How to calculate dosages and dilutions? Spreadsheets and calculators

[Graziella]

Is liquid mirtazapine available in Canada? Also, what is the scale called? I would like to order it.

 

 

[Altostrata]

Hello, Graziella. We can answer your questions in your Introductions topic, please start one.

[Courageous]

I created yet another taper schedule calculator here:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/166G5PM7EGT8J73yehbISokbQ7IAcbjPUudb5TfXitao/

 

Please try it out and double check the math for me.  If you find it useful then please add it to the top post.

 

[India]

Conversion from mg to liquid for micro-taper is proving challenging.

Can an algebraic formula be provided by anyone to apply converting the different values each day?

I know that you need to do dilution first to complete the above,

If my liquid is 40mg active ingredient per 1ml, then how much should I dilute the liquid if starting my microtaper at 5.4mg?

 

[Superwoman]

This is a chart that I created to log your taper data.  It has columns for Reduction Cycle, Percent Reduced, Start date, end date, start dose MGAI, End dose MGAI, Beads removed, remaining beads and notes/symptoms.  Please free to use.  I made it on Microsoft Word.

Antidepressant Reduction Chart.docx

[Superwoman]

Note, you need to use Microsoft Word to open the above file.  I tried to open it on my phone and it does not show up properly. 

[Kornyboyo1917]

For the standard taper it seems the starting dose cell and reduction cylce cell is the wrong way?  Can anyone look and double check that?

[Kornyboyo1917]

I'm not sure if I am understanding the spreadsheet right or that it is computing wrong?

[Altostrata]

On 5/3/2013 at 2:21 PM, Altostrata said:

 

Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations

This is a Google Doc from Brassmonkey -- There are different tabs at the bottom: Standard, Micro-taper, Brassmonkey Slide. 

Feel free to download this: Select File (in the spreadsheet, not in your browser), then download. You can then upload it to your own Google Docs.

 

 

This spreadsheet has been corrected and revised.

[Beigebuoy]

Hey guys, 

Not sure if I am in the right thread but I'm still just having a little trouble figuring out how I am supposed to measure out 10% reduced dosages once I go below 1mg of Lexapro oral solution? 
I'm currrenlty at 1mg and holding until I hopefully stabilise. I understand I will have to incorporate the use of a syringe however Im just not sure how Im going to be able to measure out say 10% of 0.9 mg for example. 

Any further insight would be much appreciated. 

Thanks. 

[Frogie]

22 hours ago, Beigebuoy said:

Hey guys, 

Not sure if I am in the right thread but I'm still just having a little trouble figuring out how I am supposed to measure out 10% reduced dosages once I go below 1mg of Lexapro oral solution? 
I'm currrenlty at 1mg and holding until I hopefully stabilise. I understand I will have to incorporate the use of a syringe however Im just not sure how Im going to be able to measure out say 10% of 0.9 mg for example. 

Any further insight would be much appreciated. 

Thanks. 

When I got that low with my Lexapro taper I got a 1 ml syringe. Then I could accurately measure .9 ml and lower. I don’t know where you can get one in Australia. You might try the pharmacy or a vets office. I got mine from the pharmacy. I was also able to get one from my dogs vet. 
 

Hope that helps.

[morgana]

sorry to be a pain again...i am trying to use the spreedsheet that you can open up on this site i downloaded it but it says view only and i can not type any numbers into the boxes....do you know what i need to do in order to use it...or would it be best to find someone who understands spreedsheets ....lol   .let me know most appreciated...cheers m

[Rrsfc]

@morgana sorry, don't know maybe @hayduke can help...

[ChessieCat]

Is someone able to help morgana please?

[hayduke]

Not sure...I made my own but it's way too scrappy to share.

 

@morgana please share the exact link you downloaded from, and are you on mac windows or ??

 

Maybe someone with the same system could see if they get the same error

[Frogie]

5 hours ago, morgana said:

sorry to be a pain again...i am trying to use the spreedsheet that you can open up on this site i downloaded it but it says view only and i can not type any numbers into the boxes....do you know what i need to do in order to use it...or would it be best to find someone who understands spreedsheets ....lol   .let me know most appreciated...cheers m

If it's the same spreadsheet I just opened, there is a yellow bar at the top that says "Enable Editing". Click on that then you can type in the cells.

[morgana]

thanks for your advice, but that doesnt work for me....i have no idea...i might know someone who i could possibly ask she is good with accounts so should know how to do spreedsheets, i will just have to disclose my illness as i would need to show her this site....thanks for your time....cheers

[ChessieCat]

@morgana

 

If it was me I would NOT be asking the person to help.  Once you tell somebody something there is no going back.

 

Are you using a phone?

 

It's possible that you have clicked on a link to an old version of the spreadsheet.

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pw4tjImAJ92OIVyRvZoZYjqxiKMk7wvp-ljiIi1olRo/edit#gid=0

 

I've just tested this one and it works.

 

This one can be downloaded.  The "File" they mean is not the browser File right at the top of the screen but the File for the spreadsheet.

 

Feel free to download this spreadsheet

Select File from menu above, then download

 

Edited September 10, 2020 by ChessieCat

[Kornyboyo1917]

Morgana is right.  You can't edit the spreadsheet.  You have to request access to edit.

[ChessieCat]

8 minutes ago, Kornyboyo1917 said:

Morgana is right.  You can't edit the spreadsheet.  You have to request access to edit.

 

Morgana has not provided the link so we don't know which one she is talking about.

[Kornyboyo1917]

On 10/1/2020 at 10:29 PM, ChessieCat said:

 

Morgana has not provided the link so we don't know which one she is talking about.

 

Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations   (Revised and updated September 2020)

This is a Google Sheet from scallywag and Brassmonkey -- There are different tabs at the bottom: Standard, Microtaper, Brassmonkey Slide. 

Feel free to download this: To use with Microsoft Excel, in the Google Sheet (not in your browser), select File, then Download. Or, use Copy to transfer a copy to your own Google Drive.

 

Column F is still taking information from B5 when it should be taking information from B4.  Also, when you click on the link you can only edit the document if you download it. 

[ChessieCat]

Thanks for providing exact information about what the issue is.  That is very helpful.  I will let the mods know.

[Altostrata]

On 9/9/2020 at 11:29 PM, morgana said:

thanks for your advice, but that doesnt work for me....i have no idea...i might know someone who i could possibly ask she is good with accounts so should know how to do spreedsheets, i will just have to disclose my illness as i would need to show her this site....thanks for your time....cheers

 

On 10/4/2020 at 11:24 AM, Kornyboyo1917 said:

 

Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations   (Revised and updated September 2020)

This is a Google Sheet from scallywag and Brassmonkey -- There are different tabs at the bottom: Standard, Microtaper, Brassmonkey Slide. 

Feel free to download this: To use with Microsoft Excel, in the Google Sheet (not in your browser), select File, then Download. Or, use Copy to transfer a copy to your own Google Drive.

 

Column F is still taking information from B5 when it should be taking information from B4.  Also, when you click on the link you can only edit the document if you download it. 

 

Thanks for the details, @Kornyboyo1917. I fixed it. Please check.

 

@morgana, you need to download the spreadsheet to put your own information in it, or copy it to your own Google Drive.

 

If everybody was able to edit it online, it would change for every editor, wouldn't it? Only one person would be able to use it at a time. You will need to download or copy it. Sorry.

[Janece]

i tried to do this on the open office spread sheet but when i put in my dosage amount and the weight of it , it will not convert... i need something thats gonna convert my dosage into weight and percentages. and does anyone know what type of digital scale i need because the scale i have only goes from 1000x 0.1 g ..  Im trying to measue how much to cut my pills in half to taper slowly , im asumming you cut the pills and add it to the scale until the weight comes out right ??? i dont know someone help me please

[ChessieCat]

@Janece

 

Many members use the Gemini 20 scale.

 

Here is a link to posts about it:

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/search/?q=gemini&quick=1&type=forums_topic&item=1596

 

Also check out this topic, where there is discussion about crushing multiple pills and then using that as your stock pile and weighing your dose.

 

using-a-digital-scale-to-measure-doses-weighing

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, Janece said:

i tried to do this on the open office spread sheet but when i put in my dosage amount and the weight of it , it will not convert... i need something thats gonna convert my dosage into weight and percentages.

 

Check out the topic linked in the above post.

[Janece]

Thank you all , this is very helpful and supportive , thank you so much

[Yesyes123]

When tapering psychiatric drugs, some people make the mistake of thinking their pill that says "20mg" on the box weighs 20mg. 

 

That is not how it is; the value on the box is the amount of active ingredient present on the pill you're taking - NOT THE WEIGHT OF THE PILL!

 

For instance, my 15mg Lexapro pill actually weighs 203mg or 0.203g (the scale shows the value in grams. I used a portable precision scale to weigh it - like the Gemini 20 Scale).

That's because there are other substances on the pill that are not the active ingredient (filler ingredient) and are much heavier.

 

You need to make some very simple calculations in order to make the active ingredient to pill weight conversion.

 

It is a rule of three.

 

You can use this free tool here to do it.

 

https://www.mathepower.com/en/ruleofthree.php

 

I weighed 10 of my 15mg Lexapro pills and divided the total sum of their weight by 10 to find the average weight which is 0.203g

 

We use grams (g) instead of milligrams (mg) because our scales measure in grams (g)

 

15mg active ingredient = 0.203g

2.5mg active ingredient (or any other value you need to measure) = X

 

 

Then you just hit calculate

 

 

In this case:

 

 

2.5mg active ingredient (or 2.5mgai) = 0.034g in the scale

 

So in order to take 2.5mg of Lexapro you need to weight 0.034g of powder in the scale (which you will then put inside an empty gelatin capsule using a bent piece of paper)

 

It's really simple and easy once you get the hang of it.

Edited May 18, 2021 by manymoretodays
"Easy and Simple Explanation of Maths for calculating dosage" (and weights using a Gemini 20 scale)

[Alejandra]

PLEASE HELP! ASAP

I was taking 12,5 mg of fluoxetine and im not good in maths and English is not my mother language so I passed to take 8,4 mg without knowledge that is a lot more of 5% (THE PERCENTAGE I WANT TO TAPER), I have take 8,4 mg for just a week, Am I on time to take the proper 11,9 mg or should I attach to the 8,4 now or I have to gradually rise the dose until I reach the 11,9?

[gn11]

I did a final jump from s for that was not accurate becsuse of using a liquid formulation that was about a year and a half old. I am at 9 weeks from jumping...zI am having lots of wd symptoms and will like to reinstate but not knowing exactly my last for: 0.6...but formultion was old. I need to reindtste at a very low level...how do I dilute the liquid Celexa so I can get a 0.01 mg to start with?.My vision is really poor so calculator sre hard tight now

[ChessieCat]

22 minutes ago, gn11 said:

how do I dilute the liquid Celexa so I can get a 0.01 mg to start with?

 

I've posted a detailed explanation in your Intro topic here.

 

gn11-wd-symptoms-appearing-at-5mg-due-to-cortisol-dysfunction-after-eye-surgery

 

[UkDave]

Thanks for this, amazing knowledge I was using a calculator but was definitely second guessing myself!

 

Amazing 😁

[DailyRecovery31]

So would the end dose be no lower than 1.0 mgs? Or might it go any lower than that?

 

Many thanks,

 

~DailyRecovery31

[ThroughTheForceField]

Hey everyone. I hope this is of some use to someone. If you've run into the problem of having to find different volumes to take and volumes to remove to get a certain quantity of drug from the initial quantity that you dilute, I have something that will make life a lot easier.

 

For instance, if you want 293mg of Lamotrigine from a solution of 300mg of Lamotrigine in water, you can get that by diluting 300mg of Lamotrigine in 60ml of water and removing 1.4ml of that solution. This gives you exactly 293mg. You can also get that by diluting 300mg of Lamotrigine in 34ml of water and removing 0.8ml from that. This will give you approximately 293mg (relatively more precisely 292.94mg). Both these variations might make you feel different.

 

To compute different possible variations all you have to do is write is voltotake(300,293) and it will compute variations of how many ml of water you have to take and how many ml of water you have to remove to get 293mg from 300mg of Lamotrigine (or whatever drug) dissolved in water (or whatever solvent).

 

You can do this for any drug using the format voltotake(weight of medicine you are diluting, weight of medicine you want).

 

An example has been attached as a picture. You do not need to know programming and you don't need to write any code. Just change two values in the last line.

 

I wrote this keeping in mind that the graduation on my pipette is 0.1ml. So, I can’t remove 11.84ml of water but I can remove 11.8ml or 11.9ml.

 

You can run the code on this page. Just copy and paste the code below and click on 'Run'  (remove any preexisting code from the page before you run it):

 

def voltotake(med_wt,med_needed,max_vol=120,approx=0.008):
    print('Precise Values:')
    for vol_take in range(1,max_vol+1):
        conc, med_rmv = med_wt/vol_take, med_wt - med_needed
        vol_rmv = med_rmv/conc
        if abs(round(vol_rmv,1) - round(vol_rmv,3))==0:
            med_act_wt = med_wt - (round(vol_rmv,1)*conc)
            print('volume_to_take:', vol_take, 'volume_to_remove:', round(vol_rmv,1), 'consumption_weight:', med_act_wt)
    print('\nApproximate Values:')
    for vol_take in range(1,max_vol+1):
        conc, med_rmv = med_wt/vol_take, med_wt - med_needed
        vol_rmv = med_rmv/conc
        if 0.0001<=abs(round(vol_rmv,1)-round(vol_rmv,3))<=approx:
            med_act_wt = med_wt - round(vol_rmv,1)*conc
            print('volume_to_take:', vol_take, 'volume_to_remove:', round(vol_rmv,1), 'actual_consumption_weight:', med_act_wt)
            
voltotake(300,293)

 

All you have to do is input the weight of the medicine you have and the weight you want from it in the last line of the code and Run it. You don't have to change anything else.

 

If you want to take 3.36mg from a 5mg pill of any drug, all you have to do is replace voltotake(300,293) with voltotake(5,3.36) in the above code. Similarly, if you want 6.2 mg from a pill of 7.5mg of any drug, all you have to do is replace voltotake(300,293) with voltotake(7.5,6.2). 

 

Basically, the format is:

 

voltotake(weight of medicine you are diluting, weight of medicine you want).

--------------------------------------------------------------

The code is good enough as it is and you can use it as is. But if you want to fine tune it, you can:

 

i.) By default, the max value of water you can take is set to 120ml (ml or whatever units you're using: 120 quantity of those units). If you want to change it to 150 or 200 or whatever, just change the value of 'max_vol' in the very first line of the code that says 'def voltotake(med_wt,med_needed,max_vol=120,approx=0.008)'. Put max_vol=150 or max_vol=200 or whatever you want.

 

ii.) If you want your approximate values to be very close to the values you want, you can change the 'approx' value in the very first line of code that says 'def voltotake(med_wt,med_needed,max_vol=120,approx=0.008)'. Use approx=0.015 or approx = 0.099 or any value between 0.001 to 0.1. Just put 0.1 if you want to see all values.

 

Lower the approx value, higher the precision. Higher the approx value, lower the precision.

 

Higher the precision, lesser the number of combinations you will get. Lower the precision, higher the number of combinations you will get.

[j1290]

@ThroughTheForceField Unbelievable.  This is really great of you to share!  

[littlebird]

1 hour ago, j1290 said:

@ThroughTheForceField Unbelievable.  This is really great of you to share!  

 

Dude, I was wanting to message you this post-haste when I saw it but the site wouldn't let me message! So glad you spotted it. Cool, right? @ThroughTheForceField I'm so impressed, thank you for sharing.