Micro tapering vs Cut and hold

Hi Friends. Just wondering if you could tell me the advantages of micro tapering vs cut and hold. I've been on cut and hold for the past 6 months and not done well. I'm apparently very sensitive and need smaller cuts but wonder if micro tapering would lead to even fewer bad reactions. Thanks so much. 

Hello Whitewillow,

 

I initially started with a large cut and held for a month.  It was awful and thought of being in that state of mind again terrified me.  I decided to dry cut 2.5% per month.  I did that for approximately 8 months.  I felt much better, I am now cutting 2.5% per week and find the symptoms manageable (last four weeks).  I am still working,  so it is very important that I can function day to day.  Fingers crossed it will remain smooth moving forward ..

 

Hope this helps.  Slowing down and taking smaller cuts or daily micro tapper should really help.  Best of luck to you..

I think you said you cut 2.5% each month.  How exactly did you calculate this.  Do you take 2.5% of the original dose or 2.5% of your current dose is after already making cuts?  Let’s say 2.5% equals 1mg.  Say during the month you are going to have 30 doses.  So would you reduce your daily dose by 1/30th of 1mg?

Because I initially took a big cut from my night pill, I began taking 2.5% of my morning pill.  Once the dose for the morning and the night became the same I took 1.25% from each pill.  This has given me a more steady dose and I feel better to be honest.  I have been able to dose down the last five weeks.  I am however struggling with a thyroid disease that was just discovered.  Not sure how this is impacting my dosing.

 

Start conservative with your percentages and work yourself up to a percentage that you feel you can handle, everyone's body is different. 

 

Hope this helps..

Personally I didn't like daily micro tapering. It felt like my body never had a chance to catch up and heal and was perpetually in withdrawals. Cut and hold has been much more manageable for me, but I'm tapering Valium so the cuts are pretty small.

Sea Salt. thank you for your input. I have thyroid disease and I too believe it is affecting my taper because of the anxiety and depression it causes. You do give me hope, however. I'm glad to hear you are doing so well this go around.

Hi Whitewillow

 

I'm sorry to hear your taper is not going well. I am on a relatively high dose K and  opted for DMT.

 

I found cut and hold was quite brutal on my system and I struggled more with wd. DMT is a gentler approach for my body.

 

Pros: if it works for you the tiny reductions could be more gentle and might be easier to handle. If you find a cut is too big you can immediately start holding the next day at that same dose and don't have to follow through on the full 2 week %  cut. You can also be very precise in your cuts and measurements if you are sensitive to slight cuts.

 

Cons: it is a cumbersome process. Because of the slow reduction in dose it can take a longer time to exhibit symptoms that cuts are catching up to you. If you do a liquid taper you might have an adjustment period to the liquid as you don't know if your body is sensitive to liquid. That said, there are many members who successfully do a combination of pill/liquid tapering to avoid exactly this scenario.

 

I understand how daunting these decisions can be as we go through so much. I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you and if you decide on DMT you will have a wealth of knowledge and experience on this forum to guide you.

 

Good luck!

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=254653.3#post_daily

I hope this helps! 

jelly belly, thank you for your reply. I think I will try the micro taper for a few weeks and just see. I'm currently tapering off Gabapentin and it will take me years to just get off 75 mg if I keep going at the snails pace I'm at now!  I would like to get a liquid version of gabapentin to make it more exact but don't want to tell my doctor I'm tapering because she thinks there are no withdrawal symptoms from gabapentin.

whitewillow,

 

Keep us posted how your new DMT is working for you. I am doing a liquid cut and hold and I am curious to see if changing to a daily microtaper helps your symptoms. I am only almost 6 weeks into my taper and doing OK (sans insomnia) but starting to feel a little rebound anxiety from my current method. Like I said I am curious to see if the change affects you positively.

 

  HM

jelly belly, thank you for your reply. I think I will try the micro taper for a few weeks and just see. I'm currently tapering off Gabapentin and it will take me years to just get off 75 mg if I keep going at the snails pace I'm at now!  I would like to get a liquid version of gabapentin to make it more exact but don't want to tell my doctor I'm tapering because she thinks there are no withdrawal symptoms from gabapentin.

 

It's so sad when our doctors don't believe us in what we're going through. I think it's probably a wise decision to keep her in the dark about your tapering if you don't have her support and understanding. I do realize this is an old thread, so just catching up on where you are at. Are you still on benzos or have you finished your taper?

 

If you find a liquid version of gabapentin it would make the process a lot easier. Less chemistry lab, just reduction  But if you can't, then the chemistry lab has worked for hundreds of people.

 

I'm not doing a liquid taper, I'm doing a dry taper chemistry lab where I weigh and make up my own capsules. I'm pretty useless when it comes to liquid DMT. But when you're ready for your liquid taper, then head off to the titration board with your questions and we'll be waiting (I'll give moral shout-outs!).

whitewillow,

 

  Did you decide to do a daily taper and, if so, is it working better for you? I am currently doing cut and hold but as I get lower in dose and the symptoms (from what I have read) amp up, I may go to a daily taper and see if my system tolerates that better. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

Have a great Monday,

 

HM

heartmost, I'm just not stabilizing like I should be so I'm holding right now. I don't know why I can't stabilize. it's been maybe 6 or 7 weeks since I made a big cut that I shouldn't have

slownsteady thank you so much for this!

 

whitewillow,

 

  I just did a cut today and I already feel my rebound anxiety kicking in, especially when I lie down and it's all still. I may have to hold myself for a while until that goes away. I got from 4 mh to 1.19mg relatively easily and, now, my system is being fussy about cutting. Gawd, I want to be done with this crap:( The patience required is tremendous.

 

HM

Heartmost, it's awful. I'm sorry you're having such a tough time. But it's great that you made it from 4-1.9. I hear the last cuts are the hardest.I've still not stabilized either.

Hi white,

 

I still have a long ways to go but I have already learned that the lower doses are harder. I am doing slightly better today as I went up half a cut. Xanax has a short half life and I make my changes based on how I feel and I felt very anxious yesterday and today (I went from .16 mg per dose to .165 mg per dose) and I feel better. The GAD and insomnia are the worst symptoms for me.

 

HM

Heartmost, I saw a video that a guy posted on YouTube about updosing is a good idea when you get so low. I'm glad you're feeling a little better today.

White,

 

  Thank you for the tip. I think I am OK at my current dose. I'll keep that in mind, though.

 

HM