Tapering And My Birthday

Ok,
I have decided that I am done with this! My 37th birthday is Saturday and I am getting off pills if it kills me. I have quite the habit approx. 20-25 lorcets a day! I have tapered to 15 for 3 days now and I am doing it! It may sound silly that I am happy about this but to me this is an improvement. I have 2 90 days scripts due in the next week and that is all does anyone have a good taper schedule for this amount of pills? I was gonna go from 15 to 12 for 4 more days and then try to eliminate more and more, is this enough time and a good amount to cut? I need my life back, I am so unhappy. I am trying to stop isolating myself so that I won't think about the withdrawls, it literally feels like there are strings attached to my internal organs and they are trying to come out my belly button, I hate that feeling. I know I can do this, I just need to stay positive and keep plugging. I am only bringing the alotted amount of pills with me to work so once they are gone they are gonee which helps me spread them out thru the retail hellish day.
I'm really excited for you and your postive attitude. But how long will it last when the pills are gone?

Sorry to rain on your parade but we are all filled with wonderful intentions as long as we have our pills but then when the drugs are gone, all the sudden, excited and determined? Not so much.

What are you doing to protect yourself? What about support? You need a better plan than, not taking them to work.

How can we help?

Cowgirl
Cowgirl,
That is me all over. I always say "This is gonna be ok, I'll get off of them and it'll be hard, but it'll be alright..." and that is when I still have them,
When they're gone is another story.
I am down to 3 percocets today and tomorrow, then the next two days after than I can only take 2, then 1 the next day and I'm out.
I got my husband to hide them in a place I have no idea so I can't change my mind. Hopefully I will get through this ok.

I wish everyone on a taper the best of luck. It's a hard thing to do, you just have to stick to your plan. Easier said than done.

Stacey
OnlyI had been taking opiates almost everyday since
92..I have been clean now 39 days and I feel great..
If you want it bad enough, you can do it..There is so
much power in taking your life back from being a
slave to the pills..Keep posting, the people here are
awesome and will help you any way they can..

Good luck,

Doug
I feel different about it this time, I have tried to quit b4 and always put it off. I really feel like I can do it this time. I have a few friends who know and can help and I am going to attend na with them. I can't explain it, it's just soo different this time, I feel so positive, I really want this bad. I may fail but I am not entertaining those thoughts at this moment because until and if it happens there is no reason to. I will need everyones help on this board, reading your posts really helps me stay positive.
Stacey..I'm looking at your avatar, and thinking that today
is the 25th year since lennon was killed..BUMMER....

Doug
Only...so awesome that you have support. You can do this you know, with the right attitude and help. Sounds like you really want it.

NA will give you some tools and your friends the support you need. Just stay honest. Always honesty. No matter what.

Stacey...me too. That's why I could never taper. If they were in the house, I found a way to get them in my mouth. Good luck darlin, I'm pulling for you.

Cowgirl
Yes Doug, You should read the article they have on the MSN homepage. It's so sad. I wasn't born until 3 years after he died...but I was raised on Beatles music and have watched the anthology atleast 15 times... Lennon was the one I loved the most. I feel jipped that I wasn't able to live in a world when he was still here, but he left lasting lyrics and he will be remembered for a long long time for what he stood for.

Stacey
Stacey...I grew up on the beatles...When I was 5 or 6 I remember
my grandmother taking us to see the movie help..then a hard days night
she was so cool..really miss her...


Doug
Isnt it Dimebags anniversay too?
Welcome to the Board!

Good luck with quitting the pills!

Like Cowgirl said NA/AA are a great place to get support, get phone numbers to call if you get weak, and meet some new clean friends.
Hey Only
Happy Birthday to you on Saturday! My birthday is tomorrow and i will be 38!
anyway, I went throught a lot of those feelings where i had the best intentions in the world but then when i had no more drugs and i was fatigued with no energy, or whatever the reason, back i was using. I forgot how miserable the pills made me. I did that a few times to say the least but there was a "moment" when it just seemed like "this was it" --and it was. Just dont forget how horrible the pills make your life. we have to work to get clean and work to stay clean. But its so worth it to have your life back. Meetings are a great way to go. They are free and some of the best therapy you could ever ask for. Its just a suggestion. Good Luck with whatever path you choose!! --fire
hi there,
Well tapering has worked for some not all....however you get there, your attitude and willingness to stop being a slave to the pills is HUGE.

i have tried to taper MENTALLY many many times...never actually dont it and its been 3 weeks...tho for some reason im only NOW starting to get BAD wihdrawal with cramps at night everywhere...places you didnt know you had muscles..loolol toes, bottom of feet...yikes..

In the past, i could not have tapoered like this....Ive said..oh its Friday...okay, ill enjoy myslef than on MONDAY...Ill start...Monday comes and Im like...Hmmm TUESDAYS are good days...I'lL start then...or just ONE more bottle...one more RX...and on and on...procrastinated myself to absolute dispair.

whats different now? MY ATTITUDE...I can not even IMAGINE takiing 8 pills with in 3 hours, cant imagine taking 6 or 7 at a time.......dont know how i did that...............I am by no means FIXED...caught myself yesterday..actually looking forward to my 2nd dose......THAT SCARED ME!!!!!!!!

Finding this site and posting has been huge, for many reasons. one i discovered its not a dirty little secret, manyhave been there AND STOPPED. two) keeps me busy....3)makes me think of others problems, not just mine.4) you learn from others here

Keep posting..if you want to change your life, only YOU CAN DO IT!!


NOW DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugs,
Ali
I agree cowgirl, I dont think tapering can work. You know why.. the short half life of those pills. You will always be in wd. If you are at 15, and not on benzos, take the plunge. Good luck
Hey Only,
I wish you nothing but success in getting clean and staying clean. I disagree with those who say tapering doesn't work. Of course, that's because I tapered and I'm over five months clean. I also see a therapist. Some use meetings and NA to stay clean. It's different for everyone. I try not to entertain the thought of relapse, because I don't want to give myself that option.
You can do this. Believe in yourself.

DeNae
Heres another cheerleader for the taper. I did it because I couldnt bring myself to throw out pills and mentally it was easier to go from just a few rather than the 8-10 I got up to. Said it before and Ill say it again, the withdrawals are no worse than a flu that hits you for a few days, maybe a week. The exhaustion was probably the worst part of all. So try to have days ahead where you can stay in bed, on the couch and just, as they say, "veg out". They dont last that long, they really dont. After that though the next step is getting rid of all contacts to them. If you dont have them, you cant take them. After quitting cigarettes, this is one of the things I am most proud of in my entire life. If you are TRULY ready, pamper yourself like a baby and know that each day you are cleansing your body of toxins and restoring your pride once again.
Donnatwo,

Hope you dont mind but just cut and pasted your post to my clipboad where i see it everyday...it was very inspiring and gives me hope and makes me want to stay on course..............

have to keep telling myslef these withdrawals are a GOOD THING...toxins are FINALLY leaving my body..............


Hugs,

Ali
I didn't say tapering didn't work, I said it didn't work for me.

The ones it does work for? Good for you.

I wasn't referring to you

DeNae
Good luck to you. Whether you taper, go cold turkey, go to rehab...no matter how you get clean, remember that the real work, and the real rewards, come from staying clean.

Being in recovery - getting rid of the awful daily obsession with pills - makes it possible for us to realize what life is really all about. That may be different for you than it is for me, but it's real and it's honest and that is what makes it so good.

Jim