Positive The Tapering Supportive/Social Thread

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Nice to hear from you again, especially nice to hear you're tapering down, as rough as that is.

Withdrawals with various drugs, including opioids, are typically successively worse. Meaning that your next withdrawal will typically be harder than your last one if the severity of the dependence is equal for both occasions. I hope this is the time you can taper down for good...

Do you think some of the fatigue is from the Clonidine? It's great for sleep but it can definitely kill your energy.

Are you tapering or quitting altogether? What made you decide to taper?
 
Nice to hear from you again, especially nice to hear you're tapering down, as rough as that is.

Withdrawals with various drugs, including opioids, are typically successively worse. Meaning that your next withdrawal will typically be harder than your last one if the severity of the dependence is equal for both occasions. I hope this is the time you can taper down for good...

Do you think some of the fatigue is from the Clonidine? It's great for sleep but it can definitely kill your energy.

Are you tapering or quitting altogether? What made you decide to taper?

The severity of dependence is different... last time was oxycodone, vicodin, and alcohol...I was so sick in my stomach, but not weak. This time the oxymorphone. I sniffed it it was more like a coke high...so much energy. Now I pay the piper. I was not able to go far as I had to sniff so often. I would rather die than have that habit back again.
I needed to eat so take the 15 mg oxycodone a day bc I get an appetite. I hope to slowly wean off the 15mg by cutting it to 7.5mg once I stabilize. Then, slowlyl end up cold turkey. No opiates at all is my goal. My doctor is too expensive and I am often depressed on them so what is the point> Thank you so much for your feedback and encouragement, Cotcha... it means so much. Are you clean?
 
You'll be clean before you know it, and very soon you'll have the worst behind you.

I've been squeaky clean for a long time now, and still feeling better every day.

The good news is that with every withdrawal it can get engrained just how shitty addiction is, and that often times the drugs don't actually make us feel better in the end than if we were sober and out of post-acute withdrawal.. But I think we're all pretty slow learners on that learning curve..

I hope you're not losing too much weight over there 0.0
 
Squeaky and Shroomy: As I continue my taper, I want you to know how instrumental you have been to me throughout this time. I think I was building strength from my communication with both of you, and actually, jumping to only 1 15mg oxycodone surprised me, tbh. I will be at this tapered amount for quite some time, so I will continue to post here for the foreseeable future.
I want to thank Shroomy for some good information he has given me regarding youtube videos.... I appreciate your help very very much
I just hope and pray that Shroomy gets his mental health issues and chronic pain issues sorted out so that his life becomes rich with happiness. Honestly, I believe finding an empathic mental health practitioner, finding the right mix of psychotropic medications, less is more in my book; as well as someone who teaches and practices coping skills with you until they become second nature,and , as well as a great physio or orthopedic doctor to sort out your chronic pain... well, you will be on the path to a great life.
 
Congrats Poke!
You're past the worst part. Every day will feel a little better than the last. Just eat nutritiously (stay away from soda, MSG, and fake sugars). Get in a regular bedtime schedule if you aren't already. And find plenty of things to pass the time. Now it's really a waiting game to get you out if your old bad habits(taking pills that is).
Soon your 5 days will be 2 weeks and it will seem like a lifetime ago since you were in hell with wd's.
 
Poke!

I was over at LD's post in sober living and misread a post you made - I thought you were down to zero. I'm so glad I misread that and you didn't cold turkey!

Being down to 15 mgs is a huge jump. Nice job!!! I'll bet your daughter is super proud of you. Are you to the point yet that you are starting to stabilize on that low of a dose? Or is it still super rough? Do you have any friends who you can talk to about this or other support that is local? I wish your daughter lived closer to you so could pop over when you felt up to it and get a dose of your grandchild - I'm sure that would be a huge pick-me-up!

Best of luck, Poke!

- VE
 
Thanks for the encouragement pokemama. No problem helping you out, anytime. I am very happy for you but you know that from PM's. I am happy and functional now, but still using pills. I will be doing pretty much exactly everything you just mentioned in the near future to help sort my life out. Physiotherapy, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, different types of massage, acupuncture, chinese cupping. Meanwhile, I am at least functional and happy again. Got my sense of humour back, enjoying life, stress free, social, being productive and generally healthy. The withdrawal will be a lot easier to handle once I have my pain better managed and emotional problems, since the physical part wasn't too bad for me; I just eventually went insane with anxiety and the pain became way too much. An orthopaedic doctor is really a pipe dream... I think I'd need to pay for one in America to actually get a doctor anything good... maybe one day. I just realized I don't have a single one of those things you mentioned at the moment. Also I have had a very clean diet for a decade that just keeps improving over time, but I recently started several health supplements that I researched well and think will help with various things (and already are).
 
Squeaky: You are right! I am posting in the morning, even though the insomnia and anxiety have kicked in...this is good to have morning energy. I will try to eat well... i like sugar.... not always, but occasionally and will work on that issue next.

VAST:Nice to hear from you... yes... I decided to stabilize at 1 15 mg oxycodone. I could not risk going back to the oxymorphone habit... ruining my life. However, w/d are still not pretty, as you know. Have you been able to manage your autoimmune issues yet without the opiates? Remember, perfection is not necessary. Just be honest with yourself about using, and it will be ok. It would be so easy for me to hide from my daughter that I take the one oxycodone, but I am not, and have never been a liar. It is not in my DNA. She is fully supportive and is researching more about PAWS online so that she can fully support me.

Shroomy: This last post sounds so hopeful, yet realistic. I could not do this without your support.... honestly, your encouragement and belief in me brings tears to my eyes. I hope you continue to stay in this "positive"headspace and work on all of your issues, one at a time. You are on quite a journey, my friend.
 
Poke- you're awesome and you're giving me drive to try harder and get closer to being off these pills . Thank you.
As for sugar.... The trouble is only with processed sugars. Eat all the fruit you want when you crave something sweet. Just stay away from things like coke-a-cola and frozen entrees. Read the labels and avoid dextrose, fructose, sucrose, etc. Eat all the oranges, apples. Watermelon, etc you want and you WILL have more energy (probably lose a little weight too!)
 
Hello Friends, A lot of heartbreaking stories and uplifting success as well. My problem is Etizolam. I order from overseas and have a HEFTY supply....I try and try to cut down. It's just so damn hard with so damn many....which I love and Hate. I have been taking them about 14 mths or so daily.

And yeah me...last week I was laid off from my job for "Lack of Work" which only fuels my consumption. Ex: I just took 8 pink Etizest and will probabaly do the same later. When I should be @ work, staying busy and away from my stash...uuugh..

Thank u for reading. Best of luck to all.
 
eye dew: Welcome to our tapering thread! Please do not let lack of employment fuel your addiction....you can be stronger. Have you looked for a tapering schedule for your Etizolam.... by any chance has it made it into the Ashton Manual yet? If not, please look online, and try to find a way for you to begin to get off of that drug... I can tell from your post a part of you is ready to be done.
 
Best wishes Shroomy. It has been great listening to you. I hope you change your mind and keep posting. Some of your thoughts and experiences have helped me, and I'm sure others as well.
Take care brother.
 
Hey so I think physiotherapy is the answer for me. I found (well my mom did) a physiotherapist, and she is really good. My back is going to be killing me later though I can tell. She loosened my back right up though, moving me through all these strange motions and asking questions. Gave me some home exercises to do until next week. She is also VERY hot. This is just great. Like, a sexy and chill version of a doctor who moves me around and loosens up my back while just chatting about stuff. (we went to the same school, same hometown etc).

She was saying my back is just rigid as hell and I've learned to protect one part of my spine which probably isn't all that injured anymore, and I need to train myself to get that part of my body moving again. She says the yoga I do and meditation will help for sure because it involves activating weird muscles I didn't know I had. She is really good at it, and I really don't mind the touchy/feely part ahahaha. Not at all... I've tried physio with an asshole before. I said I was on morphine when they asked and he had a hysteric reaction: "What, you're on morphine? Silly. You can't be on that stuff, what are you even doing here?" He actually called me silly in a condescending tone of voice. He is lucky he still has a set of real teeth, and a nose that isn't permanently bashed in. That was 5 years ago and I'll never forget it. I told the fuckface off and stormed out of there, swearing off physio forever. Then, for months afterwards I received letters in the mail asking for like a 40 dollar payment from them, probably because they are too stupid to treat anyone and get business.

So I never wanted to do physio after that, but I tried it once more. It was with a guy, and he was a dumbass about it. He was telling me to activate these muscles kind of like this sexy chick was, but I had no idea if I was doing it right. He was so vague about it. She was pressing on the parts of my body that I was supposed to be flexing and it made things really easy. If a guy did that close to my crotch I'd be like WTF get away from me. She also didn't bitch me out for being on oxy's and explaining that I might have trouble feeling the pain (I didn't, I could feel all the discomfort). She was just like, well it's good that you took them today so you could make them to the appointment here. So chill. I think I found someone who I am comfortable working with.

I was just furious at my "doctor" yesterday and something needed to be done, as I was enraged at such pitiful, useless treatment. It's like he is treating me like an end-of-life cancer patient, that's honestly what it feels like, but giving me pussy doses of oxy that I can't even feel anymore. That asshole never even recommended this to me. He wouldn't even let me read the 4 page note I prepared about how the pain was impacting my life. He quickly diverted the conversation, and turned it into a brief one minute chat. He also completely fucked up the medication adjustment I was asking for, and when I asked why the living fuck was he taking away one of my percocets to make up for his stupid mistake, he said "nice try" - like I drove 4 fucking hours total to try and hustle an extra percocet out of him. 45mg instead of 40. Yeah, like that's gonna save me from this. That was honestly this scumbags thought process, that everything I was trying to tell him was a joke to try and get an extra percocet. This is NO laughing matter, and that asshole has fucked me over in so many ways. The first appoint I was smoking opium all morning, on heroin, probably on oxy's as I had 1000 of them stocked up at the time, and on klonopin and xanax. I always wondered if they didn't check the sample, or they just didn't care. They said I tested clean in the documentation, for morphine, oxycodone, and benzos. I told this asshole I was using street drugs and he prescribed me what I said I was taking. And you wonder why I am such a hardcore addict now, that obviously did not help my cause. Especially the way that he kills my self confidence, like he gives me no hope at all that there is any way of getting better. It's fucking garbage, I'll never go back. Heroin is available, I don't need him for that and that's literally all he does.

I won't be going back, until my back gets better I will be using street drugs and supporting heroin dealers as honestly, they deserve the money more than those pieces of shit in the white coats. I curse my doctor to burn in hell. He has not done a thing for me except encourage my drug habits and make it seem like my condition is hopeless. I don't think I could go back without the occurrence of an assault. Eventually, I hope to be left with very limited or no pain from physio and a massive drug habit to deal with, which would be fine. I'd just kick cold turkey and get on with life. I think I'm through with doctors though. The ones I have known are honestly pieces of shit. I'd rather work with a hot physio chick than that know-it-all prick, and just buy small amounts of heroin which is way the fuck better for pain than jumping through hoops to get a handful of percocets that I blow through in a week. Doctors are absolute morons... this girl went to my university, which is the best in my country, so I know she's smart as hell.

It will be interesting to see how it impacts my pain levels. I will def be doing my homework. I'd like to move her around in some different positions aahahha. Sorry just had to crack a joke about it cause I could feel her tits pressing against me and stuff and I def wasn't complaining being a lonely basement dweller and all. She is still just my physio of course (professional, professional) but it sure beats the doctors office fucking bullshit that leaves me feeling so angry that I can't think straight every time.
 
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I also found a great physical therapist, and although I had pain in the muscles surrounding my knee, I could definitely tell it was therapeutic pain. Too bad she is female, lol, but she is intelligent, skilled and compassionate. Unfortunately, after having three great sessions, and feeling my muscles strengthening, I told her I was taking a break. Of course, if is for my cold turkey taper. I just do not have the energy to go there right now. Also, starting day 8 in several hours. Last night, the insomnia kicked in... total of 3 hours sleep and that is with the 1 oxycodone and .5mg prescribed ativan. So, I am tired and grumpy today.
 
Shroomy, I'm glad you are feeling better. I read every day and most days don't have time to post. But I've been worried about you lately - you seemed good in your last post!

Poke - you are doing so well! Day 8 is awesome. The further you get away from day 1, the harder it is to go back!

- VE
 
Poke- double up on the Ativan at night just for a day or two to sleep. My experience with cold turkey on oxy was that the insomnia was the part that would make anyone give up. You won't have lingering troubles with the Ativan if it's only one or two nights.
Personally I am down to my daily dose at 60 mg. I really wanted to be done by now, but 60/day is good enough for now. I'm going to try a new dosing plan to break through to the next level. I'm going to stop taking them in the morning( or maybe just 5 mg) and save them for the late evening. I'll be in wd all day but if I can keep busy I'd bet I can get to 35 mg/ day in a week. That will be HUGE for me.
SHROOMY--- It sounds like you're in a pretty awesome position if you're up for the challenge. You have access to any drugs you want AND you're smart enough to know what to do with them. Why not write your own prescription?
Go to your Dr and get all the pills he will give you. (Maybe get the H you need too) then sit down by yourself at home and come up with a medication regimen that will meet your needs. Put it on paper and stick to it.
It seems you know yourself better than anyone. If you're emotionally strong enough, you could be your own doctor and pharmacist. Imagine the pride you would have knowing someday that you beat this beast using your own knowledge and your own plan. Maybe someday you would be able to turn that into helping other people who have been failed by the healthcare system like you.
I smile and lie to my Dr every time I go. I figure that as long as I have enough pills then I will be fine managing my pain and my dependance on my own.
 
Sounds like we all are stabilizing on our current doses. I for sure, will be at 15mg oxycodone a day at least though the holidays. Squeaks: sounds like 60mg is working, at least for now, for you; and Shroomy sounds like your dosing to keep the pain away. We are all adults and know ourselves more than a p m doc that sits with us for maybe 5 minutes... we are just $$$ to most of them, IME. I just take my doctor with a grain of salt... and take care of myself. ;)
 
Shroomy -

I am sad to see that you won't be posting here much. I'm a worrier and I know I'll worry about you! But I understand, of course. You say that this thread is the one place on BL that you've been able to post and get support - I hope you will keep posting on this thread from time to time.

Shroomy, it amazes me that you don't have a girlfriend. You have so much to offer, even being a basement dweller ;). I just know that there is someone out there (really, a lot of someones) for you. You will find her eventually and all of this will seem like a lonely phase in your life.

Please take care of yourself and know that we are always here to welcome you back when you feel the time is right!

- VE
 
Shroomy! I so understand the need to take a break from BL... permanently or just a time out.... I am supportive of whatever helps you feel happier and healthier.

Just one day away with my family, yesterday, was so refreshing!

By the way, I took extra meds yesterday so that I could dig in the garage for the Christmas boxes and then spend the day with granddaughter beginning the unpacking process.
Too much fun! I am just about out of clonidine and the gaba started turning on me... so will work on using the least amount of my meds without ruining the holiday season.... goal is 1/2 of daily prescribed dosage on busy days.... and NO SNIFFING EVER! Thank God that piece of my addiction has evaporated during my 8 day hiatus... no cravings for it, no thoughts other than "Horrible prison" as in I had to stay close to home; I feel so much more freedom.
 
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