Turtle76: Hi, need advice - 5 years off Paxil

[Turtle76]

Thank you for your reply it sounds easier to do when you explained it, so where do I look for the supply's? I would need a measuring cylinder and syringe? The doctor said I would need to take the medication at night with food, so would I make the liquid form in the morning and wait to take it at night? It seems the 50mg tablets dissolved in 500mL of water and 10ml of liquid would be easier to measure for someone like me.

[Turtle76]

Also would one pill last me through testing one milligram dose and 5 milligram dose?

 

[Turtle76]

I wanted to ask my doctor if I could have 25milligram pills instead or should I ask for a liquid prescription? Also would a measuring scale work as well? Sorry I am so new to this and would like to do it as safe as possible.

[ChessieCat]

On 5/2/2011 at 6:56 AM, Altostrata said:

Where to get oral syringes

Many pharmacies carry the larger oral syringe and, as Brandy implies, veterinarians carry them, too, to give animals medication.

 

Compounding pharmacies will have a wider range of oral syringes.

 

They cost very little; most pharmacies will give them to you gratis.

 

What size oral syringe to get

The larger 10 mL syringe can measure out dosages as small as .2 mg; the small 1 mL syringe (see the second post in this topic) can measure out dosages as small as .01 mL.

 

There are also .5mL oral syringes, measuring as small as .01 mL.

 

All fit into a cap in the bottle as shown in the first post.

 

What brand of oral syringe to get

The Monoject syringe in the photo above is just one brand of oral syringe. There are many brands available.

 

In the US, Becton-Dickinson (B-D) oral syringes are widely available. They hold up through repeated uses (wash with hot water) but the markings are a little smeary.

 

My preferred oral syringe, Exactamed, is made by Baxa. The markings are clear and it holds up longer through repeated washings than the others. It comes in 10mL, 5mL, 3mL, 1mL, and .5mL sizes. Baxa Exactament oral syringes may be hard to find; Baxa will sends pharmacists or medical personnel free samples, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/235-tapering-techniques/page__view__findpost__p__38431

 

 

A member posted a tip about wrapping some clear tape around the barrel of the syringe so that the numbers and lines don't wear off.

 

 

On 9/13/2012 at 3:37 AM, Rhiannon said:

If you Google "graduated cylinder" or look on Amazon, you can see what a graduated cylinder looks like. It's tall and cylindrical with small markings all along its length for measuring. You may want to Google "beaker" too so you can see the difference and not get them confused.

 

Graduated cylinders are easily available via Amazon or other websites.

 

 

On 7/27/2012 at 11:44 AM, Altostrata said:

Refrigerate homemade liquids
Most homemade solutions may keep for at least a few days, refrigerated. Drugs tend to be degraded by heat and light, which is why pharmacy containers are tinted.
 
Refrigeration delays the growth of bacteria and mold in your homemade liquid, which was not made under sterile conditions.

 

[Turtle76]

HI also I just want to note My family will be taking a cruise for 7 days, Oct. 27-Nov. 3rd, I will have to go because I can't be left alone in this unstable condition, I am having terrible dreams of me jumping off the ship, and not knowing how I will be? If I can't cope at home how will I be able to cope on water? Plus I can't start a new drug yet with these circumstance. Please I need advice? I am not doing well, my brain is everywhere right now! Someone is yelling in my brain "Cut, Cut, Cut!!!" It's very disturbing and all I do is cry and there is no way to cancel the cruise, my entire family is going and it was planed from last year. So scared right now, I think it wouldn't be smart for me to start the liquid Zoloft now comciderimg the time frame. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Altostrata]

You're going to be fine. A cruise will be relaxing.

 

I strongly recommend you look into non-drug ways to reduce your worry, see Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

Health anxiety, hypochondria, and obsession with symptoms 

 

Dealing With Emotional Spirals

 

Why did you and your doctor settle on Zoloft rather than Prozac? Prozac is easier to taper off.

 

If I were you, I'd consider getting a prescription for liquid Prozac and trying 0.5mg.

 

I get oral syringes at Walgreen's. Just ask the pharmacist.

[Turtle76]

Hi, this is the drug he recommended for me because it is more mild and I just told him that I have anxiety with mild depression, I am not going to tell a psychologist that I have major depression, he gave me a prescription for a 25 milligrams in pill form, I asked for a liquid Zoloft but he seemed in the dark about liquid? He said if I needed to take liquid Zoloft I could ask a compounding pharmacy to make me a liquid. So now I have a 50mg prescription and 25 milligrams. I have medi-cal insurance which is not good insurance  and maybe this psychologist isn't a good one. I can ask for a liquid Prozac but he was not even familiar with a liquid Zoloft? Ugh so so confused right now!!! But the sucidal idealation is non-stop with terrible blurry vision and voices in my head. 

[Turtle76]

Also is liquid Prozac in the same family as Zoloft? 

[Turtle76]

What milligrams do I ask for in a liquid form of Prozac?

[Turtle76]

Also do you have to mix the liquid Prozac with another solution? 

[Turtle76]

If I do eventually take the liquid Prozac, when do people take it? The psychologist originally wanted me to take the Zoloft at night to help with some sleep. 

[Turtle76]

Say I did well on the liquid Prozac 0.5 mg. Do I wait 4 days to increase the dose to 1mg.? What if 1mg. Prozac worked for me since my body has been sensitized can  I use it for short term and decided to come off, how would I taper off? Sorry for so many questions! 😰

[Turtle76]

So I called the doctor and he said my insurance won't pay for the liquid Prozac, but that a compounding pharmacy can make a liquid Prozac but I would have to pay out of pocket, which is ok if this drug is the easiest to taper. 

[Turtle76]

Hi the doctor said the pharmacy couldn't make the liquid Prozac but could probably make a compounding solution with the Zoloft, is the liquid Zoloft just as easy to taper if compounded??

[Turtle76]

Hi, I really don't know what to do my brain is so full of confusion but the depression is constant & feel totally whacked out! I have never had this type of manic depression before, I have had depression but never to this extent. I am so scared to make a wrong decision. I just had some cucumber juice, I was reading a article that cucumber juice provides vital electrolytes and helps repair the brain and protect you from the effects of adrenaline being released, it helps anxiety, depression and bipolar depression as well . So trying it out! Still don't know what to do regarding the Zoloft, I am very frightened to make a mistake and don't do well with liquid and measurements at least in the state I am in.

[Turtle76]

 But I can't even be by myself in the house while my parents leave, I have to go everywhere they go and be on watch. I am so scared to be alone because I start to hear voices in my head and don't want to be alone with these scary thoughts. I have gone from such a strong woman to a cripple, it's really sad. 

[caperjackie]

Turtle .......... not sure if this suggestion is allowed so mods please delete if unacceptable ........ I notice you are in California ....... have you tried CBD oil? Not the stuff with THC in it but just the CBD.

[Turtle76]

HI, if I decided to take the Zoloft which is 25 milligrams, can I cut the pill into 4, with a pill cutter? Then starting dose would 6.25? If I have a bad reaction in 4 days, I can jump off? For me that seems more easier, I don't know what to do really. ☹️

[Turtle76]

Hi caperjackie! Yes I have tried the CBD it was a gummy bear without THC & it has vitamin D & B12 in it as well this was in June & the reaction was not good, I was on the couch for a week, I only took one gummy bear one day and then another one day and stopped, felt sick also with heart palpitations. I got brave in July and tried one time for one day a completely different brand with only pure CBD oil in it with no THC, the lowest dose they had and also reacted with heart palpitations, it did take away some unpleasant depression symptoms but I still felt off & weird. I finally had enough and decided CBD wasn't for me. 

[Turtle76]

I never thought I would be in this awful position, it seems in February when I had the kayak accident and bruised my bladder, it put my nervous system into more of a overdrive state. I was stable for many years even in Windows and waves, was able to be more functional and never had this kind of depression before I only had anxiety. I still was not able to drive, but I was able to enjoy friends company and feel confident to stay home by myself without my parents help. Now what I am going through feels like a prison sentence.

[Turtle76]

Having a rough, rough time today! Feel like I am in a hole trying to climb out of this doom & gloom. The depression is so bad intrusive thoughts non-stop and hearing screaming and crying in my head that makes me feel crazy! Any words of encourgement or advice would be appreciated. I have tried many supplements to no avail. It seems my depression got so much worse after I got a acupuncture treatment on September 6th, after this date I have felt so much worse and many times completely unstable, without the help of my parents I could not care for myself. I am so scared and have tried non-drug ways to cope with this. I have a Zoloft prescription for 50mg, 25mg and I also have a liquid sertraline that is 20mg/ml a oral solution,  I am so scared to take them because I fear I will get worse. I think I am going to die if I take or go to the hospital, but I can't handle what I am experiencing NOW,  I have a cruise on October 27th which I am totally scared to go because I feel very unstable now. 

[Turtle76]

I also have a therapy session today, but I can't tell her how bad the depression is because she might suggest a drug. ☹️

[ChessieCat]

3 hours ago, Turtle76 said:

I have a cruise on October 27th which I am totally scared

 

You may be experiencing "anticipatory anxiety".

[Turtle76]

Thankyou for your reply, any reply right now is encouraging and it definelty could be "anticipatory anxiety". It's just I never had sucidal idealation and intrusive thoughts  last for so long! I don't want to ever be left alone with these thoughts it's so awful, many times I thought I had schizophrenia because I hear the screaming in my brain especially in the morning but this all became worse on September 6th, right after my acupuncture treatment and the needles were baby needles and they were so painful, I kept having her take them out. I am so bewildered as Claire Weeks says in her books and audios. I wish I knew if I would improve then it would give me hope in some way. I have also reduced my Pantothenic B5 supplement to 1500 mg instead of 2000 mg. this was also a month ago, could this also be contributing to the depression? Maybe I should go back up to 2000 mg?

[Happy2Heal]

hi Turtle76

 

how are you going these days?
hope you are feeling better