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How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules


Rhiannon

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On 5/1/2018 at 10:35 PM, Lakelander82 said:

If you double the liquid you’re dispersing your tablet in, do you increase the margin for error or increase accuracy for that matter? I disperse 25mg of Sertraline in 25mls of water but I’m thinking of dispersing it in 50mls of water instead for ease of use. What are the moderators thoughts on this? 

This is my question also and it's confusing me so much. Does the ratio matter?? For example instead of 1:1, can I do 1:2 or even 1:3?? I'm on a very low dose and it's getting complicated 

1996 Aurorix, Zoloft, Serzone, Lithium and Aropax

1997 Luvox. 1998 Prozac. 2000 Zyprexa with Prozac

June 2000 Cipramil  October 2000 Prozac again

2001 Sinequan with Risperdal

2002 Cipramil. 2009 Stillnox. 2010 Imovane

2016 February 24th 50mg Luvox and 25mg Largactil. Stopped Largactil 2 days later, back on Imovane

August 2016 125mg Luvox. November 100mg Luvox, December 75mg Luvox.

 

March 2017 50mg Luvox, August 25mg Luvox. September 10mg Lexapro, then 20mg ,October back down to 10mg Lexapro

December 20th 20mg Cipramil

 

2018 January 9th 15mg Cipramil, January 12th 10mg Cipramil. January 20th 5mg Cipramil, February 4th 2.5mg. June 25th 2.4mg, September 17th 2.3mg

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The ratio is essential for you to calculate how much of your drug is in 1 milliliter of liquid (or however it is that you're measuring).

 

You can make the liquid with any ratio, but you have to adjust your calculations accordingly.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Thank you altostrata, it will be so much easier now 🌼

1996 Aurorix, Zoloft, Serzone, Lithium and Aropax

1997 Luvox. 1998 Prozac. 2000 Zyprexa with Prozac

June 2000 Cipramil  October 2000 Prozac again

2001 Sinequan with Risperdal

2002 Cipramil. 2009 Stillnox. 2010 Imovane

2016 February 24th 50mg Luvox and 25mg Largactil. Stopped Largactil 2 days later, back on Imovane

August 2016 125mg Luvox. November 100mg Luvox, December 75mg Luvox.

 

March 2017 50mg Luvox, August 25mg Luvox. September 10mg Lexapro, then 20mg ,October back down to 10mg Lexapro

December 20th 20mg Cipramil

 

2018 January 9th 15mg Cipramil, January 12th 10mg Cipramil. January 20th 5mg Cipramil, February 4th 2.5mg. June 25th 2.4mg, September 17th 2.3mg

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  • 2 weeks later...

How, using the liquid water taper method, (discarding the solution in the syringes making the remaining solution in the jar the dose) does one manage when the dose gets closer to the end? Eventually there won't be enough liquid remaining in the jar to evenly pull? 

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You need to make your dilution with more water.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Thank you ChessieCat. 

May I gently ask if you have completed a water titration taper? Did you change the water drug ratio during the taper? Eventually, there will be very little (drops I suspect) left in the dose jar that will be difficult to stir and pull?

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No I haven't used that method.  I am tapering Pristiq and get my tablets compounded.  I'll quote your post and respond in your topic.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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39 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

I'll quote your post and respond in your topic.

 

Please go here introductions-and-updates and create your own Intro topic so we can answer the questions you have about your own situation there.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Curious about anyone who has made their own liquid lexapro. From everything I've read escitalopram isn't water soluble or ethanl soluble.  The link on the lexapro main page requires 30 ounces to dissolve 5 mg.

 

Escitalopram oxalate occurs as a fine, white to slightly-yellow powder and is freely soluble in methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), soluble in isotonic saline solution, sparingly soluble in water and ethanol, slightly soluble in ethyl acetate, and insoluble in heptane.

 

Also saw this

Sparingly soluble materials are those, which have lowered solubility. Usually materials are treated as sparingly soluble if 1g of material requires 30 to 100ml of solute to dissolve. In other words, a material will be sparingly soluble if the amount which can be dissolved in 100ml of solute ranges between 1g and 3,3g.

No psychiatric drugs before 2-Jan-2018. Started for anxiety and insomnia after health issue.

Started Clonazepam 2-Jan-2018. Increased to 1.25 mg a day, mostly for sleep - failed to help.

Started Escitalopram 4-Jan-2018, increased to 10 mg over 2 weeks.

By Feb 2018 no anxiety and falling asleep naturally again. Moved clonazepam evening dose early to 6:30pm.

Tapered Clonazepam 10-Feb-2018 to 15-Aug-2019 with professionally compounded capsules.

Started modified Horowitz/Taylor hyperbolic taper of Escitalopram 14-Oct-2019 from 10 mg. Used prescription liquid. Last dose 0.05 mg on 31-May-2020.

 

 

 

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Please read this topic from the beginning. We have many people who have made their own liquid Lexapro. To read about their experiences, please go to the Introductions forum and use search.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Brand name Lexapro also exists in a liquid form, or at least it did five or six years ago. Not all pharmacies carry it where I live, so I needed to give them some notice when I wanted it. I never tried to make my own as the liquid was always available when I wanted it.

2005 St John's Wort / 2006-2012 Lexapro 20mg, 2 failed attempts to stop, tapered over 4.5 months in early 2012

January 2013 started Sertraline, over time worked up to 100mg

July 2014 Sertraline dropped from 100mg to 75mg, held for six months, slower tapering until 2019 22 Dec 3.2mg

2020 Sertraline 19 Jan 3.1mg, 26 Jan 3.0mg; 1 Mar 2.9, 7 Mar 2.8, May (some drops here) 24 May 2.5, May 29 2.4, June 21 2.3, June 28 2.2mg,  July 4 2.1mg, July 24 (or maybe a bit before) 2mg, early Nov switched to home made suspension; 29 Nov 1.8mg; approx 25 Dec 1.6mg)

2021 Some time in about Jan/Feb realised probably on more like 1.8mg and poss mixing error in making suspension; doses after 10 Feb accurate; 10 Feb 1.6mg; 7 Mar 1.4, continued monthly

10% drops until 1mg, then dropped 0.1mg monthly.

May 2022,0.1mg, now dropping 0.01mg per week

29 August 2022 - first day of zero!

My thread here at SA: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/1775-bubbles/page/21/

Current: Armour Thyroid

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Can you use Ora Plus with Risperidone?  

My psychiatric drug history goes back, on and off, to 1999.  This is my taper chronology:

Jan. 2018:                        900 mg  Lithium                      1 mg Risperidone               250 mg Lamotrigine 

Jan. 2018:                        0 mg  Lithium*                        1 mg Risperidone               250 mg Lamotrigine 

Jan. 2019:                        0 mg Lithium                           0.625 mg Risperidone       175 mg Lamotrigine

Jan. 2020:                       0 mg Lithium                           0.260 mg Risperidone       175 mg Lamotrigine

Feb. 2021:                        0 mg Lithium                           0 mg Risperidone              175 mg Lamotrigine

August 2021                    0 mg Lithium                           0 mg Risperidone              0 mg Lamotrigine

*I had to cold turkey lithium because of life-threatening side effects.

Measuring doses: The Withdrawal Project at the Inner Compass Initiative website, which explains how to do the microtaper to make it as smooth as possible   Nutrition: The Clean Gut Diet by Alejandro Junger, MD, and Viva Naturals Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.  Psychological: "Dr. Bruce H. Lipton Explains How To Reprogram The Subconscious Mind" (on YouTube) and PSYCH-K (an alternative healing modality).  

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Yes, but risperidone comes in a prescription liquid.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The prescription liquid is 1 mg per 1 mL.  At 0.09 mg and below, since the smallest measurement on a syringe is 0.01 mL, the reductions would be > 10%.  

 

I guess I could switch to a compounded liquid at any point to get it more diluted.    

 

Can you further dilute the prescription liquid?  (I asked a compounding pharmacist this question, and he said he wasn't sure if the compounded liquid would mix with water.)

 

My psychiatric drug history goes back, on and off, to 1999.  This is my taper chronology:

Jan. 2018:                        900 mg  Lithium                      1 mg Risperidone               250 mg Lamotrigine 

Jan. 2018:                        0 mg  Lithium*                        1 mg Risperidone               250 mg Lamotrigine 

Jan. 2019:                        0 mg Lithium                           0.625 mg Risperidone       175 mg Lamotrigine

Jan. 2020:                       0 mg Lithium                           0.260 mg Risperidone       175 mg Lamotrigine

Feb. 2021:                        0 mg Lithium                           0 mg Risperidone              175 mg Lamotrigine

August 2021                    0 mg Lithium                           0 mg Risperidone              0 mg Lamotrigine

*I had to cold turkey lithium because of life-threatening side effects.

Measuring doses: The Withdrawal Project at the Inner Compass Initiative website, which explains how to do the microtaper to make it as smooth as possible   Nutrition: The Clean Gut Diet by Alejandro Junger, MD, and Viva Naturals Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.  Psychological: "Dr. Bruce H. Lipton Explains How To Reprogram The Subconscious Mind" (on YouTube) and PSYCH-K (an alternative healing modality).  

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Carefulprayerful,

A 10% reduction from 1mg takes someone to .9 mg NOT .09mg.  .09 mg would be near the very end of the taper.  You should never need to dilute the prescription liquid form of Risperidone.  People that are using tablets or capsules are diluting things down to get to easily measurable amounts.  The 1 mg per 1 ml liquid Risperidone is already in a very easily measured and titrated form.  No need to add water at all.   Not sure who told you that you have to dilute the liquid risperidone down further with more liquid because you do not have to do that.  Hoping you don't make this more complicated than it needs to be.  Best Regards, glosmom

2016 - Oct -Daughter started Risperdal (for steroid induced psychosis that never went away after stopping prednisone)

Nov - dose increases stopped at 1.5mg in Dec

2017 - Jan- weaned from 1.5 to 1.0 in 2 weeks then 1.0 to .5 in two weeks and then off. Feb. 3 weeks of increased psychosis, pacing, insomnia, other awful symptoms so late Feb  - Back on 1.5 mg Risperdal. May  - decrease to 1.25mg, two weeks later 1.0mg - symptoms started again. June - held steady at 1.25mg for 6 weeks and switched to liquid (3 ml syringe). July - started 10% taper every 3 weeks, October -  .8 mg, December - .7 mg .

2018 -Jan- 0.65 mg,  Feb- 0.59,  Mar-0.50, late April - .40mg, July- .36 mg, Aug - switched from 3 mL syringe to 1 mL syringe for more accuracy (her dad and i were not sure we were giving her the same dose when in between the 'dashes' on the 3 mL syringe.) Aug -.30 mg (3mL syr)/.44 mg (1 mL syr) difference due to med in the tip of both syringes). Sept- .28 mg (3mL syr)/.42 mg (1 mL syr). Oct - .16 mg (3 mL syr)/.30 mg (1 mL syr). Nov.- .06mg (3mL syr)/.20 mg (1mLsyr). Dec. - tip only/unmeasurable (3mL syr)/.10 mg (1mLsyr)

2019- Jan -.06 mg (1 mL syr), Feb- .025 mg (1 mL syr), Feb 27, 2019 - jumped to zero!!

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3 hours ago, carefulprayerful said:

The prescription liquid is 1 mg per 1 mL.  At 0.09 mg and below, since the smallest measurement on a syringe is 0.01 mL, the reductions would be > 10%.  

 

I guess I could switch to a compounded liquid at any point to get it more diluted.    

 

Can you further dilute the prescription liquid?  (I asked a compounding pharmacist this question, and he said he wasn't sure if the compounded liquid would mix with water.)

 

 

From this site:  http://mcs.open.ac.uk/nlg/old_projects/pills/corpus/pil/data/JanssenCilag/Risperdal_Liquid/Risperdal_Liquid.html

 

"The liquid contains the following inactive ingredients: tartaric acid, benzoic acid, sodium hydroxide and water"

 

This means that it is okay to dilute the liquid with water.

 

Edited by ChessieCat

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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1 hour ago, Glosmom said:

A 10% reduction from 1mg takes someone to .9 mg NOT .09mg.  .09 mg would be near the very end of the taper.  You should never need to dilute the prescription liquid form of Risperidone.  People that are using tablets or capsules are diluting things down to get to easily measurable amounts.  The 1 mg per 1 ml liquid Risperidone is already in a very easily measured and titrated form.  No need to add water at all.   Not sure who told you that you have to dilute the liquid risperidone down further with more liquid because you do not have to do that.  Hoping you don't make this more complicated than it needs to be.

 

Yes this is correct:  "A 10% reduction from 1mg takes someone to .9 mg"

 

 

"People that are using tablets or capsules are diluting things down to get to easily measurable amounts. "

 

Yes, they do.  Some members find that they have difficulty accurately and consistently measuring small amounts.  Diluting the liquid may help them to do this.  Also, some members find that they need to reduce by very small amounts and diluting allows them to do this with greater accuracy.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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2 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

some members find that they need to reduce by very small amounts and diluting allows them to do this with greater accuracy. 

Yes, this is my case.  I would like to do a microtaper.  If I diluted the prescription liquid (an oral solution) in water, would I have a suspension or a solution?

My psychiatric drug history goes back, on and off, to 1999.  This is my taper chronology:

Jan. 2018:                        900 mg  Lithium                      1 mg Risperidone               250 mg Lamotrigine 

Jan. 2018:                        0 mg  Lithium*                        1 mg Risperidone               250 mg Lamotrigine 

Jan. 2019:                        0 mg Lithium                           0.625 mg Risperidone       175 mg Lamotrigine

Jan. 2020:                       0 mg Lithium                           0.260 mg Risperidone       175 mg Lamotrigine

Feb. 2021:                        0 mg Lithium                           0 mg Risperidone              175 mg Lamotrigine

August 2021                    0 mg Lithium                           0 mg Risperidone              0 mg Lamotrigine

*I had to cold turkey lithium because of life-threatening side effects.

Measuring doses: The Withdrawal Project at the Inner Compass Initiative website, which explains how to do the microtaper to make it as smooth as possible   Nutrition: The Clean Gut Diet by Alejandro Junger, MD, and Viva Naturals Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.  Psychological: "Dr. Bruce H. Lipton Explains How To Reprogram The Subconscious Mind" (on YouTube) and PSYCH-K (an alternative healing modality).  

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It would be a solution.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Making a Celexa solution yourself

The American Pharmacists Association Drug Information Handbook has begun inserting extemporaneous preparation procedures for suspensions of benzodiazepines and probably other drugs. As an example, on page 1190 of the 26th edition at the end of the monograph on lorazepam there is a section called extemporaneous preparations note:

"Commercial oral solution is available (2 mg/mL) 2 different 1 mg/ml oral suspensions may be made from different generic lorazepam tablets (Mylan Pharmaceuticals or Watson laboratories, sterile water, Ora-Sweet and Ora-Olus."

There follow extremely detailed instructions to the pharmacist for the preparation of 360 mL of suspension, one paragraph for Mylan and one for Watson. This would of course be scaled down, but I'm thinking it might be best for the pharmacist to make this solution, in fact they might insist on it. Another question is which doctor writes which prescriptions. I'd just as soon not even tell Kaiser about my outside doctor, but I don't think that will fly with controlled substances, and I'm not sure I'd want it to, anyway. It looks like Dr. shopping, even though the tiny amount involved makes that idea ridiculous. I'm seeking an outside doc because Kaiser will only treat me in their Chemical Dependency Program, I don't care for their method, and they don't have much flexibility.

Anyway, I have seen similar preps for a couple of other benzos in this same book and would guess there are some for other psych drugs. The book costs 35 or $40, but it might be worth it to be able to lay it down on the counter in front of the pharmacist alongside a letter from your doctor. Or you can get it from the library.

72 years old, no history of AD meds. Single dose of Ativan ramped up to 6-8 mg/day (!) for 7 years, initial Rx for insomnia. Summer of 2012 I learned about IW sx and began the change to 3X day dosing, finishing in October. Big improvement in sx. I also take opiate pain meds.

Finally got under way with a hybrid [wet/dry] daily cut taper in Dec. 2012, at 0.0125 mg/day reduction. I was able to taper down from 8 mg/d to 4 mg/d in 2 years at that rate, interrupted by several medical adventures (heart block, wrist fracture, endocrine problem). I'm currently [9/2021] stable at 4 mg/d and plan to start a micro-taper at an initial reduction rate of 0.035 mg/d. Now (10/2023) at 1.75 mg/day, I'm getting what I think are some w/d sx. so maybe hold for a while.

 

My taper method, which has gone through several iterations, is linked here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/5037-jeromes-wetdry-taper-revised/?hl=jerome. At the moment, I'm not using a solution, but rather dealing with dry 0.5 mg tablets.

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Thanks, Jerome! Perhaps a pdf will become available.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 1 month later...

I have discovered that when titrating using a syringe to dose liquid preparations, not all syringes are created equal.  

 

To achieve accuracy in dosing, it is important to use a syringe that is, as I call it, a “smooth operator.”  This means one in which the plunger glides effortlessly through the tube, without gripping the sides.  This is important for accurate dosing.

 

When the plunger is gripping the inside of the tube, one has to apply more pressure than needed to get it to move, often moving past the point of the desired dose.  This causes one to have to back the plunger up, again drawing in more medicine, to make another attempt at achieving an accurate dose. With a grippy plunger, I found myself doing this over and again.  Frustrating.

 

The syringes I was having trouble with are made by CareTouch and I found them on Amazon.com.  I do not recommend these, despite their very positive reviews.

 

The ones that are working for me are by BSTEAN, also found on Amazon.com:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZZ4BZ15/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I am using their 1 ml syringes.

 

A couple nice things about the syringes from BSTEAN is that: (1) they have every 100thmarked and, (2) the plunger tips go all the way to the end of the tube.   Though, it is not a show stopper if the plunger does not go all the way to the end of the tube, as one can just suck the little remaining drop of liquid out.

 

I am sure there are other syringes out there that are “smooth operators” like the BSTEAN brand.  Just know that if you find yourself with a grippy plunger, you can change it out for one that works better.

 

Another trick when using the syringes for liquid dosing is to apply a strip of clear, glossy scotch tape over the length of the numbers.  This will keep them from rubbing and washing off, giving you an extended life on the syringe.  I read about this trick from other users, one on Amazon.com and also in @RubyJ's topic.

4/2001 - Clonazepam, .5mg (at bed); 5/2010: 1 mg; 9/2018: .5 mg; 10/20/2018: .47 mg; 10/24/2018: back up to .5 mg.  Began daily micro taper by liquid prep on 3/12/2021 (avg. 10% redux of last dose every 28 days).  At .17 mg/ml as of 12/24/2021.

4/2002 - Alprazolam, .25 mg (PRN), up to 2x/day.  DISCONTINUED 10/21/2018
5/2010 - Mirtazapine - 15 mg (at bed)
3/2012 - Aripiprazole - 2 mg (in A.M.) - Began reducing Dec. 30, 2018.  Daily micro-taper by liquid preparation.  DISCONTINUED 1/14/2021.

6/2012 - 500 mg  Metformin ER, 2 tabs, 2x/day.  DISCONTINUED April 2020.

Supplements: Multi Vit Calcium-600 mg x2 / D3-5000 IU / C-1000 mg x2 Fish Oil-1000 IU Magnesium-200 mg x2 / Zinc-50 mg / Biotin-10,000 mcg / Glutathione-500 mg / Quercetin-1000 mg

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  • 2 weeks later...

what's the difference between an oral syringe and a normal one? i just searched syringe on ebay and bought a couple of sizes. now i'm wondering if i've bought the wrong type. the one i'm using at the moment is one the vet gave me for my cats medicine and has a small opening.

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began.

Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily

Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan:  26 Feb 2019, 4mg.

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

Reinstated prozac:  14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg 

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13 hours ago, jozeff said:

🤗🤗

Well, a syringe has what is called a dead volume. This is the volume that doesn't come out the syringe when you empty it! This only applies for the first check mark, in this case the first ml. If you empty a 5 ml syringe let's say from 5 ml mark to 4 ml you gave exactly 1 ml liquid. Same for 4 to 3 ml same for 3 to 2 ml. Same for 2 to 1 ml. Same for 1 to 0 ml, but in the latter case you will have some dead volume left in the syringe. You should left this in the syringe because it is designed this way!

 

So, if you suck up liquid in a syringe let's say from nothing to 1 ml mark. Thet total volume of liquid in your syringe is maybe 1.2 ml. This is 1 ml + 0.2 ml dead volume. If you empty the syringe it will release 1 ml. The 0.2 ml dead volume stays in the syringe.

 

If you taper using syringes use the 5 ml syringe from 5 to 1 ml if possible. Below 1ml use the 1 ml syringe. 

Never fill a syringe with another one because the dead volume messes up your calculation.

 

If you need let's say 4.6 ml you take the 5ml syringe and fill it to 4 ml. 

Empty this in a small cup, leave the dead volume in the syringe (the liquid that stays in the tip).

Fill your 1 ml syringe to 0.6 ml mark and empty it in the same cup., Leave the dead volume in the syringe.

Drink your liquid and flush you cup with water and drink that too. 

Flush your syringe with water and throw that away. Dry the tip of syringe with some toilet paper.

Don't drink de dead volume because you will be getting more than 4.6 ml...

 

Hope this is clear. It's important to do the same every day. That way you get the most accurate dosage.

 

I use a volumetric pipette for this (an old one from the lab) but this is not necessary. A syringe will do, I mean we are not talking about 1/1000 of a mg right? One day 5.45 mg and next day 5.46 will be ok. Such a small difference is negligible.

 

 

Good luck!!!

 

Jozeff

Analytical chemist

 

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 2 weeks later...

Does this kind of syringe look OK?

 

2.5ml dose please!

 

Fluoxetine 20mg a day, (mornings) Amitryptilline 10-50mg (evenings) for last two years (usually lowest dose of the latter) Previously on and off Fluoxetine since 1999. Off completely for pregnancies in 200s with no problems but recently more difficult to withdraw.End 2018 Tapered to 10mg Fluoxetine (am) and 10mg Amitryptilline (evening)Co-codomol 30/500 prescribed (one to two tabs 6 hrly as required for pain)

 

Start Jan 2019 5mg Fluoxetine mornings. Stopped amitryptilline.

6th Feb 2019 Stopped Fluoxetine, 2 X 425mg St Johns Wort daily. 

9th Feb 2019 Reinstated 5mg Prozac, stopped SJW due to headaches and upset tummy.

10th Feb 2019 Started using liquid diluted Prozac and syringe, dividing doses (2 X 2.5ml) = 5mg daily

12th Feb 2019 Stopped prozac after even small doses seem to be causing a bad reaction.

17th Feb 2019 Started taking single dose 425mg SJW mornings 

 

Also taking supplements: Multivitamin, Longvida Curcumin 500mg a day, Magnesium Citrate 500mg/day, Magnesium L-threonate 50mg/day, Omega 3 (with Vit E) 1000mg/day, Vitamin D3 20000IU

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  • 3 weeks later...

does anyone know how to deal with bubbles? i often get a bubble in the syringe when i draw up the liquid. at the moment i'm holding the syringe nozzle end up and squirting out a bit of liquid to push the air out. is there a better way of getting the bubble out without wasting the liquid?

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began.

Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily

Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan:  26 Feb 2019, 4mg.

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

Reinstated prozac:  14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

See this post: 

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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thankyou 😺

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began.

Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily

Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan:  26 Feb 2019, 4mg.

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

Reinstated prozac:  14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg 

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  • 4 weeks later...

i tried making my liquid as usual this morning but the capsules in the new packet are stubborn little buggers. i had to open four before i'd got all the powder in (i changed the water between each try) each time i twisted them they were tight and either spilled some powder or it stuck inside the capsule.

i presume it's vital to get every bit of the powder in? does it make a huge difference to the dose if a bit of dust goes astray? 

i preferred it when i was prescribed 10mg tablets in the beginning as i could just drop them in the water and they dissolved. 

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began.

Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily

Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan:  26 Feb 2019, 4mg.

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

Reinstated prozac:  14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg 

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You could use a blade (one of the retractable types) and slice the capsule up and put the whole thing in to dissolve the powder.  Mind your fingers though.

 

You could hold the capsule with tweezers.

 

Edited by ChessieCat

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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thanks chessiecat. does the capsule just dissolve in the water?

 

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began.

Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily

Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan:  26 Feb 2019, 4mg.

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

Reinstated prozac:  14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg 

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My idea was to just dissolve the capsule contents and remove the capsule, with tweezers.  The capsule is made from gelatin so if you left it too long it would at least soften.  It would probably take a long time to dissolve completely.  You will need to make sure that you do it the same way every time (ie length of time you leave the capsule in the water).  If you just split the capsule into two and there was powder in the capsule, adding that to water there will be an air bubble and the contents won't dissolve.  You could try cutting both ends off the capsule (without splitting it in half) and then add all of it (pop the ends in) to the water, holding the capsule body with tweezers and using a tooth pick to poke out the powder inside.

 

The other option would be to split the capsule in two, hold one half in water with tweezers and use a tooth pick to get the water into the capsule.  If the capsule softens quickly you might be able to poke a hole in the end with the tooth pick.

 

Please note that I haven't done this, I'm just brain storming the ideas and you will need to try different ways to see which one works the best.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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thanks - will have to experiment ☺

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began.

Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily

Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan:  26 Feb 2019, 4mg.

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

Reinstated prozac:  14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg 

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Liquid tapering
  • 2 weeks later...

Anyone else feel like they are getting a different dose every day because the pill particles just sink to the bottom? I try to shake up my mixture but find when I extract the dose the sediment is already sinking. Compounded pills and liquid Paxil aren’t an option for me atm. I find this triggers my ocd. Any help would he greatly appreciated. 

2008: start Lexapro 10 mg which is quickly upped to 20 mg. 2008:2013 try at least four individual times to get off Lexapro, never get lower than 5mg, settle at 15 mg. 2015: again, attempt to get off Lexapro and get to 5 mg. After 6 months, feel i'm stabilizing but go back on a higher dose because of one stressful event. 2016: go to 20 mg from 15 mg due to work stresses, hit severe tolerance for the first time and become very suicidal. 2016-2017: try viibryd and cymbata in an attempt to feel better. Also add Lamictal 150 at some point. 2017: eventually land on paxil 37.5 and Lamictal 150. January 2018: cut paxil to 25. April-July 2018: reduce Lamictal in 50 mg increments till im off August. 2018: reduce paxil to 20 mg. december 2018: dropped Paxil to 18 mg, SEVERE CRASH. March updosed to 20 mg April 11: dropped to 19.4 mg due to akathsia (still experiencing akathsia symptoms from updose) April 20: 19 mg Paxil May 4: 18.7 Paxil July 5: 18.2 July 12: 17.8 Aug 19: 17.5 Aug 26: 17.3 Oct 20: 17.1 Nov 3: 16.9, 8/17/20: 16.6 after nine month hold, 8/24/20: 16.4, 8/31/20:16.2, 9/14/2020: 16.0, 9/21/20: 15.8, 9/28/20: 15.6, 10/19/20:15.4, 10/26/20: 15.2, 11/2/20: 15.1, 11/7/20: 14.8, 3/6/2-: 14.5, 3/20/20: 14.3, 4/3/20: 13.9, 4/10/2021: 13.7. 4/21/21: 13.5, 5/5/2021: 13.1, 12.2 8/12/2021 (slowly microtapered to this number. I just can’t remember the exact dates), 11.8 9/6/2021, 11.6 9/13/21, 11.2 9/27/21, 11.1 9/30/21.....11/5/21 switched to 10 mg tablet. I am holding to stabilize for the foreseeable future. 3/25/22: 9.4, 5/6/22: 9.0, 5/30/22: 8.25, 6/7/22: 8.1, 7/722: 7.65, 8/16/22: 7.39, 9/22/22: 6.91, 10/1/22: 6.78

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apparently what's sinking to the bottom is just filler - the drug itself dissolves in the water. i was wondering about this too but i try not to think about it now. i just give it a good shake and off i go. 

Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years.

January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began.

Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily

Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan:  26 Feb 2019, 4mg.

Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019

Reinstated prozac:  14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg 

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