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How to calculate dosages and dilutions? Spreadsheets and calculators


Altostrata

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  • Administrator

For spreadsheets and calculators, jump to these links:

 

Excel spreadsheet to calculate dose weights using a scale

Songbird's spreadsheet, explanation is below in this post with download links to Excel files.

You will need MS Excel or equivalent (e.g. Open Office) to use this.

 

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

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

To customize it, you will need to download or copy this spreadsheet:

INSTRUCTIONS:  To use with Microsoft Excel, in the Google Sheet (not in your browser), from the File menu, click on Download. Or, use Copy to transfer a copy to your own Google Drive.

 

Simple Brassmonkey Slide Tapering Spreadsheet

Jozeff's tapering spreadsheet using the Brassmonkey Slide method - download link is in the top post.  

You will need MS Excel or equivalent (e.g. Open Office) to use this.

 

Micro Taper Off Calculator with built-in 2-week hold

An online calculator using the Brassmonkey Slide method.

 

nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

See .zip file for download at the bottom of the linked post.

 

Tapering calculator at ReversePsychiatry.org

This is an online calculator by DoctorMussyWasHere.

 

Calculators to help you create your own taper plan

Online planners for antidepressant and benzo tapering.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/9167-how-to-calculate-dosages-and-dilutions-spreadsheets-and-calculators/page/3/Reduction or increase % calculators:

 

https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/algebra/percentage-decrease-calculator.php

 

https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/algebra/percentage-increase-calculator.php

 

Also see Keep daily notes of drug schedule and symptoms to track patterns and progress

 

 

03 07 18 Merged several topics about spreadsheets and calculators.

03 06 19 Moved calculator links to top and added additional links.

9 Dec 2020 Added reduction/increase calculator links

 


 

Here is an explanation of drug dilutions, for those who like to look at a handbook used in nursing training. (Updated 2014 ps_calc_guide.pdf) 

 

Also useful for converting liquid meeasurements http://www.onlineconversion.com

 

Thanks to our member Angel7366, who supplied these tips.

 

 

Edited by Altostrata
updated admin note

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 year later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Admin note: Also see Using a digital scale to measure doses, which explains more about the scale itself and how to measure small amounts on it.

 

Calculate dose weights using a scale - Excel spreadsheet

 

Dose_weights_SA.xlsx

 

Dose_weights_SA.xls

 

If you are tapering using a scale, you will need to convert each dose to a weight so that you know what your scale should be displaying for the dose you want. The instructions are actually inside the spreadsheet but here is a little more detail:

1. Enter the dose of one whole pill in the orange cell (e.g. if your pills are 20mg pills then type in 20, or if your pills are 10mg pills then type in 10). Press tab.

2. Enter the weight of one whole pill - after calibrating your scale, making sure it is in 'gram' mode, weigh one pill and type the weight in the turqoise cell (e.g. 0.336). Press tab. (Note: some people like to weigh several pills and take an average in case the weights of the pills vary).

3. Enter the percentage drops you want to do for your taper in the green cell (e.g for 10% type in 10, for 5% type in 5). Press tab.

4. Enter the starting dose for your taper in the yellow cell. (For some people this will be the same as the dose of one whole pill above, if you are currently taking one whole pill as your dose.) Press tab.

The spreadsheet will now calculate your doses and the corresponding weights for your taper. For whichever dose you are dropping to (in the yellow), your scale should say the number in turquoise next to it. i.e. that's what you are aiming for when you cut and weigh your pills.

The spreadsheet has been protected so that you can only type in the cells you need to enter data into. This is to prevent you messing it up by accidentally typing other places! I hope this makes some sense. Any questions, just ask.


 

 

Edited by Songbird
moved links to top

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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  • Administrator

Thanks so much, Songbird.

 

Please note you will need Microsoft Excel or some other program that can read Excel spreadsheets to use this tool.

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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  • Moderator Emeritus

If you don't have Microsoft Office, you can download Open Office which is similar to MS Office and can open MS Office files, but it is FREE.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I have included a second worksheet for those who are doing drops of so many mg rather than a percentage.  If you are doing, say, 0.5mg drops, you enter this is the green cell.  The only problem with this method is that with the same drop each time your percentage drop gets bigger and bigger, so you really need to reduce your drops as your dose gets lower.  The spreadsheet shows you what percentage each drop is so you can see when it will start to get too high.  When you want to change your drop you can create a copy of the worksheet, change the drop amount and enter your current dose as the starting dose.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Songbird,

 

just wanted to say thank you for providing us the spreadsheet. I downloaded both of them and I think it would be really helpful for those thinking of tapering from their ADs. I know weighing your dose is better and I'm actually planning on buying a scale but when I've checked Amazon, all the Gemini scales look the same but different prices. I don't really know which one to pick, please advice me which one is the genuine scale,  thank you.

 

Cheers,

DePrssd5

 

I've used the Gemini-20 scale for years and I believe this is the one most scale users use. I recently ordered a new one after my old one started acting up, and it didn't work and I had to return it. I'm afraid their quality is not as good as it used to be. This was my 4th scale. They seem to last about a year or two and then stop working as well. I will probably order another one and hope it was just a one time thing. It's a good deal at only 22 US dollars and gets the job done.

a.k.a JMarie

Paxil since Mar.1998

2006-2007:40-20mg
2009: 20mg to 14mg 2010: 14mg to 10.5mg 2011: 10.5 to 7.6mg  2012: 7.5 to 6.8mg

2013: 6.7-6.3mg 2014: 6.2mg-5.8mg 2015: 5.7 to 5.15mg 2016: 5.1-4.6mg

1/19/17: 4.5mg 3/17/17: 4.4mg

6/15/17: 4.35mg 8/10/17: 4.3mg

1/29/18: 4.1mg 5/07/18: 4.0mg

7/31/18: 3.9mg

 

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Hi LB,

 

Thanks for the quick response, so what does it actually show or do when you said it wasn't working. Just in case it doesn't measure the weights accurately. But you are right, the price is quite affordable but I need to pay more coz I live in Australia. But it's ok as long as it does iit's job. Thanks you once again LB, good luck on the taper.

started cipramil 20mg in 2003 till 2008 tapered and stop for 6 months

2009 Effexor 75mg then went up to 150mg till 2011

tapered from Effexor then started pristiq 50mg on 2012 till - July 2014 then tapered for 3 months

 

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Hi LB,

 

Thanks for the quick response, so what does it actually show or do when you said it wasn't working. Just in case it doesn't measure the weights accurately. But you are right, the price is quite affordable but I need to pay more coz I live in Australia. But it's ok as long as it does iit's job. Thanks you once again LB, good luck on the taper.

 

When it's stops working as well, the weight readings bounce around frequently. I weigh the pill pieces with the calibration weight on the pan as this puts it in the middle of the weighing range which is supposed to help with accuracy. The calibration weights are usually 10g so I try to get it to read as close to 10g as possible. I will usually accept +/- .002g and then adjust my pill weights accordingly. But, when it starts reading much more than that, say 10.010g and frequent calibrations, new batteries, etc. don't help then I give up and order a new one. My very stability depends upon this scale so I need it to be accurate as possible. I hope this helps. And if you have any questions when you receive the scale, I'll be happy to help you!

a.k.a JMarie

Paxil since Mar.1998

2006-2007:40-20mg
2009: 20mg to 14mg 2010: 14mg to 10.5mg 2011: 10.5 to 7.6mg  2012: 7.5 to 6.8mg

2013: 6.7-6.3mg 2014: 6.2mg-5.8mg 2015: 5.7 to 5.15mg 2016: 5.1-4.6mg

1/19/17: 4.5mg 3/17/17: 4.4mg

6/15/17: 4.35mg 8/10/17: 4.3mg

1/29/18: 4.1mg 5/07/18: 4.0mg

7/31/18: 3.9mg

 

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  • 2 months later...

Is there a spreadsheet for tapering 10% using the liquid Paxil? I know there used to be one on PP and I can't find one online anywhere! If I was smarter with Excel I would create one but I am not :( 

40 years old and have been on 20 mg of Paxil for the last 19 years. Multiple unsuccessful attempts to quit over the years.01/2015 Was tapering using liquid Paxil. MD has prescribed 1 ml = 2mg taper every two weeks or once withdrawal symptoms at that dose subside. Reduced from 20 to 10 mg using this method and at 10 mg severe withdrawal set in. 1.5 months of pure hell. Found SA, learned what was happening, and reinstated to 20 mg. After a month of severe symptoms recovered with the reinstatement. Fish oil - Multi Vitamin - Pro-biotic, amino-acid/B Vitamin supplement every day. Magnesium as needed.08/09/15 - 18 mg - 09/08/15 - 16.4 mg - 10/10/15 - 15 mg - 01/02/16 - 13.6 mg 02/15/16 - 12.0 mg - Bad symptom flare up 40 days into drop - Dizziness, panic/anxiety, overheating (esp at night), low appetite, headache, insomnia with bizarre dreams, internal shaking. 04/16/16 - 11mg - 7/17/16 - 10 mg holding.....

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I don't think you would need a special spreadsheet for that.  How many mg per ml is your liquid?  You could probably use the weight column as a ml column.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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  • 3 weeks later...

It is 10 mg / 5 ml for the paxil liquid. So if I were to taper to say 16.2 mg how many ml would that be? I am so bad at math and my brain is swiss cheese at the moment!

40 years old and have been on 20 mg of Paxil for the last 19 years. Multiple unsuccessful attempts to quit over the years.01/2015 Was tapering using liquid Paxil. MD has prescribed 1 ml = 2mg taper every two weeks or once withdrawal symptoms at that dose subside. Reduced from 20 to 10 mg using this method and at 10 mg severe withdrawal set in. 1.5 months of pure hell. Found SA, learned what was happening, and reinstated to 20 mg. After a month of severe symptoms recovered with the reinstatement. Fish oil - Multi Vitamin - Pro-biotic, amino-acid/B Vitamin supplement every day. Magnesium as needed.08/09/15 - 18 mg - 09/08/15 - 16.4 mg - 10/10/15 - 15 mg - 01/02/16 - 13.6 mg 02/15/16 - 12.0 mg - Bad symptom flare up 40 days into drop - Dizziness, panic/anxiety, overheating (esp at night), low appetite, headache, insomnia with bizarre dreams, internal shaking. 04/16/16 - 11mg - 7/17/16 - 10 mg holding.....

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  • Moderator Emeritus

It is 10 mg / 5 ml for the paxil liquid. So if I were to taper to say 16.2 mg how many ml would that be? I am so bad at math and my brain is swiss cheese at the moment!

 

You can use the weight column as a ml column.  So enter 10 in the gold cell, then enter 5 in the turquoise cell.  Are you currently taking 20mg?  So you would enter 20mg in the yellow column. 

 

Using the percentage drop from the green cell (e.g. 10%), your dose drops will be shown in the pale yellow cells.  You can then use your syringe to measure out the doses shown in the pale turquoise cells.

 

Try this and you'll see that to get a dose of 16.2mg you'll need 8.1ml liquid.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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  • 1 month later...

Hi there. New to all of this. I'm embarrassed to say I have difficulty with math (due to ECT and hey, maybe also due to all these meds(?!)). Can someone tell me what is 10% of 5mg? Is that .5mg? Do you multiply by .10 and then subtract that from the total dose? 

 

Thank you for not laughing or screaming or sighing (or at least keeping it to yourself!)

[bows head in shame]

 

Edited by Altostrata
merged related topics

Lexapro: Completed taper 9-30-15

Lamictal: Current dose 100mg (tapered from 250mg in 2014)--Hoping to begin taper mid-late 2016

Wellbutrin: Current dose 50mg IR in am only (tapered from 150mg XL starting late January 2016)--planning to stop completely in the next few weeks

Trazodone: Stopped late November 2015

Vistaril: Current dose 50mg as needed for anxiety (I take this about once or twice a month)

Melatonin: 10mg at bedtime
As I make the transition to less and less meds, I plan to continue/increase the following: yoga, exercise, light box therapy, gardening, whole foods/plant-based eating, acupuncture, meditation, and individual therapy (including possibly EMDR in the near future)--THESE are the best meds for me!

(BTW, I've been on many combinations of meds over the past 30 years. These are just my most recent ones.)

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi there. New to all of this. I'm embarrassed to say I have difficulty with math (due to ECT and hey, maybe also due to all these meds(?!)). Can someone tell me what is 10% of 5mg? Is that .5mg? Do you multiply by .10 and then subtract that from the total dose? 

Thank you for not laughing or screaming or sighing (or at least keeping it to yourself!)

[bows head in shame]

 

No need to bow your head in shame - that is the way to calculate your dose reductions.  Dose X .10 = amount to be deducted from current dose

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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Hi patty

 

This is what I could do. I will have my father help out with this when he comes home he's really good with math. I calculated these with an Excel spreadsheet. This is the dose minus 10% of the dose, starting from 5 mg. If you are using an Excel spreadsheet you should create two separate columns A and B. A is where you write the current dose, and for B you use the formula B1=(A1-(A1*10%)). Then you copy the formula all across the column and it calculates each new dose.

 

These are the numbers I came up with. May or may not be correct. 

 

5.00 4.50 4.05 3.65 3.29 2.96 2.66 2.39 2.15 1.94 1.75 1.58 1.42 1.28 1.15 1.04 0.94 0.85 0.77 0.69 0.62 0.56 0.50 0.45 0.41 0.37 0.33 0.30 0.27 0.24 0.22 0.20 0.18 0.16 0.14 0.13 0.12 0.11 0.10 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.06

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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You're most welcome. Make sure you double check everything. If X is the old dose and Y is the new dose, you do the math like this:

 

Y = X-(0.1 x X)

I suffer from depression, anxiety, pure-o ocd, and panic attacks since 2004. Been on multiple different psychiatric drugs since 2006. Never had a significant WD problem before, only brain zaps for a month and then I'd be fine...............Been on Cipralex (escitalopram) 15 mg and Fluanxol (flupentixol) 1 mg since Sep 2014. Stopped taking the Cipralex after a fast 20-day taper.Took the last 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 5th, 2015. Then took Seroxat (paroxetine) 10 mg for a week, and stopped it too. Severe WD started suddenly on Feb 16th. RI 5 mg Cipralex on Feb 18th, 2015. RI worked and was relatively stable for a while................April 7 - decreased Fluanxol from 1 mg to 0.5 mg and took it at this dose for a week. - BIG MISTAKE; April 13 - WD starts creeping in; April 14 - RI full dose of Fluanxol 1 mg => severe muscle twitching and jerking when trying to relax and fall asleep, overwhelming sense of doom, dread, terror, and horror, insomnia, hoping to stabilize.
Tried doing a 10% cut off Fluanxol in the end of May for a few days, but quickly updosed to full dose because the twitching returned.
Experiencing waves and windows in the following months.
Unsuccessful brief taper attempt of Fluanxol by 5% on November 1st. Symptoms hit the next day. Too scared to continue tapering, reinstate full dose.
Severe crash in November after stupidly trying a barbiturate on November 9th. Grave mistake. Sense of unshakable inescapable internal torture, like my soul is in hell being tortured, terror/horror/dread/doom (probably akathisia?) that gets especially bad when trying to relax and fall asleep, muscles twitch, jerk and move on their own, shaking, insomnia, can't eat, confusion, disorientation, brain not working normally. Never felt so bad in my entire life. Never experiment with other meds while in WD! Praying to God I stabilize and get back to my baseline.
December - things getting even worse.

January - unbearable suffering

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I just came across a math tool that will calculate the % of however many mgs. you want to cut.  Use the first box, and enter % you want to reduce in the first space, and the number of mgs. you are taking in the second, then hit calculate.  Just do the same with each successive dose, and it will give you the figures you need for your taper.

As always, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! A proud supporter of the 10% (or slower) rule.

 

Requip - 3/16 ZERO  Total time on 25 years.

 

Lyrica: 8/15 ZERO Total time on 7 or 8 yrs.

BENZO FREE 10/13 (started tapering 7/10)  Total time on 25 years.

 

Read my intro thread here, and check the about me section.  "No matter how cynical you get, it's almost impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

I understand how to calculate 5% of my original dose (15mg - .75mg=14.25mg), but what I don't understand is how to translate this to my 1ml syringe. If my suspension liquid contains 15mg per 1ml, how do I calculate 14.25mg in a 1ml syringe?

OFF Paxil 1996-1997 CT, no w/d sxs

OFF Celexa 2002 (6 months) CT, mild and brief w/d sxs

OFF Ativan 1mg-Cold Turkey 2014, WD Syndrome for several weeks despite intermittent use over 9 months rather than daily use.

OFF Lexapro 3 doses only February 2015 (increased depression)

OFF Paxil 3 doses only July 2016 (increased anxiety)

ON Remeron 15mg daily since AUG 2016 for PPD/PPA/PPOCD Tried cutting dose by 1/4 tablet  December 1, 2016, one week of intense withdrawal headaches, reinstated 15mg dose December 8, 2016.

ON bioidentical Progesterone cream 50mg/day originally started for self diagnosed estrogen dominance April 2015, continued use during pregnancy to alleviate hormonal headaches October 2015-July 2016, continued postpartum to help with mood July 2016-present.

Supplements: Magnesium, Fish Oil, Probiotics, Quercetin

Tried Methylfolate Sept 2016 to "potentiate" Remeron - ended up experiencing worsened side effects (mainly irritability bordering on rage) Discontinued after two doses.

BEGAN REMERON TAPER Feb 2 2017 by switching to different manufacturer of tablet mirtazipine (manufacturer that matches my liquid solution). Holding 15mg dose until adjusted. Plan to eventually do half liquid, half tablet (still 15mg), then all liquid (15mg), then .95ml of 15mg per ml liquid (a 5% reduction) depending on how I respond to adjusting from tablet to liquid.

August 2017 9mg liquid mirtazipine, cutting by 2% every week.

July 2018 3mg liquid Mirtazipine,cutting by 2-3% every week.

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okay after doing a search i found that remeron can be bought in 15mg per ml solution.

 

I was just surprised that you can dissolve 15 mg in just 1 ml but apparently you can.

 

okay in that case if you want 14.25 mg you need to take 0.95 ml.

 

You simply divide the desired mg dose by 15 and take that in mls.

 

nz11

note to myself:  2 dp is needed in my liquid spreadsheet calculator not one.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

 

Hi there. New to all of this. I'm embarrassed to say I have difficulty with math (due to ECT and hey, maybe also due to all these meds(?!)). Can someone tell me what is 10% of 5mg? Is that .5mg? Do you multiply by .10 and then subtract that from the total dose? 

Thank you for not laughing or screaming or sighing (or at least keeping it to yourself!)

[bows head in shame]

 

No need to bow your head in shame - that is the way to calculate your dose reductions.  Dose X .10 = amount to be deducted from current dose

 

 

I find it easier to just multiply the dose by 0.90 for a 10% decrease or 0.95 for a 5% decrease.

 

Or you can use the above way and then double check by multiplying by my suggested method.

 

Explanation:  0.90 = 90% and 0.95 = 95% so you are calculating the amount of dose you need, not what you need to deduct.  Doing it this way means one less calculation therefore reducing the risk of error.

* 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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Somebody posted a spreadsheet on the site that is a dose calculator.  Does anyone know where I can find it. I saw it but now don't know where it was.


Many thanks!

 

M.

 

Edited by Altostrata
deleted Mod Note

200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021;  Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg
Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg

-------
Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. 
Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18;  May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg

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Here's what I have found:

 

Excel spreadsheet to calculate dose weights using a scale

 

Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations

This is a Google doc -- There are different tabs at the bottom. Feel free to download this: Select File (in the spreadsheet not in your browser), then download. 

 

nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

Edited by Altostrata
updated links & added additional information

* 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!

200 Zoloft; 10 mg Zyprexa; 4 mg valium as of May 2021;  Valium taper: July 16: 3.5 valium; July 30: 3 mg (paused valium taper); Aug. 23: 2.5 mg
Zyprexa: July 26: 8.75 mg; Aug. 9: 7.5 mg; Aug. 30: 7.1 mg

-------
Dec 1, 2016. 10 mg zyprexa for 1.5 month. Started taper mid-Jan. 2017. Cut 1.25 mg every 2 weeks; smaller cuts 2.5 mg down. Stopped at .6 mg. May 7, 2017: zyprexa free. 
Zoloft: Dec1, 2016, 200 mg. Started taper: Jun12, 2017: 197.5 mg; Jun19,:195 mg; July 2:185mg; July 9,:180 mg; July16,: 175; July 23: 170; July 30: 165; Aug6: 160; Aug13: 155; Aug. 20: 150; Aug.27: 146 mg; Sept3: 145 mg; Sept10:143 mg; Sept17:140 mg....Nov5: 122 mg...Dec3:112.5 mg; Jan14, 2018: 95 mg...Jan28: 90 mg; Feb21:80 mg; Mar11: 75 mg; May2:70 mg; May15: 68 mg; May28: 65 mg; Jun9: 62 mg;Jun25: 60 mg:July22: 55 mg; Aug25: 45 mg. Aug28: 50 mg...Oct 28: 38 mg; Dec.4: 30 mg; Jan8,2019: 25mg; Feb6: 23.5 mg; Apr1:17.5mg; May1:1 mg; May 5: 18;  May 18:15mg; June 16:12.5mg; Sept 10:11 mg; Sept.16:10 mg; Oct. 1: 9mg; Nov. 27: 8mg; Dec.5: 7mg; Jan.1,2020, 6 mg; Feb1: 5 mg; May 1: 2.5 mg; Jn 1: 2 mg; Jy 1: 1.5 mg

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  • 3 weeks later...

okay after doing a search i found that remeron can be bought in 15mg per ml solution.

 

I was just surprised that you can dissolve 15 mg in just 1 ml but apparently you can.

 

okay in that case if you want 14.25 mg you need to take 0.95 ml.

 

You simply divide the desired mg dose by 15 and take that in mls.

 

nz11

note to myself:  2 dp is needed in my liquid spreadsheet calculator not one.

 

I think the reason I'm having such a hard time with the syringe is because I want to do the BrassMonkey slide method of 2.5% decreases. My 1ml syringe only has 5 tick marks between each 10th of a ml. So, my first decrease of 2.5% would fall somewhere between the tick marks that lie between 1ml and .9ml, which makes me feel like it's a lot less accurate and therefore more likely to throw my body off. I'm super duper sensitive. Should I use a digital scale? all the searching I've done on SA regarding scale usage seems to only discuss tablets, powders and beads, not liquids. Help please!

OFF Paxil 1996-1997 CT, no w/d sxs

OFF Celexa 2002 (6 months) CT, mild and brief w/d sxs

OFF Ativan 1mg-Cold Turkey 2014, WD Syndrome for several weeks despite intermittent use over 9 months rather than daily use.

OFF Lexapro 3 doses only February 2015 (increased depression)

OFF Paxil 3 doses only July 2016 (increased anxiety)

ON Remeron 15mg daily since AUG 2016 for PPD/PPA/PPOCD Tried cutting dose by 1/4 tablet  December 1, 2016, one week of intense withdrawal headaches, reinstated 15mg dose December 8, 2016.

ON bioidentical Progesterone cream 50mg/day originally started for self diagnosed estrogen dominance April 2015, continued use during pregnancy to alleviate hormonal headaches October 2015-July 2016, continued postpartum to help with mood July 2016-present.

Supplements: Magnesium, Fish Oil, Probiotics, Quercetin

Tried Methylfolate Sept 2016 to "potentiate" Remeron - ended up experiencing worsened side effects (mainly irritability bordering on rage) Discontinued after two doses.

BEGAN REMERON TAPER Feb 2 2017 by switching to different manufacturer of tablet mirtazipine (manufacturer that matches my liquid solution). Holding 15mg dose until adjusted. Plan to eventually do half liquid, half tablet (still 15mg), then all liquid (15mg), then .95ml of 15mg per ml liquid (a 5% reduction) depending on how I respond to adjusting from tablet to liquid.

August 2017 9mg liquid mirtazipine, cutting by 2% every week.

July 2018 3mg liquid Mirtazipine,cutting by 2-3% every week.

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You can dilute the liquid 10 times by adding water into it, then the measure should be much more accurate.

Drug free Sep. 23 2017

2009 Mar.: lexapro 10mg for headache for 2 weeks.

2009-2012: on and off 1/4 to 1/3 of 10mg

2012 June--2013 Jan,: 1/4-1/3 of 10mg generic, bad jaw pain

2013 Jan-Mar: 10 mg generic. severe jaw and head pain;

2013 Mar--Aug. started tapering (liquid ever since) from 10 to 5 (one step) then gradually down to 2.25 mg by July. first ever panic attack, severe head/jaw pain

2013 Aug.: back to 2.75 mg; Nov: back to Brand Lex. 2.75mg -- 3mg,

2014 June: stopped PPI, head pressure/numbness. up-dosed 4.5mg, severe reaction mental symptoms added on

2014 Aug--2015 Aug: Micro taper down to 3.2mg, .025mg (<1%) cut holding 2-3 weeks.

2015 Aug 15th, Accidental one dose of 4.2mg. worsening brain non-functional, swollen head, body, coma like, DR

2016 Feb., started dosing 10am through 11 pm everyday 2/13--3.2mg, 3/15-- 2.9mg, 4/19-- 2.6mg, 6/26--2.2mg, 7/22 --1.9mg, 8/16--1.8mg,8/31--1.7m g, 9/13--1.6mg, 9/27--1.5mg, 10/8--1.4mg, 10/14--1.3mg, 11/1--1.2mg, 11/29--1.1mg, 12/12--1mg, 12/22--0.9mg

2017: 1/7--0.8mg, 1/15--0.7mg, 1/17--0.6mg, 1/20--0.52, 1/21--0.4mg, 1/22--0.26, 1/23--0.2, 2/13--0.13mg, 2/20--0.06mg, 3/18--0.13mg, 6/1--0.12mg, 7/6--0.1mg, 7/14--0.08mg, 8/17--0.04mg, 8/20--0.03mg, 8/28--0.02mg, 9/6--0.0205mg, 9/8--0.02mg, 9/17--0.015mg, 9/20--0.01mg, 9/21--0.0048mg, 9/22--0.0001mg,

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* 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 Tapering Dose Spreadsheet Links
  • ChessieCat pinned this topic
  • 3 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Brilliant! Bravo! Thank you Dr. Mussy.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Yes, thank you, Dr. Mussy. It works great on my laptop and I tried it on my cell phone and it works great there, as well. 

 

 

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  • scallywag pinned this topic

Just spotted this

Great job Dr Mussy.

I really like the title too.

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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Amazing. You are a wizard!! 😊 Thank you!

2005-2009 Various ADs and maybe some random Ativan, nothing long-term

2009 Started Celexa 10 mg

2012 Symptoms of depression worsened when I quit drinking, started a course of Viibryd (10 mg), Buspar (5 mg), Xanax

2013 Hospitalized, added Lamictal in the hospital (quit Lamictal cold turkey in 2014)

2014 Switched back to Celexa from Viibryd

2015 Quit Buspar cold turkey

2016 Cut down to 5 mg of Celexa (all seemingly without issues)

June-August 2017 tapered off Celexa

October 2017 Hospitalized for insomnia (quit sleeping entirely)

reinstated w/ Trintellix 5mg (stopped in 1/18) and 7.5 mg of Mirtazapine

Mirtazapine (in mgs) 2/18 5,  6/19 3.5, 9/25/19 3.2, 2/24/20 2.9, 3/2020 2.85, 6/20/20 2.5, 10/3/20 2.3, 11/30/20 2.1, 1/1/21 1.95 3/19/21 1.86 9/1/21 1.65 11/30 1.5 mgs 3/1/22 1.41 mgs 6/28/22 1.37 mgs 10/22 1.20 mgs

Daily supplements: 470 mgs magnesium, Miralax, 640 Omega complex, probiotic, testosterone 2 gms, progesterone 12.5 mgs

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Thanks!

I have plans for services (eg. graphs, calendars) which will support, but not affect the core calculator,

but things are a little hectic right now so it may take a few months.

I am here as a supporter to certain individuals undergoing withdrawal, and to learn from and contribute to the forum where possible.
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Awesome.  Truly!!!  5 stars(with 5 being excellent!)

 

Important to note that 0,1 is the same as 0.1

 

Also for me, for just looking at in the morning.........it took a few, to realize that each successive decrease in dosage, is listed vertically, and numbered 1-22.  At first glance I wasn't sure what all the numbers meant.

 

Another Bravo, and yes, excellent title.  Well done.

Edited by manymoretodays

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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Thanks manymoretodays,

 

I am taking note of suggestions, though I probably won't be able to implement most of them for a while..

 

Things are somewhat turbulent at the moment, and in the middle of it I'm tackling some technologies - namely Vue.js - which will make a wider range of services related to the calculator possible.

 

But your suggestion may be simple enough. That checkbox in Advanced Settings called "Style the output".. do you think perhaps it should look something like that all the time to make it clearer? Are others in agreement ie. did anyone else find it confusing at first?

 

About the 0,1 or 0.1 - what platform are you on: Mac, Windows or Linux (or mobile)?

I'm on a Mac, and MacOS tends to force the comma in input fields, though I believe recent versions of Windows does the same.

I think dot (point) rather than comma would be better, I agree.

it's proven trickier to achieve that one would expect, but I'll get there soon.

 

DM

 

 

I am here as a supporter to certain individuals undergoing withdrawal, and to learn from and contribute to the forum where possible.
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Ha.  Loved the "Style the Output" made it clearer.  Much.  Windows desktop is what I used to view.......and an older version.

Edited by manymoretodays

Late 2023- gone to emeritus status, inactive, don't @ me, I can check who I've posted on, and I'm not really here like I used to be......thanks.

Started with psycho meds/psychiatric care circa 1988.  In retrospect, and on contemplation, situational overwhelm.

Rounding up to 30 years of medications(30 medication trials, poly-pharmacy maximum was 3 at one time).

5/28/2015-off Adderal salts 2.5mg. (I had been on that since hospital 10/2014)

12/2015---just holding, holding, holding, with trileptal/oxcarb at 75 mg. 1/2 tab at hs.  My last psycho med ever!  Tapered @ 10% every 4 weeks, sometimes 2 weeks to

2016 Dec 16 medication free!!

Longer signature post here, with current supplements.

Herb and alcohol free since 5/15/2016.  And.....I quit smoking 11/2021. Lapsed.  Redo of quit smoking 9/28/2022.  Can you say Hallelujah?(took me long enough)💜

None of my posts are intended as medical advice.  Please discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical provider.  My success story:  Blue skies ahead, clear sailing

 

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