Positive The Tapering Support Thread v 2.0

[papercuts]

I've been on 3 X 150mg daily for a few years, do you think there will be any issues if I stop, maybe a short taper ? wierd tapering off my prescrined meds!

You'll need to taper off it slowly if you decide to do that. At 450mg a day, I'd go down to 300mg for a couple of days, then 200mg (you can open the capsules and weigh it out), then 100mg, then 50 mg, then you're free to stop. If you don't mind the time it takes, have each dose for a week. That is probably what your prescriber would suggest if and when you tell them its time to stop, but why would you if it helps?
If you cold turkey it then expect some soul crushing depression that can last some people a week, I'm ok after 3 or 4 days , but for those 3-4 days I want to pretty much kill myself for all of it. I haven't noticed physical symptoms, except maybe restless legs, but that could come from something else.

But I came onto bluelight to say it's possible for me to sleep without weed now, it has cured my insomnia (or at least helped while my body did it's curing), My storz and bickel Mighty plus lasted from it's launch 18 months ago, but it's a three year warranty, so I have high hopes it will be fixed, it totally died (most of it's life it's given warning messages about needing to go back to base for fixing).
So I absent mindedly gave away my Xmax, which cost me £70, they all did, the fog, the fog plus and the Xmax that I planned to hold onto, but ended up giving them all away. I just can't resist the chance of someone being pleased with me, I'm fucked up in many ways yet to be explored. (I'm on a NHS waiting list that was cut off at two years and frozen, it's probably 4 years by the time I'm seen again, I was referred by the consultant psychologist who said it's on the never never right now, so don't get your hopes up. I'm only a danger to myself after all, being female and all, I won't go for another person. They aren't the problem, why would I?

Another point, this time aimed at Squeaky, my mum, bless her heart has offered to pay for private testing for autism for me. Highly likely to be autistic in my view and it's not like her to give, although she does it more these days, she's got old. I realised it lets her off the hook, she has carried the embarrassment of both her kids running away for the last time before we turned 17, never been back since, been substance abusers as long as we can remember. She couldn't help if we were undiagnosed autistic, lets her off. Of all her failures, failing to give her kids a home was top of the list, but it's our fault of course and my sister started going on about being autistic recently, my mum said if anyone is autistic, it's papercuts here and offered to pay for me, not my sister

Anyway, I looked on Amazon for next day delivery vapes, none, it was Thursday evening, so two day delivery was ordered instead, any old cheap vape will do.
On Saturday I waited, and waited as the delivery time slot changed four times before at 10.45pm they didn't email me, only put on their website they were sorry, we'll do it all again tomorrow. But here's the thing, on Sunday they can't get the drivers, last sunday I waited for a new dog harness (old one broke so was needed quickly) all day long, it was earlier in the day, but they changed it to Monday delivery. If Amazon didn't make these promises I might buy elsewhere and get it quicker, I ought to learn! They have good info on crowd manipulation.

The vape requires someone over 18 to sign for it, by law that is, so not delivering on the right day means that person must wait again, not going out all day because I'm waiting on a package that's from Amazon and they chose a day they couldn't deliver on. The tracking info is comical, back and forth to arrive at the final delivery place 3rd or 4th time now. How am I coping? My husband got me to take a pipe last night, but he was totally pissed (drunk to anyone confused, he was happy), we both gave up smoking because I really hate the smell (and the cost of ciggies). That first hit of the pipe is so strong compared to vaping. Vaping will get you stoned slowly, gently, like the medical device it is, I didn't want the reminder that I prefer the effects of smoking.

Hi to anyone who read down this far, thank you I'll update when they deliver and I feel normal again. I ordered a second one at the time, just incase Amazon lost the first, it's due today, I'll send one back, they'll probably arrive together if nothings lost.

 

[Squeaky]

Another point, this time aimed at Squeaky, my mum, bless her heart has offered to pay for private testing for autism for me. Highly likely to be autistic in my view and it's not like her to give, although she does it more these days, she's got old. I realised it lets her off the hook, she has carried the embarrassment of both her kids running away for the last time before we turned 17, never been back since, been substance abusers as long as we can remember. She couldn't help if we were undiagnosed autistic, lets her off. Of all her failures, failing to give her kids a home was top of the list, but it's our fault of course and my sister started going on about being autistic recently, my mum said if anyone is autistic, it's papercuts here and offered to pay for me, not my sister

There’s several good online tests for high functioning Autism. Adults can be tricky to diagnose because of a lifetime of covering it up, so I recommend you ask a trusted friend who knows you VERY well to help you answer the questions honestly. But getting an answer helped me tremendously. And there is tons of assistance available if your in school or college that could be the difference between getting straight A’s and committing suicide.

My wife has always been supportive of my quirks, but she found out with me after 10 years of marriage that I am on the spectrum. Now she allows me to have what I need to be the best husband I can be without arguing about the reason I’m so difficult.

My official diagnosis came from a neuropsychologist. 4 tests of about 2 hours each. And now I have proof that I’m not just an asshole

 

[Squeaky]

Drugs and alcohol make it so much easier for me to tune out the CONSTANT chatter of our world. Bullies, loud noises, strange textures in food, sights/scents/etc. Autism is like being trapped all day, every day, on an airplane that never lands, sitting next to a screaming baby and a flatulent old man. The drugs were like putting on noise canceling headphones and breathing fresh air in a rose garden.

I have always said that I’m not an addict. I’m just self-medicating. I had to quit the good stuff because the cure had become worse than the disease and it was on track to kill me.

 

[Squeaky]

I have tried both tapering Lyrica and cold turkey. Tolerance builds incredibly fast with that one, so tapering goes fast as well. I always just cut in half every 3-5 days. Jumping off at 25 mg.The powder tastes like licking the inside of a dog’s asshole, but it’s easy if you just pour it out and separate into equal piles. I’d keep the capsules to refill with smaller amounts when needed.

Cold turkey turns me into scrambled brains with horrible insomnia within 24 hours. Not a good way for me.

 

[Allylbenzene]

Drugs and alcohol make it so much easier for me to tune out the CONSTANT chatter of our world.

I hear you. Here are some sustainable alternatives to lyrica/benzos/alcohol/opioids which could be worth exploring.
These are OTC, reduce withdrawals and prevents tolerance formation.

• magnolol & honokiol - use a 90%+ standardised extract
• Theanine
• Agmatine
• Caryophyllene

Agmatine and Caryophyllene are used to reduce withdrawals and prevent tolerance build-up for stimulant, opioids, benzos and alcohol. They are anti-stress & anti-adrenaline.
Theanine and magnolol/honokiol are potent GABAergics = anti-stress, anti-adrenaline, anti-anxiety, anti-insomnia

• Thymoquinone extract (reduces opioid withdrawals)
• Sodium ascorbate (reduces heroin withdrawals)
• Curcumin (attenuates opioid tolerance, dependence, and morphine withdrawal)
• Clove (facilitates the de-addiction of opiates) - probably due to eugenol & caryophyllene
• Linalool (morphine tolerance and dependence)
• Creatine (reduces withdrawals)

Opioid-sparing items that don't activate the mu-opioid receptor.

• Caryophyllene
• Cannabigerol
• Myrrh oil
• Menthol
• Vanillin
• Myrcene
• Pinene

The other side to this appoach is restoring the body's natural ability to regulate stress, make energy and produce dopamine.
This is achieved by restoring proper thyroid function and mitochondria (see this post on what they are and why they're worth repairing)

• Vitamin B1 (via B-complex)
• Niacinamide (50-100mg, with meals)
• Low dose aspirin (81-100mg max per day, why aspirin?)
• L-Phenylalanine (300-500mg, daily)
• Creatine (1g daily)
• CoQ10
• Ribose
• Inosine
• Rhodiola rosea (adaptogen)
• Coffee (+ honey + theanine) - why honey? this post explains how to use it sustainably to avoid negative-reactions (shakes, jitters, anxiety)
  

  The caffeine in coffee is powerful and can act like thyroid to increase your metabolic rate and the oxidation of sugar, making it a health-protective food.
  Symptoms to expect when you do coffee right are calmness, focus, motivation, warmth, and stable energy.

Repairing mitochondria improves the production of energy and the production of protective steroid hormones.
Both energy and steroids are needed to handle stress adaptively.

 

[papercuts]

There’s several good online tests for high functioning Autism. Adults can be tricky to diagnose because of a lifetime of covering it up, so I recommend you ask a trusted friend who knows you VERY well to help you answer the questions honestly. But getting an answer helped me tremendously. And there is tons of assistance available if your in school or college that could be the difference between getting straight A’s and committing suicide.

My wife has always been supportive of my quirks, but she found out with me after 10 years of marriage that I am on the spectrum. Now she allows me to have what I need to be the best husband I can be without arguing about the reason I’m so difficult.

My official diagnosis came from a neuropsychologist. 4 tests of about 2 hours each. And now I have proof that I’m not just an asshole

Copying others is really the only way to know how to behave for everyone. I don't think others are as deliberate about it, even in primary school, I would watch, not speak unless I was sure I'd get it right and not embarrass myself. If I'm around people talking all the time, I find it easier to talk myself, because I'll be repeating a lot of it directly from what I heard recently.
I'm glad you have found your diagnosis useful. It would help your wife, I can see that, she can blame something other than you, that is better for your relationship. The stress of trying to seem normal is huge, a few years ago my youngest called me weird, I decided to embrace it and accept that I am a bit weird and that is OK.
Lots of people in my family are scatty professor types who are both weird and in good jobs for being so fanatical about this or that, they end up teaching it somewhere.

I'm getting a new vape, my mighty plus finally died after 18 months use, with a 3 year warranty, it's been faulty since January and I asked for a repair then, sent videos of the error messages coming up as it turned itself off. I gave up asking mid March, still having got nothing but automated messages and it was working ok again, until now.
I was expecting the same response this time, but actually got a person and they are sending a new mighty plus vape, possibly tomorrow!

 

[Squeaky]

Copying others is really the only way to know how to behave for everyone

Absolutely true. That’s why it’s so difficult for a high functioning autistic adult to get a diagnosis. The line between normal mimicry and unconscious masking is buried underneath decades of learning to be human. I’m not suggesting that I think you’re autistic, only that it’s worth investigating with a free 20 minute test online. And if you aren’t on the spectrum then you can tell your mum that you took a test and it’s not autism. I went through 30+ years of not knowing why I struggled so much and I would have probably been happier to finally find out I had a brain tumor than to live without an answer for another 30 years that way.

You seem to be highly intelligent but still having enough troubles that your mum thinks there’s an explanation. I’m only suggesting that it’s an avenue to explore.

 

[Squeaky]

'm getting a new vape

I had a JUUL vape pen. Addictive son of a bitch. I figured out how to easily open the cartridges and refill with the inexpensive juice from the smoke shop instead of the hugely expensive cartridges from the manufacturer. It’s incredibly easy to hide and rechargeable. I’d keep two around so one was always charged.

We had a love-hate relationship. In the end, she left me for another sucker

 

[papercuts]

Absolutely true. That’s why it’s so difficult for a high functioning autistic adult to get a diagnosis. The line between normal mimicry and unconscious masking is buried underneath decades of learning to be human. I’m not suggesting that I think you’re autistic, only that it’s worth investigating with a free 20 minute test online. And if you aren’t on the spectrum then you can tell your mum that you took a test and it’s not autism. I went through 30+ years of not knowing why I struggled so much and I would have probably been happier to finally find out I had a brain tumor than to live without an answer for another 30 years that way.

You seem to be highly intelligent but still having enough troubles that your mum thinks there’s an explanation. I’m only suggesting that it’s an avenue to explore.

Thank you, I feel highly stupid at times, but I've got pregabalin again so I'm feeling positive, putting my parents out of my head and relaxing with a game of block blast!, I'm on 254,886 of a score, not letting the old game die, there is always a solution to every board even if they look impossible at first, so it's like a simple neverending puzzlebook.
I've even reconciled my use of pods as a good alternative to my butec patches, which I'm not wearing currently, but when I'm low on pods they save me. In fact, I'm saving the NHS money by improvising Could I get a medicine as cheap as pods are? No, it's not available.
Pods are natural. Weed is natural. Pregabalin is synthetic and I sure notice when it fades away. Pregabalin breaks all my own rules of natural living, but really I don't care about that. Sometimes you find something worth changing the rules for.

 

[papercuts]

I had a JUUL vape pen. Addictive son of a bitch. I figured out how to easily open the cartridges and refill with the inexpensive juice from the smoke shop instead of the hugely expensive cartridges from the manufacturer. It’s incredibly easy to hide and rechargeable. I’d keep two around so one was always charged.

We had a love-hate relationship. In the end, she left me for another sucker

Dry herb vapes are all I have, got three now. At one time I cooked the herb, infused it in VG, added PG and then vaped the strained liquid, now I vape the herb directly, less hassle, more effects. In addition to the new warranty replacement mighty plus (already gave me an error message, oops), I've the new Anixsteam Uranus which I'm going to write a great review of because it is incredible for 40Euro, heats half a gram of herb at a time, easy to clean, no unnecessary crap, heats up quicker than the mighty plus. Then I also have another new one for free, plus a fiver for my inconvenience but that is a long story and I've not opened the seal yet.

 

[aesthetic.addict]

I've been on 3 X 150mg daily for a few years, do you think there will be any issues if I stop, maybe a short taper ? wierd tapering off my prescrined meds!

Taper, please
I quit CT after taking 1500mg every other day (one day on one day off) for 6 months and it was horrible. Anxiety, depersonalization, dissociation, high blood pressure, shaky hands, almost got a seizure. Had to drink a bottle of wine every morning for a week to stave off a full blown seizure.
Bensos and/or anti seizure meds is a must if you decide to CT.

 

[Squeaky]

Had to drink a bottle of wine every morning for a week to stave off a full blown seizure.

My tolerance for alcohol went through the roof when I started daily Pregablin. Both hit the same places in the nervous system.

And cold turkey wd’s were the same for me, even after only a few days of daily use of 300mg.

 

[saturn13]

Needing to taper from meth or find something to help me get off this shit. I love it too much until I don't. I've tried supplements, I've tried Wellbutrin, I've tried raw dogging it---no luck. I lose my shit. I can't go to rehab---I'll lose my job. Can't quit cold turkey----tried that and flipped out crying and about had a nervous breakdown. So depressed. Please help.

I feel this.

 

[Squeaky]

How’s everyone doing? I’ve been sober for around 8 months now. It’s boring as fuck! But I’m finally in a place where I need surgery on my neck and I actually don’t want to go back to my pain management doctor. I know that if I get another prescription for oxy (which I KNOW he’ll give me), I’d start this whole shitshow again. And I turn down having a beer because I know that I’ll only either have ten more or be sorry I teased myself with a beer.

I still don’t have alcohol or pills in my house though. My back hurts a lot from my injuries and the temptation of being pain free for a few hours is just too great. It’s not even that I want to get drunk or high, but that’s what it always becomes.

I’m bored stupid, but at least I’m not hungover every morning, or needing a pill to start every day.

 

[kris66]

How’s everyone doing? I’ve been sober for around 8 months now. It’s boring as fuck! But I’m finally in a place where I need surgery on my neck and I actually don’t want to go back to my pain management doctor. I know that if I get another prescription for oxy (which I KNOW he’ll give me), I’d start this whole shitshow again. And I turn down having a beer because I know that I’ll only either have ten more or be sorry I teased myself with a beer.

I still don’t have alcohol or pills in my house though. My back hurts a lot from my injuries and the temptation of being pain free for a few hours is just too great. It’s not even that I want to get drunk or high, but that’s what it always becomes.

I’m bored stupid, but at least I’m not hungover every morning, or needing a pill to start every day.

Hi Squeaky! Congratulations on 8 months sober. That’s awesome!

I recently had a total knee replacement and stressed for months beforehand because I was so worried about getting addicted to opiates again, but in the end it worked out fine. I think doctors are now so stingy in their prescriptions of opioids for fear of being targeted that it is not as big a concern.

I do understand what you are saying about the Oxy though since that was your DOC. Do you think it would help if you requested a different opioid? You could say that one started causing stomach upset, or whatever. I actually didn’t like Oxy, which is what my surgeon prescribed, because it made me lightheaded. In the end I just took the Tramadol he gave me to go with the Oxy and that controlled the pain enough to get by.

Also congratulations on being able to turn down alcohol. My husband is an alcoholic and ended up in intensive care for almost 2 weeks with dangerously low electrolytes. It was touch and go and the doctors didn’t know if he was going to pull through. At least he was through the alcoholic withdrawals by the time they discharged him and so far he has been able to stay sober.

 

[Squeaky]

Do you think it would help if you requested a different opioid?

It’s the only pain medication that ever worked, except for dilaudid or fentanyl. Even IV morphine is like injecting tap water.

 

[kris66]

I wanted to post this as a warning to anyone on benzos. My Dr office just decided to not renew my prescription for Lorazepam with no warning, they aren’t even returning my phone calls.

Luckily I have been slowly tapering and I’m down to .25 mg/day. I have some pills I’ve saved to continue tapering, but if I hadn’t I have no doubt I would have had a seizure by now.

I called and made an appointment, but I’m angry at this sort of treatment. I’m in my 60s and he is the one who put me on the medication 10 years ago!

I wanted to warn anyone on benzos it may be necessary to try to slowly taper so you can slowly wean off when necessary, they can cut you off without warning evidently.

 

[Squeaky]

That’s malpractice. They can’t even legally cut you off in prison! I had a small seizure trying to cold turkey 6mg per day.

Definitely….. keep a secret stash for the unthinkable.

 

[kris66]

It’s been 2 weeks and still no response from my Dr office. You would think they would at least tell me if they are no longer prescribing it. I made an appointment and I’ll get answers then, but I agree, this is malpractice.

Patients do not deserve to be treated this way. Doctors get us addicted to medication, we often don’t even realize what’s happening until it’s too late. Luckily I’m okay because I’ve been able to save enough tablets to finish my taper, but he doesn’t know that.

If anyone is reading this and interested in trying to taper off their benzos slowly I recommend a YouTube video which explains how to taper using the water method. I’ve really had very few symptoms but I’ve went really slowly, over a year, and I took breaks when necessary.

 

[Squeaky]

It’s been 2 weeks and still no response from my Dr office. You would think they would at least tell me if they are no longer prescribing it. I made an appointment and I’ll get answers then, but I agree, this is malpractice.

Patients do not deserve to be treated this way. Doctors get us addicted to medication, we often don’t even realize what’s happening until it’s too late. Luckily I’m okay because I’ve been able to save enough tablets to finish my taper, but he doesn’t know that.

If anyone is reading this and interested in trying to taper off their benzos slowly I recommend a YouTube video which explains how to taper using the water method. I’ve really had very few symptoms but I’ve went really slowly, over a year, and I took breaks when necessary.

You’re doing the Ashton method. It’s a clearly outlined schedule for tapering benzos. Takes about a year to complete. Very effective to minimize or eliminate wd’s.

I’m too impatient to taper like that. Cold turkey for me. That’s how I got myself a seizure. After that I put myself on a fast taper, but it was still a month before I was free from it.