Just in case you missed the info I put in the drop-down menu below this video here it is: Jewel Scales: ussolid.com/200-x-0-001g-analytical-balance-1-mg-digital-lab-precision-scale.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwq832BRA5EiwACvCWsVH6gOOo6mj_Ftiy0MJWfTfVDQKV2Jb_aCt8gTdca6R9R-WMd3ERzhoCyYIQAvD_BwE www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=jewel+scale+milligram&qid=1590942438&sr=8-8 www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-GEM20-Precision-Milligram/dp/B00ESHDGOI/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=-EtbeO0l-kgolhX2hoyKlg&hsa_cr_id=9178633000601&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_asin_1 You should have instructions that come with your scale on how to calibrate. Each scale works a bit differently. Also make sure to TARE your scale before weighing anything! Here are some examples of scale calibration th-cam.com/video/9HdadcAk5Ow/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/K96e5MUB-O8/w-d-xo.html
Thank you so much..... I haven’t started my taper but you have made things so much easier in doing the math for us! I’ve been on benzodiazepines for forty years and they have ruined my life and health.
Love the recommendation, especially the math portion. I have been able to taper down my doses using a slightly different method. The math equations are super helpful and I will incorporate this into my method. I weigh the pill first, which is two doses. Then I take the morning dose and which is 0.175g and drop this down to 0.160g and hold on this for a week to see how I respond. That small amount is not very noticeable. Instead of using a mail file (which is a waste of the medication, especially now with such a shortage on this particular med) I use a box knife with a brand new blade. I cut a tiny piece off and reweigh the rest. If it is too much, I cut a little off the piece I just cut off, and add it back with the larger piece. I do this until the dose get fairly close, within 0.001 to 0.003. I am using a milligram scale but as anyone who uses them knows, the scale doesn’t really start weighing until it hits 0.010 and the way to get around this is to add a small empty capsule to the tray for the base weight. You then can add the weight of the capsule with the meds your measuring and I have found it to be pretty accurate. This method is mostly for smaller weights like the powder of leftover dust when cutting your pill. This dust can still be used (works great if you just need a small amount to get you to the weight your aiming for without cutting another pill. However, you’ll need to cut the pull on a small piece of rectangle paper (post it note works great..sticky Sid down!!) and then put the dust in a clean pill bottle or empty capsule. I have found that keeping your scale cup lightly coated with pill dust is best so that when you do weigh it out eventually, it doesn’t stick to the plastic or metal when putting into an empty capsule. The weight is minimal and is factored already when you tare your scale to zero. This method really works if your tapering slow over several months and it eliminates the waste of the medication. Obviously once you get to a certain point it won’t matter because the goal is to quit and leftovers aren’t important. But while your tapering, wasting part of your pill, especially when they are in short supply and you might not get your med filled on the day your supposed to, have this in reserve brings piece of mind. Went through this last month when the pharmacy was all out (actually every pharmacy in DFW was completely out of my meds, regardless of brand or type) and the panic started to set in. Luckily, I had 12 days worth of 1/2 dose so essentially 6 days if I took my normal twice per day, and even that was not a fun experience. It was manageable but I felt awful a couple of those days. Had some depression and fatigue but I can only imagine if I hadn’t thought ahead and saved those little bits of cut pieces and dust. This saved me until I could get it filled again and then the taper goes on again. My goal is to do it very slowly to where I have zero after effects. The trick is that once you have reduced to a certain amount don’t ever go back up again. Then you’ll have to start all over again. Thanks for the great video. You had some great ideas!! Using a nail file may work for some people and certain meds who are concerned about not being able to get their meds refilled on time.
The scale here is to measure at least 1 mg of the pill, but if the dose is 0.5 mg, than how can we cut the pill in equal amount? For a slow taper , we have to cut it in tiny chunks
2 years back i tries dry cut tapering and failed miserably. And i went to my original dose again Which is 2 mg clonazepam daily. I think i have kindled my brain. I have reach to dose tolerance and the same 2 mg no more work. But i have to take it daily even if its is not working.. I don't know when i will get rid of this poison and. When i will be normal again. 😔 (Sorry for my bad English because English is not my language)
Hey Jocelyn, thank you so much. I'm getting a scale and going to start micro tapering, instead of breaking them, thought I was doing good and then I just crashed, so I'm taking it easy a bit. I'm stable but not, I forget everything, so fast , my hormones are all over the place, the pain and brain suffering. A Dr. Reduced me by -50% on 2mg Xanax times three a day, I couldn't recognize where I was, so it took me 7 Dr.'s and a hospital visit to get to a Dr , who understands this. He's kind and wants to help, they tried to re stabilize me but by then the 2mg were too strong, so I went back we got rid of the 2mg, and now I'm on 1mg x 5in a half, was on 6 and have reduced to this amount. I just keep getting sicker then a lil better, this part has been going on, 3 year's. I'm trying so hard and I'm very sensitive to the fillers in the pill, that I had to try a few different brands to find one that could stable me more and I finally did, at first I needed the stronger in the 1mg, now I've noticed they are too strong for me, so now I'm taking the lighter of the 1mg, and the fillers, I'm doing ok with right now. So many things change in the body brain. Sorry for the letter. Thank you again. I appreciate you. Plus the emotional and crying ahhh. 🙏🌾🌺💐💞🌻🤦🙆
Hi there, Thank you for the video. I have two questions: 1. If the actual medication is not distributed evenly in a pill, how can you be sure that what you shave off is actually medication and not just the filler? 2. Why do you reduce the dose every two days? I thought you would just shave off the same amount for a whole month? Thank you.
Hi . You're reducing every two days to micro taper by small amounts almost daily. So instead of taking off a month's worth and feeling a big drop in your dose, the idea is to incrementally get there over 4 weeks. As for your first question think of it as reducing weight as opposed to mg . Although, you're right, there's no way to know for sure but this is the most accurate method we have available for dry cutting.
I know I'm not getting the same dose every time. I'm hypersensitive and my doctor did this to me. When you cut my dose in half in January. He did not recognize my symptoms of being intolerance.. does not understand why I want to go through withdrawal when I could be off in 3 weeks 🤬. He's the one that started the withdrawal.
I’m confused. You said the medication is not evenly distributed so you can’t Willy billy cut it apart. But if you shave with a nail file it sounds like the same issue is still involved.
Yes! This doesn’t make sense to me at all. I just shelled out big bucks for a scale, then I hear what she said at the beginning, only to follow with instructions on how to do what you “can’t do” because that’s not how it works… I’m not trying to be smart, I’m scared, and this is the most obvious and frightening problem on this video. Please, Jocelyn, please respond! - H. Thomas
micro scale is worthless.. Cant use the math if you weigh the same pill again and again and come up with different weight every time. No pills in bottle weigh the same, how the heck could you even tell what you were shaving off! Wasted my money.
sorry, you might need a more sensitive scale or you could try creating a solution with your pill by dissolving it in a few drops of vodka if you think your body can handle this. Also, compounding pharmacies may be able to help you, or asking your doctor for a liquid version if it's available
Did you see my pinned post here? There are links to different scales one of which is around 16$. If you can't afford that there are many in the online support groups who have finished their tapers and are generous enough to lend or give you their old scales.
Affordable scales are too sensitive making it extremely difficult to get consistent weights. It would be nice if you showed working with one of those since most people who are suffering don’t have the luxury of the scale you’re using.
My question is, since the binder and the medication is not evenly distributed in my Alprazolam, how does this work? I may be cutting off binder and not so much med on one day, and the opposite the next. I found what looks like lab quality scales on Amazon. I tried and failed with the liquid titration version of a micro-taper with my Alprazolam because the particles that didn”t dissolve. were burning my throat. I also have a Hiatal Hernia, so some particles were coming back up. A solid pill that is shaved would not do that since I won”t have to drink so much water with it. I so so want this to work. I”d be willing to make the purchase of a more accurate scale just to make this a successful taper. I want to get off of this medication in the worst way. Thank you for making a solid tablet micro-taper video. The math will be a confusing, but I”ll learn how to make it work.
I posted a link to another one that has good reviews and is higher quality. To have an extremely accurate scale you could spend well over $1,000. As for the binder/med distribution, that's exactly why it's based on total weight of both the binder and the medication. There is room for variability, as I mentioned. All I can do is show you the most accurate methods possible for a layperson to implement in her own home.
There is A YT that explains you weigh a pill and say it comes out 0090....that your starting weight. Two days latter you shave to say 0089. A 1% cut and next weigh pill to be 0.0088 etc.....thaughts thanks my benzo brain emailed you and said my cousin..wow no me. . I STARTED my tapper today but doc not helpful I meet with him in AM......thanks
What if you’re already cutting with a pill cutter but want to switch to this method? I’m on 2.75mg V after my last cut and reducing 10% every 2 weeks (so 20% per month unless I need to hold). In the morning I take 1/2 pill plus an eighth and at night 1/2 pill plus 1/4. Would it be worth to try to switch since I’ll still have to be using the pill splitter first anyway to reduce from my current dose?
So, so grateful for all of your videos! Thank you!! I just ordered a scale so I can switch to micro tapering (instead of reducing by a quarter of a pill at a time, which is starting to get rough).
What would the math look like for a 3% taper. I am trying to taper my Zyprexa, and 5% was too much. I am horrible at math and not sure I was cutting the pills right to begin with. What is the number under the Percentage? And why does it change?
Seems to me. The water titration and pulling 1 ml a day is better than the cut and weighing of pills. My brains are bad with trying to cut and weigh pills
Hey I’m tapering right now and I’m down to 0.5mg of Valium, i finding that the piece of pill now is so small I’m finding it so difficult to file it down much more without filing my fingers as it’s so small trying to hold it to file. Is there any advice or ideas what to do from here or do you have to just stop at this small dose ?
Unfortunately I can’t get a smaller prescription. I will look at the water taper videos. Is it a problem trying to get the tablet to disperse evenly in the water and do you need a particular type of syringe with a wide inlet ? Apologies if you have already addressed these in your video, I don’t remember you did, but my memory is terrible
Sorry, I have another question. My benzo is 0.25 mg, not grams. So what would the math be on this one and will the gram scale still work for me? I”ve been on this med for 12 years now and am 67 years old. I”m desperate to micro-taper off before I waste to many more years on it. Thank you.
@@BenzoBrains My bottle says Alprazolam 0.25 mg. It”s the lowest dose they prescribe, but still just as difficult to get off of. GG 256 on the tablet pops up on the internet As 0.25 mg. Will the scale be able to help me taper off of this? My doctor refuses to swap me over to a different benzo because the equivalent has a higher Dosage number. She thinks I”ll be getting more, not the equivalent amount in another type of benzo. So right now I have to work with what I have. Your liquid titration video was great, but my esophagus got inflamed from the Alprazolam itself not dissolving. The binder did. It was working great for a while. But my hiatal hernia did me in in the end. Solid tablets followed by a little food works, so I know I can do this, it just needs a good scale to make it work.
@@katiec3527 Thank you Katie, but after trying so many ways - the most recent being an electronic scale that reads to 0.0001, it turns out my 0.25mg tablet is to light to be measured properly. The scale company also said there's a plus or minus error rate. So, I'm going to look into getting my hiatal hernia fixed so I can do the liquid titration again. I was becoming success on that approach, but with an open lower esophageal sphincter valve, the Alprazolam solution was splashing up my esophagus and burning the tissue. If I can get that repaired, then I can try again. But, thanks for replying. You're very kind.
Please I need two clarifications what is the number on the denominator? Is the number on the denominator the number of days that you will do the taper? For instances I am going to start tapering 5% of my total dose for 6weeks (42) days. I am going to taper at that rate until I am completely off of a medication. Also, what is the name of the scale that you are using? I would like to buy one. Tk you!! I am a subscriber
Different sides or parts of the pill weigh different amounts. That's why they put score lines in, to indicate even distribution on either side of the line
Unless you want to even out your evening dose with the day doses to make things easier you would need to do separate measurements for your day time and night time doses
Hello 😊 I am following your plan and it’s working fantastic. No withdrawal symptoms. Can I ask, when I get down to a much lower amount, almost at the end, does it get harder? A lot of people say it’s really hard to get off the last bit.
It depends on what medication you're on, how well you were when you started your taper, if you're on other meds and countless other factors. This is all to say it's highly individual and it could be just fine. So plan for the worst, live for the best
Your videos are fantastic, but I am SO confused. Trying to work out the next phase of my taper and doing daily microtapering because my body can't handle big cuts. I know HOW to do it - the bit I'm confused on though is the math. Say I'm on a 5mg tablet and I cut by 10% - I'd be cutting 0.5mg (so taking 4.5mg). Then if I cut a further 10% (cutting .45mg), I'd be taking 4.05mg. Then if I cut another 10% (.405mg) I'd be taking 3.645mg. But with a microtaper - you're not really adjusting those amounts. The amount of the cut (let's say 0.001mg per day) remains the same the whole way through. Which means the percentage gets larger the smaller you get - correct? Does any of this make sense? Can someone explain this to me in another way that my benzo brain will understand? Or am I over thinking this?
You're doing a 10% per month reduction from the original dose, not your current dose. However if the cuts ever feel like they're getting too big then please feel free to recalculate your taper at a rate that feels more doable for you at that time. I had to slow my taper down a bit as I got lower. Hope this helps
@@BenzoBrains thank you...weening off 3 month use of ativan went from 4mg 1x a day to now 1mg...WD not horrible but still sucks ..Dr wants me to cross over to Valium I know you can't give advice but if you were me how would you go..also after I get off ativan next is get off the ambien ...thaughts tks..
Im at 6mg Klonopin a day. I can't live this life. Im always Sedated to the point i put peoples lives in danger but honestly CBT DBT has truly failed me and Benzo really do help my anxiety of stupid thinking . I have shitty anxitey with this pandemic and everything. I been on 6mg for 2+ years so Im fucked huh ? Also i use Medical Marijuana for Nausea from a Liver Problem..
Hello, my wife is just starting to taper off 3mg of Ativan. She switched to liquid form about a month ago. I wish she would've switched to liquid without a drop to see how she reacted but didn't think about it before. She dropped her afternoon dose from 1mg to .95mg. She takes a .5mg tablet and then .45mg of the compound. I am blown away at how miserable that small of drop has been for her. I am hoping the compound doesn't agree with her and that if we switched to the dry taper method she will feel better during the taper. Otherwise, it feels like a long hopeless few years of tiny drops and not stabilizing. Any suggestions or recommendations? If we decided to switch over to the dry taper method how do we do that from here? She actually is down to .43mg of the liquid now. She decided to try a .02mg drop on 3/15/23. I would say she hadn't stabilized from the original switch to liquid and drop. PLEASE HELP. I hate watching her suffer. Thank you!!
You would just need to calculate a 5% or 7% reduction from 1mg to get her to where she is and then wait a while to see if she stabilizes out better on the pills. Was she OK before her taper? Perhaps she may even need to dose 4-5x a day to stabilize if she's very sensitive but I wouldn't think that small of a cut would be a problem unless she was already pretty bad to begin with and therefore perhaps, like you said , the liquid is the problem. Please let me know if she improves on the pills
@@BenzoBrains Thank you very much for your input. She had minor anxiety before starting her taper but seemed to be happier and functioning better that she had in months. Her situation is pretty unique. She was on zero medication 2 years ago. She got covid January 2022 and it went to her brain causing issues. She's spent the past year changing meds, stopping meds, etc, all dr's orders. Was put on ativan due to akathisia when withdrawing from another med but had been prescribed xanax before that. Ultimately, she will need to decide to stay liquid or switch to another method. She is nervous about doing that and doesn't know what to do. I will keep you upated on her improvements. Thank you again!! Just watched one of your other videos where you spoke about protein intake. She was recently told her protein is low. Hopefully that will help if I can get her to increase that.
@@BenzoBrains Just wanted to give you an update. My wife did stop the liquid a couple weeks ago. I saw an improvement that day. She stabilized pretty quickly going back to the pill, shaved down to 93%. We have started a slow every other day taper. Will see how it goes. It's about a 2 year plan. Wish us luck. Thank you for your response and videos!!!! It has all been helpful during this process.
@@BenzoBrains that’s what I was prescribed 1mg 3 x a day but I would only take a half a mg 1 time a day occasionally half a mg 2 times a day but still way less then 3mg I was prescribed.
What if your pills mainly all weigh differently plus I split pill in fours so I can dose 4 x a day someone if you can help me I would really appreciate it ty
If I understand correctly you're dosing 4x a day with one pill? All the pills will weigh differently. That's explained in the video. If you're splitting your pill to take through out the day don't worry about cutting it exactly. As long as your getting the correct dose in the course of a day, it's ok if the amounts fluctuate a bit. Does that make sense? Sorry I didn't see your question sooner
Please could you recommend a tapering plan for me, preferably without any withdrawal symptoms (or is that impossible?). Im on 0.5mg Klonopin 2 x a day. Would tapering down to zero just one of them be smooth enough over the 24 hours?
@@BenzoBrains no sorry I meant, could I taper off the evening pill completely first before starting on the morning one? Rather than trying to taper both together. Meaning I would be taking one pill every 24 hours. I wondered if the withdrawals would start in less than 24 hours from Klonopin, so would it be smoother to reduce both together
Please help me, I was on 0.25mg of klonopin in the morning and at night for just 10 and I switched to 5mg of valium for just 7days then I quite cold turkey. It's now 9 weeks off Benzos, hope this withdrawal symptoms won't last for a long time since I was only on a lose dosage for nothing more than 19days. Please someone should reply because I'm afraid since it's 9 weeks now since my last Benzo and I don't want to go back taking Benzos.
It's up to you if you want to try to get back on and do a slower taper. The symptoms will get better with time though. If you can, find a functional medicine doctor or integrative physician in your area and maybe they can help your recovery
Dear sister .. I have been taking only 0.5 mg of Ativan ( single dose only at night ) for past 10 months ... My doctor tells that I don't need a taper regime as .5 mg is below therapeutic dosage .. he just suggest to do alternate days for 4 weeks and forgot it !!!can I go for it ?? Would like to hear your opinion on this ?
Hey that’s exactly what I’m on for 4-5 months at night. My doctor said same thing. Is this how your going to taper? I’m so scared and this is really confusing..
I saw nobody responded so I will give you my two cents, believe me I’m pretty sure I am a benzo expert lol. I would try simply cutting your pill in half. 10 months is more than the 2-4 weeks they say it takes to get addicted but everyone is different! Worrying about it too much won’t help. When I was on it for ten months I could not take it for days at a time rather easily (and I was on 3mgs)- however like I said I know everyone is different. For me, it’s being on higher doses and for years that really gets you messed up. Don’t be scared, try it!! Cut it in half, do that for two weeks then try every other day for a few weeks. Then, try stopping. If you feel you can’t try 3 days a week, 2 days and none. Do this last part by how you feel. Don’t get bogged down by numbers. If this for some reason doesn’t work then try doing something more accurate like what she is showing (or I would suggest the water method). Expect some uncomfortableness, but it shouldn’t be anything YOU can’t handle. In fact, you just might not feel a thing and I don’t think you will! My mother in law literally just did this exact method and it worked for her. Via the uncomfortable feelings if you get them-Know that it’s going to go away, and that you are doing something healthy for yourself.
@@katiec3527 hi !! That's so sweet of you to take responsibility and respond !! I almost followed the same as mentioned by you and now I am 8 months benzo free !! Doing well now !! Also like you said it's the worry that manifests !! Thanks a ton again !! Let the msg be here so someone like could make use of the valuable information !!! Let God be with you on everything !!
Great video, thank you so much! But what if you got on these bc of insomnia in the first place and that kicks in when tapering. Do you suggest adding dosage on those nights when your brain literally doesn’t turn off? Appreciate your feedback 🙏🏼
Hi many people deal with insomnia while tapering. I know it's scary but updosing for sleep is counterproductive at best and could really injure you at worst. Sleep therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, kundalini yoga and other methods will help you more long term so that once you're off you'll have these skills under your belt. Insomnia could also be related to physical imbalances like insulin and other hormones so working with a good functional medicine doctor may help deal with the original underlying issue as well. Ultimately though, depending oh how stable your body is during your taper, you may have to accept that insomnia is part of the process and make accommodations in your life as necessary. Good luck 👍
@@BenzoBrains thank youuuu! My insomnia was caused by Covid oddly😞 but I might seek out a FNA as suggested just to check off hormones etc. I tend to use melatonin to not take more clonazepam the rough nights but last night my brain was just not having it so those nights are scary. Thank you for all you do!
Still tapering and have switched to a very low dose of valium from a low dose of lorazepam. I do have a baby currently, I tried the mini pill and it made everything worse for me. Do you take birth control now ? Or while you were in withdrawl and if you did, what did you use or use now. I saw your video about progesterone being an issue
Hi I didn't respond well to the pill so I learned soon after getting married how to use the Fertility Awareness Method from a book called taking charge of your Fertility. In 20 years I've never had an unwanted pregnancy and have always been lucky enough to get pregnant when I desired so I highly recommend it as an alternative. That said some of my friends took contraceptives throughout their taper and were ok but they did that so as not to make any drastic hormonal changes to their already sensitive systems. Changing things up right now might be too much for your body.
@@BenzoBrains thank you so much for your reply. I was very interested in the same method after watching some videos about the daisy thermometer. My husband didn’t trust the idea at all. I do not take birth control now. I tried to and couldn’t last more than a week.
@@BenzoBrains I do the exact same thing! FAM works and it's great being in tune with my body. And progesterone cream was terrible for me. Was put on it at 30 for anxiety and actually had to taper it for like 2 years bc every cut felt like a benzo withdrawal. Any hormonal BC makes me feel like crap. I wish every woman knew about FAM. Using this dry micro taper technique to get off Klonopin so I can get pregnant! Hope I'm not too late with starting tapering (I'm almost 36).
@@BenzoBrains Great information you provide - what a wealth of knowledge! Question: Since I only take my 1.5g at night for sleep, would this be a better method than the water? I do take an anti-depr. at night too to stay asleep but after watching so many of your videos, I know to wait on that. Thanks again.
Hi there's a link in my comment pimmed to the top of the comments here. There are also others in the drop down menu below this video. Just click on the upside down triangle to the right underneath to see that.
Benzo Brains tysm I was practicing water titration for 23 days domes not agree with my stomach at all so now the person that wrote my titration plan said to dry cut I haven’t a clue it is causing major anxiety I don’t know what to do now. And no help
The lab one work for drying cutting a 2 mg of Ativan till I’m off hoping to reduce 2 or 5 % ty for your help an quick response an advice would be such a blessing ty
The scales you are using are much more accurate than the ones you provide links to...and much more expensive. Why dont you use those cheap ones in your video. I can guarantee you it will be nearly impossible to measure out those daily reductions unless you use a high quality lab scale like the one you are using. They can cost over $1000 at least where i come from. Its not a fair demonstration.
I had access to one through a friend so I didn't have to buy one. That's also why I'm careful to mention several times throughout the video that most scales aren't that accurate. My intention is to help people micro taper as gently as possible, not to do it perfectly or be perfect myself
@@BenzoBrains your friends lab scale cannot be used as a comparison to the links you provided. You have no idea how difficult using the gem scale is to get an accurate reading everytime. Just buy one...they wont break the bank..and see for yourself. Its a luxury to be able to use lab quality scales...its on a different level alltogether. Accuracy when dry tapering is very important..even more important when using rubbish quality scales because its never consistant.
@@dombarton2483 I took a survey and posted the more commonly used scales in withdrawal support groups. Certainly if people want a more accurate scale they can purchase one. Many can't afford them. If it's too much of a problem people can always watch my liquid titration tutorial and use that method instead. Which one do you use?
I am currently 6 weeks off Clonazepam and am having some bad withdrawals . I've been doing everything I can to avoid severe symptoms. I don't know anyone else to talk to about this that has been through it themselves. My family doesn't understand, they do try though. I was wondering if you could offer some advice. I know everyone is different but it might make it better just to hear from someone else. Is this selfish? I know there are many people going through this too. I did a 15 month taper from 1.5 mg. 1 year Xanax ,2 years Clonazepam.
Brian I’m with you! I was doing so good on tapering off clonazepam (my story I’ve been on Benzos for 5 months), had got to .125 from a .5 pill then after 3 weeks of sleeping ok last night I could’ve been up all night. The insomnia is so scary. What were your withdrawal symptoms and how are you now?
@@Dolce916 thanks for reaching out. With all the pandy stuff going on it is hard to keep from being isolated and being part of a group. Nice to know there are others with similar struggles... I have been off if benzos now for a year and as of right now my symptoms are fleeting and not very frequent. I'm a recovering addict as well and have had to cut out similar substances from my life. I've been successful so far. It is a daily battle and I know things won't always be this great. I concentrate on diet , exercise and sleep. Those 3 things are my secret weapon. Life does happen and sometimes it is hard to keep up but rest assured you will always find your way. I'm currently also tapering off of methadone for 4 years!! I was prescribed benzos because of the interdose withdrawal from the methadone. So I had to postpone tapering on methadone last year when I dosed out of the benzo. I'm nearly off of methadone but I had to stop due to hard-core withdrawal and the fact that I am about to take a master's exam and can't think straight while coming down on this opiate. Almost 20 years and beating these addictions and although I'm almost free from the chemicals I know the battle will continue daily until I take my last breath. There are days when giving up seems best. Those are the days I claim as victories and I count them while placing them on myself like armor. Thank you so much for reaching out.
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Just in case you missed the info I put in the drop-down menu below this video here it is:
Jewel Scales:
ussolid.com/200-x-0-001g-analytical-balance-1-mg-digital-lab-precision-scale.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwq832BRA5EiwACvCWsVH6gOOo6mj_Ftiy0MJWfTfVDQKV2Jb_aCt8gTdca6R9R-WMd3ERzhoCyYIQAvD_BwE
www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-GEMINI-20-Portable-MilliGram/dp/B0012TDNAM/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=jewel+scale+milligram&qid=1590942438&sr=8-8
www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-GEM20-Precision-Milligram/dp/B00ESHDGOI/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=-EtbeO0l-kgolhX2hoyKlg&hsa_cr_id=9178633000601&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_asin_1
You should have instructions that come with your scale on how to calibrate. Each scale works a bit differently. Also make sure to TARE your scale before weighing anything! Here are some examples of scale calibration
th-cam.com/video/9HdadcAk5Ow/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/K96e5MUB-O8/w-d-xo.html
Why 15 instead of more easily divisible number like 10 or 20?
The best thing to do with benzos is to taper slowly.
It’s the same with alcohol. Good luck out there friends. I’ve been sober for almost a year now :)
taper slowly
Thank you so much..... I haven’t started my taper but you have made things so much easier in doing the math for us! I’ve been on benzodiazepines for forty years and they have ruined my life and health.
Hey how u doin did u start tapering?
Love the recommendation, especially the math portion. I have been able to taper down my doses using a slightly different method. The math equations are super helpful and I will incorporate this into my method.
I weigh the pill first, which is two doses. Then I take the morning dose and which is 0.175g and drop this down to 0.160g and hold on this for a week to see how I respond. That small amount is not very noticeable.
Instead of using a mail file (which is a waste of the medication, especially now with such a shortage on this particular med) I use a box knife with a brand new blade. I cut a tiny piece off and reweigh the rest. If it is too much, I cut a little off the piece I just cut off, and add it back with the larger piece. I do this until the dose get fairly close, within 0.001 to 0.003.
I am using a milligram scale but as anyone who uses them knows, the scale doesn’t really start weighing until it hits 0.010 and the way to get around this is to add a small empty capsule to the tray for the base weight. You then can add the weight of the capsule with the meds your measuring and I have found it to be pretty accurate. This method is mostly for smaller weights like the powder of leftover dust when cutting your pill. This dust can still be used (works great if you just need a small amount to get you to the weight your aiming for without cutting another pill. However, you’ll need to cut the pull on a small piece of rectangle paper (post it note works great..sticky Sid down!!) and then put the dust in a clean pill bottle or empty capsule.
I have found that keeping your scale cup lightly coated with pill dust is best so that when you do weigh it out eventually, it doesn’t stick to the plastic or metal when putting into an empty capsule. The weight is minimal and is factored already when you tare your scale to zero.
This method really works if your tapering slow over several months and it eliminates the waste of the medication. Obviously once you get to a certain point it won’t matter because the goal is to quit and leftovers aren’t important. But while your tapering, wasting part of your pill, especially when they are in short supply and you might not get your med filled on the day your supposed to, have this in reserve brings piece of mind. Went through this last month when the pharmacy was all out (actually every pharmacy in DFW was completely out of my meds, regardless of brand or type) and the panic started to set in. Luckily, I had 12 days worth of 1/2 dose so essentially 6 days if I took my normal twice per day, and even that was not a fun experience. It was manageable but I felt awful a couple of those days. Had some depression and fatigue but I can only imagine if I hadn’t thought ahead and saved those little bits of cut pieces and dust. This saved me until I could get it filled again and then the taper goes on again.
My goal is to do it very slowly to where I have zero after effects. The trick is that once you have reduced to a certain amount don’t ever go back up again. Then you’ll have to start all over again.
Thanks for the great video. You had some great ideas!! Using a nail file may work for some people and certain meds who are concerned about not being able to get their meds refilled on time.
Lots of great info and tips thanks for sharing!
@@BenzoBrains Thank you as well!!
The scale here is to measure at least 1 mg of the pill, but if the dose is 0.5 mg, than how can we cut the pill in equal amount? For a slow taper , we have to cut it in tiny chunks
2 years back i tries dry cut tapering and failed miserably. And i went to my original dose again Which is 2 mg clonazepam daily.
I think i have kindled my brain. I have reach to dose tolerance and the same 2 mg no more work. But i have to take it daily even if its is not working..
I don't know when i will get rid of this poison and. When i will be normal again. 😔
(Sorry for my bad English because English is not my language)
they say the only way out of hell is to go through it. You can taper and heal and life can be better!
Still gotta taper slowly...even if it doesn't work anymore.
Hey Jocelyn, thank you so much. I'm getting a scale and going to start micro tapering, instead of breaking them, thought I was doing good and then I just crashed, so I'm taking it easy a bit. I'm stable but not, I forget everything, so fast , my hormones are all over the place, the pain and brain suffering. A Dr. Reduced me by -50% on 2mg Xanax times three a day, I couldn't recognize where I was, so it took me 7 Dr.'s and a hospital visit to get to a Dr , who understands this. He's kind and wants to help, they tried to re stabilize me but by then the 2mg were too strong, so I went back we got rid of the 2mg, and now I'm on 1mg x 5in a half, was on 6 and have reduced to this amount. I just keep getting sicker then a lil better, this part has been going on, 3 year's. I'm trying so hard and I'm very sensitive to the fillers in the pill, that I had to try a few different brands to find one that could stable me more and I finally did, at first I needed the stronger in the 1mg, now I've noticed they are too strong for me, so now I'm taking the lighter of the 1mg, and the fillers, I'm doing ok with right now. So many things change in the body brain. Sorry for the letter. Thank you again. I appreciate you. Plus the emotional and crying ahhh. 🙏🌾🌺💐💞🌻🤦🙆
Hi there,
Thank you for the video.
I have two questions:
1. If the actual medication is not distributed evenly in a pill, how can you be sure that what you shave off is actually medication and not just the filler?
2. Why do you reduce the dose every two days? I thought you would just shave off the same amount for a whole month?
Thank you.
Hi . You're reducing every two days to micro taper by small amounts almost daily. So instead of taking off a month's worth and feeling a big drop in your dose, the idea is to incrementally get there over 4 weeks. As for your first question think of it as reducing weight as opposed to mg . Although, you're right, there's no way to know for sure but this is the most accurate method we have available for dry cutting.
@@BenzoBrainsI see, thank you.
Thank you thank you thank you! 🙏🏻
You're welcome ❤
I know I'm not getting the same dose every time. I'm hypersensitive and my doctor did this to me. When you cut my dose in half in January. He did not recognize my symptoms of being intolerance.. does not understand why I want to go through withdrawal when I could be off in 3 weeks 🤬. He's the one that started the withdrawal.
I'm so sorry
Ur pill weight 0.256 grams? How much was that in mgs?
I’m confused. You said the medication is not evenly distributed so you can’t Willy billy cut it apart. But if you shave with a nail file it sounds like the same issue is still involved.
Yes! This doesn’t make sense to me at all. I just shelled out big bucks for a scale, then I hear what she said at the beginning, only to follow with instructions on how to do what you “can’t do” because that’s not how it works… I’m not trying to be smart, I’m scared, and this is the most obvious and frightening problem on this video. Please, Jocelyn, please respond! - H. Thomas
micro scale is worthless.. Cant use the math if you weigh the same pill again and again and come up with different weight every time. No pills in bottle weigh the same, how the heck could you even tell what you were shaving off! Wasted my money.
Sorry to hear this! I hope you find a method that works for you
am I stupid or what? Microgram it's not less than Milligram? I know that Milligram is 0.001g and Microgram is 0.000001g
Which lab scale are you using in video. It’s not a Gemini. Thank you! Need much more accurate with very tiny doses.
Sorry I was in a lab to demonstrate what that kind of a scale looks like but it wasn't my scale. I don't recall the brand
Am I correct in thinking that this taper goes down at 10% of the starting dose and not 10% of the immediate previous dose?
That's correct 😊
Great q.. I assumed I should taper 10% of last dose.
I'm cutting and filing. Almost died from trying to water taper. Bought a scale it won't even weigh a pill
sorry, you might need a more sensitive scale or you could try creating a solution with your pill by dissolving it in a few drops of vodka if you think your body can handle this. Also, compounding pharmacies may be able to help you, or asking your doctor for a liquid version if it's available
Well i camt afford a scale
Did you see my pinned post here? There are links to different scales one of which is around 16$. If you can't afford that there are many in the online support groups who have finished their tapers and are generous enough to lend or give you their old scales.
You can sell that go pro on your head and by 10 scales
Affordable scales are too sensitive making it extremely difficult to get consistent weights. It would be nice if you showed working with one of those since most people who are suffering don’t have the luxury of the scale you’re using.
I was given a taper plan that reduces my pill every 2 weeks instead of every other day. I’m cutting 5% every 2 weeks. Am I doing this wrong?
5% every 2 weeks is pretty much the same as the rate I demonstrate
No, it’s not.
My question is, since the binder and the medication is not evenly distributed in my Alprazolam, how does this work? I may be cutting off binder and not so much med on one day, and the opposite the next.
I found what looks like lab quality scales on Amazon.
I tried and failed with the liquid titration version of a micro-taper with my Alprazolam because the particles that didn”t dissolve. were burning my throat. I also have a Hiatal Hernia, so some particles were coming back up. A solid pill that is shaved would not do that since I won”t have to drink so much water with it. I so so want this to work. I”d be willing to make the purchase of a more accurate scale just to make this a successful taper. I want to get off of this medication in the worst way. Thank you for making a solid tablet micro-taper video. The math will be a confusing, but I”ll learn how to make it work.
I posted a link to another one that has good reviews and is higher quality. To have an extremely accurate scale you could spend well over $1,000. As for the binder/med distribution, that's exactly why it's based on total weight of both the binder and the medication. There is room for variability, as I mentioned. All I can do is show you the most accurate methods possible for a layperson to implement in her own home.
Do or do not.
There is no try.
There is A YT that explains you weigh a pill and say it comes out 0090....that your starting weight. Two days latter you shave to say 0089. A 1% cut and next weigh pill to be 0.0088 etc.....thaughts thanks my benzo brain emailed you and said my cousin..wow no me. . I STARTED my tapper today but doc not helpful I meet with him in AM......thanks
What if you’re already cutting with a pill cutter but want to switch to this method? I’m on 2.75mg V after my last cut and reducing 10% every 2 weeks (so 20% per month unless I need to hold). In the morning I take 1/2 pill plus an eighth and at night 1/2 pill plus 1/4. Would it be worth to try to switch since I’ll still have to be using the pill splitter first anyway to reduce from my current dose?
So, so grateful for all of your videos! Thank you!! I just ordered a scale so I can switch to micro tapering (instead of reducing by a quarter of a pill at a time, which is starting to get rough).
I'm so glad you found this helpful! Thanks for letting me know 🥰
What would the math look like for a 3% taper. I am trying to taper my Zyprexa, and 5% was too much. I am horrible at math and not sure I was cutting the pills right to begin with. What is the number under the Percentage? And why does it change?
Seems to me. The water titration and pulling 1 ml a day is better than the cut and weighing of pills. My brains are bad with trying to cut and weigh pills
Hey I’m tapering right now and I’m down to 0.5mg of Valium, i finding that the piece of pill now is so small I’m finding it so difficult to file it down much more without filing my fingers as it’s so small trying to hold it to file. Is there any advice or ideas what to do from here or do you have to just stop at this small dose ?
can you get a smaller prescription that's easier to file or can you calculate where you're at and use water tapering for the rest of your taper?
Unfortunately I can’t get a smaller prescription. I will look at the water taper videos. Is it a problem trying to get the tablet to disperse evenly in the water and do you need a particular type of syringe with a wide inlet ?
Apologies if you have already addressed these in your video, I don’t remember you did, but my memory is terrible
Ashton method says you can jump off Valium at 1 mg.
did it work out for you?
Sorry, I have another question. My benzo is 0.25 mg, not grams. So what would the math be on this one and will the gram scale still work for me? I”ve been on this med for 12 years now and am 67 years old. I”m desperate to micro-taper off before I waste to many more years on it. Thank you.
0.25 is grams not milligrams
@@BenzoBrains My bottle says Alprazolam 0.25 mg. It”s the lowest dose they prescribe, but still just as difficult to get off of. GG 256 on the tablet pops up on the internet As 0.25 mg. Will the scale be able to help me taper off of this? My doctor refuses to swap me over to a different benzo because the equivalent has a higher Dosage number. She thinks I”ll be getting more, not the equivalent amount in another type of benzo. So right now I have to work with what I have.
Your liquid titration video was great, but my esophagus got inflamed from the Alprazolam itself not dissolving. The binder did. It was working great for a while. But my hiatal hernia did me in in the end. Solid tablets followed by a little food works, so I know I can do this, it just needs a good scale to make it work.
@@reneec2583 hi Renee, do you still need help?
@@katiec3527 Thank you Katie, but after trying so many ways - the most recent being an electronic scale that reads to 0.0001, it turns out my 0.25mg tablet is to light to be measured properly. The scale company also said there's a plus or minus error rate. So, I'm going to look into getting my hiatal hernia fixed so I can do the liquid titration again. I was becoming success on that approach, but with an open lower esophageal sphincter valve, the Alprazolam solution was splashing up my esophagus and burning the tissue. If I can get that repaired, then I can try again. But, thanks for replying. You're very kind.
I have bought your book and look so forward to reading it
Please I need two clarifications what is the number on the denominator? Is the number on the denominator the number of days that you will do the taper? For instances I am going to start tapering 5% of my total dose for 6weeks (42) days. I am going to taper at that rate until I am completely off of a medication. Also, what is the name of the scale that you are using? I would like to buy one. Tk you!! I am a subscriber
How do you know the medication or benzo molecule isn't distributed evenly throughout the pill?
Different sides or parts of the pill weigh different amounts. That's why they put score lines in, to indicate even distribution on either side of the line
@@BenzoBrains that's good to know! Thank you.
Having a scoreline is fine but on the other side of my pill is a D2 either side so often doesnts get a nice clean cut
How do I apply this on a taper. I am doing.
0.5mg at 9am
0.5mg at 3pm
0.75mg at 9pm
Unless you want to even out your evening dose with the day doses to make things easier you would need to do separate measurements for your day time and night time doses
You might be a warrior if...
The taper process makes you feel like Chris Rock in New Jack City.
th-cam.com/video/UE2tPyGJStQ/w-d-xo.html
crickets.
Hello 😊
I am following your plan and it’s working fantastic. No withdrawal symptoms.
Can I ask, when I get down to a much lower amount, almost at the end, does it get harder? A lot of people say it’s really hard to get off the last bit.
It depends on what medication you're on, how well you were when you started your taper, if you're on other meds and countless other factors. This is all to say it's highly individual and it could be just fine. So plan for the worst, live for the best
Your videos are fantastic, but I am SO confused.
Trying to work out the next phase of my taper and doing daily microtapering because my body can't handle big cuts.
I know HOW to do it - the bit I'm confused on though is the math.
Say I'm on a 5mg tablet and I cut by 10% - I'd be cutting 0.5mg (so taking 4.5mg). Then if I cut a further 10% (cutting .45mg), I'd be taking 4.05mg. Then if I cut another 10% (.405mg) I'd be taking 3.645mg.
But with a microtaper - you're not really adjusting those amounts. The amount of the cut (let's say 0.001mg per day) remains the same the whole way through. Which means the percentage gets larger the smaller you get - correct?
Does any of this make sense? Can someone explain this to me in another way that my benzo brain will understand? Or am I over thinking this?
You're doing a 10% per month reduction from the original dose, not your current dose. However if the cuts ever feel like they're getting too big then please feel free to recalculate your taper at a rate that feels more doable for you at that time. I had to slow my taper down a bit as I got lower. Hope this helps
The math is confusing
If the math here is too confusing a liquid compound or water taper might be a better option for you
@@BenzoBrains thank you...weening off 3 month use of ativan went from 4mg 1x a day to now 1mg...WD not horrible but still sucks ..Dr wants me to cross over to Valium I know you can't give advice but if you were me how would you go..also after I get off ativan next is get off the ambien ...thaughts tks..
Im at 6mg Klonopin a day. I can't live this life. Im always Sedated to the point i put peoples lives in danger but honestly CBT DBT has truly failed me and Benzo really do help my anxiety of stupid thinking . I have shitty anxitey with this pandemic and everything. I been on 6mg for 2+ years so Im fucked huh ? Also i use Medical Marijuana for Nausea from a Liver Problem..
anything in a reply please.. thank you.
@@Sevisstillalive How are you doing now? I think you need towork on your anxiety first before tapering completely.
Hello, my wife is just starting to taper off 3mg of Ativan. She switched to liquid form about a month ago. I wish she would've switched to liquid without a drop to see how she reacted but didn't think about it before. She dropped her afternoon dose from 1mg to .95mg. She takes a .5mg tablet and then .45mg of the compound. I am blown away at how miserable that small of drop has been for her. I am hoping the compound doesn't agree with her and that if we switched to the dry taper method she will feel better during the taper. Otherwise, it feels like a long hopeless few years of tiny drops and not stabilizing. Any suggestions or recommendations? If we decided to switch over to the dry taper method how do we do that from here? She actually is down to .43mg of the liquid now. She decided to try a .02mg drop on 3/15/23. I would say she hadn't stabilized from the original switch to liquid and drop. PLEASE HELP. I hate watching her suffer.
Thank you!!
You would just need to calculate a 5% or 7% reduction from 1mg to get her to where she is and then wait a while to see if she stabilizes out better on the pills. Was she OK before her taper? Perhaps she may even need to dose 4-5x a day to stabilize if she's very sensitive but I wouldn't think that small of a cut would be a problem unless she was already pretty bad to begin with and therefore perhaps, like you said , the liquid is the problem. Please let me know if she improves on the pills
@@BenzoBrains Thank you very much for your input. She had minor anxiety before starting her taper but seemed to be happier and functioning better that she had in months. Her situation is pretty unique. She was on zero medication 2 years ago. She got covid January 2022 and it went to her brain causing issues. She's spent the past year changing meds, stopping meds, etc, all dr's orders. Was put on ativan due to akathisia when withdrawing from another med but had been prescribed xanax before that. Ultimately, she will need to decide to stay liquid or switch to another method. She is nervous about doing that and doesn't know what to do. I will keep you upated on her improvements. Thank you again!!
Just watched one of your other videos where you spoke about protein intake. She was recently told her protein is low. Hopefully that will help if I can get her to increase that.
@@BenzoBrains Just wanted to give you an update. My wife did stop the liquid a couple weeks ago. I saw an improvement that day. She stabilized pretty quickly going back to the pill, shaved down to 93%. We have started a slow every other day taper. Will see how it goes. It's about a 2 year plan. Wish us luck. Thank you for your response and videos!!!! It has all been helpful during this process.
How much benzos where you taking before weening off? And was it fast acting or a long acting benzo?
I was on 2 mg of a short acting benzo- lorazepam
@@BenzoBrains that’s what I was prescribed 1mg 3 x a day but I would only take a half a mg 1 time a day occasionally half a mg 2 times a day but still way less then 3mg I was prescribed.
What if your pills mainly all weigh differently plus I split pill in fours so I can dose 4 x a day someone if you can help me I would really appreciate it ty
If I understand correctly you're dosing 4x a day with one pill? All the pills will weigh differently. That's explained in the video. If you're splitting your pill to take through out the day don't worry about cutting it exactly. As long as your getting the correct dose in the course of a day, it's ok if the amounts fluctuate a bit. Does that make sense? Sorry I didn't see your question sooner
Please could you recommend a tapering plan for me, preferably without any withdrawal symptoms (or is that impossible?). Im on 0.5mg Klonopin 2 x a day. Would tapering down to zero just one of them be smooth enough over the 24 hours?
Sorry I'm not understanding your question. Do you want to taper in 24 hours?
@@BenzoBrains no sorry I meant, could I taper off the evening pill completely first before starting on the morning one? Rather than trying to taper both together.
Meaning I would be taking one pill every 24 hours. I wondered if the withdrawals would start in less than 24 hours from Klonopin, so would it be smoother to reduce both together
@@BenzoBrains sorry to bother you again. Did you see my reply below?
Very well explained, this is extremely helpful, thank you.
Please help me, I was on 0.25mg of klonopin in the morning and at night for just 10 and I switched to 5mg of valium for just 7days then I quite cold turkey. It's now 9 weeks off Benzos, hope this withdrawal symptoms won't last for a long time since I was only on a lose dosage for nothing more than 19days. Please someone should reply because I'm afraid since it's 9 weeks now since my last Benzo and I don't want to go back taking Benzos.
It's up to you if you want to try to get back on and do a slower taper. The symptoms will get better with time though. If you can, find a functional medicine doctor or integrative physician in your area and maybe they can help your recovery
Oohh .. might’ve tried the Ashton method - hope you were able to work through & get out the other side positively ❣️
You are an absolute GODSEND
Do you mind explaining a linear reduction versus a nonlinear reduction?
I was wondering if you just can pulverize the pills and then take the right amount from it?
Yes you can do it that way if you want
It’s the simplest way. You don’t have a clue as to what you are talking about.
What are good scales?
Hi if you click on the drop down menu below the video (the upside down triangle to the right) I have links to jewel scales there for you 😊
Dear sister .. I have been taking only 0.5 mg of Ativan ( single dose only at night ) for past 10 months ... My doctor tells that I don't need a taper regime as .5 mg is below therapeutic dosage .. he just suggest to do alternate days for 4 weeks and forgot it !!!can I go for it ?? Would like to hear your opinion on this ?
Hey that’s exactly what I’m on for 4-5 months at night. My doctor said same thing. Is this how your going to taper? I’m so scared and this is really confusing..
I saw nobody responded so I will give you my two cents, believe me I’m pretty sure I am a benzo expert lol. I would try simply cutting your pill in half. 10 months is more than the 2-4 weeks they say it takes to get addicted but everyone is different! Worrying about it too much won’t help. When I was on it for ten months I could not take it for days at a time rather easily (and I was on 3mgs)- however like I said I know everyone is different. For me, it’s being on higher doses and for years that really gets you messed up. Don’t be scared, try it!! Cut it in half, do that for two weeks then try every other day for a few weeks. Then, try stopping. If you feel you can’t try 3 days a week, 2 days and none. Do this last part by how you feel. Don’t get bogged down by numbers. If this for some reason doesn’t work then try doing something more accurate like what she is showing (or I would suggest the water method). Expect some uncomfortableness, but it shouldn’t be anything YOU can’t handle. In fact, you just might not feel a thing and I don’t think you will! My mother in law literally just did this exact method and it worked for her. Via the uncomfortable feelings if you get them-Know that it’s going to go away, and that you are doing something healthy for yourself.
@@katiec3527 hi !! That's so sweet of you to take responsibility and respond !! I almost followed the same as mentioned by you and now I am 8 months benzo free !! Doing well now !! Also like you said it's the worry that manifests !! Thanks a ton again !! Let the msg be here so someone like could make use of the valuable information !!! Let God be with you on everything !!
This is the best video for tappering! Actually understood the math lol!
Yay! That was my goal 😊
Awesome! Thanks so much for this!
Great video, thank you so much! But what if you got on these bc of insomnia in the first place and that kicks in when tapering. Do you suggest adding dosage on those nights when your brain literally doesn’t turn off? Appreciate your feedback 🙏🏼
Hi many people deal with insomnia while tapering. I know it's scary but updosing for sleep is counterproductive at best and could really injure you at worst. Sleep therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, kundalini yoga and other methods will help you more long term so that once you're off you'll have these skills under your belt. Insomnia could also be related to physical imbalances like insulin and other hormones so working with a good functional medicine doctor may help deal with the original underlying issue as well. Ultimately though, depending oh how stable your body is during your taper, you may have to accept that insomnia is part of the process and make accommodations in your life as necessary. Good luck 👍
@@BenzoBrains thank youuuu! My insomnia was caused by Covid oddly😞 but I might seek out a FNA as suggested just to check off hormones etc. I tend to use melatonin to not take more clonazepam the rough nights but last night my brain was just not having it so those nights are scary. Thank you for all you do!
You could try CBTI for insomnia.
This is brilliant J. 🌌
Still tapering and have switched to a very low dose of valium from a low dose of lorazepam.
I do have a baby currently, I tried the mini pill and it made everything worse for me. Do you take birth control now ? Or while you were in withdrawl and if you did, what did you use or use now. I saw your video about progesterone being an issue
Hi I didn't respond well to the pill so I learned soon after getting married how to use the Fertility Awareness Method from a book called taking charge of your Fertility. In 20 years I've never had an unwanted pregnancy and have always been lucky enough to get pregnant when I desired so I highly recommend it as an alternative. That said some of my friends took contraceptives throughout their taper and were ok but they did that so as not to make any drastic hormonal changes to their already sensitive systems. Changing things up right now might be too much for your body.
@@BenzoBrains thank you so much for your reply. I was very interested in the same method after watching some videos about the daisy thermometer. My husband didn’t trust the idea at all. I do not take birth control now. I tried to and couldn’t last more than a week.
@@BenzoBrains I do the exact same thing! FAM works and it's great being in tune with my body. And progesterone cream was terrible for me. Was put on it at 30 for anxiety and actually had to taper it for like 2 years bc every cut felt like a benzo withdrawal. Any hormonal BC makes me feel like crap. I wish every woman knew about FAM. Using this dry micro taper technique to get off Klonopin so I can get pregnant! Hope I'm not too late with starting tapering (I'm almost 36).
@@inovermyhead2988 how did you do with the Klonopin taper?
thanks!
What brand of scale do you use? Just curious...
I borrowed a friend's for this demonstration. It's a professional grade one. I didn't use this method myself to taper. I did water titration
@@BenzoBrains Great information you provide - what a wealth of knowledge! Question: Since I only take my 1.5g at night for sleep, would this be a better method than the water? I do take an anti-depr. at night too to stay asleep but after watching so many of your videos, I know to wait on that. Thanks again.
Where is list of scales please ty
Hi there's a link in my comment pimmed to the top of the comments here. There are also others in the drop down menu below this video. Just click on the upside down triangle to the right underneath to see that.
Benzo Brains tysm I was practicing water titration for 23 days domes not agree with my stomach at all so now the person that wrote my titration plan said to dry cut I haven’t a clue it is causing major anxiety I don’t know what to do now. And no help
Will this scale the lab one
The lab one work for drying cutting a 2 mg of Ativan till I’m off hoping to reduce 2 or 5 % ty for your help an quick response an advice would be such a blessing ty
The scales you are using are much more accurate than the ones you provide links to...and much more expensive. Why dont you use those cheap ones in your video. I can guarantee you it will be nearly impossible to measure out those daily reductions unless you use a high quality lab scale like the one you are using. They can cost over $1000 at least where i come from. Its not a fair demonstration.
I had access to one through a friend so I didn't have to buy one. That's also why I'm careful to mention several times throughout the video that most scales aren't that accurate. My intention is to help people micro taper as gently as possible, not to do it perfectly or be perfect myself
@@BenzoBrains your friends lab scale cannot be used as a comparison to the links you provided. You have no idea how difficult using the gem scale is to get an accurate reading everytime. Just buy one...they wont break the bank..and see for yourself. Its a luxury to be able to use lab quality scales...its on a different level alltogether. Accuracy when dry tapering is very important..even more important when using rubbish quality scales because its never consistant.
@@BenzoBrains scales can be very accurate....it all depends on how much you are willing to spend to get that accuracy and reliability..
@@BenzoBrains whats the model number and brand of your friends scale?
@@dombarton2483 I took a survey and posted the more commonly used scales in withdrawal support groups. Certainly if people want a more accurate scale they can purchase one. Many can't afford them. If it's too much of a problem people can always watch my liquid titration tutorial and use that method instead. Which one do you use?
This math doesn't work for water tapering correct?
Not really. Watch my water tapering video for that kind of calculation
Is the dosage of the pill same as its net weight. I mean if I put a dose of 1mg Xanax on scale it weights 1mg?
No each pill weighs different depending on the fillers and binders they use
I am currently 6 weeks off Clonazepam and am having some bad withdrawals . I've been doing everything I can to avoid severe symptoms. I don't know anyone else to talk to about this that has been through it themselves. My family doesn't understand, they do try though. I was wondering if you could offer some advice. I know everyone is different but it might make it better just to hear from someone else. Is this selfish? I know there are many people going through this too. I did a 15 month taper from 1.5 mg. 1 year Xanax ,2 years Clonazepam.
Brian I’m with you! I was doing so good on tapering off clonazepam (my story I’ve been on Benzos for 5 months), had got to .125 from a .5 pill then after 3 weeks of sleeping ok last night I could’ve been up all night. The insomnia is so scary. What were your withdrawal symptoms and how are you now?
@@Dolce916 thanks for reaching out. With all the pandy stuff going on it is hard to keep from being isolated and being part of a group. Nice to know there are others with similar struggles... I have been off if benzos now for a year and as of right now my symptoms are fleeting and not very frequent. I'm a recovering addict as well and have had to cut out similar substances from my life. I've been successful so far. It is a daily battle and I know things won't always be this great. I concentrate on diet , exercise and sleep. Those 3 things are my secret weapon. Life does happen and sometimes it is hard to keep up but rest assured you will always find your way. I'm currently also tapering off of methadone for 4 years!! I was prescribed benzos because of the interdose withdrawal from the methadone. So I had to postpone tapering on methadone last year when I dosed out of the benzo. I'm nearly off of methadone but I had to stop due to hard-core withdrawal and the fact that I am about to take a master's exam and can't think straight while coming down on this opiate. Almost 20 years and beating these addictions and although I'm almost free from the chemicals I know the battle will continue daily until I take my last breath. There are days when giving up seems best. Those are the days I claim as victories and I count them while placing them on myself like armor. Thank you so much for reaching out.
Amazing testimony! You’re a fighter I can tell, keep going! Thank you for the encouragement.