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Positive The Tapering Supportive/Social Thread

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Uncle jock , you are not taking a high mg a day so , just take a long weekend and cold turkey it . You will be uncomfortable and be in a bad mood , have trouble sleeping but it will be over . Tapering will prolong your misery .
 
I remember getting down to 30 mg/day oxy a few times. 7.5 mg would get me nice and relaxed. So I would take 15mg- just to get extra relaxed. Then 22.5. Then 30. Then it was 4 days later and I was back to 90 mg/day and my taper was nonexistent.
As I said Unclejocko...... you are stronger than I am.
I have enabled private messaging.
 
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I hear you, Larimar ... and I understand a long weekend could be wise. However, I truly can't afford to have the "depressed and withdrawn" feeling while teaching this new curriculum. I have a reputation for being "fun and positive" with my students, and I fear that being that "down" would just cause me to use again. If it was the summer, I'd be with you 100% ... but again, I just have to be on top of my game right now. I've considered going to suboxone, but I know that's just substituting one addiction for another.
 
Hey Squeaky ... thanks for enabling the private message feature; however, I'm afraid I don't know how to use it. lol. If you could let me know how, I'd greatly appreciate messaging you in private regarding this whole matter. Thanks so much.
 
uncle_jocko said:
I hear you, Larimar ... and I understand a long weekend could be wise. However, I truly can't afford to have the "depressed and withdrawn" feeling while teaching this new curriculum. I have a reputation for being "fun and positive" with my students, and I fear that being that "down" would just cause me to use again. If it was the summer, I'd be with you 100% ... but again, I just have to be on top of my game right now. I've considered going to suboxone, but I know that's just substituting one addiction for another.
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It seems to me that if you must keep your reputation for being "fun and positive" then you are going to have to stay where you are at no? You even said yourself that you need it to be "on" during the times of your work.

There is nothing fun or positive about opiate withdrawal. You are going to have to take some time off and recover or continue to maintain and possibly end up at a far higher dose and far more severe withdrawal symptoms for far longer.

You are just getting in deeper and deeper.
 
I hope you're wrong, Painful One. But a few questions for you: You say I'm getting in deeper and deeper ... and yet, I've tapered from around 50mgs to 22.5 mgs in SIX weeks. How is that getting worse? Your words indicate a slow taper is NOT possible ... and yet, many people on this very website (among MANY medical websites and doctors) suggest that a slow taper is VERY possible - are they all wrong? So, in the last six weeks, I've cut my dose in half, I've exercised daily, I've told several close friends about my relapse, I stay accountable to THREE different sober people every single day, I had my doctor cut my dosage in HALF (and received 5mg pills instead of 10 last week), and I'm coming to this website for support.

So ... again, please define what you mean by me getting in "deeper and deeper"? I'm ALL ears. Sorry if that comes off a bit harsh, but I just didn't find your reply very supportive.
 
I am just encouraging you to review some of your own words is all. No offense meant. You are doing very well.

Your last question about if it would be better to split up dosages into smaller dosages per day or take one large dosage just feels like a step back to me is all. I don't know why exactly. You said you need the medication for no pain reason but so you can be "on" and "fun and positive" for your students. So, If that were the reason for use, which I can understand, careers can be very demanding, but if that is the reason you are using then wouldn't you want to take your dosage just before you had to be "on" for your students?

I don't believe that even with tapering down that you can avoid all the withdrawal symptoms. Sooner or later you are going to have to deal with them. I just worry that you may get yourself in deeper by prolonging this too much. You are at a very low dosage. You even said yourself that you had caught your relapse quickly before it got too bad. There is always that possibility of it getting much worse since you have had an addiction problem before.

They say that when people relapse, they go right back to where they ended their addiction very quickly and I just don't want to see that happen. I don't want you to have to suffer anymore than the withdrawal from 22.5 mg.
That is all.
 
Thanks for clarifying, Painful One - I appreciate it. And, since I am taking more doses throughout the day, but yet they are smaller, I'm thinking it may NOT be a great idea. For example, ever since I've been doing that, I've been having trouble sleeping. Perhaps it's better (for me), to take three larger doses throughout the day as opposed to lots of little doses. This is where I'm confused, because honestly, at 25mgs, I was having NO trouble sleeping at all. And it's difficult for me to think that just 2.5mgs would make that much of a difference. But again, perhaps it's because I'm taking a lot of "small doses" ... I'm not sure.

So, I do appreciate your honesty. And perhaps I need to reexamine the method in which I'm tapering.
 
I think that one can actually become addicted to the actual taking of the medication.
I remember having a hard time with going from 4-5 lortab a day to 2 30 mg MS Contin! Because I was used to taking the medication 4-5 times a day. Even though I was now put on something stronger due to car accident injuries and worse problems than before, I had a hard time not taking the morphine 4-5 times a day like I had developed some type of problem with that. It was very uncomfortable and hard to stop that behavior.

I think that is what alarmed me and I felt it to be a step backward. I think the more you think about this and deal with the taking of the medication makes the "habit forming" aspect worse.

Do you see what I mean?
 
I think taking them multiple times throughout the day is, indeed, a mistake. Today, I'm sticking to morning, noon, and night, as opposed to six "little doses" throughout the day. Although I feel like I'm moving forward in many ways, the "addict" in me is definitely still there. Hence, that's why I've done those "fun Fridays" in which I indulge in more pills. In reality, that is totally working against a solid taper - giving myself a "fun day" is a bad idea with these pills, and I know it. It's time to get a bit more serious about this; while at the same time, being patient and giving my body time to adjust. Trust me, if I could go back to summer, stop quickly, and deal with the withdrawals for a few weeks, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
 
uncle_jocko said:
I think taking them multiple times throughout the day is, indeed, a mistake. Today, I'm sticking to morning, noon, and night, as opposed to six "little doses" throughout the day. Although I feel like I'm moving forward in many ways, the "addict" in me is definitely still there. Hence, that's why I've done those "fun Fridays" in which I indulge in more pills. In reality, that is totally working against a solid taper - giving myself a "fun day" is a bad idea with these pills, and I know it. It's time to get a bit more serious about this; while at the same time, being patient and giving my body time to adjust. Trust me, if I could go back to summer, stop quickly, and deal with the withdrawals for a few weeks, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
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I think that is good thinking!
I know you would go back and not take them if you could. Hugs.
You are doing great! Don't give up! It is just a process.
You got this!
 
Part of addiction is the drug. Of cource. A smoker is addicted to the nicotine.
But a major and often overlooked component of addiction is routine. The smoker always goes out for a smoke break at lunch. The smoker rolls down the window and lights up while driving. The smoker has smoking buddies at his apartment, they hang together in the garage because all of their wifes wont let them smoke in the house.

The answer is definitely yes. You can become addicted to the routing. Its a LOT easier to lower your doses than to eliminate a dose throughout the day. Try adding some sugar pills to every dose for a week. Then just eliminate the prescription pills from one of your doses, but keep the sugar pills so your dosing schedule stays the same. You may find it to be much easier than cutting out a dose completely.(substitute your favorite multivitamin in place of the sugar pills. I like Flintstones chewable gummy vitamins for children (;p).
 
Yeah, with nicotine in particular, I don't even like the effects of the drug, and I'm not physically addicted, yet I have a REALLY hard time stopping, and it's entirely because of the ritual/routine. There are certain instances where I really like a cigarette, and in those moments it doesn't feel like thew moment is right/complete without one. Nicotine is so weird that way in that every other drug I do or have had a problem with, I get addicted to the effects, the ritual is secondary or nonexistent. With nicotine 100% of it is the ritual. Some people like the nicotine buzz, but it actually makes me feel like shit (not just smoking but any form of nicotine does), and it bewilders me why I keep feeling like I want it.
 
Have any of you tried to go cold turkey off heroin/fent? I want out of this life badly... can get my hands on as much Xanax as I?d need and have about 13 50 mg seroquel... there?s stores in the area that sell Kratom but I?ve never experimented with it to know if it works for getting through acute withdrawal... I feel my mind set is strong enough that I only have to get through the first week of the worst acute w/d and if anyone can give advice on what to do or use to get through that you?d be a life saver... wondering if using a bunch of xan and seroquel would let me sleep through the acute w/d but idk if it would work or not... please give input... thank you so much in advance for any advice or help
 
I have experience only with tapering from Subs and heroin. Comparatively, subs are a nightmare and w/d lasts for months. H, the worst is for 4 days. The hardest part is setting aside your amount for your taper without doing more. In my opinion a fast taper is possible. If you are doing 100mg/day you can do it in 4 or 5 days. If you are doing a gram you will need longer. You can reduce 15 to 20 percent daily with relative little discomfort.

A little anecdotal advice that worked for me. On day 4 when you are starting to feel normal, but know it will still be days or weeks before that happens- take a dose. Not a monster dose but enough to give you a rush but not a nod. ALL terrible mental fogginess and achiness goes away and does not come back. I did this two days ago and I still feel 0 physical need for the drug. Psychological craving- that's a different story. I would love to use recreationally- instead of 3-4 times per day, like 3 times per week. I would love to know what the (I know there's no magic number) but how much can someone use for fun to avoid physical dependence. In a few weeks I may try using again.
 
Does it make a diff if I?m snorting instead of shooting? I don?t shoot, I sniff prob a G or little more a day, so I?m assuming going cold turkey would be hell? Or do you guys think I could jump from where I?m at and use xans and seroquel to try to sleep through the worst 4 days?
 
https://youtu.be/Ye9uMa6nzvA

"Dr. Drew #ThisLifeYouLive with Andy Dick"

In the above episode Dr. Drew (world renowned addiction expert) tells us how to detox. He says no one knows how to properly detox a person and they usually just end up on suboxone. He explains the how and why of what to use and for how long if you listen closely.

The problem with using benzo's to get through withdrawal is that you could end up with a much worse problem than opiate withdrawal. If you read this thread you will see ShroomySatori's struggle with quitting the H only to now have a much more dangerous problem with benzo's that are disabling his life.

If you read this thread you will also see my struggle with using Loperamide for opiate withdrawal. I'm still so sick from using the loperamide and it has almost been two months since using it for ten days!

The problem with using other stuff to "help" with opiate withdrawal is that then you have to deal with much worse problems from the medication you used to "help" with the opiate withdrawal.

Read up on loperamide withdrawal, benzo withdrawal, seroquel withdrawal, anti depressant withdrawal, Lyrica/ Gabapentin withdrawal.
The list goes on and on..all of the above being actually way worse than H withdrawal.

I know this is not what anyone wants to hear but please heed my words my friends. I don't want anyone to suffer. I especially don't want anyone to suffer more than they have to!

That being said- I think ObieWan's advice is solid. That is essentially a taper which is the best thing to do. Taper down with the drug you are already using! That is the easiest and most pain free way and does not cause you worse problems!
 
I'm finally through the Loperamide withdrawal guys! YAY!

Wow! That sucked so bad.
It has been close to 8 weeks acute withdrawal. I feel lucky to be alive.
That was so long and severe.
I have never been happier to have had a normal bathroom visit in all my life.

I have never had that severe of withdrawal from anything.
It can be done though. Anyone who is taking Loperamide even for relatively short periods of time, be aware that the withdrawal from Lope is severe and so long that you will start questioning if the symptoms are from some deadly condition or other illness.
Just stick through it. Luckily, there are times that it lets up throughout the withdrawal period. So you do get small breaks of feeling better. Then it whips back up.

Yeah, that stuff is not a withdrawal option for me. Never again!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend and is doing alright.
 
That's good to hear, Painful One - so glad that you got through that nightmare! I'm sitting here sipping coffee ... just went down from 22.5 mgs to 20 mgs yesterday. I still haven't had my morning dose, and I'm not feeling bad. Although it's a long process, at this point, I'm glad I've opted for the slow taper. I have a family function to attend in a few hours, and then I'm going to a potluck dinner gathering ... and I know if I was in full withdrawal, there's no way I could attend either. There are times I'm tempted to see an addiction specialist, but I'm pretty darn certain he/she would suggest suboxone. And at 20mgs, I really don't want to switch over to something that's even going to cause me more trouble in the long run. I'm grateful for this thread.
 
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