On 6/19/2026 at 3:34 AM, Chippy said:

Pleasure, it is best to use a fresh tip each time. You would want a tip that takes the max volume so 1000ul.

Can you confirm which model you have?

Hi Chippy.

I have OniLab, this one:

https://a.co/d/0aC4nuAb

I bought these tips. Haven't used yet.

https://a.co/d/0hvYTkF2

11 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

Hi Chippy.

I have OniLab, this one:

https://a.co/d/0aC4nuAb

I bought these tips. Haven't used yet.

https://a.co/d/0hvYTkF2

Thanks

The tips look perfect to me.

GOOD GOD, the frustration of having a good, uninformed friend reply with "Don't you think this is best left up to the professionals?" when I divulged my tapering and endgame tapering is INFURIATING. It's good that we were only texting, and I had time to collect my thoughts and inform him of reality, even though my hands trembled with the rage of being so offended. But this has been the line I've gotten from every single person that I happened to share my tapering with. It's always, "I hope you are doing this under medical supervision, and that your psychiatrist is helping you."

Goddamnit, I wish I had that privilege. But I know that they would only disable or kill me, as a result! AAAGGGH

On 6/22/2026 at 3:48 AM, Chippy said:

Thanks

The tips look perfect to me.

(Just needed to vent).

I'm attempting to figure out calibration of the micropipette; watching videos. That might take a few days or a couple of weeks. Then I can try to figure out the tapering. Hope this won't take me too long.... ! (Also, I put my micropipette on a rack inside of a plastic bin (I have a bug infestation), but the bin was just a bit too short, so the micropipette fell twice to the bottom of the plastic bin. I hope I didn't break the mechanism; I know it's highly sensitive. Ugh!)

Anyway, how are you doing nowadays, Chippy? I imagine that you've survived your own tapers?

I do intend to get involved in the rest of the forum more... !

Edited June 24Jun 24 by Crystalfeather

6 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

GOOD GOD, the frustration of having a good, uninformed friend reply with "Don't you think this is best left up to the professionals?" when I divulged my tapering and endgame tapering is INFURIATING. It's good that we were only texting, and I had time to collect my thoughts and inform him of reality, even though my hands trembled with the rage of being so offended. But this has been the line I've gotten from every single person that I happened to share my tapering with. It's always, "I hope you are doing this under medical supervision, and that your psychiatrist is helping you."

Goddamnit, I wish I had that privilege. But I know that they would only disable or kill me, as a result! AAAGGGH

I know @Crystalfeather frustrating. However I would have said the same to you before all this happened to me. We are preconditioned to trust the system, until we see behind the curtain. Most are unable/unwilling to see the reality. I have stopped having these conversations with people at this point, unless they are open to the truth then I chew their ear off! lol

6 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

(Just needed to vent).

I'm attempting to figure out calibration of the micropipette; watching videos. That might take a few days or a couple of weeks. Then I can try to figure out the tapering. Hope this won't take me too long.... ! (Also, I put my micropipette on a rack inside of a plastic bin (I have a bug infestation), but the bin was just a bit too short, so the micropipette fell twice to the bottom of the plastic bin. I hope I didn't break the mechanism; I know it's highly sensitive. Ugh!)

Sounds like you are being nice and methodical which I think will serve you well. Yes be careful with the pipette, sensitive bit of kit that!

6 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

Anyway, how are you doing nowadays, Chippy? I imagine that you've survived your own tapers?

I do intend to get involved in the rest of the forum more... !

Im ok today, very up and down in my recovery which is typical I know! Im drug free for over 2 years at this point.

Feel free to be involved in the forum as much or as little as you would like! Here for you when you need. xxx

On 6/24/2026 at 3:32 AM, Chippy said:

Sounds like you are being nice and methodical which I think will serve you well. Yes be careful with the pipette, sensitive bit of kit that!

Im ok today, very up and down in my recovery which is typical I know! Im drug free for over 2 years at this point.

Feel free to be involved in the forum as much or as little as you would like! Here for you when you need. xxx

Hi Chippy, how are ya?

Sorry, I've been pacing my life demands with functioning and haven't been checking out other's posts. But really want to.

I haven't made any progress on the micropipette, whatsoever yet. It's like I'm afraid of it, or screwing it up. Waiting for the right moment.

Posting today because I've realized that with a micropipette, there's a huge dilemma: travel. How the hell do i travel with it via air, without damaging it, since it's so sensitive?

I wanted to go on a camping trip for 3 days, and realized that commitment to the micropipette will make that pretty much impossible :( should I just lay off all and any traveling for a while?

Edited July 15Jul 15 by Crystalfeather

14 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

Hi Chippy, how are ya?

Sorry, I've been pacing my life demands with functioning and haven't been checking out other's posts. But really want to.

I haven't made any progress on the micropipette, whatsoever yet. It's like I'm afraid of it, or screwing it up. Waiting for the right moment.

Posting today because I've realized that with a micropipette, there's a huge dilemma: travel. How the hell do i travel with it via air, without damaging it, since it's so sensitive?

I wanted to go on a camping trip for 3 days, and realized that commitment to the micropipette will make that pretty much impossible :( should I just lay off all and any traveling for a while?

Yeah @Crystalfeather I'm plodding along as ever. How are things for you?

Sounds awesome you are off on your travels, I love a bit camping too. Where will go? Is it hiking and wild camping?

I am not sure how well the MicroPipette will hold up as you described. I would imagine if you put it in a nice solid little padded case or something it would be fine. Many of us can't travel during WD so if you can I would not let the Pipette stop you. Perhaps do a local trip first with it to get comfortable with how you transport it and go from there.

I think often in WD fear can keep us frozen still, we shouldn't let it where possible.

20 hours ago, Chippy said:

Yeah @Crystalfeather I'm plodding along as ever. How are things for you?

Sounds awesome you are off on your travels, I love a bit camping too. Where will go? Is it hiking and wild camping?

I am not sure how well the MicroPipette will hold up as you described. I would imagine if you put it in a nice solid little padded case or something it would be fine. Many of us can't travel during WD so if you can I would not let the Pipette stop you. Perhaps do a local trip first with it to get comfortable with how you transport it and go from there.

I think often in WD fear can keep us frozen still, we shouldn't let it where possible

20 hours ago, Chippy said:

Yeah @Crystalfeather I'm plodding along as ever. How are things for you?

Sounds awesome you are off on your travels, I love a bit camping too. Where will go? Is it hiking and wild camping?

I am not sure how well the MicroPipette will hold up as you described. I would imagine if you put it in a nice solid little padded case or something it would be fine. Many of us can't travel during WD so if you can I would not let the Pipette stop you. Perhaps do a local trip first with it to get comfortable with how you transport it and go from there.

I think often in WD fear can keep us frozen still, we shouldn't let it where possible.

Thanks for chatting with me, Chippy. Hope you're enjoying some of your summer, at least. Mine's tough as always, that's why going away would be so reviving. It always is.

I have a tentative camping trip in a couple of months. A friend suggested we go look at real night sky. He knows the best place. I think it's wild camping, but there are some amenities. I haven't really camped. That's why I'm nervous. Doesn't the micropipette have to remain upright - that's why there's a little shelf for it? I've no idea how I'd tackle liquid tapering out in nature. Maybe i could pre measure 3 days' worth of tiny droplets, and pack them, somehow? I might also have a trip in April. Was really counting on it. But now, I have no idea how to do this - transporting a sensitive gram scale, micropipette, drug. If you're not too sure, I'll try asking on different places.

3 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

Thanks for chatting with me, Chippy. Hope you're enjoying some of your summer, at least. Mine's tough as always, that's why going away would be so reviving. It always is.

Pleasure @Crystalfeather it is nice to have some sunny weather for a change here for sure! More time in garden!

3 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

have a tentative camping trip in a couple of months. A friend suggested we go look at real night sky. He knows the best place. I think it's wild camping, but there are some amenities. I haven't really camped.

That sounds cool!

3 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

That's why I'm nervous. Doesn't the micropipette have to remain upright - that's why there's a little shelf for it?

Chat GPT has some thoughts for you:

If you're carrying a micropipette while hiking or camping, the main risks are mechanical shock, moisture, dirt, and temperature extremes. Laboratory micropipettes are fairly robust, but they're precision instruments.

I'd recommend:

• Store it upright if practical (especially if it contains lubricant in the piston), although a few hours or days horizontally won't usually cause problems.

• Keep it in a hard case. A small waterproof hard case (such as a Pelican, Peli, or similar) with foam padding is ideal.

• Remove the tip before storing. Never leave a tip attached, especially if it has liquid in it.

• Set it near the maximum volume before long-term storage (e.g. if it's a 100–1000 µL pipette, set it to 1000 µL). This reduces compression of the internal spring. For a short camping trip it isn't critical, but it's good practice.

• Keep it dry. Put a small silica gel packet in the case if you'll be in humid conditions.

• Avoid excessive heat. Don't leave it in direct sunlight inside a tent or car.

• Protect it from dust and grit. Fine sand can damage the piston and seals if it gets inside.

• Don't use it as a walking-stick pocket item. Carry it in the middle of your pack, surrounded by clothing or other soft items to absorb impacts.

If you're using it to measure medication while away from home, I'd also suggest:

• Carry a small bottle of distilled or purified water if needed for rinsing.

• Bring spare sterile tips in a sealed container or zip-lock bag.

• Avoid exposing the medication or pipette to freezing temperatures if camping in cold weather.

A good quality micropipette should tolerate a weekend hiking or camping trip without any issue if it's well protected. The biggest threat is usually being dropped or having grit work its way into the mechanism.

3 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

I've no idea how I'd tackle liquid tapering out in nature. Maybe i could pre measure 3 days' worth of tiny droplets, and pack them, somehow?

3 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

I might also have a trip in April. Was really counting on it. But now, I have no idea how to do this - transporting a sensitive gram scale, micropipette, drug.

It might be best to bring the scales and make the dose up as the liquid needs to be kept cool. With the scales you just need to keep them sitting as flat as you can in your bag I would think, and again make sure they are in a padded pouch. Leave the plastic cover over the plate to stop anything pushing on it. So long as you are careful I think you will be fine.

On 7/17/2026 at 3:42 AM, Chippy said:

Pleasure @Crystalfeather it is nice to have some sunny weather for a change here for sure! More time in garden!

That sounds cool!

Chat GPT has some thoughts for you:

If you're carrying a micropipette while hiking or camping, the main risks are mechanical shock, moisture, dirt, and temperature extremes. Laboratory micropipettes are fairly robust, but they're precision instruments.

I'd recommend:

• Store it upright if practical (especially if it contains lubricant in the piston), although a few hours or days horizontally won't usually cause problems.

• Keep it in a hard case. A small waterproof hard case (such as a Pelican, Peli, or similar) with foam padding is ideal.

• Remove the tip before storing. Never leave a tip attached, especially if it has liquid in it.

• Set it near the maximum volume before long-term storage (e.g. if it's a 100–1000 µL pipette, set it to 1000 µL). This reduces compression of the internal spring. For a short camping trip it isn't critical, but it's good practice.

• Keep it dry. Put a small silica gel packet in the case if you'll be in humid conditions.

• Avoid excessive heat. Don't leave it in direct sunlight inside a tent or car.

• Protect it from dust and grit. Fine sand can damage the piston and seals if it gets inside.

• Don't use it as a walking-stick pocket item. Carry it in the middle of your pack, surrounded by clothing or other soft items to absorb impacts.

If you're using it to measure medication while away from home, I'd also suggest:

• Carry a small bottle of distilled or purified water if needed for rinsing.

• Bring spare sterile tips in a sealed container or zip-lock bag.

• Avoid exposing the medication or pipette to freezing temperatures if camping in cold weather.

A good quality micropipette should tolerate a weekend hiking or camping trip without any issue if it's well protected. The biggest threat is usually being dropped or having grit work its way into the mechanism.

It might be best to bring the scales and make the dose up as the liquid needs to be kept cool. With the scales you just need to keep them sitting as flat as you can in your bag I would think, and again make sure they are in a padded pouch. Leave the plastic cover over the plate to stop anything pushing on it. So long as you are careful I think you will be fine.

Hi there Chippy.

I imagine you have a rad garden. I wish I had one, but it's too urban here. Do you have any favorite flowers to grow? Do you ever get hedgehogs or dormice? I love those. (I've seen the former in my country, but never in this country. And I've never seen the latter.)

Thank you for taking the time to look it up for me. But i think the experience would be too stressful for me to even be able to enjoy these trips (and the weather would be cool, as i was planning to go in mid September, and in mid April). The first one is a possible camping trip with someone that still can't understand why I'm tapering, and they'd find my micropipetting creepy. Too stressful. The 2nd one is a retreat for women survivors. I'd be sharing a room with a stranger. Too stressful to sneak around with a micropipette and try to explain what I'm doing.

I read that there are tiny medical vials one could use to transport droplets of liquid. I could try packing some pre-measured ones with me? But my worry is that a trace of the liquid would be left behind in the vial, after I drink it, and that what's left on the wall of the vial would throw my entire taper off.

I wonder if I'm simply better off not traveling anywhere at all while I'm using the micropipette. I could do it just fine with my nail file shaver and pills. Now there's sensitive equipment and people that find it creepy

6 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

I imagine you have a rad garden. I wish I had one, but it's too urban here. Do you have any favorite flowers to grow? Do you ever get hedgehogs or dormice? I love those. (I've seen the former in my country, but never in this country. And I've never seen the latter.)

Haha bless you @Crystalfeather My garden is all or mainly vegtables. We do grow sweetpeas which are awesome!

6 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

Thank you for taking the time to look it up for me. But i think the experience would be too stressful for me to even be able to enjoy these trips (and the weather would be cool, as i was planning to go in mid September, and in mid April). The first one is a possible camping trip with someone that still can't understand why I'm tapering, and they'd find my micropipetting creepy. Too stressful. The 2nd one is a retreat for women survivors. I'd be sharing a room with a stranger. Too stressful to sneak around with a micropipette and try to explain what I'm doing.

Pleasure, and I completely understand. I am sure you will get the chance in the future :)

6 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

I read that there are tiny medical vials one could use to transport droplets of liquid. I could try packing some pre-measured ones with me? But my worry is that a trace of the liquid would be left behind in the vial, after I drink it, and that what's left on the wall of the vial would throw my entire taper off.

I don't think I would personally make up liquid and carry it and certainly making up very small doses would be worse imo as I am guessing they would degrade faster.

On 7/23/2026 at 2:49 AM, Chippy said:

Haha bless you @Crystalfeather My garden is all or mainly vegtables. We do grow sweetpeas which are awesome!

Pleasure, and I completely understand. I am sure you will get the chance in the future :)

I don't think I would personally make up liquid and carry it and certainly making up very small doses would be worse imo as I am guessing they would degrade faster.

Thank you Chippy.

Your words help much.

Btw, I realized that the bottle of Sertraline I've been using says "discard after 10/2025." I think I've been using expired pills all this time. How long do you think that is safe to do?

10 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

Thank you Chippy.

Your words help much.

Pleasure

10 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

Btw, I realized that the bottle of Sertraline I've been using says "discard after 10/2025." I think I've been using expired pills all this time. How long do you think that is safe to do?

I think often it is fine to use old pills and they last longer than the bottle says I suspect, however I would change them as soon as possible to be safe.

On 7/30/2026 at 3:24 AM, Chippy said:

Pleasure

I think often it is fine to use old pills and they last longer than the bottle says I suspect, however I would change them as soon as possible to be safe.

Glad I asked .

I need to calibrate my micropipette asap (such a simple first step, right?! I've been holding at 0.33mg for close to a year now 🤦🏻‍♀️).... But i get intimidated by this step i keep reading everywhere:

"Convert mass to volume using the density of water at the measured temperature, then compare the result with the target 1000 µL."

Maybe my brain is imagining that it's more complicated than it actually is

Edited August 4Aug 4 by Crystalfeather

7 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

I need to calibrate my micropipette asap (such a simple first step, right?! I've been holding at 0.33mg for close to a year now 🤦🏻‍♀️).... But i get intimidated by this step i keep reading everywhere:

Sometimes the first step can feel intimidating. Usually it is not as bad when we start.

7 hours ago, Crystalfeather said:

"Convert mass to volume using the density of water at the measured temperature, then compare the result with the target 1000 µL."

Maybe my brain is imagining that it's more complicated than it actually is

I suspect this is written in more complex language then needed! lol

Ive never calbirated a pipette before as I have never used one, perhaps try to find a few youtube videos to show you how it is done?