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Why fast taper?
Hi hopefully someone can answer my question. I'm now down to 17.5 mg of hydrocodone each day, after being at about 35 mg/day in March. I tapered throughout April by going down about 10% a week, although I stayed at 25 mg for awhile before moving down.
Anyway my question is what's the point of doing a fast taper if you still get massive withdrawals? Isn't a rate of 10% less every week or so the only effective type of tapering? If I follow the 10% rule, I hope do be done tapering by July. Am I stretching it out too long?
Anyway my question is what's the point of doing a fast taper if you still get massive withdrawals? Isn't a rate of 10% less every week or so the only effective type of tapering? If I follow the 10% rule, I hope do be done tapering by July. Am I stretching it out too long?
Hello everyone. I'm unhappy to report that I'm still tapering, but the good news is that I'm down to 7.5 mg of hydro, much less than the 60-70 mg I was taking a while ago. I take a quarter of a pill in the morning, a quarter in the afternoon and a quarter at night. I notice now that even if I take a few crumbs less I go into withrawals, so I'm kinda unsure how to take less without pretty much going cold turkey. I can either just go down to 5 mg by dropping the midday dose or taking off, say, .5 mg off every dose Also, its becoming hard to sleep at night but the benadryl for me really doesnt work more than a few nights in a row.
I agree with Abritt. You are on a small dosage compared to some so I would try to stop. You may be surprised that it may not be as bad or as long as you think.
Good Luck and I hope to see a new screen name up there---Life_is_good sounds nice.
Take Care,
Downey
Good Luck and I hope to see a new screen name up there---Life_is_good sounds nice.
Take Care,
Downey
one thing I'm noticing as I've been tapering is a huge increase in my sex drive/libido. It's very uncomfortable as I feel like I'm thinking about sex all the time now. One time I think I almost had a spontaneous orgasm.
I've also been noticing that sometimes when I take like 2.5 mg, I get kinda high, which I guess is due to my tolerance decreasing perhaps?
I'm still tempted at times to binge, so it's not easy at all.. but I'm shooting for 15 mg by next week. wish me luck! thanks for the replies.
I've also been noticing that sometimes when I take like 2.5 mg, I get kinda high, which I guess is due to my tolerance decreasing perhaps?
I'm still tempted at times to binge, so it's not easy at all.. but I'm shooting for 15 mg by next week. wish me luck! thanks for the replies.
I did a fast taper. Jumped from 60-70 to 5 in less than a week. We all have to do it our own way. I reached my 72 hour mark today and went out to walk and enjoy the sunshine. I'm happy the way that I did it but it doesn't work for everyone. My fiancée can't....welk won't do the quick taper and just get it over with. We all have our own ways but know that u can do it. It can suck at times but those times are so worth the long term outcome. Good luck to u.
HI as for tapering it is best if done slow but your still going to get hit with some withdrawals
ether way...now your physical withdrawals wont be as bad but you will still experience something...then there is the more challenging part the physiological aspect most of us find that a lot harder then the actual detox itself..it takes some getting use to not having narcotics in your system...your mind races thats what makes sleeping a problem for most and you have to keep in mind the pills are only one of the symptoms of addiction
its a much larger problem then just pill intake....thats why we push so hard on aftercare
it will teach you the life skills and give you the tools to successfuly manage your addiction ..it would be a good idea now to line up some aftercare weather it be N/A A/A or a substance abuse conslor but put something in place you can never start to soon..it will help you as you get to the lower doses of your taper and it becomes more difficult I hope this gives you an idea of what to expect and how to concur it good luck and God bless....Gnarly
ether way...now your physical withdrawals wont be as bad but you will still experience something...then there is the more challenging part the physiological aspect most of us find that a lot harder then the actual detox itself..it takes some getting use to not having narcotics in your system...your mind races thats what makes sleeping a problem for most and you have to keep in mind the pills are only one of the symptoms of addiction
its a much larger problem then just pill intake....thats why we push so hard on aftercare
it will teach you the life skills and give you the tools to successfuly manage your addiction ..it would be a good idea now to line up some aftercare weather it be N/A A/A or a substance abuse conslor but put something in place you can never start to soon..it will help you as you get to the lower doses of your taper and it becomes more difficult I hope this gives you an idea of what to expect and how to concur it good luck and God bless....Gnarly
tappering works for me i ran out early and went through 4 days of hell tappering is easier on the body. Today I slipped and took an extra one because of my grandpa going into er and dealing with my family the anxiety is so high I can't control it so I numbed myself I feel horrible but whats done is done. I beg god for forgiveness. Im so imperfect
Hello. I agree with you on the slow taper,as I am doing it from methadone.The slow taper allows me to keep working and I am almost ready to stop now.Whatever works well for you is good,and a SUCCESS.Good luck to you. karl
Some people can taper. I never tried to taper. How ever it works for you. The important thing is to tell the doctor and any other sources that you don't want to use opiates any longer. I have less pain without the opiates.
to be completely honest with you at only 35 mg a day of hydrocodone you are not going to have very bad withdrawals anyway because that is a low does of the narcotic and coming off of that dose wouldnt be to hard and withdrawals would be very light and not last long at all so tapering off of a small dose like that is just dragging it out instead of just getting it over with and i would just go ahead and go for it and quit taking them if it was me because like i said there is not going to be any "massive" withdrawals or anything close from that low of a dose
Good Luck and Godspeed
ABritt
Good Luck and Godspeed
ABritt
My choices were taper or c/t and I was too scared to go ct. Getting more pills wasn't an option. My personal opinion is that if you reduce by 5 mg or so each week like you mentioned, it gives your body time to adjust to the lower dose and your not freaking it out by jumping too much. The hardest for me was going from 7 to 3 and then 3 to 1. Once I got down to one/day, going to a 1/2 wasn't hard and my body was pretty much through the worst of the w/d's after a few days at 1/day. I just have to add that no matter what method you choose - DONT GIVE UP BECAUSE IT'S SOOOOOOO WORTH IT! I have more energy now than before - the pills give a false energy. I have hope and look forward to each day of my life now. Seriously! I was so lost on those drugs.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I admire everyone who can do CT, especially off massive amounts like 200 mg a day, but I'm too chicken. And plus, if I end up doing them again what was the point of all the wd suffering? I'm going to stick to tapering, and I want to go so slow that I'll feel no withdrawal at all, even if I have to take .5 of a mg for a week. lol Eventually I'll probably add a med like clonidine to help me out.
I've tried tapering before and failed, not because I got tired of tapering but because I think I was going to quickly with it. I'm doing better this time with it, able to get below 2 a day. I mean, if I could keep it at 1 a day for the rest of my life, vs periods of sobriety mixed with heavy binging, then I'll choose the former.
Wow leah thats great that you were able to go from 12 to 0 in a few weeks. I guess that's an example of a quick taper that did work. I suppose I can speed it up by going to 15 mg for a few days, then jumping down to 10 mg for a week, then 7.5 mg maybe for a week, then 5 mg for a week, then 2.5 mg for a week, then do CT from there. If I do it that way I can be done by June.
I've tried tapering before and failed, not because I got tired of tapering but because I think I was going to quickly with it. I'm doing better this time with it, able to get below 2 a day. I mean, if I could keep it at 1 a day for the rest of my life, vs periods of sobriety mixed with heavy binging, then I'll choose the former.
Wow leah thats great that you were able to go from 12 to 0 in a few weeks. I guess that's an example of a quick taper that did work. I suppose I can speed it up by going to 15 mg for a few days, then jumping down to 10 mg for a week, then 7.5 mg maybe for a week, then 5 mg for a week, then 2.5 mg for a week, then do CT from there. If I do it that way I can be done by June.
w/d's or the fear of them, both to me are awful... I am trying to fast taper..leah i am so happy so see that yes it can be done...I am trying to get this over with, adjusting my life for a day or too, and then c/t, the w/d's have been horrible, even with taper thinking,,, just c/t , get it done with...i will soon....i have 2 children will do this.... Good luck to all...
I am not an expert, but I kinda agree with you. I think the problem is that addicts don't usually have the willpower to taper slowly. I didn't. I did better than a lot of people I've read stories about, but I was so fearful of the w/d's. I still had them, but I am sure not as bad as c/t. I was able to get from like 12, 7 and then 3 in a week and then had enough pills and strength to go slowly from there down to 1 for a few days then 1/2 for several days. If you have the will and strength to do it this way - that's great! Good luck to you!
Hi~ Personally,I think you ARE stretching it. That's a long taper and I'm sure it's
difficult. Can you just cold turkey from this? Can you set aside 5-7 days? It would go a lot faster and you'd be done with it! You could prepare ahead of time for the detox,get
the vitamins and aminos in The Thomas Recipe,and get otc's for symptomatic problems.
Keep posting~
Vicki
difficult. Can you just cold turkey from this? Can you set aside 5-7 days? It would go a lot faster and you'd be done with it! You could prepare ahead of time for the detox,get
the vitamins and aminos in The Thomas Recipe,and get otc's for symptomatic problems.
Keep posting~
Vicki
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