Naturelover: Need help with liquid tapering

[Naturelover]

Hi all,

 

I am thrilled I found this site. After two unsuccessful withdrawals in the past, I am hoping this time around I am more successful with a slow and steady taper. 

 

I am currently on 20 mg Prozac and have been since 2021. I wanted some advice around creating a liquid solution. My doctor refuses to prescribe the liquid form of Prozac to me (which I realize would make this more convenient) and doesn’t agree with my 10% slow tapering schedule that I discussed with her. She’d like me to drop in 5 mg increments every month which I’ve tried explaining seems too fast for me. It seems that I have to take matters into my own hands and create liquid solutions for my dosages. Per advice from some other forums on here, I purchased syringes and measurement cups. My plan is to dissolve my 20 mg tablets in 20 ml water, shake the solution, and draw out whatever is not needed since it will be a 1 mg : 1 mL solution. I was hoping for some advice/suggestions from you all around this plan. Will this be accurate/ effective? 
 

Thank you  I am so relieved to have this community for support. 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  I believe that you will have a much better tapering experience if you taper according to our harm reduction approach.  It will take time, but you will be able minimize withdrawal, and maintain some quality of life.  You are wise to question your doctor's tapering advice, especially in light of your past experience.  Please be aware that each attempt to taper too fast puts you at risk of sensitizing your nervous system, and making future tapers more difficult.  

 

Can you please give us specific information in your signature about your drug history for all drugs and supplements you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise vertical list (no symptoms), only specific dates, include the day (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day), drug names, and dosages of each medication decrease or increase. Here is an example: 

 

March 12, ’22: Lexapro 5 mg, Xanax 0.5 mg, Trazodone 50 mg

March 29, ’22: Lexapro 4 mg, Xanax 0.5 mg, Trazodone 50 mg

April 17, ’22:  Lexapro 3.8 mg, Xanax 0.5 mg, Trazodone 50 mg

May 19, ’22:  Lexapro 3.8 mg, Xanax 0.5 mg, Trazodone 25 mg

 

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Your Drug History in Your Signature

 

Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work.  This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications, and why it's so important to taper slowly and carefully, and be very cautious about changing our doses: 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we generally taper by 10% of the current dose no more than once every 4 weeks, so that the reduction becomes exponentially smaller.

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

The other option, which is even gentler, is to micro taper.  This is described here: 

 

Brass Monkey Slide Method of Microtapering

 

Tips for Tapering Prozac

 

You asked about how to make a liquid from your Prozac tablets.  That is covered here:  

 

How to Make a Liquid from Tablets or Capsules

 

Here is a link with checklists of common WD symptoms: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please feel free to ask any questions, and keep us posted on how your taper goes.  

Edited January 30, 2023 by getofflex

[Naturelover]

Thank you so much for the information.

 

Is it suggested to divide the dosage between pill and liquid solution before converting entirely to liquid solution? 

 

[getofflex]

21 hours ago, Naturelover said:

Is it suggested to divide the dosage between pill and liquid solution before converting entirely to liquid solution?

Yes, we suggest your gradually switch over from table to liquid as described here: 

 

Changing From Tablet to Liquid

[possum]

What you describe is exactly how I am dealing with my Paxil taper. I dump a 20 mg pill into 20 mg of water and take what I need and pour out the rest. Right now I'm taking 10 mg in pill form (half of one pill) and 8 ml of liquid every day.

 

[Naturelover]

@possum how is that working for

you? 
 

My plan was to do 15 mg tablet and then 5 mg drawn from the 20 mL solution just to get myself adjusted to some liquid. Then do 10 mg tablet & 10 mg solution. Then 15 mg solution & 5 mg tablet. Switch over to the full 20 mg solution within a week and start the liquid taper. 

[possum]

I stayed on 20 mg for a week, using half a pill (10 mg) and 10 ml of liquid. Once I saw that I was okay with the Paxil Juice, as I think of it, I started my 10% taper using half a 20 mg pill and 8 ml of liquid. Your plan makes sense to me.

[getofflex]

17 hours ago, Naturelover said:

My plan was to do 15 mg tablet and then 5 mg drawn from the 20 mL solution just to get myself adjusted to some liquid. Then do 10 mg tablet & 10 mg solution. Then 15 mg solution & 5 mg tablet. Switch over to the full 20 mg solution within a week and start the liquid taper. 

This sounds like a good plan.  I would suggest listening to your body, and making sure you are symptom free before you start your taper, rather than just going by the calendar, and doing it in a week.  Your system may need some time to adjust to switching to the liquid.  

[FireflyFyte]

I recently switched to a homemade liquid suspension of Olanzapine for my taper and following advice here, did the following to convert - two days at 3/4 pill and 1/4 liquid, two days at 1/2 pill and 1/2 liquid, two days at 1/4 pill and 3/4 liquid, and then stayed at a fully liquid dose for a week and two days before I made my first drop. I had no issues during the conversion and felt safe to make my drop after a little over a week. Hopefully your transition goes as smoothly.

[getofflex]

It’s better to take a full week at each of the steps while you’re switching from a tablet to the liquid.  

[Naturelover]

Thanks @getofflex. I will take it slow and listen to my body.

 

Does it matter if I alternate between one brand of tablet and a different brand of capsule to measure my doses? The capsules have powder in them as opposed to the tablets.