Hello everyone,
Over the past few years, I’ve been writing a book. ‘Taper’ is now available on Amazon.
Recently, it hit #1 on Amazon for Skin Diseases & Ailments.
Taper is a call to action for integrative health—inviting sufferers and health professionals to rethink TSW care.
It is my approach of tapering off high potency topical steroids after a lifetime of daily use.
I quit topical steroids cold turkey many times.
It was brutal. The withdrawal symptoms were intense and acute.
I was bedridden and isolated myself for a long time.
Instead, I decided to taper off. With the help of a diverse team of health professionals, I was able to approach TSW in a controlled way—mitigating and bypassing the devastating withdrawal effects.
It is a collection of my insights, learnings, and reflections on the global tidal wave that is TSW. There’s also a chapter on my experience visiting the famous CAP Clinic in Bangkok, written from a researcher’s perspective.
This book is dedicated to anyone living in fear and anxiety of a future with TSW. Healing is absolutely possible through tapering, and cold-turkey is not the only way.
Taper is available on Amazon.
Why I’m Stopping TSW Assist…
Before I take a break from TSW Assist, I want to share the biggest challenge I faced with my own Topical Steroid Withdrawal journey, as well as running this website for the past four years.
The Cold Turkey vs. Tapering Dilemma
When people experience steroid-induced skin atrophy and TSW after long-term use, quitting topical steroids becomes a common choice. However, there are two main paths in the TSW community:
1. Tapering
The standard medical advice is to taper off steroids gradually. For many—including myself—this was extremely difficult.
“Gradually tapering off is essential compared with abrupt discontinuation, particularly if the medication has been used for an extended period “- (Safer & Zito, 2022)
2. Cold Turkey
The majority of the global TSW community chooses to quit steroids abruptly. Within days or weeks, their skin and overall health decline rapidly as they endure withdrawal head-on. Their suffering has been widely shared on social media, driving awareness and recognition of TSW worldwide.
TSW is no longer a stigma or hidden condition—it is now a global phenomenon with a community demanding recognition and support. Many who have endured the cold turkey path have healed after months or years of withdrawal. TSW Warriors who have chosen this path share their journeys to inspire hope in others.
At the heart of both approaches—whether tapering or cold turkey—is the same goal: healing.
The majority of the TSW community has chosen the cold turkey path.
I personally quit topical steroids cold turkey many times.
It was brutal.
I was bedridden and isolated myself for a long time.
In the end, I actually went back on topical steroids aggressively, then tapered off slowly.
That might be triggering for a community that is largely anti-steroid, but it was my personal choice. By integrating various health approaches, I was able to approach eczema and TSW in a controlled way — mitigating and bypassing the devastating withdrawal effects.
As much as I want to help the cold turkey community, it’s no longer my place. The symptom management insights and data remain on TSW Assist, but cold turkey TSW overlaps with so many other factors:
- eczema
- HPA-axis dysfunction
- adrenal crisis
- anti-pharmaceutical perspectives
- alternative healing modalities
- metabolic health considerations
- chronic inflammation management
- and the psychological impact of long-term withdrawal.
The cold turkey TSW community has grown into a global network of some of the strongest people I know. Many have become my dear friends over the years.
For almost four years, I worked on TSW Assist at night and on weekends outside of my day job and family time. It was a passion project driven by a deep desire to help others. However, I no longer have the capacity to grow this website and continue finding insights into the complexities of cold turkey TSW. So, I’ve decided to stop running the survey for TSW Assist.
It was an ambitious project that successfully solved the challenge of crowdsourcing symptom management insights for Topical Steroid Withdrawal. Beyond the survey, conversations in TSW groups continue, with hot topic discussions on Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP), Cyclosporine, and Dupixent being the most common topics.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. The TSW community is one of the most resilient I have ever seen. I wish you all strength, healing, and peace on your paths forward.
I’m taking a break for now, but this not a goodbye!
Sincerely,
Jason Vergara
Related Posts:
- View tapering insights from the survey
- Both Methods Explained: Cold Turkey Vs Tapering
