Going cold turkey.... 9/10/15 20.00

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hi guys

I'm Going cold turkey as your reading this... Been on tramadol for 2 years now been weaning of them past 4 months with the help of resolve a drug and alcohol service in my home town. When I started getting help I was on 500 to 600 mg a day and I'm down to 200mg per day but Im sick of them taking over my life so I've stopped taking them last dose was last night approximately 25 hours a go. And I must admit it's horrible at the moment I'm up and down shakes going hot and cold no energy and to be honest feel like s%it.. And I dunno if it's gonna get any worse! I'm gonna go for as long as I can tho I have a slight cold as well or is tht just the withdrawal? Not to sure at the moment. To be honest I'm not sure how I'm writing this at the moment but I'm managing it lol has anyone else gone down this road to give them up..

Tony

😥😬😢👊

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Posted

    Taper them. Please. Read all the advice on here. X
  • Posted

    I take my hat off to you.  It is doable. It is best done if you have no work or responsibilities, or take a sick week and shut yourself up with favorites foods, drinks and a huge box of tissues.  You are going to feel as if you have flu big style. If you are in pan I suggest you start taking them. That way there will be a cross over and give you some relief and being in pain and withdrawing is not good a good combination.

    It will take longer than a week for it to leave your system, but the first week is painful. If you can't cope, dont cut down by per tablet, cut one of then in quarters, then instead if taking 2 tablets (or whatever you take). Take 1 and 1/2 - 3/4. Whatever you do, I wish you loads of luck

  • Posted

    Tony, First of all, good for you. I am on day 13 of total cold turkey and I can offer hands on advice. For your physical health, try the following: Absolutely no alcohol. Drinking to think it will ease your symptoms is not accurate. In fact, the opposite is true. Drink lots of water and take two advil every four to six hours. You'll need Imodium for diarrhea which is common. Vitamin B6, B12 to help calm nervous system, Vitamin C and Zinc. If you have a good GP, tell them about your anxiety and ask for Clonopin. If not, try Advil Pm to help you relax. Now for your mental health and support, tell a trusted adult. Be honest and let them know you were prescribed something that came with no warning of potential addiction. That's what happened to most of us on this forum. You'll start feeling better in a few days, even better in a week, and back to your in about 10 days to 2 weeks. Take off work if you can. If you have no one to tell what you're going through, then keep in touch with the help center you already know. Good luck. It will get better. God bless. <3 and ps: remember, no alcohol. it will intensify and prolong withdrawal symptoms. and="" ps:="" remember,="" no="" alcohol.="" it="" will="" intensify="" and="" prolong="" withdrawal="">
  • Posted

    I forgot to include that yes, you'll be sneezing a lot and I found wearing tight knee socks stopped my legs from twitching at night. Best wishes.
  • Posted

    While you are at it, do a week (or 2) detox, there's one where you have to drink a litre and half of this made up juice ( you sip it throughout the day as opposed to downing by the glass)  as well as specific foods (its not so bad really) It may help the speed up the process 
  • Posted

    Hi Tony, I have gone cold Turkey and now into my 5th week, I had been on the dreaded Tramadol for several years. It isn't easy coming off but worth it in the end. I'm still not quite right but feel so much better just knowing I am no longer an "addict"

    Keep it up and good luck

  • Posted

    Yes Tramadol is an evil slippery sucker. It creeps up on you an the next thing you know you are taking 6-8 a day or more. Withdrawals are hell on earth but the worst only last at least 4-5 days. Then the mental withdrawals start. Yes, Tram messes with serotonin an norepinephrine in the brain. Alot of Dr's just don't believe that or even know. So really your withdrawing fr an antidepressant an a opioid. Two wammies. Hence the horrid withdrawals. I could not taper. I knew I couldn't do it. I knew if I had them anywhere near me I would take one during withdrawals to end the torture, then rt back where I was. I fortunately went to a hospital detox for my cold turkey. They prescribed Klonapine which helped ALOT with restless legs an anxiety. Yes you will be sneezing an flu like symptoms. I gaged alot. Dont know why. I was on 15-20 a day. Im very acquainted with Tramadol tried to quit couple times an evrry time made it 2-3 days an couldn't take it an took one. Finally flushed down toilet an went to hospital. Don't feel bad about this. You are doing something smart an h ER lping yourself. Alot are not strong enough or haven't hit their bottom yet. Remember to stay hydrated, magnesium an potassium levels need to be high. Yes you will pee alot! Also watch out for PAWS. It's the mental side of quitting opioits. It can last a month to 2 yrs. Im fighting that rt now. Depression started 5 mnths after stopping a 7-8 yr habit. I think its worse for someone who has been on it for yrs at high dose. Iv tried two different antidepressants an they didn't do much. Fixing to try Cymbalta. Lexapro an Zoloft no go.So it's normal to have low moods or anxiety after stopping even wks later. You won't have a seizure fr abruptly stopping. You have seizures from Tramadol fr taking TO MUCH NOT STOPPING. But others on here will say different. Iv been in the medical field since 18. I know all about Tramadol. I never had a seizure fr stopping. Only had one when I took TO MUCH. So cold turkey isn't for everyone. I couldn't stand drawing it out by tapering. So cold turkey was the only way. I survived. Uncomfortable but survived. Goodluck. Stay in touch. Let us all know how you are. Talking helps!

    God bless fr Tx-U.S.

    Zio

    • Posted

      Wow Zio, I had no idea about that mental side of it. I am on day 16 of cold turkey and have no plan on going back. What is difficult now is the aches and pains, no energy and down mood. I don't want to take an antidepressant because I feel like that would be using one poison to cure another. Is there any herbal products out there to elevate mood without raising Serotonin level too high? I wonder.
    • Posted

      Hi Michele thats the thing the doctors don't really warm us of the dangers of tramadol it really is a nasty drug and personally i think it should be taken off the market. I know there must be people that find it ok but not very many do.

      Well done on your "cold turkey2 it isn't easy but worth t in the long run, I am now on week 6. What I have started taking ( just 4 days ago) is Valerian Root which is supposed to help with sleep but for me as yet there is no change, I'm still awake on & all all night. I do however feel so much better during the day, not so tired and grumpy.

      Like you I don't want to take another drug to get over Tramadol so just I'm taking one day at a time....at least until I have another opp to correct the blunder last time.

    • Posted

      Thats the trouble docorts dish them out like sweets and don't explain the dangers of their addiction...Week 6 of cold trukey for me now, feel so much better just knowing I'm no longer an addict to the dreaded Tramadol. It wasn't easy as I was on such a high dose but hey ho one day at a time.......

       

    • Posted

      Oh boy. This is embarrassing to say it. Aweful. I was taking anywhere between 750-1,000mg. The limit is 400mg a day. That's 8-50mg pills a day. I was taking,at the end, 15-20 50mg pills a day. At first an for yrs, took normal dose. But in last two yrs before going in detox facility, I had started going up. My body got use to it so needed more. Aweful.
    • Posted

      Well there 5HTP tablets or capsules. They are supposed to increase serotonin. Health food stores could give more info. Also St. John's Wort but it is very touchy. Messes with alot of medications. I tried 5-HTP but not much help. Vit.D3 in 5,000 units is good. Magnesium an potassium are needed for muscles an the heart so if you are having muscle pain either get your magnesium an potassium an other electrolytes checked via bloodwork or start taking magnesium tabs. Dont go over 450mg a day. Potassium just eat bananas. Or pumpkin seeds. Make sure uour drinking water to. Dehydration can cause muscle cramps/pain. I would go an have baseline bloodwork. Checking Vit. D levels an electrolytes an a cbc an liver panel. Start fr there.
    • Posted

      Thank you Zio. I did have all the bloodwork done and it showed I had hyperthyroidism which causes the same effects as Tramadol withdrawals. So after of few weeks of feeling better, I began the Tramadol again. I like it because it kept me going. No pain, lots of energy, great mood, got out and walking three to five miles daily, down a well needed twenty pounds. Then, boom, panic attacks began again and all the horrible symptoms recurred. Stopped again cold turkey. But I was also drinking nightly. I think it caused toxicity, intensified the withdrawal symptoms and extended time for those symptoms from subsiding. No more Trams for me. Had to stop alcohol too. But still can't sleep without meds. Yuck.
    • Posted

      Your so wise to not take an antidepressant, as they are also difficult to get off of. A friend in trying again to try, but her withdrawals are more or less the same as mine getting off of Tramadol

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