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Counting Beads


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#1 thismoment

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Posted 13 May 2014 - 05:04 PM

Here is a Bead-Counting strategy I posted earlier. I include some modifications.

 

Fishinghat introduced me to bead-counting a couple of years ago, and his sage advice helped me immensely during my withdrawal.

 

In bead counting, no beads are wasted. Here's an example of a slow, gently-sloped tapering-off regimen; you may wish to try a shorter or longer period of time:

 

EXAMPLE
Let's say your 30 mg capsule contains 180 beads. You plan a slow taper over 90 days. 180 beads divided by 90 days is 2 beads per day (2 additional beads taken out each day). You will need 45 capsules of 30 mg capsules, and 45 empty gel caps (get them at a pharmacy or a Health Food store) to cover the 90 days. Also, pick up 45 little paper envelopes.

Day one take out 2 beads from a full capsule- swallow the capsule and put the 2 beads in an empty gel cap and into an envelope labelled "DAY 90". Day two take out 4 beads from a full capsule- swallow the capsule and put the 4 beads into an empty gel cap and into an envelope labelled "DAY 89". Day three take out 6 beads from a full capsule and swallow the capsule- put the 6 beads into an empty gel cap and into an envelope labelled "DAY 88", and so on to "Day 45".

 

At "Day 45" you start taking the capsules from the envelopes. Finish at envelope "Day 90".

 

Should symptoms become difficult, stay at the current dosage for a few days and when you feel stable enough, continue counting beads.

 

Toward the end of the 90-day regimen, you may need to slow down some- some people have reported an increase in uncomfortable symptoms in the last few mg of tapering. Listen to your body.


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#2 fishinghat

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Posted 13 May 2014 - 06:18 PM

Well said old friend. You have not only fought a good fight but now you are spreading your victory to others with your sage wisdom, experience and tremendous communication skills. (I must confess they are better than mine!!). Thank you for touching so many lives in such a positive way.


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#3 Wagtail

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Posted 13 May 2014 - 06:55 PM

Well said both of you ... You will never know the extent of your help during my withdrawal & still in my recovery . I just know I couldn't have done it without all of you & you in particular fishinghat .
My prayer is that you both continue to be a beacon of light for many others to follow ...thank you is just not enough & I have no words that could ever cover my thanks ...xxxx
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#4 ittybittysmitty

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Posted 24 June 2014 - 05:21 PM

Thank you TM,

I just did a search on bead counting and came to read your very wise regimen....i will run it by my psychiatrist tomorrow...


Yet, he's the jackass who dropped me from 60 to 30 immediately...I don't think he has a clue

#5 getsetgo

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Posted 21 January 2015 - 04:18 AM

I'm a bit confused about the bead counting.... I have just opened one of my last capsules I have left of a generic brand. The beads are all vastly different sizes! Are the beads in the brand name caps uniform sizes?

#6 thismoment

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Posted 21 January 2015 - 07:25 AM

getsetgo

The generics vary in bead size and number. The brand name has generally more beads per capsule, and the size of the beads is fairly consistent. The higher number of beads gives you more flexibility in planning a weaning program.
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#7 getsetgo

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Posted 21 January 2015 - 05:25 PM

Thanks. I'm filling my script today so I'll have a look inside. Any tips for getting the beads back I the capsules?

#8 thismoment

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Posted 21 January 2015 - 06:39 PM

A folded dark piece of paper used like an open funnel. Experiment.


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#9 getsetgo

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Posted 22 January 2015 - 07:07 AM

Grumble my chemist didn't have the brand name. I opened the generic I got this time and there are 12 equal sized pellets. I'm going to give it a go to remove one pellet each day for a week and see how I go

#10 FiveNotions

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Posted 22 January 2015 - 11:16 AM

GST, I think with that few beads, which means each bead has a much higher dose of the drug, I bead every day may/will be too much .... I'd suggest you space it out ... 1 bead every few days, and then, if you feel ok with that pace, maybe more often ....

 

But, my first suggestion is that you go to a different pharmacist, and get the brand ... don't compromise your weaning process just to accommodate a pharmacy that doesn't carry what you need ... :blink:

 

Getting off the generic, because there are fewer beads (drastically fewer), means you have far less control over how you reduce your dose ... you end up with big steps down, instead of a smooth, slow, incremental reduction ...


#11 thismoment

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Posted 22 January 2015 - 12:04 PM

getsetgo

 

I agree with FiveNotions.

 

Maybe take one bead per week over 12 weeks. (12% per day is a massive reduction).

 

OR-- PUT THE SYMPTOMS IN CHARGE: you could take out one bead and plan to wait a minimum of one week to see how the symptoms display. If they are bad, wait until they become manageable before taking out another bead.


#12 getsetgo

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Posted 22 January 2015 - 06:27 PM

Thanks both of you. I think I'll see how I feel after taking one bead out per day for a week and then reasses. I was surprised at the difference between this generic and the other one I opened.
Unfortunately I left it too late to be able to get to another chemist. It was either get what they had or miss a dose last night. Lack of planning on my part.... If one bead feels too much I'll get the brand name somewhere else and start again.
I have to say though, I hope it will work because these beads are all the same size and easy to deal with getting them back in the capsules etc. never know until I try :-)

#13 lady2882Nancy

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Posted 17 November 2015 - 11:34 PM

I like this explanation too of how to count beads


#14 kmrekl217

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 09:38 AM

@FiveNotions

 

I don't have insurance, so name brand is more expensive. Is it worth the added expense to do bead counting with brand name?


#15 fishinghat

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 10:24 AM

The generic versions vary a lot by how many beads they have inside. The brand name Cymbalta has around 300 so with it you can go real slow with your weaning if you want to. Some of the generic have 200 or 300 and that is fine but some have only 6 to 9 BIG beads and those are just too few. Any drops in beads with them is too big a drop. Your pharmacist might be able to find out how many beads are in each generic and also I have an FDA website that might list it. I will check. Maybe someone who has weane off the generic can make a recommendation of a brand.


#16 fishinghat

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 10:35 AM

Kmrekl
Here are 3 websites that odder discounts on Cymbalta at your local pharmacy. I have had pretty good luck with these.

https://medicationdi...cymbalta-coupon
http://www.rxpharmac...r-coupon-2.html
http://www.internetd...cymbalta-coupon

#17 fishinghat

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Posted 18 November 2015 - 11:02 AM

Nothing on the FDA website about the number of beads in capsules from different manufacturers. I did find out one thing. Each company may have a different number of beads in their product depending on which of their factories produce a given batch.



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