Pain Management
West of Scotland Chronic Pain Education Group
Taper Calculator
Before using, please read the disclaimer1) Select an initial medication. 2) Select a starting 24h dose. 3) Select a target medication. 4) Select a rate of taper (higher rates result in a shorter taper period).
1) initial medication
morphine mgoxycodone mgtapentadol mghydromorphone mgtramadol mgcodeine mgdihydrocodeine mgfentanyl(TD) mcg/hbuprenorphine(TD) mcg/hmethadone mg2)
510152025303540455055mg
6065707580859095100105110115120125130135140145150155160165
170175180185190195200205210215220
3) target medication
come off completelymorphine mgoxycodone mgtapentadol mghydromorphone mgtramadol mgcodeine mgdihydrocodeine mgfentanyl(TD) mcg/hbuprenorphine(TD) mcg/h4) rate
3%4%5%7%10%15%20%25%30%40%50%wk0
210wk1
205wk2
195wk3
190wk4
185wk5
180wk6
175wk7
170wk8
165wk9
160wk10
155wk11
150wk12
145wk13
140wk14
135wk15
130wk16
130wk17
125wk18
120wk19
115wk20
115wk21
110wk22
105wk23
105wk24
100wk25
95wk26
95wk27
90wk28
90wk29
85wk30
85wk31
80wk32
80wk33
75wk34
75wk35
70wk36
70wk37
65wk38
65wk39
60wk40
60wk41
60wk42
55wk43
55wk44
55wk45
50wk46
50wk47
50wk48
45wk49
45wk50
45wk51
40wk52
40wk53
40wk54
40wk55
35wk56
35wk57
35wk58
35wk59
35wk60
30wk61
30wk62
30wk63
30wk64
30wk65
25wk66
25wk67
25wk68
25wk69
25wk70
25wk71
20wk72
20wk73
20wk74
20wk75
20wk76
20wk77
20wk78
15wk79
15wk80
15wk81
15wk82
15wk83
15wk84
15wk85
15wk86
15wk87
15wk88
10wk89
10wk90
10wk91
10wk92
10wk93
10wk94
10wk95
10wk96
10wk97
10wk98
10wk99
10wk100
10wk101
5wk102
5wk103
5wk104
5wk105
5wk106
5wk107
5wk108
5wk109
5wk110
5wk111
5wk112
5wk113
5wk114
5wk115
5wk116
5wk117
5wk118
5wk119
5wk120
5wk121
5wk122
5wk123
5
All doses are per 24h period.
Drug rotation dose changes are linear. Drug discontinuation doses are exponential.
25% total dose reduction across rotation period to allow for pharmacological variation.