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Tramadol Withdrawl

Posted , 9 users are following.

Kalten
Kalten

I've been on tramadol for a few months now. I take about 150mg per day. Some really bad pain days I take 200mg and on a lower pain day I only take 100mg, but it averages out to about 150mg per day.

I normally pop a 50mg pill first thing when I wake up, then a few hours later I will take another. And then usually after dinner in the evening, I will take my 3rd and final pill.

Anyway, I keep reading these nightmare stories about the withdrawl, so I decided to give myself a little test and stopped taking it for a 24 hour period.

I felt nothing. Didn't feel sick, no headaches, no restless legs. I had some sinus issues (which I heard is common with tramadol withdrawl) like a runny nose. Are some people just perhaps immune to the withdrawl? Have I not been taking it in a high enough dose for a long enough period of time to suffer any major withdrawl?

As an aside, I used to be a heavy drinker (I'm sober now and haven't touched alcohol in 4 months). I drank a 12 pack per day for over a decade. Got my liver checked out during an ultrasound for adominal pain (this is what I take the tramadol for) and my liver was healthy with only some mild fat buildup. Blood tests also came back clean. I figured I dodged a major bullet, thanked my lucky stars, and swore off alcohol right then and there!

When I quit drinking cold turkey, I suffered no withdrawl symptoms. Even my doctor was surprised. I had a very mild headache and was very irritable for a week or so, but that was it! I expected much worse.

However, I still feel the abdominal pain I am experiencing is related to my heavy drinking for many years. While my liver might be okay, I fear I have irrirated my stomach and it may take quite some time to heal. Thankfully, the tramadol helps keep this pain at bay on most days.

Just curious to what you guys think. Are some people just immune to withdrawl symptoms? I still plan to taper when my doc takes me off the tramadol though because even if I'm not feeling anything physically, I still believe it's the safest way to quit it.

 

0 likes, 19 replies

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  • thebird55
    thebird55 Kalten

    Posted

    At that dosage level, you should not expect any problems with withdrawal from the opioid effects. However, you may have some issues (probably minor) with withdrawing from the SSRI effects of tramadol. These symptoms may take more than a day to manifest themselves. Typical symptoms (for your dosage level) would be things like feeling listless, ill at ease, or downright irritable.
    • Kalten
      Kalten thebird55

      Posted

      My doc gave me some zoloft which I'm going to take when the tramadol ends. So, not really too concerned with the SSRI effects. I was more worried with the physical withdrawl. Good to know my dosage is too low for anything major. Thanks for the quick reply!
  • tony15730
    tony15730 Kalten

    Posted

    I would be more concerned about finding the cause for your pain. Tramadol will help the pain but unless you know the cause you will not know if something serious is happening. Have you had a scan on your stomach?

    I disagree with the other poster saying 200mg a day is not enough to get withdrawal, it is. With tramadol the period of time you take it regularly is a better indicator than the actual amount. For example I took high doses on and off and had no problems. But when I took 200 every day for 5 months I suffered. Basically flu symptoms for several weeks and depression. But hey you might be lucky.

    • Kalten
      Kalten tony15730

      Posted

      No stomach scan yet. Waiting to see a specialist.

      I have had the other tests though including various blood tests, ultrasound, physical exam, and h pylori. All of them came back fine so they have ruled out anything with most of my organs. Still have to have stomach checked, probably with a scope. 

      I'm guessing it's probably just irritation from years of drinking, but who knows?

       

  • michele28539
    michele28539 Kalten

    Posted

    Kalten, please do not drink alcohol while taking Tramadol. I know you said you have been sober, but try to stay that way. Alcohol increases the addictiveness of Tramadol. And it also will prolong and intensify withdrawals. Yes, you dodged a major bullet. Be thankful, stay healthy and move on.
    • Kalten
      Kalten michele28539

      Posted

      I have no plans to drink on tramadol. I was even at a social event a few weeks ago surrounded by it. I was tempted to have 1 or 2 beers, but I didn't.

      And I never ever mix drugs and alcohol.

       

  • steve_1
    steve_1 Kalten

    Posted

    I think that you, like me are a sort of non addictive person.

    Over the last 50 odd years I've taken a lot of different things in varying amounts and have never had a problem stopping and this applies to Tramadol.

    Every now and then I stop taking it to prove to myself that I can and it's only the return of the pain that suggests to me that I ought to "keep taking the pills"

    • Kalten
      Kalten steve_1

      Posted

      What was your dosage and how long did you take it?

      I was really surprised I had no withdrawl from alcohol after drinking a 12 pack a day for over a decade. And I didn't feel anything when I stopped taking the tramadol either.

      And I know what you mean about the pain. When I miss a dose, it comes back full force.

    • thebird55
      thebird55 Kalten

      Posted

      Have you considered that you may have pancreatitis, caused by the years of alcohol?
    • Kalten
      Kalten thebird55

      Posted

      It isn't pancreatitis. Was one of the first things they tested for.
  • lin06321
    lin06321 Kalten

    Posted

    My experience has been that the XR Tramadol is a thousand times worse to withdraw from, and personally I can cut my daiy intake by 50% and have no problems.  If I go slowly from there on out I don't have affects.  I quit cold turkey once (because I wanted to drink on a trip to Vegas, which was dumb anyway) and I was super sick for over a week.  Tramadol still works for me, for chronic pain, so I always go back.  For me it is worth any fear of withdrawl or anything because it truly makes a huge difference for me.  I am not one who considers Tramadol evil, though I know many do.

    You are on a lowish dose.  I had an OD tell me once that 6 50mg tabs a day is the max "safe" dose.  After that the odds of siezures, etc, much worse.

    If it is working for you, I would continue on for what you need.  I don't know if anyone is immune to it, though I suspect for me it isn't as hard as some since I cut and return dosages often and am fine.  I can take one a day from my 4 and many times I'm fine.  I do think it's different for everyone.  

    When I stopped completely though, it was like having bad flu for over a week and it was miserable.  I couldn't sleep, I had restless legs, and I could not stop thinking about killing myself on top of having the sweats and feeling like I would throw up.  I do not recommend cold turkey.  You should taper and by taper most say a few weeks at a time before a drop. The pills cut easy.  You will know if  you are going too fast.  

    Good luck ;-)

    • Stayoff
      Stayoff lin06321

      Posted

      I can give you a remedy for restless legs that works fine. Although used for anemia...low blood iron, ferrous fumerate works for restless feet. Don't know why/how but it sure enuff does.
    • Kalten
      Kalten lin06321

      Posted

      Hey lin, I definitely plan to taper when it's time to come off them.

      I don't consider tramadol evil either. I don't abuse it or take it to get high. I just take it for pain and that's it. I don't feel "addicted" to it the same way I was with alcohol for many years.

  • leo39819
    leo39819 Kalten

    Posted

    You are a lucky one! Glad to hear your livers ok after all those years of drinking. I've heard that Tramadol can be dangerous if you have stomach disorders, so be careful.  Are you still seeking treatment or testing regarding your abdominal pain?  It would be good to find the source.  Yes, I agree it's a good idea to taper off.  Better safe than sorry, right?  Good luck!
    • Kalten
      Kalten leo39819

      Posted

      Hmmm... never heard of Tramadol being unsafe for stomach disorders. It works more on the chemicals in the brain and is pretty easy on the stomach/liver. Do you have a source for that? Just curious because if it is, I'll need to discuss with my doc.
    • Kalten
      Kalten leo39819

      Posted

      Also, yes I am still getting treatment for the stomach pain, although all my tests keep coming up clean. They are starting to wonder if it's perhaps nerve, bone, or muscle related.
    • thebird55
      thebird55 Kalten

      Posted

      That might be a reference to the drug's propensity for slowing down bowel movement, causing constipation. But any opioid will do that.
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