JTDuffet's Methadone Taper Thread

[JTDuffet]

actually they do.. its a sad reminder of what I did between the years 2007-2010.. devastation of the worst kind.. but also, i didn't really know how to get rid of them. I didn't want to just throw them away, so i saved them... now, i take bags down to the clinic every day, and load up their sharp boxes..

time to clean house... BTW, i got my new grinder.. posting pics in the herb thread..

-jt

[JTDuffet]

well, today i got my drop again to 60.. and so far i feel ok. i only really feel crummy in the mornings before the dose.. and then after 1.5-2 hours i feel perfectly normal again... there was some major lines today at the clinic.. sucked. When i arrived there was a major line and they were calling numbers. so i grabbed one, and realized the line wasn't moving. so i left and got gas.. then came back, and moved to the front of the line. got my dose and then got out of there... thursday is intake day, and i got there around 10pm.. so it was packed...

-jt

[chopstix]

^^ In my experience, the drops would take a couple days to really kick in. And the lower I got, the longer it would take to re-adjust.. YMMV..

60 is progress though man, good on ya..

[JTDuffet]

Doing ok. chopstix is correct. i usually feel the drop after a couple days on the new dose.. i just wanted to add something to this thread since I did manage to drop on dose today. I will be down to 40 by the end of june, so its happening little by little. i just hope that it continues to stay manageable all the way down to the lower numbers.. like mr Lude.. and Chopstix was before his switch to the Bupes...

Anyway. doing ok. and i think things have been manageable so far.. i really want off this stuff, so its not really a tough mental battle going on. just taking a long time, but thats the point, its supposed to be slow to avoid any W/D symptoms. and so far, i haven't had too many. i only feel lousy in the mornings... after early afternoon and evening its all good again...

-jt

[JTDuffet]

Well today i feel a little less good.. kind of crummy. second day on 60, and its starting to level off. im feeling so so.. not great, but at least not terrible. hopefully i recover soon as i am still fairly high up in numbers still...

smoking some herbs... my friend has some new kinds he is coming up with later, as my own is still too wet to smoke.. microwaved works, but it tastes like shit.... so, basically, just hanging in there... and glad the weekend is finally almost here...

-jt

[JTDuffet]

i am finding that its taking about 3-4 days to fully recovery from the drops. im actually almost feeling a little nod again from my 60... but since i am dropping in 3 days from now, that won't last too long, and i will be recovering again...

im glad this is happening, but its a slow and steady process.. at least I have a lot of smokeables as i find smoking does help a little...

-jt

[OrangeLude]

seems to be going as smoothly as possible - must believe that your herbal beliefs help hugely.

my feel bad--->feel better ---> feel 'normal' - is much like yours

Don't forget that you're not racing and if you need to slow down a drop and stabilize a little longer - there isn't anything engraved in stone around this process....

I believe and its been said - you can't eliminate w/d's completely but you can lessen severity - the consequence is the length of time that we stretch the process out.

Happy for you bro 0n the amount of progress and hope that with each hour today gets better.

[JTDuffet]

thanks for the support.. im sure its not easy riding it out on 30.. i will know your pain when i get there. as for now, i find the mornings the worst. a bit queasy, anxious, weird feeling, stomachy, numb upper lip, painful skin on the face, goose bumps that can come and spread across the arms and legs.

tomorow i will be getting the drop to 55. im feeling ok on 60 today, but almost no sedation or nodding at this point. i think im almost done with that affect. i am in a little bit of a stressful situation. i have been looking for work as you are, and i found some things, but the company tests.. i haven't gotten all the details worked out yet, but resume is in, now references coming, and phone interview. but again, i know they test for pre-employment, so now im torn, i need to stop smoking, but i find i need it, it helps me emotionally, as i found even just cutting down to only 1 hit this morning, and nothing all day, by evening i felt depressed, and overall sad.. etc. i am thinking of using synthetic piss. have you had any experience with this? some reports say it works.. but i am a doubter.. i just don't think i have 14+ days to wait it out as they are pushing this job along.. as I try to stall it along.. i've gotten only a couple unemployment checks so far, and im already possibly employed. the caveat? its considerably more money than I was making.. so i really need to get this BAD!!!..

anyway. i may try and stop smoking and hope for the best. or again, could try the 30$ synthetic urine.. decisions. decisions.....

-jt

[OrangeLude]

....basically except for a few years in 99 & 00 been self employed - this is the first time in my 'career' that I am not targeting being an entrepreneur to earn a living - so I have never had to cope with UA for work or employment etc....

Anxiety around economics is a real bummer - as that's one of my triggers f or self medicating.

One step at a time - for me I have secured lease on new place - am exhausting savings etc to keep up with bills but the clock moves forward....

I have CSW therapy this morning - & a work related meeting in the city today - so busy bee is good...more on your matters from any one else?

I too have put some thought into the work/thc issue....

[port rhombus]

Re: JTDuffet's big bag o' rigs dot jpeg

Nice Cisco console cable in that photo. Most folks don't have those lying around, and even fewer have them lying around next to some big-ass bags of used rigs which they're disposing of while they get their shit together.

I really should've posted this as rep.

[JTDuffet]

Hey guys and gals... hanging in there as usual.. today i got the drop to 55 which I am glad and thankful for... slowly its happening...

PR: you are correct, and the fact you know what the cable is shows you probably work or have worked in the IT field before. most people wouldn't recognize the brand of cable unless they were experienced with cisco products... so, nice call on the cable.. you are correct...

and the rigs need to go.. i might be best off purchasing my OWN sharps container that can handle the amount I have, cause doing what i am doing will take forever..

Thanks for the rep points guys.. appreciate it..

-jt

[OpiateQueen]

good goin JT! I was dropping 10mg a week from 290mg...i got down to 220 and stopped there for awhile. I now realise that 'while' has been months... I really need to get back onto it.

[OrangeLude]

hey JT - congrats ! on the positive movement>>>>heading to the clinic now for the first time in a week...both the wife & I have secured apartments we'll be out of here by the 15th...

I thinkto get things rolling I'm going to take it down 2 or 3 mg's if I can hook up w counselor & doc this AM. Will update in my thread...

Going on a job interview today - totally different thing as work - auto detailing for a customizing shop...experience - not really - I've been detailing cars over 4 decades - I have tenacity , perfectionism & I show up.

If it is enough $ - I could even enjoy it!

[JTDuffet]

Well, despite what some might believe as far as not feeling or feeling the drops.. yesterday i got the drop to 55, and i swear i could tell. I had trouble sleeping all nite, woke up many times, etc. and started feeling sick around 4-5am. so i took a few morning hits of herb, and it went away, fell asleep again, and was fine..

note: yesterday I dreamed i got busted big time for weed. and I was just starting the process of legal issues. and I felt the emotional baggage that goes with it, etc. then i woke up.. thank god. but i was just remembering that today when i spoke to my counselor.

i sure hope the drops don't get proggrisively more difficult, but we shall see. seeing others on 30 calms my fears more...

and OQ: nice job as well. any drop in 'done is a success in my book..

OL: nice on all counts.. job interview sounds good.. how long have you been sitting on 30? im still unemployed, but im hoping for something soon. as i said, i have a drug test coming up i tihnk, so I am securing some quick fix.. the plan is to pee into the cup 5-10%, then toss the fake in to dilute more. then the piss will smell more real, and foam if shaken, and have dna in it. makes me feel better as there are a couple failures i've read about and i get nervous..

-jt

[JTDuffet]

i forgot to add, OL, once your in the new place will you be trying the hobby gardening idea?

-jt

[OrangeLude]

hey bro - last first - I am looking forward to new hobby in the new place and have some inside geography scouted for the purpose. we'll discuss. fun and an economic necessity.

it does stabilize bro - the dose dropping...if you have to, slow down a little ...let your system catch up to your dose...that feeling ofsick and needing to shit & throw up in the morning is a space we seek to avoid....good thing that herbal dosage helps GI issues as much as it does....

the job interview was cool and I could have had it -- but they weren't going to pay enough for me to fill the position and stop doing what I do now...basically I went for a very much change of life kind of job and I'll explain my work to you when I see straight and don't keep falling asleep at the keys...in the meantime I am partially employed making some money for a few more months but not enough to have a positive cash flow so its a space that needs to be corrected....

peace & happy friday. thanks much for the friendship & support.
OL

[LayinLow]

as i said, i have a drug test coming up i tihnk, so I am securing some quick fix.. the plan is to pee into the cup 5-10%, then toss the fake in to dilute more. then the piss will smell more real, and foam if shaken, and have dna in it. makes me feel better as there are a couple failures i've read about and i get nervous..

-jt

Sounds about right, just make SURE that the urine is the right temperature. They usually check that before anything else.

[OrangeLude]

Sounds about right, just make SURE that the urine is the right temperature. They usually check that before anything else.

Amazing - could never pull this off (no pun intended ) - at my clinic - there always a same sex counselor in the bathroom with you when you fill the cup....not sure how I would do chemistry under those circumstance if I had to.

[JTDuffet]

I actually may have obtained some clean urine. my moms boyfriends son lives with them. he is 21-22 and he is attending college taking chemistry courses. he has an older brother also who DOES smoke, etc. but this younger one doesn't. he has agreed to let me collect his urine. (i won't be doing the actual collecting)..

i found some really nice oval bottles to use. 4 ounce in size.. will buy these and some of these fishtank aquarium thermometers to stick to the bottles.. then have him fill them up. i plan to get like at least 5 of them.. have him fill all them up. then my mom will immediately freeze them...

i will pick them up shortly the sample is given, and still in the freezer.. probably not even frozen by then. i will take em home.. and either vacuum seal them up, or freeze them as is..

day of test, thaw out using hot water bath.. get to close to or right temp, and drop it in the cup using the bottles i am going to buy. which are almost same size and shape as the quick fix bottles. but at least i know i will be giving them real urine that is clean... as I really NEED this job.. hell my mom smokes weed too.. so.. they are quite supportive of me...

anyway... thats the plan.. and of course i will practice and validate the heating issues.. run some tests to see if the heating pads keep it hot enough, etc. so i am 100% sure i can pull this off. and hopefully i will be telling you guys in a couple weeks that I am back to work again making fat cash...

-jt

[LayinLow]

I hope so too JT! Good score with the urine, good luck with everything brotha!

[JTDuffet]

I got another source for clean urine. you guys are gonna LOVE this one... my good friend has a third child... and turns out they are just starting to potty train.. he said, it would be a no brainer to collect the pee from the child and collect it into my bottles that I am buying for me and freeze it.. then I can do as I suggested... thaw it out... and warm it up.. bring it in the new oval bottles, with hand warmers on it to maintain the temp. these will also have the temp strip on them.. and I will give them real human urine that is 100% clean.. thrilled to bits.. just need the bottles and I am golden showered.. so to speak..

-jt

[JTDuffet]

Well, i got a swab today at the clinic again. not that it matters.. i haven't done any opiates aside from methadone in over 3 months now.. except sniffing 1 line before michigan trip since i wasn't able to get to the clinic until 3pm that day, not 7am like i normally do... plus having to fly, get rentals, etc. was too much for me to deal with while sick.. so the line (sniffed) was just a little extra carrying power for the done.. and it worked. wasn't too bad until 3pm.. when i got the dose..

i will be getting the drop to 50 in 2 days now.. and I am almost feeling high from 55 again. almost nodding off again... so i know its time..

-jt

[JTDuffet]

Well, today i got the drop to 50 and i needed it. i have been feeling real messed up lately, so i knew i had adjusted fully to it.. and it was time to drop again. i tihnk i could be dropping quicker at the moment.maybe 5 every 3 days or so, until i get down to 40.. but im still gettin there slowly but surely..

maybe this is best.. as I felt better this morning also.. meaning I am adjusting to the dose drops completely...

-jt

[JTDuffet]

well, i've been taking 45 mgs/day now for the last 2 days at least.. and im still feeling fine.. i need to schedule an appt with the dr. so that we can plan the next drop outlines.. here is my plan...

on 45 currently, and next thursday will be dropping to 40... so end of month i will be at 40...

june 24 drop to 40..
July 1 drop to 35
july 8 drop to 30
july 15 drop to 25.... then switch to 3 mgs drops per week.. 8 weeks and I will be on 1mg/day..

july 22 drop to 22
july 29 drop to 19
aug 5 drop to 16
aug 12 drop to 13
aug 19 drop to 10
aug 26 drop to 7
sep 2 drop to 3
sep 9 drop to 1
stay on 1 for a couple days, then either take a 1/2 for 1 day, or jump from there..

-jt

[OrangeLude]

well, i've been taking 45 mgs/day now for the last 2 days at least.. and im still feeling fine.. i need to schedule an appt with the dr. so that we can plan the next drop outlines.. here is my plan...

on 45 currently, and next thursday will be dropping to 40... so end of month i will be at 40...

june 24 drop to 40..
July 1 drop to 35
july 8 drop to 30
july 15 drop to 25.... then switch to 3 mgs drops per week.. 8 weeks and I will be on 1mg/day..

july 22 drop to 22
july 29 drop to 19
aug 5 drop to 16
aug 12 drop to 13
aug 19 drop to 10
aug 26 drop to 7
sep 2 drop to 3
sep 9 drop to 1
stay on 1 for a couple days, then either take a 1/2 for 1 day, or jump from there..

-jt

jt - love your attitude & progressive intensity of your intentions...

so long as the plan is not locked in granite - it's a plan - top line a word of caution as told to me - 20mgs is like some kind of wall - no personal experience with it & I will let you know what happens for me...

In my plan I hit 20mgs at the end of June ( 2 weeks)...from there I haven't witten anything with the Doc - but I am condsidering sitting there for at kleast a week maybe to and then taking it down only 1 or 2 mgs per drop - if I don't feel it I'll keep pushing - but that is the zone to be careful of w/d symptoms...

of course ymmv....and I wish an easy taper - I know your hearts in the right place.

xo
OL

[JTDuffet]

I'm actually getting high again off the 45 mgs/day.. maybe im crazy, or my metabolism is wacked, but its been like that since I got on this shit.. i have a friend who had some bizarre opinions about done.. he took it at one time in his life as a pain patient, and was on VERY high doses and thought he knew everything about it.. but watching and learning from me, he is seeing a little different side of the drug..

of course he knows the side about the insanity at the clinics also.. i speak to my counselor about this since we don't speak about recovery too much these days...but she is supporting all my decisions, so thats what counts..

and thanks guys and gals for all YOUR support.. i appreciate it..

-jt

[Chipper]

I reviewed your taper and I suggest staying on 10 mgs for a couple of weeks and then drop by 2 mgs. (or less) until your reach 0.

The end is to be savoured; the slower it goes the less PAWS you have to deal with.

[JTDuffet]

Boy, i've heard a lot of people talk about hitting some wall when they reach a low dose.. like 30 ish.. i think shelly said that... well. my first wall was last nite on a dose of 45... i went to bed last nite without issue, smoked weed all day long so i was plenty spent and burned out. it was also around 12:20am.. i slept fine until around 4:15am when i woke up. for some reason i felt restless, and anxious, etc.. so i started smoking bowls... then got back into bed, but had major goosebumps, so started thinking of taking a hot shower. didn't, and just smoked some more and then got back into bed. but get feeling anxious.. so finally i decided to get up and take something... a clonidine.. chewed it up and climbed back into bed with a freshly packed bowl.. so within 15-20 minutes I can feel the clonidine doing its thing. they work well. i felt a litte more relaxed, and tired.. then eventually drifted off back to sleep.. only to wake up at 7:30am and got ready for my morning group at 8am...

dosed, had my group.., got my fathers day gift and then came home/ relaxing now with the bowls, prepping for my new job as much as I can.. etc..

Chipper: that sounds like it might be a good idea. i keep thinking it will be the same when i drop to 20 etc, but i know it must be a little more worse than it was at say 50, or 45... i will probably slow down, especially if I get a new job.. i wont want to be getting sick in ANY fashion.. as since i am unemployed i thought it would be best5 time to quit the done, etc. not an option anymore..

thanks for the support peoples...

-jt

[OrangeLude]

I reviewed your taper and I suggest staying on 10 mgs for a couple of weeks and then drop by 2 mgs. (or less) until your reach 0.

The end is to be savoured; the slower it goes the less PAWS you have to deal with.

Chipper has expressed in simplest terms the point that I was trying to make in pretzel logic...specifically about slowing down near the lower doses. That he has specifically identified that by slowing down and limiting the rate of the taper one of the benefits is minimizing PAWS effect.

I also think that lots of protein based foods - Hemp Protein a favorite - as well as extra amounts of fluid and any and as much exercise as you can do, along with sex activity, genuine activation of pleasure centers...helps to increase the rate that the mind & body heal & recover.

Peace & JT you know Im a fan!

[JTDuffet]

have to agree with what he said too... maybe you guys are right. and judging from the way ive felt these last couple days from the drop to 45./. i need to slow it down.. also with the job thing going on, i want to feel good.. tough choices...

oh, and can't sleep again. restless right now, so got up and doing some more bowls... etc. i shuold start a book..

-jt