would be .330 g.  So you'd want to start at .96 (or 96%) of the total weight.  .96 * .330 g = .317 g.  So you'd shave or break the tablets down to that weight.

 

Hi Faith,

 

Rocknroll is exactly right. I would note, though, that your pills probably average more around .170 grams, although it can vary as much as +/- .01 grams from that target weight. I imagine you're using the yellow TEVAs, since the Accord is unavailable right now, and they average .170 grams. You may consider using that as your average, but perhaps you have a batch on the low end of the weight range, so this would work fine, but I would keep your average weight the same for the entire taper, unless you have to change manufacturers or something. Just note, some pills my weigh .175 grams or higher. It shouldn't make a difference, though, because the amount of API per gram of pill should be essentially the same for each pill.

 

Here's a handy formula for determining your current dose when you know your total pill weight:

 

Total Pill Weight (in mg) / 330

 

So if your current total pill weight is .317 grams, you'd shift the decimal over three places and plug in 317 mg into the equation:

 

317 mg / 330 = .960 mg

 

Please ask any other questions you may have. I hope this is helpful, and I hope your taper goes well. This can be a very tough season, but having all your taper math down and not having to worry about it sure does help.

Hi HFH,

 

Thank you for this explanation.

 

I am in Canada...my pills are a medium peach colour, and they are very 'chalky'...there is no coating on them, and they dissolve almost instantly.  They are only scored in halves...not quarters as I have now seen.

 

I weighed 10 and took the total and divided by 10.  I can't say any reached the weights you are showing.  However, if/when I decide to cross over to this method, I will recheck my weights.  I am still holding at the moment...and, it is still indefinite as to how long the hold will be.  I have been experiencing chemical reactions to foods which have created some pretty terrible symptoms of their own, and I have to be able to narrow down what is going on while not tapering.  The whole thing has become complicated.  I am leaning towards crossing over when the time comes due to some information I have received that seems to make sense to me.

 

Warmly,

F

 

 

Hi All,

 

I'm back again...

 

After two months of holding, I tried to reduce again still using the water titration.  Now, bear with me because my mind is really struggling with simple thought processes.  This last very small reduction really hit me, and I have seen that this method I have been using has created problems...meaning the micro-dose water titration.  I'm sure I'm just repeating what many have expressed in the past, but please bear with me.

 

Gonna just say it like it is here...I really f'd up.  Why?  Because not only did I attempt to resume the taper prematurely, but how I did this is even more non-sensical.  The decisions I make in this state really never cease to amaze me.

 

Upon deciding to give it a go again, I did not do so in a consistent way.  Here is what I did keeping in mind that I do not increase my pulls every day.  My increase in pulls would be every other day.  That is how I was doing things.  However, what I did this time was all over the board.

 

April 18, I increased my pull by a total of .5ml.  I left it there for total of 7 days.

April 26, I increased my pull by a total of .5ml.  I left it there for a total of 2 days.

April 28, I increased my pull by a total of .5ml.  I left it there for a total of 3 days.

 

Then, I decided that I would decrease only my a.m. dose as it was making me incredibly groggy, and I had the idea I could work on that dose only.

 

May 1, I increased my a.m. pull by .5ml and left the p.m. dose alone.  I left it there for a total of 3 days.

 

Then, my benzo brain decided I didn't want to to that anymore as my grogginess was not consistent every morning.  So, I did the following...

 

May 4, I increased my p.m. pull by .5ml and left the a.m. in attempt to even the doses up again.

 

By this time, I began to become highly symptomatic, and I decided to hold again.  I have been holding now since that last pull increase on the 4th of May for 14 days.

 

The fall-out from this has been pretty brutal.  I now have new symptoms I did not have before, and the ones I had intensified greatly.

 

These reductions only totalled a .5% reduction in total in a 17 day period.  So, in essence, this 28 day cycle has had a decreased of .5%.  And, it pummelled me.  I'm talking wrecked me.

 

Taking into account the lack of consistency, the taking from a.m. dose, then the p.m. dose...honestly...you ever wonder why you do the things you do during this?  In the moment, you think you've got your sh*t together and have a plan.  Truly is insanity.

 

What I have seen in this after this whole nightmare of almost a month which only now seems to be calming down is that I totally had no idea when I would be hit by these reductions.  And, no idea when they may end due to the way I've done things.  So, I am not able to anticipate what to expect after pulls using this method.  Taking the drug diluted in water is not my problem.  But, this method seems to be a problem.  And, that does not take into account the accumulation/inaccuracy of dosage using this method.  I think this is simply problematic for me as I am extremely sensitive to cuts.

 

My dose is now, in total, .956mg.

 

My reaching out is really about switching back from the water taper to dry cut and hold.  At the very least, I would be able to know when sh*t hits the fan why it's hitting the fan and begin to know the cycle to expect.  But, my largest concern is as I switch back that I do not up dose by mistake.  And, I can't tolerate dropping too much, either.  I'm also concerned about my ability while in such acute states to prep the pills.  But, that is just a worry at this point.

 

I still do not comprehend how to do this switch with all the varying pill weights, how to reconcile that, no matter how many times I have read it explained or even explained to me.  But, something's gotta give and change here.  Definitely feel like a sitting duck doing it this way.  And, when you are acute, you are always looking for what you did wrong when things start to decline rather than knowing 'oh ya...this is going to happen around now due to the dose reduction'.

 

Does anyone have more patience to deal with this with me?  Help to understand dealing with all the different pills weights, and really just put my head on straight as I plan on this switch?  Gawd...I know this has been painful to write let alone help with.

 

Before I consider any alternate options for myself regarding this taper, I have to give this change a try.  Truth be told...I really hope I can grasp the information and move forward with it because my cog abilities really suck right now.  I know I can do it...I just need to get it started.  Just have to make sure when I do, that I don't accidentally up dose myself or take me down too low.

 

So, that's my story...long as it is.

 

One more note:  I started with two doses...which I have kept.  Each dose was dissolved in 250ml water...or, so I thought.  Did you know that each measuring device I have measures out 250ml differently?  Even the specific science beakers say right on them 'approx.'  So, have I really started out with 250ml?  Have no clue.  There has been a discrepancy of about 20ml or so, either more or less depending on the measuring device.  So, having said that...are my numbers truly accurate?  Is that .956 really .956?

 

Please tell me I need to loosen the f*** up...because, trying to be this precise is just really too much.  Benzo OCD at it's finest.

 

Any help I would truly appreciate.  As for the language, ya...sorry.  It's my morning...and, I'm heightened.

 

Warmly,

F