Is a micro taper REALLY smoother????

I've been back and forth as you can see in my history. I'm eager to come off because I was only on Ativan for 4 months before a psych cut it in half and then I crossed to valium to finish taper.

 

Yesterday, I did all this math and figured at 10, 15, and 20% just to see what the numbers and time span would look like. After I did all that, I said forget it, I am going to go with the Ashton manual and do 5mg per week decrease. I don't want to taper longer than I was on the medication to begin with. I did the math, so I would know how much the pill should weigh for each week and moved on with life for the day.

 

Then I thought about that weekly drop (even just a half mg week to week) and thought to myself that maybe I could do a micro taper in-between weeks. So, basically, I finish the taper at the same time, but daily I reduce by a small amount and work my way down to the amount I would have, otherwise, instantly dropped to each week.

 

Ex:

Week 4  0.132g (weight of my pill) 4.0mg

Week 5  0.115                              3.5mg

Week 6  0.099                              3.0mg

Week 7  0.083                              2.5mg

 

and so forth...

 

But what if EACH DAY I dropped by about 0.002g of my pill? (except the first day of the week)

 

Week 4  0.132g (weight of my pill) (4mg of Valium)

              0.130

              0.128

              0.126

              0.124

              0.122

              0.120

Week 5  0.115 (3.5mg of valium)

              0.113

              0.111

              0.109

              0.107

              0.105

              0.103

Week 6  0.099 (3mg of valium)

 

and so forth....until I get down to 0.5mg and decide if I can stop, as Ashton says?

 

This means that overall, the amount of the medication I take will be decreased. That is supposed to be "smoother" but I can't help but think that it will catch up with me at some point, no?

 

 

You're correct that either way (cut & hold or micro taper), there's a possibility of hitting a wall although there's also every possibility that you won't. 

 

Is micro tapering smoother?  Here's how I see it...  Doing a cut and hold, let's imagine that you hit some 'wall', and for the sake of argument, let's say that you hit that wall at 10 mph/kph.  With the micro taper, you'd hit it at 1 or 2 xph.  (the c/t people hit it at 100).  In theory, the bumps in the road should be milder, and you can make adjustments to your taper rate sooner, which may help alleviate some of the withdrawal symptoms. 

 

That's the theory, anyway.  How it all works for you in real life is anybody's guess???

 

Hope that all makes sense. 

Another way to think of it is this: with cut and hold, you're walking down a set of stairs. Sometimes steep stairs. With microtapering, you're walking down a ramp. Your descent is much smoother. Which would you rather do? (Builder, I think, made this analogy).

 

Anyhow, another view of things. (I walked down the ramp).

 

Katz

Thank you, both. I'll go with the micro.

Another way to think of it is this: with cut and hold, you're walking down a set of stairs. Sometimes steep stairs. With microtapering, you're walking down a ramp. Your descent is much smoother. Which would you rather do? (Builder, I think, made this analogy).

 

Anyhow, another view of things. (I walked down the ramp).

 

Katz

 

I was a crash test dummy. 

How are you doing now? I was interested in your taper schedule, bc we have almost the exact same history. On just a few weeks, tapering now, really despise the idea of tapering longer than I was on the drug (although I know it may be necessary).

I am so clueless about how to do a micro taper and I have heard is can be smoother.  How can you read the lines on a syringe with amounts that small?

 

 

 

I am so clueless about how to do a micro taper and I have heard is can be smoother.  How can you read the lines on a syringe with amounts that small?

 

I know starting something new can be intimidating, but many many people with little or no math/science background have done micro tapers.  There's tons of people who can walk you thru this.

 

fwiw - Most people dilute the drug in a fairly large volume, so they don't have to read 0.01ml on a syringe.  A minuscule (0.1%) reduction from 200 ml is 0.2 ml which is very easy to measure.

www.amazon.com/1ml-Syringe-Luer-Slip-Tip/dp/B01LZ80YOV

 

1 ml syringes at Amazon.  I purchased these for my taper.

 

Katz

How are you doing now? I was interested in your taper schedule, bc we have almost the exact same history. On just a few weeks, tapering now, really despise the idea of tapering longer than I was on the drug (although I know it may be necessary).

 

 

I'm 7 weeks and 5 days off....

 

Im doing marvelous from a w/d standpoint. And.... the kicker is that I was diagnosed with Lyme, bartonella, and two mycotoxins during my w/d. These little beasts are what caused my anxiety, depression, dp/dr, and other symptoms that landed me on benzos in the first place.

 

Dont be afraid of the w/d.

 

I jumped when I couldn't stand the thought of putting the poison in my body even one more time.

 

I'll share what I wrote in my w/d to remind myself when I jumped:

 

Valium inhibits DAO production (you need this to eliminate histamines)

Breathe and remove yourself from the triggers

The body cannot heal until its off the benzo (Professor Ashton)

Fear is the only thing that keeps you holding.

 

These were very personal to me because I recognized my fear. Yes, benzo w/d can be scary because there are dangers.

 

Just remember that there is an underlying cause for the symptom that got you on benzos in the first place. If you want to "worry" about something, figure that out. If its gone, then great.

 

Much love to you all!