Positive The Tapering Support Thread v 2.0

[Squeaky]

Still, this time last year you started four months abstenance that got the attention of some of us here and because you made it seem possible, I managed nearly all of July following your example.
And January too.
Even though I'm back to dependance on the shit, I know I'll make it out someday.
I'm not even getting high, not even feeling well, I'm just feeling bearable and without it it's not bearable.
So I put one foot in front of the other and hope that next week I'll feel stronger either physically or mentally or both and then perhaps I can make a plan.
Again.
It's all we can do. Unless you've the right frame of mind, there's no point starting Everest today.

There’s actually a little science behind starting and stopping (climbing Everest anyway). There’s so little oxygen up there that you have to go part of the journey and give your body time to acclimate before continuing or you’ll die. And you really have to pause a couple of times, for a couple of weeks at each stop. It doesn’t matter how determined you might be, your lungs can’t absorb enough oxygen. If you try to bully your way to the top, you will literally drown in your own fluids before you get there.

I think we are all strong, determined, tough, and even stubborn. But this journey could kill us all if we try too hard to go too far all at once. For me, it was definitely a mistake thinking that I could do it all in one deliberate climb. I was fortunate to find BlueLight and all of the advice and support here. I was wise to start climbing. But I was ignorant to think that I could just put on my big-boy-pants and be tough enough to make the journey. Every time I tried and failed, I only slid further back down the mountain. It seemed like each failure go me closer to the ocean (and keeping with the Everest metaphor, I almost gave up my climbing gear and learned to surf).

Papercuts: even when we fail, we are making progress. As long as we learn a little bit about that mountain, it’s not a mistake. You’re in a better place than you were at this time last year. Even if you only learned what not to do, it’s progress.

The real problems in life begin when we assume it will be so easy that there’s no point in trying today. When we say “I can quit whenever I want. I’m not addicted. It’s not a problem.” And then learn nothing because we didn’t even try.

 

[Squeaky]

After seeing the family dynamic of people I stayed with at the weekend, wow. They are lovely to each other and you can tell it wasn't an act put on for us, it was real love from parents towards their kids, like I try my best at and I hope I did OK.
So what to give up? What is most toxic for me?
Hmm, I think I'll give up my mom.

That sounds like an awesome plan!

 

[Heero77]

Hey every one I'm looking for some advice I've been using heroin every day for at least 6 months now and for the past 2 months I've been trying to stop cold turkey but I just can't do it..how does tapering work? Any advice would be helpful I am lucky that when I do finally jump off I have 3 days off until I have to work again so there's always that and I have one suboxin strip I know its just one but it's better then nothing. But yea sould it be a quick taper or would it be better if I take a longer time to do it?

Thanks in advance

 

[papercuts]

Hey every one I'm looking for some advice I've been using heroin every day for at least 6 months now and for the past 2 months I've been trying to stop cold turkey but I just can't do it..how does tapering work? Any advice would be helpful I am lucky that when I do finally jump off I have 3 days off until I have to work again so there's always that and I have one suboxin strip I know its just one but it's better then nothing. But yea sould it be a quick taper or would it be better if I take a longer time to do it?

Thanks in advance

Those three days might need to be extended with sick leave for a tummy upset or covid or whatever might work as an excuse, unless you are way stronger than I am (probably you are) because after being violently ill I don't bounce back day 4, y'know?
Tapering is just cutting down to a little less, then staying there for a while to steady yourself on the new less comfortable dose, then cut down again when you feel you can. In theory.
In practice some helpful meds to stock up on if you can are;
Pregablin, gabapentin, kratom, cannabis, loperamide, clonidine, blackseed oil, black cohosh, baclofen, non-opiate painkillers and whatever else helps get you through without losing your determination. Like diazepam helps soothe me, but it also makes it seem ok for me to relapse, I feel there won't be consequences and already your brain is going to tell you shit that isn't true, like it's already been a week when you're only on day 2.
So I avoid benzos unless I'm ready to relapse anyway.
If I'd one sub strip, I'd divide it into 6 or 8 pieces and after cutting down to the lowest dose of H I can manage, jump and wait until you get properly sick, then take a little suboxin and/or loperamide to take the edge off it. Taking suboxin too early makes it more sudden, worse.
I'm on buprenorphine patches 24/7 and that certainly helps me, I tried going without any opioid a few months ago and decided it wasn't worth it for me.
I used kratom last time, tastes disgusting, might make you sick but has an opiate like effect and I switched addictions to kratom, then ended up on, kratom and poppy pod tea and gabapentin. I'm now tapering off these on an on/off basis, lol.
A year ago I thought ten days was enough time to get clean and walk away. By the summer I knew a month wasn't long enough. This time I've been trying to get clean since halloween, on and off. I managed to cut down enough for travelling overseas last week, yay. I plan to be completely clean by the next time I travel (always the plan).
Right now I'm 36 hours after my last opiate, got a 10mg buprenorphine transdermal patch on, which is a tiny amount by slow release but when you get down to tiny amounts it helps a lot.
I'd about 5g kratom yesterday having got it down to 2 or 3g while away and I plan to not go above 5g a day until I can quit that too (more shitty withdrawals, literally).
The loo is calling me but I feel optimistic today, maybe I can go all day without any extra opiate at all, maybe not, I definitely can't keep the loo waiting though, lol. Good luck.

 

[strangelemon]

Hey all.

I am attempting a short taper form norco.

My use was not necessarily heavy, but it did go on for over 2 years and it has become more difficult to stop.

 

[Squeaky]

Hey every one I'm looking for some advice I've been using heroin every day for at least 6 months now and for the past 2 months I've been trying to stop cold turkey but I just can't do it..how does tapering work? Any advice would be helpful I am lucky that when I do finally jump off I have 3 days off until I have to work again so there's always that and I have one suboxin strip I know its just one but it's better then nothing. But yea sould it be a quick taper or would it be better if I take a longer time to do it?

Thanks in advance

I jumped cold turkey once, from 60 mg per day oxy after about 6 or 9 months of use. The physical wd’s were horrible for a week. The mindfuck lasted a month, then I gave up and went back to the pills. If your hope is to quit cold eventually.... be ready for hell.

6 months is not a really long time but you can expect it would take at least that long to feel ‘normal’. Tapering slowly is always the least painful, but it requires constant vigilance. Even one day of “giving myself a break” can reset the clock to zero. You have already tried cold turkey and you know how hard it is. If you have the determination and willpower, then tapering off H very slowly is your best bet. If you’re a normal person (not so strong), then you’re probably better off transitioning to something like loperamide or Kratom.

Just remember it’s a game of percentages. Cutting your dose by half feels about the same, regardless of how much you already tapered. Doesn’t matter if we’re talking about H, pills, loperamide, Suboxone, or Kratom. Going from 100mg to 50mg will suck the same as when you’re ready to cut back from 50mg to 25mg. If you’re tapering, maybe aim for 25% reduction per day and make that reduction weekly.

The problem with H or pills is that it works really well. Your brain is constantly telling you that it’s too hard and you deserve a break. One night there’s a birthday party or an important project at work and you decide that you need to be focused.... next thing you know you’re back to square one. My advice is this:

Give yourself a week to transition to anything else but H. Go to a Dr and get Subs, or decide on loperamide (Immodium). Figure out how much you might need and be certain you can get enough for a few months if you need it (you’ll need it). Spend that week transitioning, being ready to be sick and depressed the whole time. Figure out what to tell folks that explains why you can’t get out of bed, like food poisoning. YOU WILL NEED SOMETHING FOR SLEEP OR YOU MIGHT GO INSANE. Benzos, weed, etc. Then cut all ties with whoever or wherever you get your H (or you’ll eventually go back, need a lot more, and have multiple addictions to break).

Loperamide works. It’s an opiate, but has a crazy long half life and unbelievably long wd’s. Subs work too, but take several days to really start making you feel normal-ish. Kratom cuts down the wd’s, but not completely. And they all interfere with eachother and H, so if you’re going that route you’ll need to pick one and stick with it. Lope would be my suggestion only because it takes only about 4 hours to squash wd’s and is over-the-counter(you might need 50-100mg per day depending in your H habit). Tapering works too but only if you have really strong willpower, though you wouldn’t be here if you did.

 

[Squeaky]

Hey all.

I am attempting a short taper form norco.

My use was not necessarily heavy, but it did go on for over 2 years and it has become more difficult to stop.

Get someone to hold your pills if you can, then destroy the leftovers when you’re done. The psychological wd’s last for months and you’ll be unbelievable tempted to use them later.

 

[papercuts]

destroy the leftovers when you’re done

I get the theory of this, but seriously have you ever destroyed good pills?
I know I never have, hear people talk of flushing down the loo etc, god, that would break my heart.

 

[n3ophy7e]

I get the theory of this, but seriously have you ever destroyed good pills?
I know I never have, hear people talk of flushing down the loo etc, god, that would break my heart.

The only time any of my pills have ever been flushed down the toilet was when my ex stole them off me and flushed them out of spite/anger. I would never have been able to dispose of any pills on my own.

 

[Squeaky]

I get the theory of this, but seriously have you ever destroyed good pills?
I know I never have, hear people talk of flushing down the loo etc, god, that would break my heart.

I have done it a couple of times. Dilaudid once. Oxy twice. About 100 pills total, all flushed down the toilet. The next time I ran out, I was kicking myself for having done it. Obviously I just got more but it’s a thousand times easier to stay off the stuff if it’s not available.

It’s really a symbolic move to remove yourself from the temptation. It doesn’t work if you live next door to your dealer, you’ll only wake up tomorrow and go spend more money. I am a slave to my monthly Dr appointments, so it really only lasted me a couple of weeks and I always knew I would get them back. But the first week or two might be enough to inspire a person to get off the stuff. It’s sort of a way to get your determination some momentum and give yourself enough time to get past the really miserable physical wd’s.

 

[Squeaky]

3 days to prescription day...... tic toc tic toc.

 

[EPL1]

3 days to prescription day...... tic toc tic toc.

4 for me my friend. Hurry up and wait.

 

[papercuts]

3 days to prescription day...... tic toc tic toc.

Does your doctor let you get away with 26 days or do you need to wait the full 28 days?
28x13=26x14
That's 14 refills a year instead of 13.

 

[hylite]

I woke up in so much pain. Really uncomfortable. Really or I wouldn't even mention it. I hurt and ached so bad. I have been really busy. I almost couldn't go on because one of those days I cried so hard it hurt so bad. Well until the Norco kicked in. Then I got better. But I needed a big dose yesterday to get through things. I had a headache too when I was crying.

So I took a big dose yesterday (Norco always). I just woke up hurting so bad.
I found almost about a 2mg dose. And then I smoked a dab. To calm down. Oh wow. I was shivering because I needed some warm fleece to put on and then I put the heating pad on for heat. Anyway I stopped shivering and now that the norco kicked in and I am able to lay here in no pain. That was the last of my medicine. I looked for more.

I am so sick. How long should I wait now before I could dose with some gabapentin to help ? I think I have PregabPrednisone ? Which one recommended as better. When . . . . . .I am well enough I will look into the differences as soon as I can get a hold.

I try to sweat it out but I CAN'T. Now I am OUT and now I HAVE TOO.

AND . . . . . . . I AM TERRIFIED.

Will it really help with maintenance ? I hurt so bad I feel like I am in a giant seizure. I CAN'T mess with xanax right now. I am half dead already. It would finish me off. Bad experience with it before, but much Needed. So back to the pain is ACTUALLY killing me. BAD. I wansn't careful what I wished for
BUT I would like to mention. IT'S BAD PAIN !????

I was just curled up in a ball or trying to BECAUSE it hurt so bad. The small dose was all that I needed. I can actually rest some now from the pain. Maybe I will make a deep dish pizza right now while I can still eat . . . . . and Walk ?
thnx.

 

[papercuts]

I woke up in so much pain. Really uncomfortable. Really or I wouldn't even mention it. I hurt and ached so bad. I have been really busy. I almost couldn't go on because one of those days I cried so hard it hurt so bad. Well until the Norco kicked in. Then I got better. But I needed a big dose yesterday to get through things. I had a headache too when I was crying.

So I took a big dose yesterday (Norco always). I just woke up hurting so bad.
I found almost about a 2mg dose. And then I smoked a dab. To calm down. Oh wow. I was shivering because I needed some warm fleece to put on and then I put the heating pad on for heat. Anyway I stopped shivering and now that the norco kicked in and I am able to lay here in no pain. That was the last of my medicine. I looked for more.

I am so sick. How long should I wait now before I could dose with some gabapentin to help ? I think I have PregabPrednisone ? Which one recommended as better. When . . . . . .I am well enough I will look into the differences as soon as I can get a hold.

I try to sweat it out but I CAN'T. Now I am OUT and now I HAVE TOO.

AND . . . . . . . I AM TERRIFIED.

Will it really help with maintenance ? I hurt so bad I feel like I am in a giant seizure. I CAN'T mess with xanax right now. I am half dead already. It would finish me off. Bad experience with it before, but much Needed. So back to the pain is ACTUALLY killing me. BAD. I wansn't careful what I wished for
BUT I would like to mention. IT'S BAD PAIN !????

I was just curled up in a ball or trying to BECAUSE it hurt so bad. The small dose was all that I needed. I can actually rest some now from the pain. Maybe I will make a deep dish pizza right now while I can still eat . . . . . and Walk ?
thnx.

Be careful, as a woman in my 50s I'll tell you I could have killed myself trying to quit because my blood pressure was off the fricking scale, I'm thin, not in a risk category, still was a walking stroke risk until I stopped quitting too hard.
Keep going at a steady pace, I'm reducing my daily doses of pods by a point a week, lol, take it slow and steady.
I use gabapentin as needed, it isn't dangerous on its own at all is my understanding, but needs taken at intervals in small doses.

 

[Squeaky]

Does your doctor let you get away with 26 days or do you need to wait the full 28 days?
28x13=26x14
That's 14 refills a year instead of 13.

My Dr is a drug dealer. We never speak of it, but my appointments are always 28 days apart. The law in the USA is that a refill can be no sooner than when 90% of the previous prescription is used. Technically, that means a refill of a 30 day script can be filled on the 27th day. And I have done that many times. Some pharmacies have attitude and say they won’t fill it until day 30 but that’s actually illegal. There’s no point in arguing with them so I changed pharmacies until I stumbled on one that doesn’t care and they follow the regulations.

 

[Squeaky]

I woke up in so much pain. Really uncomfortable. Really or I wouldn't even mention it. I hurt and ached so bad. I have been really busy. I almost couldn't go on because one of those days I cried so hard it hurt so bad. Well until the Norco kicked in. Then I got better. But I needed a big dose yesterday to get through things. I had a headache too when I was crying.

So I took a big dose yesterday (Norco always). I just woke up hurting so bad.
I found almost about a 2mg dose. And then I smoked a dab. To calm down. Oh wow. I was shivering because I needed some warm fleece to put on and then I put the heating pad on for heat. Anyway I stopped shivering and now that the norco kicked in and I am able to lay here in no pain. That was the last of my medicine. I looked for more.

I am so sick. How long should I wait now before I could dose with some gabapentin to help ? I think I have PregabPrednisone ? Which one recommended as better. When . . . . . .I am well enough I will look into the differences as soon as I can get a hold.

I try to sweat it out but I CAN'T. Now I am OUT and now I HAVE TOO.

AND . . . . . . . I AM TERRIFIED.

Will it really help with maintenance ? I hurt so bad I feel like I am in a giant seizure. I CAN'T mess with xanax right now. I am half dead already. It would finish me off. Bad experience with it before, but much Needed. So back to the pain is ACTUALLY killing me. BAD. I wansn't careful what I wished for
BUT I would like to mention. IT'S BAD PAIN !????

I was just curled up in a ball or trying to BECAUSE it hurt so bad. The small dose was all that I needed. I can actually rest some now from the pain. Maybe I will make a deep dish pizza right now while I can still eat . . . . . and Walk ?
thnx.

You woke up in wd. I had that happen at least 100 times. Terror, headache, sweating, exhausted but can’t sleep, and the only way to stop it is opiates.

It gets better. What you experienced was about the worst it gets. The sweating goes away in a few days. The other physical wd’s last a week or two. The mindfuck goes on for several weeks. Just don’t be scared. The fear is what drives us to give up. The worst for me is always nighttime. If you’re going to cut back to the bare minimum.... I recommend taking a little before bedtime, just enough to sleep. Maybe a little in the morning so you can get going without crying. Be prepared to sleep only a few hours and have a plan to keep your mind occupied after that (like Netflix). Then stay as busy as possible with stuff that doesn’t require critical thinking, like going for a walk or doing laundry. You need to make time speed up because the wd’s make you watch the clock, and it moves sooooo sloooow.

 

[Squeaky]

I have been through that first stage of wd’s so many times now that I have the pattern memorized. It still really sucks but it got a little easier when I figured out that I wasn’t going to die. I drag myself to work, fix my car, mow my lawn, etc.... but I don’t allow myself to make any plans that require me to be patient in the first 4-7 days. I remind myself that it WILL get better, just not tomorrow and probably not the next day. I try to avoid the clock because it moves so slowly. I focus on the things that still make me feel better. But most importantly (maybe) is that I don’t struggle to find happiness in the things that made me happy before I was in wd.

Everybody like their favorite food or restaurant, but in wd: food loses it’s flavor. So I eat without trying to do anything more than fill my stomach.

Finishing a project at work would normally give me a big boost in my happiness, but in wd: I just try to do the things that I need to. I stop searching for satisfaction in my accomplishments.

Hanging out with friends makes time fly by, but in wd: Every word is work. Hiding my suffering from others is miserable. I don’t go out.... at all... except for the basics of life.

What does make me a little happier is: sunshine on my skin, a hot shower, something funny on Netflix, sex (not intimacy, just the sex), sleep (that’s what the weed or benzos are for). And perhaps the most important one is watching the clock when it gets to be 24 hours since my last pill. Then 48 hours, then 72.... There’s a big sense of progress when I can say “It’s been one whole day”, or “It’s been two days, exactly”. I know I’m a bit strange but I get some momentum knowing I lived through a whole day of hell and didn’t die. I usually take my last pill in the morning for this exact reason. That way every morning when I go to work, I can say I did it.

 

[hylite]

I don't really sweat at all for that matter. Just takes a while to smell like it when I don't take a hot shower.

I mostly just shiver and gabapentin made me get the shakes so bad one time that I had to take a hydrocodone to
feel better and calm down. Gabapentin is too strong overwhelming for me. This is why I am so scared to take it again.
But I am so very desperate !!


Today the pain is so unbearable I don't even know how I am going to figure it all out.

 

[Squeaky]

I don't really sweat at all for that matter. Just takes a while to smell like it when I don't take a hot shower.

I mostly just shiver and gabapentin made me get the shakes so bad one time that I had to take a hydrocodone to
feel better and calm down. Gabapentin is too strong overwhelming for me. This is why I am so scared to take it again.
But I am so very desperate !!


Today the pain is so unbearable I don't even know how I am going to figure it all out.

If your gabapentin is in capsules..... I have opened the capsules and just ate the powder. 1/2 or 1/4 is easy enough to split into piles and lick up the powder. It tastes horrible but it can provide a lower dose.