Can You Taper Off Of Methamphetamine?
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I need help in order to help my friend. She has been using methamphetamine for about 5 years and is now admitting that she wants to stop entirely. She says she hates it and is using it only to stop the withdrawal pains, not to feel high (she says she gets terribly sick). She has gone from being a daily user to taking a hit once every 2 or three days as needed when the symptoms arise. She never looks high, always eats, sleeps well, works every day and is determined to quit completely. She has told me she is using the taper method (gradually using less over a longer period of time), and that has helped a little, but the sickness still comes. Her goal is to reduce the use enough that the withdrawal symptoms won't take as long to overcome and she can be meth-free. My question as a non user (ever), is, is this possible? Has anyone reading this stopped using this method and if so, what was your schedule? How long can this take and is there anything she can take to prolong the duration between needing to dose? I heard L Tyrosine can help? Thanks for taking the time to read this and AI hope you can help me to help her. Rehab is not an option as she can't afford to miss work/lose her job and has no insurance anyway. She really seems determined and truthful about her situation or I wouldn't be posting looking for advice.

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I did the taper off method...However, when I tapered off it was just using less each day...when I got to the end of what I had, I stopped. At that point I was using a very small amount say about a quarter in three days. I was sleeping and eating and handling business. I said to myself when I ran out I would not get anymore. I was quite happy to find that I felt fine, no messed up feeling at all. I did not have any issues with detox at any point, because I tapered off. I would wonder about the symptoms that your friend seems to suffer from. Has she told you what they were? You see, I used meth for most of my life. I stopped for 10 yrs. and then I started up again. After a while I knew I had to stop again and did so using the taper method. I know how bad one can feel quitting especially cold turkey. Been there done that.. If someone uses once every 2-3 days, in my mind they should not have any trouble stopping all together either. (we all are different though) I was using what I would call a tiny bit at the end of my taper and when I was finished it did not even feel any type of ill affects. From my lifelong experience of using and stopping several times, the tapper worked best for me. I wish your friend well and hope she can get to where she stops all together. I find it odd that she feels the need to use every 2-3 days with sickness I do not know how symptoms could arise with the use of a little every 2-3 days. ....that to me should not happen. I have used and used a lot and quit that is when it sucks (some pain, sleeping, eating everything in sight and sleeping more up to three days)and I have used a little and quit, the latter being the easiest. Please know that it can be done one just has to have the "want to"

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Well, getting professional medical assistance would be the best thing she could do. Many don't require an in-house stay that would cause her to miss work or lose her job.

As to tapering, when coming off of any drug, the modern preferred method is to do it the way she has been, they have the person start skipping days, while gradually lowering the dose.

This is a very highly addictive and dangerous drug, so she does need to be very cautious.

Does anyone else have any advice to add?

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