rudymoon Posted October 3, 2016 Author Share Posted October 3, 2016 Rudy, Have not seen you pop up in a while. How are you doing? I hope things are getting better for you!! S Hi Skeeter (and JanCarol), I've more or less given up on the internist that I reference above. However, I've got to go ahead with the taper regardless. My are eyes getting worse by the day. I have no other choice. I'm taking diovan twice per day at 7am and 7pm. My clonidine dose comes at 9pm. I've tested/practiced making the solution and using the oral syringe with spring water and actual .1mg clonidine tablets. HOWEVER, there's a huge problem with the entire process which must be addressed. Before I'm able to vent off 1ml from the syringe (which leaves 9ml for injection), incompletely dissolved clonidine is clearly/visibly reconcentrating in the base of the syringe. What's getting vented off from the syringe when I depress the plunger is a diluted clonidine solution, and what is left is concentrated clonidine solution. The practical effect of this is that I'm getting more than the .09mg of clonidine that's the starting point for the process, and have no reliable way of knowing what the actual amount remaining might be. How does one go about resolving this behavior of the solution such that a dose can be reliably and consistently drawn? Thanks, -Rudy Discontinued Drugs: Budweiser Light 30+ Years - CT 11/14/15 Ativan 1.5 mg 3 Weeks - Rapid Taper completed 12/1/15 Propranolol 120mg 2 months - CT 1/25/16 Gabapentin 100mg x 3 @ bedtime 2.5 months - 100mg per-week taper completed 4/16 Levaquin 750mg/daily - Ceased after 6 doses on signs of poisoning 4/18/16 Gabapentin 100mg x 3 @ bedtime use intermittant starting 8/4/16 - daily from 8/21 - CT on doctors order 9/1/16 Briefly tried Unisom and Benadryl as a sleep aid (under 5 minimal doses combined) Currently on a MV, Magnesium, CoQ10, Vitamin E, Vitamin D3, Curcumin, and Krill Oil for Levaquin poisoning Diovan 320mg daily Clonidine .1mg as needed for BP spikes (frequently) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted October 3, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 3, 2016 If you're not already doing this, shake the solution/suspension and draw from the centre of the liquid. Secondly, as you decrease dose you'll get the same bias or shift from the true value. It's consistency that matters more as you taper than accuracy. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Skeeter Posted October 3, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 3, 2016 Rudy, Thanks for the update. I had been wondering about how you had been doing. Scallywag is the pro when it comes to this for sure! I want to add something that helped me greatly as I have been practicing (I feel like a little kid doing experiments!). The most helpful thing I found in addition to the syringe, was a pill crusher I found at my local drugstore for about $5, and I will link you to a similar product you can buy online below. Mine, has a cap that screws into a little bowl, and as you tighten the lid, the pill gets crushed finer and finer, (I have learned to unscrew it a little and then screw it down a couple of times if I have a difficult chunk, then I use the water I will be drawing from to rinse off the cap and the bottom to make sure I get all of the medication possible out. This, with Scallywag's directions might help. SW, if this is a bad idea, please correct me. https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/ezy-dose-tablet-crusher-with-pill-container/ID=prod6144837-product The link above is not the exact one I found, but very close. Current meds: Lexapro 20mg, Valium 6.25mg Current status: September 2018 forced to go down to 10mg of Valium/Diazepam from around 15mg, with the plan to have me totally of in 2 more months. I was not given a chance to give input at tapering at this speed, please go much, much slower. Luckily I found a new doctor, but was thrown off course by my rapid taper, as of 2/19 am down to 6.25mg, and am stable. Will update with dates of taper ASAP. Read my history here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12819-skeeters-journey/ I am NOT a doctor. My opinions are just that- MY opinions, based on my personal experiences and research, but your experience and reactions may differ greatly, we are all different! I maintain that a doctor educated in withdrawal is the best place to get info or to get the "go ahead" before changing your medications in any way! Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted October 3, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 3, 2016 Skeeter - I'm a bead counter (Cymbalta) neither a pill crusher and weigher nor a maker of liquids. Your experience with either of those taper tactics is infinitely more than mine. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Skeeter Posted October 4, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 4, 2016 Skeeter - I'm a bead counter (Cymbalta) neither a pill crusher and weigher nor a maker of liquids. Your experience with either of those taper tactics is infinitely more than mine. LOL! I cannot even imagine trying to count the beads, they are so teensy!! Do you have issues with static in the winter when it is dry? Current meds: Lexapro 20mg, Valium 6.25mg Current status: September 2018 forced to go down to 10mg of Valium/Diazepam from around 15mg, with the plan to have me totally of in 2 more months. I was not given a chance to give input at tapering at this speed, please go much, much slower. Luckily I found a new doctor, but was thrown off course by my rapid taper, as of 2/19 am down to 6.25mg, and am stable. Will update with dates of taper ASAP. Read my history here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12819-skeeters-journey/ I am NOT a doctor. My opinions are just that- MY opinions, based on my personal experiences and research, but your experience and reactions may differ greatly, we are all different! I maintain that a doctor educated in withdrawal is the best place to get info or to get the "go ahead" before changing your medications in any way! Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Skeeter Posted October 15, 2016 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted October 15, 2016 Rudy, Just wondering how you are progressing. Did you stay with a water taper, and what worked for you in getting the exact dose every time? Did you purchase any additional equipment, or was shaking enough? The biggest thing I have wondered is how are your eyes, and how is your BP? I will not bother you beyond this point, I just wanted to make sure you are doing well before I left you be in case you ran into any issues! Skeeter Current meds: Lexapro 20mg, Valium 6.25mg Current status: September 2018 forced to go down to 10mg of Valium/Diazepam from around 15mg, with the plan to have me totally of in 2 more months. I was not given a chance to give input at tapering at this speed, please go much, much slower. Luckily I found a new doctor, but was thrown off course by my rapid taper, as of 2/19 am down to 6.25mg, and am stable. Will update with dates of taper ASAP. Read my history here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12819-skeeters-journey/ I am NOT a doctor. My opinions are just that- MY opinions, based on my personal experiences and research, but your experience and reactions may differ greatly, we are all different! I maintain that a doctor educated in withdrawal is the best place to get info or to get the "go ahead" before changing your medications in any way! Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Skeeter Posted January 4, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 4, 2017 Rudy, I know it has been a while. I have been so worried about your site, and whether our advised helped or did not, and how you are dong. We lose track of a lot f our members, so we do like to ask how yo are doing. You had a med we were not totally familiar with, and me and another person (a mod, as I was not a mod at the time I helped you) each spent hours of research trying to help you. If you get a moment, please update. Good or bad, we would love to hear from you! Best Wishes! Skeeter Current meds: Lexapro 20mg, Valium 6.25mg Current status: September 2018 forced to go down to 10mg of Valium/Diazepam from around 15mg, with the plan to have me totally of in 2 more months. I was not given a chance to give input at tapering at this speed, please go much, much slower. Luckily I found a new doctor, but was thrown off course by my rapid taper, as of 2/19 am down to 6.25mg, and am stable. Will update with dates of taper ASAP. Read my history here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12819-skeeters-journey/ I am NOT a doctor. My opinions are just that- MY opinions, based on my personal experiences and research, but your experience and reactions may differ greatly, we are all different! I maintain that a doctor educated in withdrawal is the best place to get info or to get the "go ahead" before changing your medications in any way! Link to comment
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