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Hard to taper my medication, want to abuse them

Outsider31

Bluelighter
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Messages
88
Hey guys, I'm currently trying tapering off gabapentin and baclofen. So far the taper has been going well and I'm halfway finished before I'm off of both. Today for some reason, I really want to take high doses of both, which I had previously done because they gave me energy and put me into a better mood.

I'm trying my hardest not to because I don't want this "1 time" to set me back. Anyone else ever have an issue like this?
 
I've read that baclofen is hard to get off of....can you taper off one drug at a time? Maybe that would be easier?
 
I've been tapering off both Gabapentin and baclofen for a couple weeks now. I've had some mild anxiety here and there but definitely manageable compared to when I tried both cold turkey.

I'm actually almost done with my baclofen taper, I'm only at 10mg per day and in a couple days I will use only 5mg per day then be off of that. Still have about 2 weeks to continue tapering gabapentin until I'm off that.

Today I've just had such a craving to abuse them both and get stoned. I've been fine during the whole tapering process but I have such an urge to take high doses. I dunno why I feel like abusing these meds today, my taper off both has been good and I'm 2 weeks away from being off of everything completely, with the exception of Clonadine 0.2 which my Dr gave me to take only as needed once I finish my taper. Hoping I don't have to use it!

Just this urge to abuse my meds is really going through my mind all day!!
 
It's awesome that you recognize the fact that you want to take more and can think about it as opposed to just acting on autopilot and taking more - kudos! I do recommend if you are tempted then to have someone hold your medication for you and have them give you the proper amount. There is no shame in this, I have had to do it a number of occasions myself. Once you explain your situation most people are very supportive - do you family, friends, or a trusted neighbor that could help? If not consider investing in a time safe where it only unlocks at specific times so you don't have access to the meds all the time.

Try to stay focused and keep doing what you have been doing. Perhaps write/type a list of your reasons for stopping these drugs and the benefits to look st as motivation - keep it displayed with the meds. Keep coming back here or to local recovery gatherings to keep motivation high. Good luck!
 
Thanks MoreAux, maybe I will look into a time safe. Noone knows that I've had a problem with pills on and off for the last 5 years. Otherwise i would have my wife dole them out to me as needed. I kind of dont want to give in and tell her now because my taper is almost finished and when it is im flushing away all remaining pills.

It got bad when I was on opana er and was taking up to 160mg or more per day. I used the gabapentin and baclofen to help me get off opana which it did, I'm about 135 days off opana and definitely want no part of that ever again.

This taper I'm currently on seems to be working so far, I will be done with baclofen in 1 week and gabapentin in 2 weeks. This has been a huge lesson learned as I'm so mentally exhausted of being on pills and the many times I've gone through withdrawals.
 
Hi Outsider:
I jumped off of 20 mg oxymorphone (generic Opana) a day, and 30-45 mg oxycodone. I was sniffing the oxymorph, so was having higher bio availability. I am currently using 300 mg gabapentin every 8 hours to help with withdrawals. I am on day four of a sharp taper... onyl taking 1 15mg oxycodone a day with the gabapentin, .1 mg clonidine every 8 hours, and .5mg ativan, prescribed, for sleep each night.
When should I start decreasing the gabapentin, and by how many mgs? I have no idea how to decrease that dosage and definitely do not want another addiction problem. Thank you in advance!! And... it sounds like you are doing great... you have the finish line in sight and you definitely sound done with drugs.
 
I've heard people say don't stay on Gabapentin for too long, like longer than 2 weeks, because the withdrawals from that can be even worse. See if u can get 100mg gabapentin and take away 100mgs every week (I'm doing it every 4 days which is working for me but everyone is different).

Just be careful, the anxiety I had coming off gabpentin was intense. My opana withdrawal was very tough both mentally and physically, but with gabpentin the mental part and anxiety was ridiculous. I tried going cold turkey twice and felt like my heart was pounding out of my chest and felt like a 5 day panic attack.

Do a nice slow taper, will be much easier on your body and mind. Do you have a Dr you can speak with?
 
Congrads on the tapering. You're doing great. You are just experiencing the usual cravings. Just keep your mind busy, excersize, call a sober friend. Just take it one day at a time. There's no rush coming off it. Gabapentin is very tricky to get off of. It's very insidious. I am attempting to get off it myself. I had the same problem abusing. Much love man.
 
Thanks w0w0, yeah it's definitely to7gh getting off it. So far, cutting my dose every 4 days seems to be working for me. Today is my first day of 300mg total for the day. I take 100mg 3 times a day, in 3 days I will go down to 200 twice a day, then 4 days later 100mg once a day for 4 days and then off.

I was abusing gabapentin with baclofen at such high doses, I didn't even know where to begin a taper so I just started at 1200mg per day and 30mg baclofen. I'm only on 5 mg baclofen now but will be done with that in 3 days.

How are you attempting to get off the gabapentin? It's definitely insidious!
 
Outsider: Thanks for your response! No, I do not have a provider I trust at this time. I will definitely start to wean off the gabapentin on day seven. I am starting day 5 now and have absolutely no energy, how did you deal with that? It is scary, to tell you the truth.
 
When I went cold turkey I didn't have any energy issues, my problems were extreme anxiety, daily headaches, no apetite and minor sleeping problems. Since I've been tapering I've only been having some minor anxiety here and there as well as the headaches. Luckily the anxiety is currently around a 3 out of 10 as compared to cold turkey when It felt like an 8/9 out of 10 and my heart was pounding so hard and fast.

The whole process is indeed scary. I tried to cold turkey this medication twice and both times by day 3 I was a wreck, guess that's when the med had completely left my body. I'm especially vigilant every time I drop my dosage and I reach day 3. For me personally, if I can reach day 3 and 4 without any major issues, I proceed to lower my dose.

I know it's easier said than done but try to stay active, even if only something to keep your mind busy. What's your tapering plan?
 
Hi I could not be active if I try... I was lucky to get the garbage to the curb and back w/o falling over. I will taper down to 7,5mg oxycodone once I stabilize a bit and feel stronger. Then, I jump off at the appropriate time. Mentally, I feel so happy to have stopped sniffing that dang oxymorphone...my God what an addiction. I think the gabapentin and clonidine may be making me weak... I am going to start weaning today, very slowly.
 
Good idea, yeah oxymorphone is a bitch! I took it for a year n a half and the last few months I was up to 160mg n some days 240mg...I'm so lucky I didn't o.d. on it...the withdrawal from opana is much worse for me than gabapentin. Bad anxiety plus the flu like symptoms.

My Dr gave me clonidine 0.2 incase I have bad anxiety after my gabapentin taper, hopefully I won't have to use it. Even if I do use it, I'm breaking them in half and only plan to use if the anxiety is bad again n my heart is racing. Good luck pokemama, keep me posted!
 
Yea, the clonidine is really helping me immensely, but I am starting to run low. Plus, almost ready to start another day, I think day 7 in a few hours, well I should be weaning off. I am starting to experience that awful anxiety as well. I did wean my gabapentin down to 200mg per dose, 3 times a day.
I am looking forward to hearing about the day you jump off of everything and are a free man.
 
I acutally made a switch to phenibut because it's easier to taper off with dosage. I am down to only 200 mg once a day. The anxiety has been my only issue.
 
Thanks pokemama, I got 9 more days until I'm off the gabapentin but who's counting? Haha. I also took my last Baclofen this morning, was taking only 5mg the last few days. Hopefully I will still be feeling good.

Starting Saturday I drop my dose down to 200mg per day, 100mg in am and 100 in pm. I hope this keeps going well, I've heard from some people it gets harder as you near the end of your taper. Everyone's body is different though.
 
W0w0 how long will you be on phenibut. The anxiety sucks right? You can do it though, I'm pulling for u!!
 
Outsider and W0w: Hang in there... you both sound very determined!
 
I plan on being completely off of it by the end of the month. I am just taking it slow. No need to rush it and make it painful on me. We got this buddy.

Thanks p0kemama.
Much love :)
 
Yeah I hear ya W0w0, whatever and however long it takes to make you more comfortable is best.

Thanks pokemama, thus is my first time ever doing a taper. I've always been a "feast or famine" type of user lol. In a way since I started tapering I feel like I have a bit more energy, I've even been able to get more work done at my job.

Can't wait until December 10th when my taper ends, I'm getting rid of all my leftover baclofen and gabapentin. I'm flushing them away and never looking back! I'm actually beginning to feel excited to be off of all pills for the 1st time in almost 5 years. Between the vics, perks, opanas, Gabapentin and baclofen I have ever had enough of them all!
 
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