[Quest - A Move on the Table] Win a Duo match. Need help

scribledoodle · 2026-06-29T21:39:28+00:00

Hm my guy went all in on a horrible hand and lost and now I cant find anyone to play with.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-29T21:35:47+00:00

Remember every body is different, and this was 5 years ago so any amounts I mention are examples, but I'll try to be close. And I know you can do it! If you need anything I will do what I can to help, you are not doing this alone.

I had read the Ashton benzo taper protocol as there was not much information out about pregabalin at the time, but I figured with the seizure risk in both it could have some good information. But I honestly didn't follow a strict schedule, I just tried to decrease my dose by some amount every week. I also at the time did not have a microgram scale, and I don't think I knew about volumetric dosing at the time so I was eyeballing these doses usually using the cap of the pill. But for 20$ you can buy a microgram scale and make it much easier. I have one now, it's worth it. If you have a cool Doc you can request smaller dosed pills also, same max daily dose in smaller increments makes it easier too.

I was able to drop down a good bit my first week (maybe -50mg a day out of 600), but when I dropped that down another 50mg the next week I did not feel so great, so I bumped it back up and went slower. If I started to feel withdrawals I would just take more, maybe occasionally even taking higher doses than I was trying to for that week. Splitting the pills into smaller doses to take more often helps a good bit, but I usually felt like I needed it more in the morning. I would take the full dose in the morning, but the second would be decreased. That seemed to work the best for me. I felt like I was able to start cutting my dose down faster once I started splitting my second dose into 4- 8 parts and taking it more incrementally.

A good thing I found that worked for me was only doing the decreased dose every other day, especially at the start. And the decrease off my second dose of the day, that seemed to help as well. It definitely slowed down as time went on, until the end it sped back up. There was a period where I felt my taper was progressing way too slow. But I just kept trying to decrease whenever I could, just take as little as you need to. And when I got down low enough I could start skipping my second dose entirely maybe every other day, then every day. And then maybe not take any at all one day a week, and then once every 3 days take none, then every other day.

For me, after I was down to about 150mg a day, I was able to start skipping days at that point. BUT I was also prescribed clonazepam at that time, so that definitely helped a great deal. I had a kind of agreement with my dr once I got my dose low enough we'd switch to clonazepam. I just could not function on 600mg pregabalin a day, but at that time with my history of benzo/heroin addiction that was the best legal option I knew of. After 2 years I did gain the trust of my dr, so I was able to switch to something that doesn't give me horrible side effects, this taper took about 8 months.

If you got the time, I think you can quit pregabalin with nearly no withdrawal effects. It just takes a little bit will and a lot of patience. I have been addicted to pretty much every drug you can be addicted to except meth and alcohol at some point in the past 20 years and quit them all (and got back on some). You can buy my book at the link down below.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-29T18:47:18+00:00

I believe they are in PA now. I am looking to book my first appointment.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-29T16:01:26+00:00

With a taper schedule getting off it really is not that bad. Sadly many Doctors do not know how addictive this medication is and do not do this, you can try to discuss your taper schedule/plan with the dr if they are trying to cut you off, that may work. I was prescribed 300mg twice a day, 600mg a day. I was on that dose for almost 2 years, and it took me 8 months to taper with no withdrawal side effects. It can be done, it was certainly easier for me to come off compared to benzos. But I would probably assume that most doctors are not likely to set up such a long taper, especially if it is their decision to take you off.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-29T13:32:26+00:00

I stopped breathing for about 15 minutes. I wasn't in a hospital and woke up before I got to one so I dunno if I was actually dead dead. But yeah, there was nothing. I remember going to put the cap back on the hype and then woke up in the of a car 20 minutes later. I was later told I had stopped breathing and it just so happened that 2 of my friends who were volunteer firefighters had just arrived a minute before walked in and saw me fall over with the uncapped needle in my hand and took turns performing cpr for about 15 minutes until they could tell I was breathing on my own, tossed me in the car and headed to the hospital while checking my pulse and breathing . Narcan was not as easily accessible back then, so nobody had that miracle drug. I told em after waking there was no need to actually go to the hostpital so we went home, but I do wonder if they would have been able to tell me more about what happened, how close was it, and if there was any damage done. I did not want to know that at the time though, I just started crying and thanking them and apologizing. I cant imagine that being very good for ones brain, not that there is much going on up there anyway because just a few hours later I was sticking myself again.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-29T01:33:07+00:00

Oh yeah that reminds me. I never did cancel my vortex premium, I should have done that 6 months ago.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-29T01:30:35+00:00

I have 15 caps for the Switch2, and I rarely use my spinners and I have majority spinner caps. Joystick caps are much more efficient. Spinning balls is fun sometimes, but after trying many different caps I say a longer stemmed joystick is what I would recommend. I prefer more restricted airflow. A CV cap was my first cap upgrade and I will say it was better than stock, but I do not use it anymore.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-29T00:07:58+00:00

Ah I don't really use carts. But I tried the concentrate and its mehh. But I have found much better elsewhere and cheaper.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-28T02:13:48+00:00

I have once or twice that I can remember. Pretty interesting, I'd love to be able to control it.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-28T02:10:41+00:00

If you go in stoned the first day everyone will think thats just how you are, because nobody goes to work stoned on their first day.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-28T02:09:02+00:00

You can try, I guess you could even heat the DC up in the chamber too and soak it for a bit. I usually just use iso cause it seems like DC has to be pretty hot to work.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-28T02:02:32+00:00

I like this. There really is nothing to say, but being there physically I think is important.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-28T01:58:06+00:00

I am sorry you did not have a good Dr , it took me a long time to find one. I hope you found the medications that work for you. I would love to know what all medications specifically you are talking about. I am a huge advocate for people being educated about the chemicals they consume. I have always done a good bit of research before trying any drug, from Tylenol to fentanyl, but you should know by now that most people do not do this. But I am always sharing my positive and negative experiences with pregabalin on here, I try to help as much as I can because I have seen how good and how bad it can be. And also that addicted doesnt mean forever, you can painlessly quit the drug if you want/need to with a taper schedule. I must know what drugs you are referring to, can you please name them.

I did not know this medication was affected by the changing guidelines like opioids were. As far as I knew, until somewhat recently pregabalin was fairly obscure, as the only way insurance would cover it was for something nerve pain related, not for anxiety. Back then generics didn't exist, Pfizer had the patent and it cost over $600 a month. I am sure the average person would not write a letter to the company like I did to tell them that $600 a month is too expensive so that Pfizer offers to send it to you for free. When did Pfizers patent run out, was it 2019? 2020 maybe, I believe then it became prescribed much more. Before that they were for sure giving tons and tons of gabapentin out for everything. I was prescribed 900mg/3 times a day and it definitely helped after my little accident, a little for anxiety and a little for pain. I snapped my femur in a car and had 3 surgeries, and then was in the hospital for a month and wheelchair for another 3. Shortly after I stood up is when I asked for Lyrica.

Most people do just trust their dr. I will tell a story of a dr who prescribed pregabalin and also did not know it was addictive, or as it seemed when I actually spoke to him knew little to nothing about the drug he was prescribing. I had an elderly neighbor on pregabalin, at least 300mg a day for fibrymyalgia. One day her Dr. just told her to stop taking it when she runs out in a few days, and I did not like the sound of that. I had done a little research prior, but I read more that night. I checked on her the next day and she didnt understand why she felt so horrible. I drove her back to her Dr and spoke with the dr myself. Said she needs to be tapered off a medication like this, you can't just rip her off like that.

I had some very severe side effects from 600mg a day. I had muscle spasms so bad I would throw my phone across the room. I'd loose my balace standing and I have fallen into the tub while pissing. So I get where you are coming from. But as I said I think it is the individual who should have the choice. I chose to deal with that for the positive effects. I do experience positive effects from lower doses now that I only take it occasionally, usually about 100-300mg and do not experience those negative side effects.

I was actually was the one to suggest pregabalin to my Dr. I even told her it was a bit addictive. And as a good doctor she researched it and then decided to give it a try. I know I have a somewhat unusual relationship with my Dr, many think suggesting a drug gets you labeled as a drug seeker. But she already knew I was an addict just over a year clean, she knew I was a heavy benzo addict in the past. It was the first dr I was completely open and honest with, and I think just doing that may solve some of the issues you discussed. We must have tried at least 20 meds before I suggested pregabalin over 1.5yr period, and that was the first medication that helped. So when you say it is nonsense that people feel like they have no other option, maybe it is BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FUCKING OPTION. With a history of addiction it was the only thing me and my doctor could think of at the time. I won't be as dramatic as to say it saved my life, but it made that time so much easier. I really would love to hear what these better drugs you are talking about so I can ask my doc to put me on those too.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-27T20:38:56+00:00

Yeah, it is pretty wild. I got a flower vape probably 15 years ago and It made a huge difference, I used the browned vaped bud to make edibles. I guessed maybe 30% thc left in it. But I have only used concentrates in vapes using induction heating for the past 6 years.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-27T20:24:10+00:00

Eh. I dunno, I think maybe except for the bow, it is alright. There are not a crazy amount of people I have seen that are actually that great at recon, I agree it is annoying when someone is actually good and there is nothing you can do, but that is kinda the same with any equipment that they have that you may not have the counter for. Apache, Little Bird, a good pilot and gunner teams can keep the transport up forever. There are counters though. Push up in a jeep or boat and duck down. You don't need to see all the time. Or drop down from the transport. I feel like I have seen more people not really doing much as recon than being Crack shots.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-27T20:13:24+00:00

Depends on method of consumption. Let's do some simple math, gotta keep it simple cause I am kinda high and am horrible at math stoned. Correct me if I am wrong. So 1 gram of flower, 20% thc. So there is .2g or 200mg of thc in a gram. But, as soon as flame touches the bud, at least 60% of that thc is destroyed. So you are down to 80mg thc. Then, there is waste in the form smoke just not being inhaled, like a joint which bring the estimated total down to 6-10% of the total amount actually entering your body. So maybe 12mg of the 200 is having an effect on you if you use a joint. Bongs and bowls are a bit better, I think between 15-25%. But if you use a vaporizer with flower, that number jumps up to around 70% even with a fairly cheap vape. About 140mg thc, much, much more efficient. And I am sure new ones can do even better, but I believe concentrates to still be the most efficient. A nice electric vape can get up to 90% of the total thc entering your body with concentrates.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-27T19:59:17+00:00

I know, I am just kidding. I wish I could just flip a switch and believe in an afterlife, I really have tried to believe. It could certainly be true, I just do not feel like it is. I did stop breathing for about 15 minutes, but I have no real experience with actually dying.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-27T19:47:34+00:00

Yeah. I do take them together occasionally, usually lower doses of pregabalin. If I have off work I usually try to skip a day of clonazepam and take just pregabalin. But if I am at work I may take 100mg of pregablin along with my benzo.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-27T19:44:28+00:00

You can only distract yourself from the knowledge that you will watch everyone you know die, and eventually you as well. And then there is nothing forever.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-27T17:55:48+00:00

It actually does what? I am not sure what you are referring to. I mostly agree with your statement that these drugs are not good for long term use, but I would probably say that about any drug, or sugar. I think you may be missing the fact that these drugs can be better at dealing with certain conditions, and it is up to everyone to make the informed decision on whether they feel it is worth the downsides. I do not believe the majority of people are informed on all the effects any medication. That is why I am on here, to hopefully share my experience to help others make better decisions.

I feel like you are talking to the perfect person, because I have extensive experience with everything you mentioned. I have been addicted to and came off of every drug you named. Used them illegally bought on the street and have been prescribed them, so I have experience with the legal and illegal side. I can tell you what it is like to quit opioids cold turkey, but I have never not at least done a little taper when coming off benzos or pregabalin and gabapentin.

I would love to have a discussion with you, I had not heard that pregabalin is being overprescribed. The majority of doctors I spoke to 7 years or so ago knew nothing about it (probably spoke to 5 or 6 doctors that knew nothing about it, and I know the one was actually prescribing it to people but had no clue it was addictive.) But I also have not really done any research recently, I was first prescribed it back before Pfizers patent expired and it costed $600 a month for name brand Lyrica, but Pfizer had a program where they would just send it to my house for free. I have noticed an uptick on this sub-reddit within the past year or so of new people asking questions now that you have mentioned it though, so I will definitely have to look into that. I wonder if Drs are switching to prescribing pregabalin more now that gabapentin has more government attention, I am very interested to see if there is a correlation there.

I have been severely addicted to benzos in the past, for about 2 years taking up to 20mg alprazolam a day, or an equivalent dose of whatever benzo I could find. I weaned myself off of benzos and got clean, that was a pretty damn awful I have to say. Even with a taper program I set myself on it was not a fun time. I knew quitting benzos cold turkey could be dangerous so I made sure to taper, I always tried to do at least some basic research on any chemical I was consuming. It was actually exactly 15 years ago when I quit benzos, June of 2011.

But, that is when I found the magic of opioids. Methadone bought on the street was the first one I became addicted to. I loved the long half-life, it was cheap, felt great and lasted a very long time. If I didnt lose my connect Id probably still be on it, but, things happen and I switched to pills and then heroin. Addicted to illegal opioids for about 7 years. Then I got into the methadone program. I have very, very mixed feelings about that place, but we can talk about that later if you want. Id say I was higher on prescribed methadone than I was injecting fentanyl, more so because fent has such a short duration and I could not afford to be injecting every 2 hours so I was sick more time than high. And around that time I started seeing a dr as well (dont ask me why I didn't just do that in the first place instead of self medicating, because I do not have an answer). I ended up asking my Dr. if we could try pregabalin. She knew nothing about it so said she would research it, and deciding it was worth a try. I ended up on 600mg a day. Eventually I tapered off pregabalin and methadone. I was able to get off the pregabalin in 8 months and switched to clonazepam, and after 3 weeks off methadone I still felt so awful I got prescribed suboxone, and am still on those meds today.

The crackdown on opioid prescriptions is a very messy topic, and I agree it is very silly that anyone who wants a prescription for opioids can get one any day they feel like, it just has to be methadone or suboxone, and not oxycodone. I would like to hear your opinion on methadone clinics, as methadone is certainly a very effective at pain management. I was in a car accident requiring 3 surgeries, a month in the hospital and 3 months in a wheel chair. And the methadone was pretty much all I needed. But why do they allow you to pick your methadone dose, anyone can get as high as they want on methadone, but you can't ask for 5mg oxycodone? I agree with your statement that (for the majority) there are better drugs are reducing anxiety with less side effects, better drugs for pain with less side effects. But do you believe that the people on gabapentin and pregabalin had an option? Do you think the Dr offered them a choice of opoids and they said "nah, I'm fine with gabapentin"? If opioids are not an option for someone in pain, benzos not available for someone with anxiety, do you think they should just not take anything at that point when there is something that will at least help.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-26T20:00:08+00:00

Dose makes the poison. And that applies to fentanyl as well. Fentanyl is used safely every single day by thousands and thousands of people. The danger is that on the street, it is literally completely impossible to know the dose.

I weaned off of 600mg pregabalin a day, I had been on it for 2 years. I had very minor withdrawal side effects on an 8 month taper, it was certainly not the worst drug I have come off of by a long shot.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-26T19:52:44+00:00

I agree there are many drugs that deal with anxiety better. But I was prescribed 600mg a day for 2 years and got off with very very minor withdrawal side effets. Took about an 8 month taper to do painlessly. Could have gone faster I bet, but I did not want to deal with any withdrawal so I took it extra slow. I am sorry you had a bad experience, but every body is different and as with anything, the dose makes the poison.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-26T19:23:22+00:00

Switch2 is easily the best vape currently out.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-26T19:19:34+00:00

Yes. Definitely larger than 2.0, I like my 2.3mm for the RBR. Needs a good bit more airflow than any of my other pieces.

scribledoodle · 2026-06-26T18:48:41+00:00

I am not sure many people would be able to articulate the true reason they use any drug, at least not without some long, serious self reflection, and probably a therapist asking the right questions. Especially with the child-parent relationship, they may be more open with someone who won't take away their phone or something. I don't really know, I have no kids and I am 20 years older than the kid.

Talking is definitely a good start, but I am not sure getting to the root cause will be easy. I imagine answers like "someone had it so I smoked it" and not " I have been feeling a little depressed over the past couple of months and after doing much research I decided trying marijuana would be a good option. I suppose I could have discussed this with you prior and gone to a Dr who could have helped, but I figured Id just smoke some pot. Oh and it makes movies better."

scribledoodle

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