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tramadol addiction

Posted , 7 users are following.

T0ny
T0ny

I guys I've been on tramadol for about 3 months now it all started with back pains I went to the doctors with really bad back pain and he gave me tramadol and some tablets that take swelling down in ya mussels the back pain has now gone but unfortunately I'm still having to take the tramadol as if I don't I end up in worst pain than the back pain I was previously had ! I'm on 500 mg a day! Witch I hear is a high dosage !! aand normally take it in the evening in one hit and it lasts for about 24 hours give or take .. I dunno what to do about it all its really getting to me to begain with I was hiding it from my wife as there opiate based I was worried that she'd think I'm some sort junkie but she now knows and is fine with it well not fine but sort a happy she knows what's going on I've lost loads a waight and don't eat properly my sleep patterns are all over the place I haven't had a good night's sleep in ages witch doesent help matters I'm 37 married with 2 teenage children and I really don't know what to do is there any advice anyone can give me plzzzzz .....

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • tony15730
    tony15730 T0ny

    Posted

    Hi Antony,

    I have also found Tramadol to be an appitite suppresant and it disrupts my sleep as well be it on much lower doses than yours.

    There are many options to come off tramadol and quite a few threads on here giving advice. YTou may want to consider gradually reducing the dose by only 1 tablet every week or even only every month if withdrawels are rough and long lasting. If you find one tablet to much split open a tablit and reduce your dose by half a tablet each time.

    You may also want to try and split the 500mg ose out throughout the day first before reducing. Taking a high dose in one go puts you at risk of seizures. Maybe split it in to 2 x 250mg first? If this is not possible for you just graduly reduce the dose every 1 - 4 weeks.

    Taking the dose earlier in the day may also help with your sleep problems.

    Also watch your teeth, I found I grind my teeth at night when I take tramadol and use a mouth guard to protect them.

     

    • T0ny
      T0ny tony15730

      Posted

      Hi Tony 

      Thanks for ya reply I was originally 2x50mg 3 times a day but found that pain in my back was still hurting badly so I took more tramadol to ease the pain witch worked when I found that my back pain had got a lot better I.e not hurting I stopped taking tramadol but got the cold turkey feeling I thorght I was coming down with a cold or flu but then discovered when I took the trams again the pains went ( a friend of mine suggested that I take 100mg to find out weather I was addicted to them and I am ! ) I'm worried about long term use I've been told you can have kidney failure,heart attack,seizures I started one big dose in the evening cos they make go funny and float so didn't want that feeling during the day can't function properly when I'm out of my face on trams to be honist I really don't know what to do mate there f**c*ing my life and marriage up cos I'm not the same guy I was 3 months a go when I started taking them my misses has even commented that I've changed they give u a feeling of not giving a s**t I.e nothing bothers you witch I don't like feeling as now days you need to keep on top of things if ya know what mean ... They should be band from chemists cos they muck peoples life up !!! 

  • jr10060
    jr10060 T0ny

    Posted

    Anthony, don't give up hope!  Yes, you will read here that it is tough, absolutely terrible to stop Tramadol.  And it is.  I was taking 150 -200 mg everyday for 18 years.  Two divorces later before I figured it out that the tramadol had virtually rewired my neurotransmitters and my body was fooled into taking the tramadol all the time.  You can stop the tramadol but if you think you cant do it alone, then go to your doctor.  He can give you a schedule to slowly reduce the tramadol, an even give you something to help you kick it.

    I stopped taking it completely for 8 days now.  I slowly tappered myself off until I was taking only 1/2 tab every 2 days for 2 weeks and stopped.  No withdrawls, nothing.  It is a long process, but you need to get off the stuff.  It will slowly take over your life and make you think everything is ok, but I guarantee you, your wife know.  You need to let her know your situation if possible.

    Just do it and you won't have to see the world through rose-colored glasses anymore. Good luck Anthony.  Have faith in yourself.  God does.

  • Chester_Field
    Chester_Field T0ny

    Posted

    Coming off of Tramadol is extremely tough.  The withdrawals are horrible, and they last for weeks.  But it is possible to stop taking it for good.  I was dumb enough to do it twice.  The only way to come off of Tramadol is to slowly taper off a little at a time.  If you have withdrawals, coming off cold turkey feels nearly impossible.  One of the worst withdrawals is the extreme restlessness, making it nearly impossible to sleep for weeks.  Tramadol stays in your system for a long time.  You will need to taper off slowly until you are down to a half a pill a day.  Then you may need to take that 1/2 pill for over a week until you are albe to come off it 100% and not have bad withdrawal symtems.  Or you can see how long you can eventually go without taking a pill, and then only take a 1/2 pill when you feel the withdrawal systems coming back.  Again, tramadol stays in your system a long time.  This is not a quick process, but I promise, it's doable! 
    • jr10060
      jr10060 Chester_Field

      Posted

      Hello boardutah. Tramadol is without a doubt very difficult to stop. I was on it for 18 years. I went to a support class at Kaiser which helped. I also tapered off slowly as you mentioned. I took 1/2 for two weeks. I have been off it for 5 months now. Not a pill. Yes, it will take about a year for your body to readjust. I still have days when I tell myself maybe just one pill wont hurt. Then I remind myself of all it took to stop. Hang in there and if need be, get into a support class. Take care
  • jr10060
    jr10060 T0ny

    Posted

    Anthony, go to your doctor and get withdrawl meds. It will help you immensley.I guess the question is, when you stop, does your back still hurt? If so, maybe see a specialist for backs to help you. I took it for 18 years. I was taking 3 a day. I slowly began a tappering process. 2 1/2 for 3 weeks, 2 for 3 weeks, 11/2 for 3 weeks and so on. I did this on my own. It was not ordered by a doctor. It worked for me, but you have to have the will to do it. Get your wife on your side. RemEmber, if you used for 3 months, it will take three months. Try using green te And get on your vitamins. Good luck. You can do this.
  • JJ93
    JJ93 T0ny

    Posted

    Just reduce and taper very slowly, eventually you will be off it, when it gets to a low dose maybe try some valium for the anxiety as that's the worst side of Tramadol withdrawal. I've been on 800 to 1200mg a day for over a year to help with heroin addiction and the SSRI withdrawls are evil. Tramadol withdrawal at a high dose is 10x worse than IV heroin withdrawal.
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