Positive The Tapering Support Thread v 2.0

[papercuts]

You can't quit all at once. It will put your body into Shock and Seizures. and cause more damage than it is worth.

You have to ween your body away slowly. Extremely slowly and very slowly.

It is Imperative !!!

I've tried tapering and I kept my use to only half of last season's dose. I'm quite proud I managed to do that.
Thing is I've run out, I've enough for one good day, or two or three doses of relief from suffering. So really the choice isn't there.
I'm wearing four buprenorphine patches, the 10s, a friend was able to get relief from a far worse opiate habit than mine with six of them, they do work really well, excellent bioavailability I guess because they are stuck there for a week, or two weeks, they seem to work well for nine days then start to get weaker but still worth keeping on. In a way the patches are self tapering.
I feel fine.
It's day three of no pods.
I had 600mg of pregabalin yesterday, maybe 2400mg gabapentin, six loperamide (I still frequented the toilet despite the lope, might increase that one) I'm trying to keep comfortable without overdoing the relief meds, that way I'll achieve a balance I can control and maintain, until poppy season of course when I might change my mind.
Overall poppy pods aren't too bad to be addicted to because they are never going to try banning poppies, so I know it's only until summer.
Yeah, I feel fine.
I slept the night through, 0.5mg xanax as a bedtime snack, woke after 9am, I very rarely take benzos, they always knock me out.
I'm not suffering opiate withdrawal, I know it well enough to know.
My eyes stopped running 20 minutes after I got up, nose too.
Maybe I've got this under control?
Or is it going to bite me ever so soon?
I estimated Tuesday as the day my body kicks off properly.
This is only Sunday.
That delay is hard because when you decide to do something like this you want it to go quickly, the delay can mean a change of heart if I could get some.
Or maybe it's going to be this easy?

 

[Squeaky]

Noone should ever cold turkey off pregabalin

I did cold turkey off pregablin once. Really really bad. Mind scrambled unbelievably.

Tapering goes quick though. I cut by half every 4 days and jumped off at 25 mg/day. I’ve read others saying the same about tapering.

 

[Squeaky]

Be ready Papercuts. The opiate withdrawals affect you psychologically for several months after the physical wd’s are gone. Exhaustion, insomnia, confusion, depression, etc, all stuck with me for at least a year. The bupe, lope, Pregablin, are all just to get you past the first part. The second part just takes time.

Gotta find a way to stay busy…..

 

[kiely]

Yes, the worry is about harm from seizures.

I got bad headache clusters from quitting all at once.


I did take a lot. Even a little bit used to hurt a lot because my

tolerance became all chaotic and disorganized. Like a defrag in my brain

and I think the headaches were triggered by quitting. Or a coincidence.

They are just little now. Little headaches and no throwing up and hurting for

days. It really was quite sickening.


So now I just stay low when I dose anything ... because I have to.

I don't want to get that sick anymore.



maybe ween. it helps me a lot.

 

[Painful One]

I’m hanging in there.
Still really sore from having that seizure.

I had been 3-4 weeks down from 3 suboxone pills to two and thought I was just about through it but that was when it really hit.
That stuff really stays in your system for a long time!
The 3-4 weeks was no picnic but it was just the start really and it got bad fast.

I am not going to try to mess with it right now.
I go to the specialist on Friday and all the MRI’s, X-rays, CAT scan, ultrasound results will be in and we will see what she has to say and what kind of a plan she suggests.
My brother is going with me so my family is all on the same page and agrees with the treatment.

I will try to taper the suboxone again if The Specialist doesn’t put me on pain management.
I don’t want to be on opiates but it may be the only thing they can do for me.
Like I was told before.
I will have to see what options I have .

I will definitely taper the suboxone MUCH slower and much more carefully if that is an option.
I can see that it will take at least a year to get off that.

If the Specialist says that pain medication is the best option for me then do you think they can just transfer me over to that?
I won’t have to get off this suboxone first right?
They have pain medication that can take the place of the suboxone correct?

I am going to have to have surgery to get this tumor removed also.
Unless it is too late for that then I will just leave it.
I am not going to go through unnecessary torture.
I already live in severe chronic pain.
It isn’t a good life.

Anyway, I will let you guys know.
Hope you all are doing alright.
One day at a time eh?
Good luck @papercuts . You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Sorry that you are going through that.
Let us know how you are doing.

Sending love to you all.
P.O

 

[papercuts]

I hope you get something sorted out on Friday PO.
Buprenorphine for pain management depends what country you live in, it's exactly the same drug as in suboxone, so entirely substitutable, but some countries insist on fentanyl patches, I don't know shit about them.
Thing is, if you taper off opiates altogether, the pain of losing the opiates might fade eventually but your original injuries aren't going anywhere, is that right?
So you'll be back to being in pain if you don't have a way to manage it?

I know this isn't the end for me, end of opiates I mean, I've enough buprenorphine patches to see me through until I get some of my DOC.
I'm a pain patient, my hands need an operation, knees are waiting for an MRI, I'm wrecked. I was born with a condition that means multiple dislocations and early arthritis, I don't get a say in it.

The doctors have tried to help. They give me bupe because it's the most boring opiate there is, they don't want to get blamed for me being addicted to anything so they won't give me pills.
That is all very well from a medical point of view, my condition is stable therefore I can have constant pain relief. Nothing stable about the pain I feel. Some days are great others are bad. I can't explain why, the weather? Whatever reason I might have it's not good enough for the doctors. They already give me bupe patches so why would I need anything else? Bupe covers me on a good day. On a bad day I need something more, but this is not coming from the doctors, I'm saying I need more for some days. They offer more patches, don't they realise a patch is seven days? I want something to help with one day, just that day on it's own without having to commit to the same level of opiates all week, after which my body will miss it.
So their suggestion of nothing wasn't what I was hoping for. I've got pregabalin now, it's a better painkiller than buprenorphine for certain. That was the first thing I noticed about it.

I woke this morning not able to feel my right arm, the part I normally feel came back in a shower of pins and needles, the rest has been gone since December. I felt sick, took cyclizine for that, then pregabalin, then clonidine, six cups of coffee to wash it down and I'm ok again. Ready for the day. Unfortunately the day is not ready for me as it's far too early to be up. I don't want to get a bath yet because it disturbs the couple sleeping in the next room, it's too cold for a shower.

If I move my head quickly, it's like the world doesn't quite come too, so my eyes tell me. It felt like the left one got ripped away as I turned, now I've a massive headache, but it's easing, like stubbing a toe. That's just for turning around, it's going to be a long week.

I'd another couple of coffees there, might go back to bed now.

 

[Squeaky]

'd another couple of coffees there, might go back to bed now.

Caffeine withdrawals are no joke either. Massive headaches and insomnia are common, ironic because caffeine is supposed to wake you up right?

I had to switch to decaf a few years ago and it solved a couple of problems. Frequent urination at night, nausea, dehydration, dizziness, etc. I would drink so much coffee that I could see the future. It became a pacifier. So I switched to decaf and I still get my pacifier without the side effects (except my pee smells of coffee )

 

[theangryflower]

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.

 

[Painful One]

Hi Friends,

I Hope everyone is hanging in there. I think about you guys all the time and hope you are all making it through one day at a time.

Just wanted to give you all an update of my situation.

I got all the test results back and my spine is twisted badly to the left.
I have multiple bulging and herniated discs.
Degenerative disc disease.
My tailbone (the coxxyxx) has been sheared off and was lodged over on my nerve, which was some of the cause of the severe left leg pain.
Also, My spine hurts from not having a tailbone. It is smashed in.
I have to go get an X-Ray of the lower part of my spine and hips so we can see what is happening there.
The MRI and X-Ray this “specialist” had done didn’t go down far enough to see that.
Even though I kept telling her to make sure to get the low, low back and coxxyxx area!
She didn’t!

There were multiple other problems with my spine that I didn’t understand but my brother did.
He is a Research Doctor. He understood everything and was very sad for me.

The worst results were from the MRI of my brain though.
It shows I have something they are calling “White Matter Brain Disease”.
I had 2 neurologist’s think it was MS. Two that thought it is Parkinson’s disease (which my dad had a form of (Multiple System Atrophy aka Double Parkinson’s disease and died from).
But just The White Matter Brain disease on its own is a very bad thing that is somewhat comparable to Dementia in ways.

This new doctor was not really any help. She told me what she could do is steroid injections, which I have already tried and had horrific results with. I got “Roid Rage” from those things! She was really no help except for getting me the test results I need to get disability benefits.

I told my brother that I was just done trying this and that and suffering all these side effects….i have tried everything already.
He understood.
He was so great. We were sitting in the cafeteria eating some lunch after we had just seen X-Rays of my spine being all twisted etc..
I was bummed and he said “What are you doing on August 20 th? “ I said “My schedule is pretty much open, why?” And he pulled something up on his phone and I went over to look and he had bought us tickets for the Nine Inch Nails concert!
It was so nice and sweet. It cheered me up a lot!
He has also explained the situation to my siblings and they are no longer treating me like I am a drug addict and are telling me to do whatever I need to do. They are supportive of helping me to get a Medical Marijuana card even.

So, I went back to my other doctor and she upped my dosage of suboxone and it really has helped ALOT!
The suboxone is holding down the pain as well as the morphine was now. Plus, I can function better on the suboxone.
I am not nearly as lethargic, I am dressing, putting on makeup, caring about the way I look, exercising, shopping, lunching, and going to movies with my Aunt and friend once a week. (As I can) it is limited but I am much more active comparably.
This doctor was so mad to hear about me getting all this bad treatment from my siblings and that I had had a seizure from dropping one pill of suboxone due to their demands.
She told me that if any of them have a problem with my medication they can come talk to her and she will explain it to them!
She said “I have done my homework on this! The suboxone is the best thing for you. It is a great pain reliever.”
She is right. It is. Now that she adjusted the dosage I am doing much better.
She is using it off label for pain management and it is working!

I have an appointment with her tomorrow and am going to show her the results of the MRI and X-Ray of the back.
She is already aware of the brain situation. She is the one who had me get the MRI of the brain, so she knows.
Then, I need to talk to her about getting me on disability benefits and a Medical Marijuana Card.
She is really a nice lady and a good doctor. I can tell she cares about me.
So, I expect that will go smoothly.

I looked up the diagnosis’s given on my reports and looked up on the government disability site to see if they are qualifying conditions and all of them were. Just on their own. I have a cluster fuck of them, so I can’t see how they can deny me.
I am older now and shouldn’t have any problems with that. I hope! I need those benefits.
I cannot work. There is no way. I have t been able to work for years now.
I pray I can get those benefits. I cannot see any other way I can make it without them.

So…that is the situation.
Not good but at least my siblings are not treating me like if I just quit the medicine, I would be normal.
They know that is not true. I have tried that before. Without the medication, I am a moaning mess who is out of my mind that no one can live with. Now, they have seen the situation for themselves and are being very supportive and kind. Thank God for that!

It was also a big adjustment coming off morphine this year. I’m proud of myself for getting through that.
Even with the suboxone, it was bad. I have been off that for a little over a year now,
I am not suffering nearly as much with the increased dosage of suboxone.
Plus I shouldn’t have a problem getting my Medical Marijuana card and disability benefits.

I hope everyone is doing good. Hope you are making it alright @papercuts
You have been in my thoughts and prayers.

Much Love to you all.
Take care everyone.

P.O

 

[Painful One]

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.

The best way is cold turkey.
Just take some time off work and prepare yourself to loose it for awhile.
It will go away and you will feel so much better and be free!

That stuff is bad news.
It will destroy you.

Take that demon by the horns and pray!
You CAN DO IT!

Get yourself some benzodiazepines and use them for only a short time.
A few weeks and you should be feeling much better.
Just don’t give into the cravings and that will go away.

I have watched many of my friends become shells of their former selves and die from that drug.
Kick that shit to the curb!

We are here to support you.
Reach out.

 

[Squeaky]

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.

A huge part of getting off that shit is the embarrassment of knowing that everyone will see you in withdrawals and know you’re an addict, right?

PainfulOne is right. Cold turkey. It’s the only way.

But….. what’s your situation. Married? Kids? Living with your parents?

These things matter because it’s different to do this when you’re single and living alone vs. being a mother of 3 and still needing to take the kids to soccer practice.

I’ve quit oxy a couple if times. Doses up to 300mg per day for years. You’re nit alone here, but it will be really shitty.

 

[kris66]

I guess it deoends on the individual but I always had to taper when coming off of opioids. Even though I was not on high doses, my heart rate would get rapid and starting pounding in my chest and my blood pressure would go up. I've had open heart surgery and I just can't risk a heart attack or stroke so I would taper.

The good news is if you do have to taper you can do it fairly rapidly. For me I would cut my dose in half at first, then cut it in half again after a few days. Just doing this helped me avoid the rapid heartrate. If my pills were running out I always made sure I had enough left to cut back like this before I stopped.

Unlike benzos that have to be tapered slowly opioids can be tapered rapidly. It's just not comfortable unfortunately!

 

[theangryflower]

A huge part of getting off that shit is the embarrassment of knowing that everyone will see you in withdrawals and know you’re an addict, right?

PainfulOne is right. Cold turkey. It’s the only way.

But….. what’s your situation. Married? Kids? Living with your parents?

These things matter because it’s different to do this when you’re single and living alone vs. being a mother of 3 and still needing to take the kids to soccer practice.

I’ve quit oxy a couple if times. Doses up to 300mg per day for years. You’re nit alone here, but it will be really shitty.

I am living with my husband. He doesn't know I am back on it, unfortunately. I feel like a pos. I've been placing tiny doses in capsules a few times a day. I am trying to make myself just do one----but it's hard. Cold turkey likely is the only way. It's just making myself do it. I am so scared of how my mental health will be when I try to come off of it again. I am down considerably from where I started---I was snorting like 5 small lines before lunch time a few weeks before I posted here. But even with that said- I need it out of my life, entirely.

 

[Squeaky]

I am living with my husband. He doesn't know I am back on it, unfortunately. I feel like a pos. I've been placing tiny doses in capsules a few times a day. I am trying to make myself just do one----but it's hard. Cold turkey likely is the only way. It's just making myself do it. I am so scared of how my mental health will be when I try to come off of it again. I am down considerably from where I started---I was snorting like 5 small lines before lunch time a few weeks before I posted here. But even with that said- I need it out of my life, entirely.

Yeah….. Doing it secretly is difficult.

There’s always the Covid defense. Plan ahead. Tell people at home that you must have caught it at work. Tell people at work that you must have caught it at home. Buy some tests and pretend to use them. Nobody will even question why you’re sweating and shivering with vomiting and diarrhea. This year’s Covid and Flu has been especially brutal. And people everywhere will scatter like roaches if you say you’re infected.

 

[theangryflower]

Oddly enough, on my day 1 of total sobriety, I had been building up to a horrible cold. I was somewhat successful at tapering down. I made an 8 ball last me over a month- which I think is good? Anyways, the last few weeks, I barely dosed myself at all at a time. I would put the tiniest sprinkle in a capsule and pop it. The last few days, I just took one capsule. I am not sure if feeling tired is due to my cold or coming down. But today has been easier than expected. Keep in mind I was sleeping over 7 hours each night and eating good the last few months. I ordered some absolute focus which has adrafinil & noopept and some other nootropic stimulants to help me at least have something to self medicate my ADHD with. I will keep you all posted. Thank you

Yeah….. Doing it secretly is difficult.

There’s always the Covid defense. Plan ahead. Tell people at home that you must have caught it at work. Tell people at work that you must have caught it at home. Buy some tests and pretend to use them. Nobody will even question why you’re sweating and shivering with vomiting and diarrhea. This year’s Covid and Flu has been especially brutal. And people everywhere will scatter like roaches if you say you’re infected.

 

[theangryflower]

I just wanted to provide an update. It has been about three days now with nothing and the first few days were total hell. I don’t know if it was the sickness or if it was the come down or if it was a horrible combination of two however, today I woke up feeling a lot better just very very disassociated from my own body. I’m still feeling pretty disconnected from my own body, but I did get my bright brain noo tropic thing that I ordered offline. And I honestly have to say I’m gonna give it five stars. I have not felt this great in a long time without drugs. Let me be clear- these pretty much are drugs, but it’s not meth. So, that was the goal. I know I’m just a few days in, but this is a few days further than I’ve gotten in a long time so I’ll take my win where I can get it. Thank you to everybody who responded and gave me advice. I really appreciate you guys. so thankful for this thread and for this site.

 

[blackCat5]

If any of you has been down to only 10-20mgs of methadone, did you not feel strange things when you quit?
I tried to go without it today and first i shivered just a little and body hurt, then got horrible depression and heroin cravings
Took 10mgs again and now im ok
But i really want to stop completely

 

[LucidSDreamr]

If any of you has been down to only 10-20mgs of methadone, did you not feel strange things when you quit?
I tried to go without it today and first i shivered just a little and body hurt, then got horrible depression and heroin cravings
Took 10mgs again and now im ok
But i really want to stop completely

I’m 6 weeks off methadone now. 10 mgs was too much for me to jump off from voluntarily at home but I imagine it wouldn’t be a full blown severe withdrawl to come off either…just too uncomfortable for me to do without stepping lower.

I went down to 2 mg per day. Getting from 10 to 2 was kinda rough but I did that in 2 weeks.

After jumping off 2 mg sleep was absent for like 4 or 5 days and I had stomach pain for 2 weeks. At 6 weeks I have residual feelings such as very sensitive, anxious, tension, and sleep is sometimes hard.

 

[blackCat5]

I’m 6 weeks off methadone now. 10 mgs was too much for me to jump off from voluntarily at home but I imagine it wouldn’t be a full blown severe withdrawl to come off either…just too uncomfortable for me to do without stepping lower.

I went down to 2 mg per day. Getting from 10 to 2 was kinda rough but I did that in 2 weeks.

After jumping off 2 mg sleep was absent for like 4 or 5 days and I had stomach pain for 2 weeks. At 6 weeks I have residual feelings such as very sensitive, anxious, tension, and sleep is sometimes hard.

Oh no, that last part made me nervous, lol

Wow congrats on getting off of it, makes me happy to hear

Yes, it is indeed uncomftable, but mentally to me.
At the clinic i explained this and they gave me edibles, one pack with thc, another with cbd and delta9, and one with hhc, no idea what that one does....

I hate how hard it is to finally feel like u dont need those last 10mgs
Im curious how r u managing without..?

 

[LucidSDreamr]

Oh no, that last part made me nervous, lol

Wow congrats on getting off of it, makes me happy to hear

Yes, it is indeed uncomftable, but mentally to me.
At the clinic i explained this and they gave me edibles, one pack with thc, another with cbd and delta9, and one with hhc, no idea what that one does....

I hate how hard it is to finally feel like u dont need those last 10mgs
Im curious how r u managing without..?

I actually had some methadone yesterday because I had been in severe pain for a month straight and barely slept due to the pain. I was planning my suicide I was in so much pain for so long so I figured I should take something.

But this pain isn’t associated with the withdrawal it’s from another medical issue.

It wasn’t that bad withdrawal wise. Sleeping 4 to 6 hours per night. Quite a bit of tension and anxiety at 6 weeks but not sure how much of that was due to the withdrawal from methadone or my health and life falling apart outside of methadone withdrawl.

I also had stopped Valium so some of it could be that also.