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tramadol freedom

Posted , 7 users are following.

brandi18045
brandi18045

Hi I have posted a few times on here and would like to share my experiences with others. I am not an addict but have a dependcy on tramadol. I have severe pain for scoliosis. I was put on tramadol because I needed pain medication and refused to be on a strong narcotic. My doctor told me tramadol was safe non addicting. Well I took it as prescribed for 6 months. One day I decided to stop it. The surprise I got when I went into withdrawal. I took 200 mg a day. I felt horrible because I realized I was dependent on this drug now. I continued taking it right away living in control of this drug for the next three months. It started to give me horrible headaches and I started reading more about the drug and became very concerned for my own health. Doctors don't believe me when I tell them how horrible this drug is its crazy! So I decided to consult my doctor and he gave me vicodin instead of the tramadol. I made a choice to take one vicodin a day and get off the tramadol. I stopped taking tramadol about 36 hours ago. I did though start taking my one vicodin a day right away. I know how cold turkey feels from tramadol and so far I have the chills.. Sweats going to the bathroom.. But I tell you I still feel good! Tramadol messes with your brain.. It makes you an emotional blank. I had no emotions while on it. It was ruining my marriage! This morning I woke up and cried it was like it had built up and my brain finally was letting me let it out. I read so much horror stories about tramadol withdrawal.. It actually scared me to stay on it. But even though it sucks and it's hard each hour is another hour closer to being free.. Do it! Get your life back! I will be on vicodin now.. But I don't abuse it and I tell you it doesn't effect me like the tramadol.. And I never have gotten sick when. Stopping it. Tramadol is the devils drug it leaves your system so strongly because of the poison thats in it! I wish you all luck if your struggling to come off of it.. But do it don't look back it's not all horrific as it sounds and it's over so quickly!

2 likes, 41 replies

41 Replies

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  • jayneejay
    jayneejay brandi18045

    Posted

    Hi brandy

    I was given zaldiar tramodol for 3 slipped disks, only took one a day or when needed, scare me so dont use unless agony beckons..

    Thanks for your insight

    Jay

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay Nebula

      Posted

      Hi

      Its the brand name on box

      37.5mg /325mg tramadol /paracetamol it says on box

      Jay

  • Nebula
    Nebula brandi18045

    Posted

    Thank you for reporting. So you are saying vicodin let you stop tramadol cold turkey?. One vicodin a day and you stopped 200mg tramadol a day just like that? Cold turkey? You still had withdrawal, but not as bad? How are you now? How long did it take? What if you had taken vicodin and gone down on tramadol slowly? Would that have made it less painful?
    • brandi18045
      brandi18045 Nebula

      Posted

      Tomorrow will be 48 hours without any tramadol for me. Today I didn't have any and yes I quit cold turkey.. I tried to taper but the tramadol was giving me huge migraines and I just was ready to be done.. I actually flushed the remaining 100 pills I had just so I couldn't take one if I had i starting getting really sick. I have done this before and my experience is the withdrawal hits me days two and three the hardest so I'm praying that it isn't too bad tonight. Did I use the vicodin to get off tramadol? I wouldn't say it like that I choose to use the vicodin for my pain now instead of the tramadol. Is the vicodin helping ease my withdrawal? Yes I would say that as it is probably stopping any opiate withdrawal. But tramadol is a medicine of its own kind and to continue a withdrawal when still taking vicodin shows that it isn't comparable to regular opiates. I am Keeping very busy.. I think alot of the tramadol withdrawal is in your head.. If you think OMG this is going to be awful.. It will be... I have took each hour I go without one and have reminded myself thats another hour free I'm getting closer! Tapering is a good idea.. Especially if your on a high dose. .but I wasn't and really I just said I'm done and went for it !
    • Nebula
      Nebula brandi18045

      Posted

      Thanks brandi,

      So vicodin is for pain, to replace the tramadol?

       

    • duracell_dave
      duracell_dave brandi18045

      Posted

      I had a read and on all the sites say than vicodin and tramadol simular side affects,tramadol for pain works better, but vicodin 50mg against tramadol 50mg vicodin is up to 8x stronger,very strange,I think I will stick to what I know and is good for me,by no means does this mean that your wrong just that you prefer one to the other,good luck anyway,I must go I have to recharge my arse 😀
    • brandi18045
      brandi18045 duracell_dave

      Posted

      I think that the vicodin is stronger.. For me anyway.. Everyone I guess has what works for them.. I could take 5 tramadol a day or 2 vicodiN. Tramadol for me was giving me huge side effects.. Such as headaches and then the control it has on you because you withdrawal as soon as you miss a dose. I am on vicodin now and I am still experiencing withdrawals from tramadol so they aren't too similar!
  • duracell_dave
    duracell_dave brandi18045

    Posted

    Hi brandi,I have been on 400mg tramadol and 3600mg gabapentin daily for nerve damage in my legs for 17 years untill last year when in hospital I reduced to 100mg tramadol and 2100mg gabapentin daily, I couldnt go any further as I have alot of pain,in the last 3 years I have had bad daily headaches at least 24 days a month,after searching until earlier this year for a solution I have found possibly that I am suffering rebound headaches from so much tramadol over the years, can you tell me as I'm on tramadol for back pain that the vicodin is as good, then maybe just maybe they might help me with the head pain,I live in germany now and fortunatly they have put 2 wires in my spinal cord and a 9 year battery in my butt which helps with the pain and I can reduce more in the future as the electrical pulse feeling reachs the brain quicker than my pain,the pains still there but pushed to the side,its nice to hear you say dependent and not addicted as so many do with pain relief meds,but I am pleased that you are happier with your life , let me know a bit more ,why were you on tramadol etc, listen to me its 5am here I've been up from 3am went to bed at 12am another side affect of tramadol and its worse lately since I've reduced ,enough of my babbling (another side affect lol),have a lovely day. smile
    • brandi18045
      brandi18045 duracell_dave

      Posted

      They say tramadol is not as strong vicodin. As they will tell you they are pretty similar.. But they aren't! The Doctor told me to switch from the tramadol right to the vicodin and I would have to withdrawals cause they were both similar... Haha not true! i had a horrible night.. The sweats... Restless legs.. Cold insomnia you know all those wonderful tramadol things! If you take vicodin as its prescribed and don't abuse it it will not give you those withdrawals ..at least not me I stopped it many times.. No problems. The tramadol headaches.. Awful just awful I think I had one almost for a month it seemed like. One day after stopping tramadol they are gone it's a huge relief. I have scoliosis and a Harrington rod in my back along with some nerve problems in my neck. Good luck to you I hope you cab maybe talk to your doctor and change medicines to control your pain.. I am almost certain your headaches are from the tramadol!
    • duracell_dave
      duracell_dave brandi18045

      Posted

      Thanks for that,I will do some investigation and tell my doc I want to change,funnily enough being as I am a long time sufferer I tend to tell them what I want and believe me I get it,mind you I have to run everything through the wife as I forget a lot (I know side affect lol),I can deal with my nerve pain as the gabapentin has been a life saver for at least 16 years and the Duracell battery in my arse lol,but the headaches are truly awful,I have a appointment wuth the hospital may 20th so I have time to play with my meds,after all theses years I must admit it frightened me to change,so here go's I'm dialling the Dr now.thanks again Brandi,enjoy your week and I will maybe find you in 2 weeks time,one thing I forgot did you swap one for one, 50mg tramadol for 50mg vicodin? 😀
    • brandi18045
      brandi18045 duracell_dave

      Posted

      Great! Yes do it switch it isn't a fun time withdrawaling From the tramadol but you will notice your headache will start to go away in like 24 hours and your head is just alot clearer that for me was a huge relief and the withdrawal I was feeling.. I am feeling is a walk in the park compared to these awful headaches. I myself don't want to be on something that causes so much sickness when not taking it and I have come to face I will be on medication a long time so I don't want it to ruin my life! Vicodin is actually in different amounts ..one tablet I take is 5/325 I believe. I was taking 4 to 5 50 mg tablets of tramadol and now I take one to two tablets of the vicodin. Vicodin is stronger so less needed. They will tell you they act the same way but they don't.. Good luck to you I hope you find what works best for you! If I can get off tramadol then you for sure cab because I'm a big wimp when it comes to getting sick!

    • duracell_dave
      duracell_dave brandi18045

      Posted

      Me again 😀,I have read that long term vicodin is not recommended due to causing liver damage ?
    • brandi18045
      brandi18045 duracell_dave

      Posted

      Yes I would guess that as the form I am taking has aspirin in it. Anything for a long period of time is going to effect your body. If tramadol works for you then I would stay on it. I'm just saying my experience and that I hated tramadol while it worked for pain the strength is had on my brain and emotions it wasn't for me. Tramadol has qualities of that of an antidepressant.. Some actually take tramadol for depression. That is what I don't like and think I was taking to much. Of course eventually I would like to find other ways to be pain free but the help of pills is always something I guess I will need. Followups to doctors to stay in tune with how it's effecting your body and hey if I want to stop vicodin at least I want go through tramadol withdrawal hell again!
    • brandi18045
      brandi18045

      Posted

      Also let me me say I wasn't trying to say get off tramadol go to vicodin. I was just giving my experience of stopping the tramadol and just wanted to let people know I was now on vicodin how it will effect me in a week or a month I don't know but I do know I can take this and not get sick when stopping because I have before
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