This is for my fellow taperers or low low dosage users out there

[all_alone1]

Please don't feel like you are alone or making a wrong choice by tapering or still taking that last little bit.....I know that most if not almost all on here have taken the route to go CT instead of tapering because of temptation but they suffer a lot for a long time and for good reason all the damage that was done.....

Tapering is much easier on the body therefore much healthy way in my opinion which this is by the way so don't anyone get all bunched up

I just wanted to post this for one a lot of people out there are intemidated by some of the post because of the choice they are making and get scared off and don't want to post anymore....I know that is how I felt when I went back to tapering....the come telling the truth of what and how much they are taking and looking for support....there is absolutely nothing wrong with tough love but we need to be careful of our choice of words for some individuals are very sensitive......and this help forum is for eveyone so please try not to scare anyone away you never know what is behind the computer screen I will give you a short to the point true story

One of my husbands college professors told him that he had a student come after class to talk to him everyday for a week and each of those days told the student he was busy with another student to make an appointment to talk with him....well that following Monday the student show up for class and the next few days after that....the teacher finally asked the class if they heard anything from this particular student...one of the classmates told him she commite suicide over the weekend.....POINT see what happens for not listening or pusing someone away cuz it doesn't seem important.

So with that said please all my fellow taperers or low dosage users or just anybody woh needs to talk I am here and please message me or post and I will respond...we have come this far please don't let comments discourage you.

Thanks for listening or should I say reading lol
Everyone please take care

[all_alone1]

I agree keith it is all about support......a lot of people just need someone to talk to about the truth and are scared to tell it for fear of judgement because this is still a public pasce so to speak......I hope more people. Feel comfortable now to come and postand let out what they so desperatly need to get off ther chest.

Also to the ones I may and HAVE offended on anther post I am deeply sorry...... that was not my intentions at all......and I am not to big a **** to appoligize for it......no one sholud feel uncomfortable here and if I have caaused that to anyone please do accept my apoligies and dontf feel pused away because of something I have said or anyone else has said for that mattter....

And if you feel you have hurt someones feeling please have the courage to say so dont leave it up in the air or cyber space lol......we all have feeling and they get hurt and I for one am not to humble to to admit I need a reality check sometimes....

Thanks to all who are supportive on here....and hopefull we can all learn to be if we are not already.

[keith600]

bmad,,good post . Personally I think someone should be supported even if their plan is to stand on their head and spin around every morning lol. Bottom line,,,,support,support,and support. I"ve seen people get clean many differant ways and the best way is always the one that works and as we all know,,,,getting clean is the easy part for an addict,,its staying clean that the real work begins for an addict.

[theaddict]

wow!! that's great!!

[vicki595]

Yes. It's very hard mentally but not too bad physically, if done properly. There needs to be a mindset about the whole thing and you have to commit to it.  It helps a lot to have someone to help you with the taper as far as handing out the pills everyday, then locking them up. That's what I did. I would have been too tempted if they were out and around!  My taper was very long; 9 months. It became much easier as time went on and I got myself involved with some outside support and recovery care.

[theaddict]

absolutely couldn't have said it better myself.

my PCP tried to get me on a tapering schedule, and for the first week or so, i went with it. after that, i lost control. that little devil on my left shoulder took over and i went back to taking more than what i was supposed to. than, i just kept going back and forth as to what it was that i should do, and couldn't figure it out. so i flushed the pills and that was it. the rest was history, and a lot of praying, crying and cursing was done. and for those who know me well outside of this forum - i do not curse. my point in saying all of this? my hat truly goes off to those who do tapering. you are much stronger than i am, in my opinion.

but i also have to agree with you, brian, on the lack of support issue that has been circulating in these posts. i have yet to see any lack of support for anyone here as well. just because the CT people didn't go through what the tapering people do - that doesn't mean we do not wish to support. but then again, we can say the same thing about tapering people, but choose not to. the tapering people didn't go through what the CT people do, but i'm not standing around telling other members that they are not being supportive just because of this. we're all here for one thing: each other. oh, and sobriety as well, hehe!

best of luck to you all, and please keep us all posted. i know i would love to have some more information about tapering rather than what i have read online! meaning, information from people who have actually gone through with the tapering schedule. is it hard?

[theaddict]

CONGRATS on the great tapering stuff! my hat goes off to you for that! i have no clue about tapering, or how or what to do with it - what's your story?

[gg636]

Nice post!

[all_alone1]

Thanks bmdad

[bmdad]

That is a good point Keith. Someone that just has a dependency should have no problem at all tapering. When it comes to addiction, the number of people that are able to taper is few and far between. That makes a HUGE difference when considering which route should be taken. I think it almost boils down to numbers. Almost every addict that has ended up going ct had a few unsuccessful tapers in the past. Many have tried tapering before they ever came here. When they get here they already know that tapering just isn't an option for them. I think that's one of the main reasons why ct is often recommended. But, even if someone is an addict, I feel they should give ct a try if they have never tried it in the past. The thing is, most addicts have tried it and most of the time would take that "one extra" for the day planning on taking "one less" tomorrow. Next thing you know that pill bottle is empty once again. If we could control our usage would we even be an addict? I'm not saying an addict who wasn't able to taper in the past can't do it now. There just aren't a whole lot of us. With the proper plan in place anything is possible. One of the best ways would be to have someone you trust hold onto the pills for you.

Either way if one chooses to taper it is their choice. As for the support not being there for someone who's tapering, I just don't see it. Unless I missed it, I haven't seen any posts where someone wasn't offered support because they decided to taper. Even if someone recommends ct to someone who is tapering it is usually followed by support and other advice. I've never seen a post where someone is put down for tapering. Due to the forum guidelines there is exact talk about taper programs but the other advice and support is still there. People come here everyday asking for advice and support so why wouldn't someone not urge someone to do something that they feel is the best approach? You have to remember, it is only advice. It shouldn't make anyone feel uncomfortable just because they don't agree with that advice. Just because it was the right route for one doesn't mean it is for another. In a open forum if you have take the advice that pertains to you, leave the rest and don't worry about it. At the end of the day we are all after one goal. What's important is that we achieve that goal.

All of this is just my opinion. I'm one of the first ones that recommend tapering if you haven't tried it in the past. If someone has struggled in the past trying to taper and comes here for advice, there's really only one other option. The two are often compared to pulling off a band-aid. If you tear it off nice and slow it doesn't hurt as bad but the pain does last longer. If you pull it off fast it's very painful but the pain doesn't last as long. We all have our own way of pulling that band-aid off and all that really matters is that we accomplish what we are after.

  

[all_alone1]

good point keith

[keith600]

I cant believe that no one has discussed the differance between dependancy and addiction on this post.

[gg636]

Thanks Angel! I am really starting to hurt now

[all_alone1]

Congrats on day 5.....and yes we can do this

[gg636]

Thank you both for the support!  We can do this and take our life back.  Today is my day 5... Woooo Hoooo!  I keep telling my self that I am in control.. I wanted to taper back again today - but I dont think its a good Idea with the bf home. He does not know that my body is detoxing and watched me all week not really get off the couch.  Anyway I have heard that a slow taper is best anyway on your body.. Day 6 around the corner...xoxo

[GA_need_help]

Love you Angel.

Hugs
Marie

[all_alone1]

You are very welcome marie....and I am so glad we found eachother on here....it is comforting to know that you understand what I am going through and we can continue to help eachother out during this process...it is truely wonderful to have someone like you to talk to and thank you for taking the time to talk with me.....I thank all the members on medhelp for talking with me .....even in the heat of the moment like earliker....the experience in here for me has been uplifting and heartwarming

But marie I thank you most of all for your daily uplifting messages to me....you have been a true support to me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart

Love you girl......and thank you to all the rest on here your supportfor eachother is amazing

[GA_need_help]

I really appreciate the time and effort you have put into gaining more acceptance for tapering.  I have tapered down to 1/4 of my dose.  One of the big reasons for tapering is I desire to minimize rebound pain.  I am terrified that if I went CT I would experience a great deal of pain.   I had surgery where I had a new disc put in 2 years ago.  The slippery slope of pain medicine began 4 or 5 years ago.  Tapering also is allowing my neurotransmitters and endorphins to get back to normal.  My doctors want me to go this path.  And for some, having the accountability of doctors' knowing about the taper, and writing prescriptions accordingly can make people that wouldn't ordinarily be able to taper--become able to taper.  In addition, I went to rehab. 2 years ago-for 21 days or so--- and I never want to go back again.  I missed my little girls so much!  The pain was unbelievable.  When I came home I didn't keep my recovery plan going.  I wasn't in AA or NA.  For me, being in program is a source of connectedness and joy, as well as healing.  Personally, I can look back on my life, and my problems with alcohol and xanax 15 years ago to my battle with Soma and Clonazapam to my current Opana (opiate) detox -- and I see how I must have recovery in my life.  I pray that others find this too.  
    I have had people encourage me to go CT.  I have had some of them apologize when I told them I didn't want to do that.  It would be a grave mistake for me to go this path.  I thank you that  I have had your support throughout this process.  I want those of us that taper to feel great support from others that are tapering and from those that are going CT.  I ofter write in support of people that CT, as well as fellow tappers.  I hope that those that are tapering will be encouraged to write, and to find encouragement here at MedHelp.  Thanks for making this process that much easier Angel

Much love,
Marie

[all_alone1]

Ricart70....I have found a few things that have some chinese herbs in it from GNC..com the rest I have to order from an asian store and will pass it along when I get them

So a gnc I found:

Ideasphere inc.weil stress support.....it contains suntheanine l~theanine passion flower and lemon balm which the last two ingredients are what asians use

Gnc herbal plus natura sleep.....this also has passion flower......... lemon balm.both in higher amounts than the above one......valerian root..suntheanine.....and chamomile

Bach flower remedy spray......this one is said to knock out stress on the spot...

Ginsa gold panax ginseng....it is for energy and has to be the panax variety

Coca energy restore...this one is loaded with a bunch of stuff and is supposed to be a rejuvinator

Natures answer Astragalus root this is for energy

And lastly planetary herbals yin chiao..this is for sickness......I listed this one because so many seem to get a real cold/flu for the immune system is low

I know you only asked for mood but I think all of these are hopefully benificial......I will find out because I have ordered each and every one of these puppies lol

So when I get the other I am ordering the will be more like teas and bark for boiling in soups and broths for that is how true chinese remedies work....and I will pass it along when I get them

[ricart70]

are there any chinese herbal remedies for mood.i am always looking for things in that vein.if you have any for that please let me know and i will give them a try.when is your 0 day?

[all_alone1]

gg636...whay did you not mean to do?

ricart70 I am still at 15mg daily.....unfortunatly I don't have a getaway planned but I am stocking up on a bunch of chinese herbal remedies and vitamins which a few I am starting to take now to help my body be stronger when the time comes that I will be at 0.....I know there is no free ride so I want to be prepared and don't want to take more drugs to help lessen the Wds I will be faced with

[gg636]

oooops sorry  I did not mean to do that..

[ImDONENoMore]

I think the only reason why you see so many members against tapering is that they don't always succeed and the concern is that if you had that kind of discipline, you wouldn't be abusing the meds in the first place.

But to each his own - whatever works for you is what you should do.  The final result is the same if done correctly.  :)

[gg636]

Gosh I feel like I have been taking alot!! Well the bf does not I am detoxing..I am not sure when day 0 should be.  i have been tapering 4 days now 40mg to 25mg... I have been on pain pills for 5yrs now.... I am coming off this crud!

[ricart70]

Thanks I am good!  What are you down to now?  What is the 0  day on your schedule?   Remember to try to change things up on that day...hotel,nice,getaway,something for you with no distractions for a couple of days...that's what I would do anyway just to increase your chances because with the low amount your on it's all about the mental and we always feel better when we get away!