Opioid Tapering Story 

I tapered off opioids after 12 years of dependence and I've been clean 102 days today. I also detoxed from coke at the same time. Like she said, you have to start living like you are sober while you taper to be successful. It took me about 4 months to taper down to nothing; it can be done! EDIT: I have 171 days today 💯

This guy , right here..... I'm on day 9 opiate free with help from this guy....right here.. Thank you, Ryan ! You're doing such a Good work.

Ryan. Your memory still lives on bro

You are resting in the best place possible, you have helped so many people. Your memory will live on forever!

great email, Debbie! congrats on tapering, you're doing great :) and Ryan, I laughed my ass off when you were complaining about that "damn bird singing" Lol

Rip brother. I hope you were saved because you had a good heart

I'm trying 😢

Ill be sharing my story of successfully tapering off of a heave morphine/codeine habit. I am excited to join you in helping other people get off this shit. Thinking about going to school for addiction counseling now.

Hi Ryan.. id like to share my Methadone tapering experience, and WARN PPL what NOT TO DO, if that is ok. I will try to keep it short and to the point. I have been on methadone for 4 yrs now, and i have SUCCESSFULLY TAPERED all the way down to zero as of this past Monday. But, i made some very BAD MISTAKES during my taper process, which ill share in my story. Soo... The way i was able to taper off Methadone successfully i think, is because i was in a controlled environment where i only had the amount of methadone that the clinic gave me to take home every 2 weeks. I went from 75 mgs a day all the way down to 1 mg a day, over the past 9 months. But, it was very discouraging for me, bc it wasnt happening "fast enough" for me.. like i just wanted to hurry up and get off the methadone quickly, and so i made huge jumps in my decreases, instead of tapering slowly. I went from 75 to 65 one week, then 65 to 55 just 2 weeks later, and kept decreasing down by 10 mgs every month until i got down to 20 mgs. THIS is where i made a HUGE MISTAKE. Once i got down to 20 mgs, i totally RUSHED MYSELF and made 5 mg decreases every week, and once i got down to 10 mgs, i got outright RIDICULOUS with it, and i went from 10 mgs to zero in less than a month. And now that i am 80 something hours into my ACTUAL withdrawal (my last 1 mg dose was early Monday morning, its Thursday night now) i am finally FEELING the withdrawals hit pretty hard. My whole point in my story, is to let ppl who are considering a methadone/suboxone taper, to GO SLOW, especially towards the end of their taper... and to WARN THEM AGAINST RUSHING THE TAPERERING PROCESS. It is so very CRUCIAL that they FIGHT THROUGH THE DISCOURAGMENT of how long the process takes, and FOLLOW THEIR CLINIC/DOCTORS MEDICAL ADVICE!!! If i wouldnt have rushed my taper, especially at the end, i probably wouldnt be nearly as uncomfortable as i am now, and im only on day 3 of withdrawal. Methadone withdrawal takes about 2 weeks, and usually doesnt hit hard until day 5 or 6. It is unlike any other opioid because it has the longest half-life of any opioid out there. So yea... anyways Ryan... Ive been watching your videos nonstop for a week now, and i want to THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH from the depths of my soul for your support, compassion, advice, and encouragement. I know i can fight through this and start LIVING AGAIN!! Ive been "sober" for 4 years off the heroin... (ive never been buzzed or high from the methadone).. but i havent been CLEAN until i kick this last dragon. And i WILL :).

Anyone who decides to take these pills for fun is in serious trouble. It will own you completely & suddenly you will begin to loose things you love.

I just discovered this channel . This guy is invaluable to me as I'm trying to get out of my addiction. It's too bad he's gone

thank you for your videos!! they have helped me get and stay clean

I am in the middle of tapering right now. Tapering kratom. With the kratom ban I have no choice but to taper. I have a limited supply and I am not buying any more. What is the point? This last week reducing my dosages by 20 % hasn't been extremely shitty but still having low energy, trouble sleeping, and feeling sort of depressed. I am going to get down to 10 % or until it's not doing anything and stop. Thank you for the videos. It helps me feel better about what I am doing.

Thank you for your videos it motivates me to know that the sad ness that comes for not having this evil happy pill is gonna go away

Good for you Debbie! You have to be very strong to taper! I knew I had to do cold turkey or nothing but I did it..almost 5 months! your doing great!Ryan this northern is enjoying this weather too! We wait a long time for these beautiful days✌

I am only using three a day. (Hyd 350/10)

Mine was dependency after couple years of multiple surgeries!Have Always hated taking any medication,lead a healthy lifestyle before some health issues!I was on oxycodone up to 6 a day!Wow it started slow then had to take more to not have pain!I got fed up with it,tried cold turkey several times!Weeks of no sleep etc!Impossible,so I tapered,tried quick taper,no way!So I went down a little at a time over two years!Tried cold turkey on the way,still bad!So it was a long drawn out two years of never giving up on getting off these damn things!Still feel rough,starting more activity etc but it looks like several more months of forcing my body and brain to heal!At 57, thank God I was never overweight or out of shape most of my life!If you are and going through this,it may just take more time!Your dependency(I believe most have this not addiction)didn't happen overnight and and healthy recovery will take time and add a little extra here and there,like weight loss or getting more active,Walk 3-4xs a week,30-45 mins!It adds years to your Life!It helps also to see Life a little deeper,religion aside folks Life,Your Life cannot be an accident,the math says its beyond impossible!Ya have this one shot at this conscious Life!Facts,no one lives forever,that said if Life can't be an accident then what does Your Life mean?Might wanna take some time to figure that one out!Hope whoever reads this gets well or helps another along the Way!Life IS the Greatest Gift in the Universe,tread carefully in Your Walk with IT and most of All Enjoy Your Gift!

This just popped up in my feed! A video I have not seen. It sure did feel weird hearing Ryan's voice though and it really made me sad to hear him talk about his daughter and family, specifically how it was her first time swimming. 1. Yes! Get your diet straight asap! No more fast food, stay away from processed food & sugar. 2. Absolutely! Exercise - do "something" daily! Walking, ruining, ...anything! 3. Mental health & Spiritual health next. 4. Same for me: no drinking. I never had an issue with alcohol, but it absolutely makes me lower my guard. Remember everyone. You are strong! You were a strong 'user', and now you're going to be strong & clean! You got this! One day at a time.....it's a saying for a reason!

Hi Ryan I take 50 to 60 milligrams a day from a back injury and I want to stop I've found myself taking them for more than just pain. My doc is giving me 20 mg per day but I take about 40 to 50 cuz it just stopped working after a while. Idk what to do I know I can survive the feeling bad part of the withdrawal but I don't think I'm going to survive what it's going to do to my back when my back goes out I'm bed bound and have no one to help me. I'm afraid I'm going to die from malnutrition during the withdrawal. Do you have any advice? I have clonidine I was wondering would that help at all?

I tapered for 2 years plus. Went extremely slow. It sucks ass but it's worth the pain and suffering.

What if these meds are used for pain instead of just addiction?

I been using for 3 years I quit for 6months Then got back on doing double the amount i started with. I been using up to 7 and 8 a day Working 5 days a week. I started tapering for a week Doing 4 a day now. Next week im dropping down to 2

Another great inspiring post. Thanks for sharing Debbie keep on swinging.

I now know a little bit about hell. I started out going to pain management because of severe back pain. Long story short, pain management decided to wean me. This even when I never misuse. So, here I am. I'm now self-tapering. It is pure hell. I'm taking roughly 30 percent of what I was taking just six weeks ago. My question is, what do you think about going into a chem dependency program. I'm very worried as I still have a great deal of pain, but I can see how the pain medication has become the most important thing in my life. I don't see that I'll never have severe pain. It's just going to be there no matter what. A big factor is that I'm 66 years old.

I am tapering as well at age 50 after TEN years of chronic pain rx by my dr who retired and i found it near impossible to find a new dr... Im down almost 50% and its hard (starting dose 270mg). I ache and I'm anxious. What is most critical to succeeding is having a Doctor Who won't budge from your plan no matter what. If it was up to me I somehow find reasons to delay but because I know if I run out early he's going to let me suffer i've made it this far without taking more than I'm supposed to. The taper is working and I feel like it's an important point that the person made about using that time to change your habits and behaviors. Rehabs are 30 days and focus on getting you off medicine or alcohol they don't change your behaviors and without those behaviors being changed relapse is a huge risk. I'd like to thank her for the email as I find it helpful and I will try to update you as my journey goes on.

I been taking 2 pills a day how bad do you think my withdrawals will be

To those watching now. The CDC reccomends a taper of no more than 10% every 1-2 weeks. A month if long acting like methadone/sub/or buprenorphrine. There is a reason for this. The reduction will come as a shock to the system.

Rest in peace Ryan

Yeah I had to go at it cold. Right now I'm on day 7 and I had to jump from 8mg subs. Which I didn't have a choice to taper. Anyways this whole week has been a living hell. I believe if you have the option to taper down plz do. The 7-15 days or whatever they say going cold isn't worth it.

Ive never really openly talked of this ..About a year of tappering here was taking over 10 a day of perc and Vic. Its been hard I havent felt good but I refuse to take any more then planned I have hit a plueatu at 20 mg hydo a day. I strictly take a half in the morning and then halfs of halfs through out the day . I feel like a failure somedays but when i put it in to perspective I have come a long way . I am currently preparing for a cold turkey and i am trying to do 15 mg for this week and stop next Friday . its hard but I feel sick with them so whats the difference right ... I'm just tryinging to get my mind in the right space its been about 6 years of using and I'm scared of all the what ifs .... But this no longer improves my life infact it has only made it worse ive always had it in my mind i needed to go to rehab to get away from life responisblities,its been an excuse, I need to just do it Any tips for for the total detox. Im 32 and i feel like ive pissed away the end on my 20s. And am trying really hard not to beat myself up ..

I really need to hear about day one after she stopped, is there a follow up vid?

I drop every 3 -days a qrt. Aka 2.5 mg hydro

Ryan this is truth.

RIP by the way You were and still are a hero to many people, but I’ve never thought of tapering that way I’m tapering off F-ing suboxone at the moment and I’ve tried before and failed I was obviously not ready even though I had been away from the game for a long while I just wasn’t mentally ready for what I was going to face and I still have to go quite a ways to see if I am now.... anyways the part that really sucks about tapering is your in slight withdrawals for weeks or months before you even get to the real fight that is coming off completely and I have always looked at that as a horrible thing but really it’s not it’s the training before the fight, and over that time if your strong enough to keep pushing on your own by your own will power you’re gaining the skills and techniques of dealing with living miserable and yet continuing to push day after day when you do actually get in the ring you’ll be the most prepared someone can possibly be and when you get to the other side the freedom will be that much sweeter

RIP bud. Thanks for all your help to others

I withdrew for like a day after I stopped but I wasn't on it for a long time like 3 weeks like 20mgs oxy a day once a day i only had body aches thats all I heard ppl get really bad withdrawals

😔 I (we) miss you. 💖🕊

What a great letter. Thanks so much for reading it. Your story is your story and hers is hers and I gain from each of them . Godspeed, brothers and sisters.

I hope running too much after Ryne got sober didn’t cause his death.

this was a great video. I am currently tapering off of Roxy. I started on a dose of only 20mg a day for a kidney stone. I only took the pills for two weeks till I passed my stone. but started getting withdrawal. so its been a bout a month since I started tapering and I am down to a 1/4 pill a day. haven't taken one for over 24 hrs. I am having minor withdrawal. I was gonna take a 1/4 pill today but I think I'm gonna try and stop all together. thank you for your great videos

OMG i can’t believe you guys!!! Why would you put your self through 3 months of semi hell, instead of doing it cold turkey, go through hell 10 days, and it’s over! PAWS ain’t shit compared to acute withdrawals, and it’s manageable....I was on H for 2 years, clean almost 5 years and never looked back! Main thing here is changing your life and get the drug users out of your life!!! P.s Smoke weed if you have a need to relax!

Ur so original and u r God blessing

Another great inspiring post. Thanks for sharing Debbie keep on swinging.

u have to be a nature lover an great job Debbie amen from old country boy the south

u should keep up the excercise forever. even post wd

Shame mine are capsules.

Did we ever get an update?

Also. It is much better to be on heroin..wich is organic.. this will come out of your system within a week. And if you use methodone or subs for a week. .tapering. .say..40 mil.. 30..20..10..5..2..1. Then use normal pain killers or loperimide for a couple of days. I realise coming off methodone or subs..synthetic drugs takes a lot longer. We are organic..so its better and quicker to come off heroin..rather than the horrible synthetic meth or subs. These should only be used for a week or so in my opinion. . Bless..new life..new you..

Keep up the great job Debbie, the finish line is in sight so don't stop now.

U are so handsome.

Lol “NATURE”

Quit smoking cigarettes,35 plus year habit ,2 packs a day & taper morphine at the same time & succeeded at doing both,360 MLG per day to 60 MLG per day & haven't had a cigarette in weeks ,I feel like I could accomplish anything now

What happened to him? How did he die? I'm so sorry that he is gone, it seems that he was such a good person. Such a shame.