onedayatatime11

I'm new, been reading for a few months. I'm in AA and NA. Out of surgery and had to take percocet, I have quite a few 24 hours . I'm not claiming to have taken my meds perfectly, but I'm now in doctor taper, who knows I'm an addict. Alcohol and cocaine free for over a decade, never took opiates till surgery.

I'm down to 30 mg a day, 5th day. nd now need to start cutting. Look, I know tapering is BS for an addict, but i go to meetings almost everyday, I'm told by sponsors and fellowship I can do this.

Thank you all for carrying the message

Dee74

Hi and welcome

By Dr taper, do you mean in consultation with a doctor?
thats the best advice place to get advice, oneday.

In any case, by our rules, we can't give you medical advice on this forum.

D

onedayatatime11

Hi, thanks. Yes, Dr prescribed. I'm on a taper plan, 10% a week. I was taking as many as 6-7 post op, I've gone to schedule, day 6 today at 30mg. Doing exercise, fluids, ambien for sleep ( I can't take benzos, another relapse risk ). I guess I'm asking, for any advice on how addicts have done this 10% taper,. My wife is administering, I can't take that pressure and have to report to sponsor daily. So did people cut in morning, afternoon or night on taper cuts? I realize how precarious tapering is, I don't have the obsession to gobble 10 pills, but its only due to program. I plan to be off in a couple weeks, so any support or advice appreciated.
Yes, going from 60 to 30 was hard in 2 weeks, but I am following my Dr to the letter. These opiate really helped serious surgery, but I'm better noe and need to get off. The horror stories are frightening

onedayatatime11

Well I will close this thread. I have been at 30mg for 7 days today, now need to cut to 25mg tomorrow.
I think its real hard to taper, having serious sleep problems, but tons more energy

Creeklover

Good luck.

I hope this isn't asking med advice per se, but what did you ask your doc. I'm scared to even bring it up to mine thinking he will pull my prescription all-together. I don't think I can tolerate that since I can't even seem to go more than 4-6 hours. Did you just come right out and tell your doc you are dependent on them and want to taper down? Was he/she receptive or negative?

Thans and again I'm sorry if this is an inappropriate question, just wondering as I'm considering it myself.

onedayatatime11

Hi creeklover. I have alerts on this thread, so I see your reply

My doctor knows I'm a drug addict and alcoholic, I told him many years ago. I totally relate to your post, because I know I'm not getting another script, but frankly finding pills is so easy these days.

I asked to taper because I already know I'm addicted and deprndant. Going from 80mg to 50mg was not that hard, going fro. 50mg to 30mg, not that bad, but its definitely had problems. I wait and think about my next pill, I know I'm addicted. Going from 30 to 25 tomorrow, I'm told 1 in am, then only one half at noon, then 1 at 6. Its real important to stay on schedule, drink water, exercise, and i go to AA and NA meetings. I've definitely not followed doctors prescription perfectly and post op, I took a lot

Anything I can do to help, let me know. I've been given ambien to sleep, but it didn't work last night and that's after 7 days on this dose

onedayatatime11

I do want to say, since going from 100/80mg a day for around 3-4 months to 30mg, major positive changes, energy returning, able to laugh and smile more, and feeling better about my recovery chances. But 30mg to 5 mg, scares the sh*t out of me and long tapers are dangerous without support. One day at a time, sometimes one hour or minute at a time

Creeklover

THanks for the information. It sounds like you have a solid plan and I wish you luck. I'm debating on whether to work with my doc or try a tapering program on my own. I'm not so sure cold turkey will work for me. When to start is the question.

Good luck again and let us know about your progress.

onedayatatime11

Thanks.
I think everyone wants to cold turkey and be done with it, but it sure sounds rough.

I am still on 30 mg today. 1 at 7am, 1 at noon, 1 at 6, today is day 7 on 30mg. I am supposed to go down 5 mg today or tomorrow, but I'm on a 6 week long taper .

onedayatatime11

My doctor is being very supportive, as long as I don't go OVER, so I'm being given the pills by my wife, I know it sounds lame, but i don't want the bottle. So if i feel nutty, he will keep me on 30 mg .

I've had serious surgery, but I'm not go a claim I need pills forever, I need to get off, but I'm hoping I can do this. I go to a meeting almost everyday

FT

Hi ODAAT:

Hi there. I do wish you luck. I had a couple of different doctors try to taper me off, just like you are doing. It didn't work for me. I starting feeling sick every time my dose got lower than 30 mg/day, and I couldn't continue. To me, tapering was like slow torture.

I would get to where I had cut off my access with the taper and ran to other doctors for pills, with the taper doctor not knowing it. You can read my full story elsewhere on these threads, so I won't repeat it here.

Good idea with the wife holding the pills. Maybe tapering would have worked for me if I'd had my husband hold mine.

FT

onedayatatime11

Hi failed taper, great name and I've read some of your posts in the forum

Interesting you say < 30mg failed, that's where I am at, , 30mg for 7 days. I finally ran 7 miles today, been mostly only able to walk during this taper.

What do you suggest I do? I'm not saying I'm enjoying a long drawn out taper nor do I have any idea, how to get to 25mg yet. I also realize the risk increases over time. Thanks so much, . I do get to meetings almost everyday, I'm under NO delusion that I have power over these pills . Thank you again

FT

Hi ODAAT:

You know my success with tapering, so I won't go back there. Had I followed my doctor's schedule, he was lowering me by 5 milligrams a week. Another doctor tried to taper me off by cutting my dose by HALF per week. A third doctor told me to design my own taper. That involved INCREASING my dose by 10 milligrams a week. Ha!

I think that any plan you set will work if you REALLY work it. As long as your doctor has approved it, I would go for what he told you to do. Because I failed at doing it, I am hardly the BEST person to ask how to taper off.

Of course, on this forum, we aren't allowed to give medical advice. You can PM me if you want. I am not a doctor and wouldn't advise you that way there either, but I think I can be more specific in a PM without risking the rules of the forum.

Ft

onedayatatime11

Thanks, sent you anotherPM reply, thanks so much


well, I'm supposed to cut to 25mg this weekend, I have not, still having upset stomach and taking prescribed ambien for sleep, doc won't give me benzos, I'm in AA and NA

I called yesterday and said I was able to run for the first time, it felt wonderful. I am on day 8 of 30mg. He says we can stay there another week, but if i even go 35 mg, I'm gonna be cut, can't go up, only down. He wants me to try half pill in AM, even though mornings are the hardest and then exercise.

So, I will try that tomorrow before work, should be a joy. My goal is to get to 20mg soon, then he says 20 to zero is a month at best.
I pray, go to meetings, and honestly, I love these pills, but I have no obseesion to eat 5 or 10.I hate the way I feel on these, but that took some rough demorlization . I find evenings most challenging, so would rather start taper in AM. Thanks everyone, you are all kind and helpful. We all realize we are playing with fire and serious addiction issues

onedayatatime11

If tapering is impossible then I'm ready to deal with reality. 8 days at 30mg, not always easy, but trying real hard

FT

Hey, ODAAT -- I did PM you.

onedayatatime11

Thanks failed taper, even typing your name makes me laugh, but its not funny

Well day 9 and i have failed to go down 5mg, I know this already and its only noon. I see why tapering is so hard and frankly why people just say f this tapering stuff. Surviving on 30mg is my goal for today.

I hope I'm helping someone or at least making this clear, even if you had to take opiates for serious surgery, getting off is a nightmare. I am certainly not any success story, I've just managed to get from 80-100 mg down to 30mg and maintain for a 9 days, well today is day 9, which is not over

onedayatatime11

Day 10 on 30mg. Today was the first day I can recall without a burning need. Perhaps a slow taper is possible, if you can stick to it. My body seems to be adjusting slowly, but my doctor extended 30mg for 2 weeks. At noon today, I was not crawling at all, but its never been that way, until today. Perhaps 20mg is possible soon. Off to a meeting

onedayatatime11

Well tomorrow will be day 14 on 30mg. I admit, some days have been a bit long, but after 2 weeks, I am feeling major changes. I will be going down to 25 or 20 for 2 weeks, then 10, then 5. It does seem very long, but if a person can manage to really follow Dr, the gradual decrease is quite tolerable so far. My doctor says its like going off an anti depressant, in some ways, very slow and gradual is almost painless, if you can stay on track and go to meetings. My energy level varies, but if I don't feel like intense workout, I go easy. Hope to be able to be off this soon, I do think a gradual taper is very hard. My first week on 30mg from 80-100 was harsh, but i did a week of 50mg. Oh my, serious stuff

onedayatatime11

Well, today I need to go to 25mg, 20mg would be preferred. Over the psst 2 weeks, I am sleeping less, but i wake up early. On heavy doses, I could sleep forever, but on 30mg I am up by 5:30-6, that is really nice. I can now stomach a cup of coffee again and usually asleep by 10pm . However by no means is life manageable on 3 pills a day, its still a serious addiction and its always tempting for more, everyday. Some afternoons or eves get long and the mind wants another pill to get something done, I've stuck to a rigid plan, but its not easy and i need to get off
I woke up at 5 today, I tried 2.5 yesterday and wonder if related.. I'm off to a meeting