success ☼ Skyler, the benzo-Lyrica connection

[Skyler]

SCHUYLER!!

,

Put the mouse down and step away from the computer...

 

S-L-O-W-L-Y .... you can do it.

 

Oh Woe.. doing rather well actually. But you are right! THANK YOU

[Rhiannon]

SCHUYLER!!

,

Put the mouse down and step away from the computer...

 

S-L-O-W-L-Y .... you can do it.

 

Hey I need a "step away from the computer" coach too. Barb, you want a job?

[Barbarannamated]

Aw shucks, guys! I knew I'd find my calling!!

 

Now, if Karma would rig me a "whack on the mousehand" emoticon...

[Skyler]

Aw shucks, guys! I knew I'd find my calling!!

 

Now, if Karma would rig me a "whack on the mousehand" emoticon...

 

Ya did good.. thanks again.

[Skyler]

Benzo tapering is not my specialty. You need to listen to your body. Based on your experience, does that seem like a small drop or a large drop?

 

Given your sensitivity to withdrawal, I wouldn't rush it. I'd make a cut (can't say 1mg or what, I'm very cautious, I might try .5mg) and wait a while to see what happens.

 

I'm going to hold on Lyrica for another month, maybe two, and go back to tapering the benzo... The side effects from Lyrica trump those from the benzo, BUT tinnitus that cut loose as a result of Lyrica withdrawal a couple of months back trumps those.

 

I knew it was wise to hold on the former, but somehow got the hold for the benzo stuck in the same groove.. and it was not the benzo that triggered the tinnitus. I feel this is okay, and I can get the benzo low enough to just fall off at a rate or .10 a month at the end. Makes me feel much better mentally.. and I won't have the fear of forgetting the benzo again because of an interminable hold on the one yard line.

 

Also, given my doc's grumpiness when he heard I was holding on both, this should make him happy as well. Hmm, I might not even have to ask for another script for liquid diazepam as the refills will take me thru.

 

This may be too fast for the benzo.. any uptick whatsoever will revert to a hold. Sigh, maybe I can only get thru at half the pace, and I might still have enough liquid suspension. Dunno.. but doc has been a saint for two years with all this, so I'd like to please him for once, as opposed to having him please me. Will see. I should have caught up on some of the benzo lag time with the 2 month hold, though how that was impacted by the 5 days I forgot to take the d. is an open question. I was having some very minor issues before Lyrica withdrawal ran off with the show, but it comparatively it was VERY minor.

 

This could be another "If wishes were horses". But better to waffle in text if this is what I'm doing, than jerk my taper around. At the least I cut a little more off the benzo and then do a healthy chicken, so hold again on a slightly lower dose of diazepam.

 

 

Thanks for being there. ~S

[Skyler]

K.. gonna do a .02 mgs micro taper once a day for a 4 week period with the goal of getting to .5mgs d., with an extra hold day once a week. Then revert to a .10 a month cut to finish up. The 5/6 days I forgot to take diazepam after deciding to hold wigged me out, and was as harmful had I just gone off (my inner critical voice seems to have gone on overdrive), and the result was the same as it was aggravated.

 

THIS WHOLE THING IS MAKING ME NUTS! I get so obsessive. ARGH!

 

Sigh...

[Skyler]

HOLDING IS THE HARDEST PART OF A TAPER!!!

 

 

Edit.. Peace sometimes comes with insight. Now I see.. I sabotaged the diazepam taper because holding so long made me angry (probably to a less extent, the Lyrica taper). Problem was I aggravated the tinnitus, resulting in more hold time, and now I want to cut again. Well at least I see clearly, and own the play. The last d. cut should have been okay, it was judicious, but I will hold again for another few weeks. For any who doubt, this really is a tough go.

 

I was afraid I'd sabotaged because I wanted to aggravate withdrawal symptoms (self harm from withdrawal, very scary and I did not think this was the case). But holding was it's own kind of hurt, so my unconscious said.. ahh, I'm not going to take this. Only goes to show, it helps to look under the right rock. Therapist heal thyself.

[Skyler]

What the heck...?

[Skyler]

Eeek.. sorry

[xDebbiejo]

Hi Schuyler

 

Hope you're ok

 

I like your pics lol

 

Xx

[Skyler]

Thinking of you Schuyler...

 

SCHUYLER!! ,

Put the mouse down and step away from the computer...

S-L-O-W-L-Y .... you can do it.

 

Hi Schuyler

Hope you're ok

I like your pics lol

 

Hi All.. well dodged the bullet, somewhat. I'm still in flare, but it did not go over the top. The Lyrica is doubtless blotting out neuropathic pain and is the biggest factor is not going big time. Sigh.. The other factor seems to be the contrariness of fibro. I can tell spot on what will aggravate, but not what will take me over the flare top. For example, when I'm most optimistic, I've had major issues, and when most pessimistic, things worked out. Go figure.

 

I'm getting the red carpet treatment at the fruitstand where I fell. I could have sued them (don't believe in doing stuff like that unless there are real bills that need tending). The owner is mindful, and my customer ranking has gone up. He got a little bent a while back because I was buying to much from the 'damaged' but perfectly good fruit/veggies bin as opposed to paying full. No more.. I slipped on a small patch of water that dripped out of a bunch of flowers, and this because my crocs were like leather soles, slipppp slidin away. I still don't see that they were big time at fault, though admittedly had I spilled water on the kitchen floor at home, I would have seen the hazard. For me, from where I stand.. I'm glad it was not as bad as I'd feared. To have had trigger points right in the middle of a bruise on my hip and to be here to type about it is good enuf for me.

So for now, I'm

Thanks all.

[Skyler]

Tinnitus Update.. Tinnitus continues to fade. I've come up with a 10 point scale.. and I'm on a 2, this time sustained. The wave slips back up to 3 for a few mins, then subsides, with a 1 for same few. But things seem to be headed in that direction. For now, my itchiness has been helped by taking the .10 mgs diazepam cut. I figure if it took 5 or so days for me to realize I had not taken any at all, I could take a modest cut, and even plan for a second in a week or so. Much slower than I was going before the trouble started, and I've held long enough for some of the benzo affected GABA receptors to catch up... emphasis on SOME as opposed to all.

 

Sorry about my 'snit fit' above.. the small cut of d. and the prospect of another did wonders, except I'm feeling kind of sheepish! Sigh.. the main part is I held Lyrica long enough to start to stabilize, and as of now, do not think I will be dealing with tinnitus all the way down that infernal taper. I'm thinking to hold that for a few weeks more, and work slowly away on the d.~S

[broomegirl]

HI schuyler,

as you know im new here havet had much people trying to help me yet im on my benzo tapper 5.5 Valium have been on it 12 yrs ve failed twice i wnt to make it this time ,my trouble they put me on mirtazipine to help me get off the benzo and now have found out they both do the same.,i wish there was some one here that could tell me for sure that the benzo should go first,

 

I know for sure one thing and that the AD im on takes at least 12-24 mths to tapper im on 22.5 of mirtz i am on the bb site and most say get rid of benzo first,but now i dont know wt med should go first i suppose after all these yrs on benzo im tolerant wnt off in july last year then doc put me bk on it so i have been tappering this time since march this year doing a tapper of.5 every three-four weeks was put on 10mgs now down to 5.5.

 

I hope some one may be able to say to me for sure yes yr doing theright thing getting rid off benzo as they are bad **** but now i heard the med im on is more toxic than benzo

 

oohh what to do doctors are no help they want me on more drugs and i want to be free if you know of someone that can help that will be good

 

BG

[Skyler]

HI schuyler,

as you know im new here havet had much people trying to help me yet im on my benzo tapper 5.5 Valium have been on it 12 yrs ve failed twice i wnt to make it this time ,my trouble they put me on mirtazipine to help me get off the benzo and now have found out they both do the same.,i wish there was some one here that could tell me for sure that the benzo should go first,

 

I know for sure one thing and that the AD im on takes at least 12-24 mths to tapper im on 22.5 of mirtz i am on the bb site and most say get rid of benzo first,but now i dont know wt med should go first i suppose after all these yrs on benzo im tolerant wnt off in july last year then doc put me bk on it so i have been tappering this time since march this year doing a tapper of.5 every three-four weeks was put on 10mgs now down to 5.5.

 

I hope some one may be able to say to me for sure yes yr doing theright thing getting rid off benzo as they are bad **** but now i heard the med im on is more toxic than benzo

 

oohh what to do doctors are no help they want me on more drugs and i want to be free if you know of someone that can help that will be good

 

BG

 

Hi Broomegirl, No one can answer for sure, but what makes the most sense is taper the med causing the most symptoms first.

 

The rule of thumb on this forum, and one I agree with, is to taper the AD first as ADs are more activating (common speech.. cause more problems!). I know the benzo forums advise withdrawing the benzo first, I was active on TRAP for 18 mos, and now on BB for some mos. They believe tolerance withdrawal will cause difficulties if you hold. To add to the confusion, BB is like the Wild Wild West these days because there are so many people using the forum (several big benzo forums have closed recently, so BB is overwhelmed), and it's hard to separate those with real knowledge from well meaning folk who have little understanding. We believe tolerance withdrawal is a myth and unfortunately used to get people to continee tapering even when it is best for them to hold. Go here for an in depth discussion of tolerance withdrawal.

 

The side effect profile from ADs is more severe than from benzos, so I think they are wrong.

 

You need to do what is right for you. So I don't need to reread your thread, a few questions? What is the reason you want to come off the benzos first.. in symptoms, not according to feedback from BB. How are they making you feel. For the ADs.. what side effects are you having from them.

[Skyler]

 

I just almost got hit by lightening. It struck a tree that was 50 feet away. I was driving on a main road, and by the time the tree landed, it was 5 feet from where my head was. That part was near the top, where the lightening exploded the top of the tree off. It was directly in line with my head. My car was actually in some of the tree when I stopped. Had I not hit the brakes as the bolt came down and I saw/heard the flash/boom (they happen together when it's literally on top of you), I would have been killed. WOW!!

 

Second part, which is a question. I realized the reason requip is not putting me to sleep is.. duh, rebound insomnia. I don't need it anymore. I can get to .25mgs, (never took more than .50), but don't know how to get down from there. Alto, do you have any suggestions.. the tablets are not scored, but I was able to make what looks like a 40%/60% cut. It should not be a full blown taper issue.. but I want to get off this stuff. I realized that what I had was not so much RLS as nocturnal akathisia. GRRR, I just looked up RLS and that is exactly what they are, akathisia that is at night. And mine was classic akathisia because it was not just legs. Ouch, no wonder akathisia is so miserable. Nocturnal myoclonus; RLS; Akathisia The same thing according to the NIMH. !@#$. Why didn't the people at the sleep clinic who prescribed this, and who evaluated me let me know it's just the same as akathisia, except at night?.. Gosh, would seem a little incomplete.. oh well, that is neither here nor there now.

 

K, .25 is the smallest size, and I can come close to 50%.. I'll just keep the tablets for now that appear to be close, and grade others into sizes. Any further input appreciated. And please know, I do not regret having taken this drug, I would not have been able to deal with the akasthisia without it.. it was very bad, and my arms were the worst. I was writhing in bed.. then again, maybe I should just have come off more slowly. Neither here nor there now. Gotta give this crap the boot, at least now I know this is possible. Sigh, now to do a search to see if there is a tinnitus link.

 

Sigh.. looks like this is taper #3. I had no idea my benzo taper was too fast. A little late now!.. I am on the slow boat. Will proceed as am, but I need to watch for a tinnitus tie in here.. looks like there is one. Alto, if you have more info here I'd gratefully appreciate said.

 

Hope this is clear enough.. not as good as usual.. I'm still a little shaken by the near tree incident. I may need to know if Requip is water soluble, and if I can make an oral suspension out of it in the event I need to take smaller and more consistent amounts that the pill cutter will allow. I can see why you would not comment!!.. problem was, I needed that about the speed of the benzo taper, as in, if one needs to medicate withdrawal symptoms, the taper is too fast.

[Skyler]

Still shaking from the lightening toppled tree scare.

 

Hi Alto, On Requip.. I think the reason I've been getting tinnitus worse in the PM going into evening is because of Requip leaving my system. Then I take it again at 11PM or so, and over the next hour tinnitus abates, and the character changes during the night, there is high pitched noise from 12AM thru 9AM (?), and starts to get worse during the day again.

 

Sigh... well, better to know than not. This could be one of the reasons tinnitus has been so intractable.. from what I read, requip withdrawal causes tinnitus. So I an sticking to .25mgs for now, (this is actually a reduction, a week back I was on .50 most nights), and cutting the tablets for an AM and PM dose.. approx. .125 mgs BID. In a week or so I'll try to cut by .25 mgs.. total .75 mgs a day. From what I've read, it's not all that difficult to come off of (hope this is correct!), and my guess is getting this crap, and the benzos out of my system will make it easier to taper Lyrica. At the very least, I should know what I'm doing.

 

I remember when first I read "One Flew Over...".~S

 

To any who.. please see the previous post made just after my close call with lightening this AM.. the tree was about .10 seconds from landing on my head when I was driving the car (NOT an exaggeration). Said tree was 50+ feet tall. I was terrified!!

[Barbarannamated]

SCARY! I'd still be shaking, too, Schuyler. Hard to say anything intelligible after reading that.

I'm glad you're safe.

 

B

[Skyler]

SCARY! I'd still be shaking, too, Schuyler. Hard to say anything intelligible after reading that.

I'm glad you're safe.

B

 

Thanks Barb, it really was Very scary. I did not know my heart could beat so fast. That fast response may also have saved my life.. I slammed on the brakes very suddenly... still have the lightening fast reflexes of my teens. Fancy that. I called the friend whose house I had left and told him I had been under the thunder bolt.. he said, ohhh, I heard that. Yeah, that was almost the last thing I heard.

 

On another note... I took the .125 mgs of requip (1/2 the daily total), and the usual afternoon increase in tinnitus stopped dead. Soooo, this is why I have been getting just so far rolling the symptoms back, but no further. Well.. I'm not taking anything else that is prescribed. Only a multi vitamin, calcium, vit. d, and fish oil. Should not be anymore nasty surprises. ISCH.

[Altostrata]

Wow! I'm glad you had such good reflexes, too, Schuyler.

 

Yes indeed, you also need to taper Requip!!!! Don't fool yourself, it's another neuroactive medication.

 

How about using a digital scale?

 

From Googling, it seems Requip is water-soluble and not very evaporative (http://pharmacycode.com/Ropinirole.html , see MSDS )

 

From http://proj3.sinica.edu.tw/~chem/servxx6/files/paper_13432_1278666133.pdf

Development and Validation of Ropinirole Hydrochloride and its Related

Compounds by UPLC in API and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

 

Ropinirole was found to degrade significantly in oxidative

and base stress conditions and stable in acid, water, hydrolytic and photolytic degradation conditions.

 

Have you seen this? Apparently the quinine in tonic water can work for RLS:

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/10/11/is-quinine-in-tonic-water-safe/

[Barbarannamated]

Interesting, from link above:

 

"Some people find even the small amount of quinine in tonic water can pose problems. These folks may experience ringing in the ears, rash, itching or blurred vision and should steer clear of tonic water altogether."

[Skyler]

Yes indeed, you also need to taper Requip!!!! Don't fool yourself, it's another neuroactive medication.

HUGE SIGH Do you know from reading or experience about tapering off requip? (I value you either way, just some you have more familiarity with than others). I have cut to .25 mgs from .5, but I was a .5 only for a few weeks, if there is any mercy here, it's .25 mgs is the minimum dose.. but I've been at .25 mgs for a few years. Different kettle 'o da fish.. On the other hand, many people can taper Lyrica more easily than ADs, benzos etc. (the stuff we think of as psychotropics). Watching the level of tinnitus though.. no wonder I did not seem to get stabilized on Lyrica where tinnitus was concerned. Oh well.. time to taper the last of the diazepam. I was dropping at .25 mgs every two weeks for ages to good effect.. so I'm putting the last of diazepam taper on the front burner so I'll only dealing with Lyrica and requip. Wait, did I just say ONLY?

 

I WANT TO CRY. At least I was already in the soup before you gave me your warning.

 

How about using a digital scale?

If I can dilute with water, do I need a scale? I've been doing Lyrica which is a powder.. not a tablet, so would I just let requip dissolve?

 

From Googling, it seems Requip is water-soluble and not very evaporative (http://pharmacycode.com/Ropinirole.html , see MSDS )

 

From http://proj3.sinica.edu.tw/~chem/servxx6/files/paper_13432_1278666133.pdf

Development and Validation of Ropinirole Hydrochloride and its Related

Compounds by UPLC in API and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

 

Ropinirole was found to degrade significantly in oxidative

and base stress conditions and stable in acid, water, hydrolytic and photolytic degradation conditions.

 

I'm not confident of my ability to get out of these what you intend? Are you saying I may not need a digital scale, according to these articles, the chemistry is right for using water as a diluent?

 

Have you seen this? Apparently the quinine in tonic water can work for RLS:

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/10/11/is-quinine-in-tonic-water-safe/

 

Yup.. think I tried, though I'm not sure how well. Thing is, it appears quinine can cause tinnitus. Also, I'm wondering if I still need requip (may have been a high and somewhat erratic dose of K that was caused the pre-taper RLS, I'm starting to wonder). That's why I tried to d/c it. ARHG! And I lose my prescription drug coverage in 5 months. Wonderfullllll.

 

Because of the side effects and cost, I'm thinking that I need to go after Lyrica when I finish diazepam (6 to 10 weeks out from now). By the time I'm finished with the diazepam taper, I'm hopeful Lyrica will be stable (meaning the tinnitus) as long as I BID or TID requip, (and I'll also be at a stable .25mgs on Requip by that time) ... so Lyrica will be next up for center stage. But I still want to know how I get off this !@#$ newest or not so new crap.

 

PS.. I was reliving the all too near lightening strike for hours.. until the reality of this hit. This is the absolute pits.. Until your warning, I never even considered, and then did not know what was happening until hitting rebound insomnia a couple of days ago.

[Skyler]

PPS.. Alto, THANK YOU

[Skyler]

Alto.. not need the info on how to dilute requip with water.. WHAT AM I SAYING! I am already cutting tablets, trying to get as close to 50/50 as possible. Duh? as in Ya think?

 

Did you post the links to give me info on the science behind being able to dilute even if you don't know expressly? Do you think I still need a jewelers scale? I'll order the latter today if this is so.. sheesh, not need to taper. Rightttt.

 

Thanks again, ~S

 

PS.. back to perseverating on the lightening strike. Closest I've ever come to finding out about the after life.

[InNeedOfHope]

What a frightening experience with the lightening. It will take you a bit to get that image out of your head. Sometimes i question why people going through this seem to get more than their fair share of bad things to deal with, it's just not fair, when they can least deal with it. Hope the shock of it passes soon.

[Nikki]

Schuyler...this is one heck of a balancing act you have doing with both meds. You really seem to have a good grasp on how to taper both meds.

 

I had no idea that Lyrica was so hard to get off of. Is there any medicine that we just get off of 1-2-3?????

 

Nikki

[Skyler]

Schuyler...this is one heck of a balancing act you have doing with both meds. You really seem to have a good grasp on how to taper both meds.

 

I had no idea that Lyrica was so hard to get off of. Is there any medicine that we just get off of 1-2-3?????

 

Nikki

 

As far as I know, every neuroleptic is 'up for grabs' (withdrawal).. sigh. Rhi is the master of coming off meds, she is tapering off, I think it's 3, just finished with neurontin. Gosh.. I'm just following her lead.

 

Okay, gotta confess. I pretty much wigged out on finding it was necessary to taper Lyrica too. Pretty much lost my nerve, but I huffed and puffed and eventually accepted the status quo. This past time, I only had a 'hissy fit' for 12 hrs or so. Big improvement.. and my guess is that poor Alto, who fielded my distress the first time round is somewhat relieved.

 

Anyhow, it's not only psychotropics and neuroleptics that mess us up, though they are far and away the worst I know for withdrawal.. but tapers are needed for virtually anything. (maybe except aspirin?). NAISDs, Statins (I think.. and they cause dreadful side effects for some, I met someone who was an airline pilot who lost his job, home everything because he became unable to walk, and had devastating fatigue.) My Dad is on proton pump inhibitors.. for him they are literally a life saver. He has a very large inherited diaphragmatic hernia, and the pain from the acid would be unbearable.. but this said, he cannot so much as miss one dose, because there is rebound acid reflux that initially is worse than the problem being treated. And the list goes on, and on, and on. The medications that are really helpful are mostly for acute illnesses, and medicine has traded on those successes for years, or rather our expectations that any pill will be as valuable. Insulin is also a lifesaver, but most medications are short of that, and the decision to take or not is often made because they supposedly improve our lifestyle.. but they often take more off than they contribute.

 

There.. Barb, this was my soap box/rant. LOL, how did I do?

[marystone78]

 

I found you! Thanks for your help, now I will post my situation!

Mary

[Altostrata]

Hello, Mary.

 

Schuyler, I don't have any direct information about people making a DIY solution with Requip but it seems likely it can be done. According to Rhi, who is a lab pro, just about any non-timed release drug can be diluted with water.

 

Refrigerate all homemade solutions so as not to grow critters in them.

 

No, you don't need the jeweler's scale if you're going to make a solution.

 

Sorry, all the neurologically active drugs can rock the boat if you jump off them (an excessively mixed metaphor, but you know what I mean). I hear agonists like Requip are less likely to cause withdrawal, but you've got a balance going with all the other meds. So slide carefully off Requip. This might be a good candidate for a daily micro-taper.

[Skyler]

 

I found you! Thanks for your help, now I will post my situation!

Mary

 

Good to see you too! Glad you got some advice from Alto, she is aces. .. get you feeling much better.. and congrats on all the successful tapers thus far. Good work.

[Skyler]

Sorry, all the neurologically active drugs can rock the boat if you jump off them (an excessively mixed metaphor, but you know what I mean). I hear agonists like Requip are less likely to cause withdrawal, but you've got a balance going with all the other meds. So slide carefully off Requip. This might be a good candidate for a daily micro-taper.

 

Hmmm, will definitely give mt a go then. Just now I seem to be adjusting to the cut I just made to .5. Unfortunately I had already committed to the drop before I had any idea it might contribute to tinnitus. The uptick is mild, though I realize NONE would be better given this looks to go on for a bit.. at least I know it's trying to fade out... just wish it would have an even chance.

 

Sounds like a better med to taper before the Lyrica. Maybe I can even start while I'm still coming off diazepam (or hold the d again, mix and match). Will see.. seems from a holding pattern I'm now in a bit of a traffic jam regarding which to do when. Don't worry.. I will not rush. Just nice to get moving again, even if Lyrica is still at the begin gate. Good, so Requip may not be an 'endless' taper. Thanks for everything. ~S

[marystone78]

Thanks

 

 

I found you! Thanks for your help, now I will post my situation!

Mary

 

Good to see you too! Glad you got some advice from Alto, she is aces. .. get you feeling much better.. and congrats on all the successful tapers thus far. Good work.

 

[Skyler]

Groan, just lost the second script of Lyrica in a week. I was trying to stash some extra up for when my prescription insurance ends in 4 months, but the extra is gone now. I can take the caps by mouth, but now they stick together and I have no idea how to get the powder out. I threw out the last script, and now it looks like this one will follow to the tune of another $200. I talked with the pharmacist.. he was the one who told me it was leaving the cap off which allows the caps to get too humid.(usually it's shut, and I've never had this problem in the past) The result being the caps get soft and sticky making it impossible to twist them to open.

 

Any ideas on how I might salvage the current soft caps script would be greatly appreciated. Right now the bottle is sitting in front of the air conditioner, bringing the temp down.. it was 85 in my kitchen, and evidently the heat is also needed for them to stick. ARGH

~S

[Altostrata]

Pick up a clump of capsules. Hold it over a container. With an X-acto knife or razor blade cut a hole in one of the capsules and pour the powder out.

 

Do you have those little absorptive packets that come with vitamins, etc.? You should put a few in with your Lyrica capsules. Your pharmacy might have some. They might dry the capsules enough so you can separate them.

 

I have a million of those packets I've saved from my various supplements.

[Barbarannamated]

I thought I left a response to any drugs that are able to be DC'd 1-2-3 and all I came up with was antibiotics. I thinl anything used daily, especially long term, has potential for some discontinuation effects. Even analgesics/aspirin can produce a rebound pain/headache if used regularly. That said, the neuro/psychotropics seems to be worst. And the ones thought to be easy to DC are some of most difficult.

[Skyler]

Pick up a clump of capsules. Hold it over a container. With an X-acto knife or razor blade cut a hole in one of the capsules and pour the powder out.

 

Do you have those little absorptive packets that come with vitamins, etc.? You should put a few in with your Lyrica capsules. Your pharmacy might have some. They might dry the capsules enough so you can separate them.

 

I have a million of those packets I've saved from my various supplements.

 

Hmm, I never even realized what the packets were for, but the pharmacist is going to rumage around and get one our of a script he's almost finished with. Curiously, they do not come with Lyrica. Not confident in the least about using an exacto knife however.. seems like a great way to have powder all over the place. Oh well, one can only try. I was I got the good syringes and felt like I was raring to go.. then this AM I took the requip syringe.. except it was the one on the ready for the 3PM Lyrica, so now I'm not able to take that dose, need to wait until 11PM, and now this. This tapering and syringes, etc is a pain in the tuchas! Will I ever get this down pat.. gosh, I keep coming up with new wrinkles.

 

Thanks for responding mon ami.

[Altostrata]

Instead of an X-acto knife, how about the pointy end of a little pair of scissors? Or a tweezer?