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Tramadol How Addictive

Posted , 63 users are following.

Maryrhos
Maryrhos

I was prescribed tramadol 6 weeks ago, but having read in the forum how addictive they are I am considering stopping them, although they do help with my back pain. Has anyone being given an alternative to these drugs, and if so are they effective. I will appriciate your replies.

Thanks

8 likes, 103 replies

103 Replies

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  • Nigel97
    Nigel97

    Posted

    I found Tramadol to be a great pain killer. I had no problems with addiction as in needing to take it but great problems when it came to coming off them. Do NOT just stop taking them, you need to come of them slowly.
  • Maryrhos
    Maryrhos

    Posted

    Thanks for your reply. I was prescribed one s-l 100mg twice a day, I have now cut them down to just one at night, so far no withdrawal symtons appart feeling a little sweaty. I am so glad I joined this forum. Thank you once again.
  • Fred_Flintstone
    Fred_Flintstone

    Posted

    Also called Zydol, I find them good for pain relief and also helps with sleeping although I would say not to take them just for the latter.
  • evergreen
    evergreen

    Posted

    Tramadol is highly addictive. I try to warn everyone I can about it. The most I ever took was 150 mg. I thought it was a wonder drug because I have a physically demanding job and it gave me boundless energy as well as taking away most of my back pain. Or to be more accurate, it did not really take away the pain, just made me able to cope with the pain. I only became aware that I was addicted the day I was due to go to the specialist about my back and I decided not to take any so that I was more able to describe and pinpoint the pain. On the way to the hospital I began to feel panicky, and my body felt weak and ached all over. I wanted to scream and cry. I felt like I was cracking up. The specialist was so concerned about me that he wrote to my GP suggesting all kinds of tests be carried out. It was only a few days later that I began to put two and two together and realise that it was tramadol withdrawal that made me feel this way.

    It became so bad that one day when I had misplaced my pills I virtually tore the house apart looking for them. I became paranoid that my husband was hiding them from me. When I found them, I downed one straight away and felt 100% better an hour later. It was then that I decided that I didn't care how much they did for my pain, I was going to quit. I managed to get down to two a day (100 mg) quite easily. But stepping down to 50 mg was much harder. But the worst was coming off the last 50mg. They do not make any smaller doses and so I had to open th capsules and empty out half of the powder and then reseal it. I managed to come off the last 25 mg by taking it alternate days and then every 3 days until finally getting 'clean'.

    • trina07398
      trina07398 evergreen

      Posted

      Thanks for your information I am going to try your method.  I was injury on the job and started taking tramdol for over 2 months.  I chose tramdol because I was told it was not addicting only to find it was addicting.  Not I am tring to wean myself off the tramdol and going through H@@l.  With the sweats and flu like systoms. After 3 days off tramdol i was so sick I did not know what to do. Once I started back on the tramdol my systoms got better. After losing my health insurance and it costing me $200.00 per office. To get assitance to be wean off the tramdol.  I really want my life back and is asking for any help.  I am drinking green tea every day that make me sweat like crazy, drinking plenty of water, and weaning myself of by taking less tramdol each day. However I am experence bad heachaches and take tylendol. I am not on any other medication.I am so thankful for finding this website.  Any feedback or sugestions are welcome.
    • MelX
      MelX evergreen

      Posted

      Haha this is how I came off pregabalin. Spliiting the capsule like that and pourinh half away. I expect to do the same when i come off tramadol. I know I am physically addicted to tramadol. However this is also true of prednisrole and was of course for pregabalin. I am not frightened by this, in fact I look forward to the day that the pain stops and i can plan my withdrawal.
    • mesusan
      mesusan evergreen

      Posted

      Good for you for coming off. Yes they are highly addictive. I wish I could live on them. I'm so much more relaxed. But I, too, quit and it was hell.
    • robotroadie
      robotroadie evergreen

      Posted

      I, too, was taking 150mg of tramadol a day for a year. I have an addictive personality, so that why i asked for them. My ortho doc told me that they weren't addictive. Now I've withdrawal from oxycodone and that a sickness i NEVER want to experience that again. I tried cold turkey for a month. I eventually did the methadone thing. That i don't recommend at all. Because the withdrawal from that isn't fun either. Anyway, sorry to sideline. So after my second shoulder surgery i took oxy for the first 4 or 5 days. Then straight to tramadol until about 3 weeks ago. I haven't experienced total withdrawal symptoms(aches and pains. The ones i am going through still are the restless legs, and some insomnia. The first week i would take 2mg of klonopin to sleep. It helped to get some sleep. Now i take 1mg at night. I get about 3-4 hours of sleep now. I applaud everyone and anyone who are coming of this drug that was told to me by my ortho doc it wasn't a problem
  • Fred_Flintstone
    Fred_Flintstone

    Posted

    evergreen,

    Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

    I have to say for anyone that has been prescribed this drug for pain to keep taking it unless being told not to by your GP.

    Tramadol was the only drug that helped me with my particular pain, and I honestly have to say I wasn't addicted to it, so it's not addictive to everyone.

    • cherig
      cherig Fred_Flintstone

      Posted

      I have been taking tramadol for about year for extreme knee pain.  I have increased the dosage and was somewhat concerned.  However I am still taking less than half of the dosage prescribed.  Occasionally I take more often after a very bad night or if I have pulled something.

      I had to stop taking ibuphphen due to abdomial issues.

       

  • Kitty16
    Kitty16

    Posted

    I take it for pain, I've just written a long post in another thread about it...

    I do not find myself addicted, my pain comes & goes ... I have good days & bad, good months & bad even - when the pain is minimal I take nothing, when it get worse i add paracetamol/ibuprofen, then if that doesn't help at all I go onto tramadol too...

    This stuff is not as simple as people make out in these forums, everything we are taking which is a prescription medication should be discussed thoroughly with a qualified medical professional and monitored - we should not take anyone elses word for it about how a drug may affect us - we are all completely different and what works for one, won't for another...

    I find it quite worrying seeing people encouraging or discouraging use of medications online - only your doctor or consultant should be telling you what to try and what to avoud - fair enough share our experiences but nothing should be taken as statement of fact in that respect, just personal experiences!

    If you are in enough pain to warrant a drug such as tramadol, and are very careful with your usage of it then the risk of addiction should be minimal, if you take it when the pain is not that bad then the risk becomes higher... speak to a pharmacist or a GP if you have concerns though as they don't prescribe things to us for no good reason and stopping taking a drug due to horror stories online may in fact make someone's quality of life worse!

  • happyjoy
    happyjoy

    Posted

    I took tramadol for acute chronic back pain for ten years. In February, I began the process of lowering the dose to come off it. I had begun to develop migraines and it was decided a dif med would be better.

    Yes, It was very hard to come off of, even tapering over 6 months. No, I was never addicted to it, in that I never desired to take it, missed it, or wanted the feelings it gave me. The many years I took it, I often forgot a dose until the pain reminded me.

    So, is it addictive? - not in the addict sense. Only in the dependency sense. If you need a drug, and your body becomes dependent on it, it is your call if that is a bad thing.

    I am thankful for ten years of tramadol. I have not found anything yet that treats the pain as completely, exept for oxycontin, which they won't give me long term, and am suffering now. Tramadol for me had the fewest side effects of all the meds I tried years ago.

    • trina07398
      trina07398 happyjoy

      Posted

      Thanks so much for your positive input. I am going through the weaning process now.
    • mick_1234
      mick_1234 happyjoy

      Posted

      Hi i have been taking tramadol for three years now and as you said if you are getting alot of pain this is the best drug to take i have arthris in the top and bottom of my back with out tramadol i pssible would not beable to work.
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