We don't do things by halves in Australia

Who am I · 03-06-2008, 12:50 AM

I was looking at the best way to facilitate my taper so I thought I would check with the pharmacist on the availablity of paroxetine in suspension...

Answer: Sorry we don't have that in Australia

So I thought well, quartering my 20mg tablet will get me to 5mg, so if I trade my 20mg prescription for a 10mg one, I can get the quarters to 2.5mg....

Answer: Sorry we don't have 10mg tablets available in Australia, 20mg is the lowest they go.

The pharmacist, who is from New Zealand tells me that suspension is available there, but here we have no compounding pharmacies other than in major hospitals. Thanks to Govt regulations you have to be a licensed drug manufacturer to compound anything, I guess this was a trade off for the deal the Govt did for our prescription drug rebate with the large pharma corporations.

Guess I'll be looking for a nice set of accurate scales.

LCrawford67 · 03-06-2008, 05:24 AM

We have a few members who are tapering by using a scale. You can do this and I'm sure they'll help you!

Who am I · 03-06-2008, 05:40 AM

Thanks Laurie C.

And I was correct about the Govt deal with the big pharmas. After much searching I found that there are 2 non hospital based compounding pharmacies in Adelaide, so I phoned them and both told me that it is illegal for them to compound anything that is available as an "off the shelf" from a pharmacutical company. I pointed out that suspension is not available and they have agreed to look into it tomorrow (it was after normal business hours) and phone me. Both said they did not have the requirements on hand so I will probably still be buying those scales.

Betsy · 03-06-2008, 10:41 AM

I've been using scales since I got below 10 mgs. and so far so good. I did what you talked about above 10 mgs. I cut the 20 in half, took one half and cut the other half into 4 pieces. So I ended up tapering 2.5 mgs. As I got 10 mgs th first time. I realizes it was too large a taper. so got back to 12.5 finally and cut that last piece into three pieces. I wish I had had my scale then. But I tried the liquid and it didn't work for me anyway. When I got back to the 10 mgs agin, I tried the 10 mg tabs and they didn't work either. So, 20 it is. Ask any quetions you want.
Betsy

Songbird · 03-06-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Who am I

The pharmacist, who is from New Zealand tells me that suspension is available there

The suspension is not available in New Zealand. I bought a digital scale that weighs down to 0.001g on TradeMe, you can also get them on Ebay.

I created a thread with information about using a scale. See here:

http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/...ad.php?t=33438

Suzi · 03-06-2008, 08:08 PM

It may not be perfectly accurate, but you can shave pills with a razor blade. We did it with reasonable success. Nope, no suspension or 10mg pills in NZ either.

Songbird · 03-06-2008, 09:17 PM

I don't know if I'd trust myself with a razor blade in case I was too clumsy! I'm cutting pills and then chipping the corners off the pill pieces just using an ordinary kitchen knife. I've also heard of people filing pills with a nail file.

Who am I · 03-06-2008, 11:59 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone. Interesting that you canot get those items in NZ either, probably got the same govt deal going as here. Perhaps this pharmacist had seen the suspension in the hospital setting where it is appently available. I will not need the scales for a couple weeks when I do the next drop so that gives me time to find some.

Lynn

03-06-2008, 12:50 AM	#1
Who am I Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 208	We don't do things by halves in Australia I was looking at the best way to facilitate my taper so I thought I would check with the pharmacist on the availablity of paroxetine in suspension... Answer: Sorry we don't have that in Australia So I thought well, quartering my 20mg tablet will get me to 5mg, so if I trade my 20mg prescription for a 10mg one, I can get the quarters to 2.5mg.... Answer: Sorry we don't have 10mg tablets available in Australia, 20mg is the lowest they go. The pharmacist, who is from New Zealand tells me that suspension is available there, but here we have no compounding pharmacies other than in major hospitals. Thanks to Govt regulations you have to be a licensed drug manufacturer to compound anything, I guess this was a trade off for the deal the Govt did for our prescription drug rebate with the large pharma corporations. Guess I'll be looking for a nice set of accurate scales. __________________ Lynn "The pain will go away. Giving up lasts forever" (Lance Armstrong - 7 times Tour de France Winner)

03-06-2008, 05:24 AM	#2
LCrawford67 Moderator "Everybody poops" Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 26,493	Re: We don't do things by halves in Australia We have a few members who are tapering by using a scale. You can do this and I'm sure they'll help you! __________________ aka LC aka Laurie C. Paxil, 20 mg since 1997, for IBS Two unsuccessful attempts to quit. Started tapering 11/27/06 PAXIL FREE 12/29/07 If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants. ~Kevin James

03-06-2008, 05:40 AM	#3
Who am I Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 208	Re: We don't do things by halves in Australia Thanks Laurie C. And I was correct about the Govt deal with the big pharmas. After much searching I found that there are 2 non hospital based compounding pharmacies in Adelaide, so I phoned them and both told me that it is illegal for them to compound anything that is available as an "off the shelf" from a pharmacutical company. I pointed out that suspension is not available and they have agreed to look into it tomorrow (it was after normal business hours) and phone me. Both said they did not have the requirements on hand so I will probably still be buying those scales. __________________ Lynn "The pain will go away. Giving up lasts forever" (Lance Armstrong - 7 times Tour de France Winner)

03-06-2008, 10:41 AM	#4
Betsy Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,832	Re: We don't do things by halves in Australia I've been using scales since I got below 10 mgs. and so far so good. I did what you talked about above 10 mgs. I cut the 20 in half, took one half and cut the other half into 4 pieces. So I ended up tapering 2.5 mgs. As I got 10 mgs th first time. I realizes it was too large a taper. so got back to 12.5 finally and cut that last piece into three pieces. I wish I had had my scale then. But I tried the liquid and it didn't work for me anyway. When I got back to the 10 mgs agin, I tried the 10 mg tabs and they didn't work either. So, 20 it is. Ask any quetions you want. Betsy __________________ Started at 30mgs 1997 1999 - 2004 tapered 25 to 12.5 Nov'05 10 mgs. Dec'05 tried liquid/BIG mess for me Jan'06 up to 15 mg. Mar'06 - Mar'07 15 mg to 10 mgs in tiny tapers every 6+ weeks Mar 07 - Mar 08 10 mgs to 7.5 tiny tapers w/digital scale Sep 08 - 7mgs April 09 - approx 6.25 mgs "SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE" ~ The Tortoise

03-06-2008, 08:08 PM	#6
Suzi Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 255	Re: We don't do things by halves in Australia It may not be perfectly accurate, but you can shave pills with a razor blade. We did it with reasonable success. Nope, no suspension or 10mg pills in NZ either. __________________ Suzi De facto partner now at zero! Last sliver of Aropax (Paxil) taken Dec. 5, 2007, inched down a scraping of a pill at a time from 20 mg at the start of 2006. (Prescribed Aropax 40mg, then 60mg in 2002 for depression, along with lithium. Over 2004 he dropped fairly easily from 60mg to 20mg in 5mg steps, then stalled for a year after swinging wildly suicidal at 15mg and went back up to 20mg.) Currently still on 500mg lithium.

03-06-2008, 09:17 PM	#7
Songbird Join Date: May 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 7,046	Re: We don't do things by halves in Australia I don't know if I'd trust myself with a razor blade in case I was too clumsy! I'm cutting pills and then chipping the corners off the pill pieces just using an ordinary kitchen knife. I've also heard of people filing pills with a nail file. __________________ Jul 01-Feb 02 Aropax Feb - Dec 03 Citalopram Jul 04 Aropax Jan 07 - Feb 08 20mg - 5mg Apr 4.5mg 5mg Jun 10mg zopiclone > seroquel Jul 20mg Aug + methionine Oct aropax > loxamine Dec off seroquel 7 Dec 17.5mg 30 Dec 15mg 24 Jan 12.5mg 16 Feb 10mg 10 May 9mg 30 May 8mg 5 July 7.5mg 2 Aug 7.25mg 1 Sep 7mg 9 Oct 6.75mg 8 Nov 6.5mg Appreciation is the antidote to stress - Trust is the antidote to fear

03-06-2008, 11:59 PM	#8
Who am I Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 208	Re: We don't do things by halves in Australia Thanks for the advice everyone. Interesting that you canot get those items in NZ either, probably got the same govt deal going as here. Perhaps this pharmacist had seen the suspension in the hospital setting where it is appently available. I will not need the scales for a couple weeks when I do the next drop so that gives me time to find some. Lynn __________________ Lynn "The pain will go away. Giving up lasts forever" (Lance Armstrong - 7 times Tour de France Winner)

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