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been on tramadol 2yrs..pain or withdrawal?

Posted , 7 users are following.

chloe68525
chloe68525

When I have missed a dose of tramadol I'm in severe pain..how do I tell the difference between pain or withdrawal?

1 like, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • Tabstoyou
    Tabstoyou chloe68525

    Posted

    This was the issue I had. I had to taper off and stop everything for a while to actually understand what was MY pain and what was Tramadol pain.
    • chloe68525
      chloe68525 Tabstoyou

      Posted

      Ok thanks. It all seems very daunting. GPS useless 1 says slowly reduce other say double everything I take..all very confusing. They are handed out to easy in my opinion. Thnks again. X
    • Tabstoyou
      Tabstoyou chloe68525

      Posted

      No one here is a doctor (myself included obviously!) and we can only tell you what happened to us, but I found the Chronic Pain Clinic slightly more helpful than the GP.  At the end of the day if you cant cope with whatever pain you are in (Mine was pain from osteo arthritis in spine, neck, hips and knee), then what choice have you got but to take these heavy duty painkillers.  Tramadol for me did not work at all for the pain, but it helped me sleep (for a while anyway) and it made me feel quite happy.  It was only when I decided that it (and Gabapentin which is another c*nt of a drug to come off) wasnt helping and attempted to cut it down, that I realised how dependent on it my body was.  I am still in pain now but not as much from osteoarthritis, but I am too scared to take anything stronger than paracetamol with heat pads, heat creams etc.  Can you try to taper it off and see how it goes? or is that not feasible for your pain - obviously I dont know what youre going through.  Anyway, hope whatever you decide is not too horrendous for you.  Take care m'dear x
  • Nebula
    Nebula chloe68525

    Posted

    What kind of pain did you originally take the tramadol for? Was it effective for the specific pain? Has that specific pain returned when you skip a dose? If the answer to the last two questions is yes, it seems like you are needing the tramadol to do what it is supposed to do, and if you can't find another effective way to deal with that pain, maybe it's not time to stop yet...?

     

    • Nebula
      Nebula

      Posted

      Also, how much are you taking (dosage size and frequency)? 

       

    • chloe68525
      chloe68525 Nebula

      Posted

      Thnks for replying, i was ran over..had spin fracture and other injuries..but now left with widespread pain, CRPS nerve pain n soft tissue damage. At beginning tramadol was very effective but that slow reduced over time. If iv missed a does pain is very bad so I automatically take a pill and it's eased..iv neva left it long enough to tell if it's jst withdrawal, think I jst naturally assume it's pain.
    • chloe68525
      chloe68525 Nebula

      Posted

      I take 100mg slow release x 2 daily and then 50mg can be between x 0-4 daily.
  • Nebula
    Nebula chloe68525

    Posted

    This is just my personal opinion, I am not a doctor, etc., but have you thought about the fact that you were given the pain reliever to help you cope with serious pain, and as that pain appears to have not yet been resolved, maybe you should be working with your doctor on why your pain is persisting ad what to do about it? Has your doctor been part of your experimenting with skipping doses? Or has she/he heard what happens when you do? It sounds to me like you have awful pain, and that is the problem, so also I'm just a bit confused about what you are needing and wanting from this forum now (although I think you have a very legitimate question that I hope you will get help with). If you are not abusing tramadol (just using it as directed and for the reasons specified), some of the posts on here can perhaps be frightening.
    • chloe68525
      chloe68525 Nebula

      Posted

      I only use it as directed..different Dr's tell me different things but its then not always followed through..1 recently told me 2 double everything saw a different 1 on mon she said think about slowly reducing..but advice doesn't seem to follow lol. I posted on here to jst see if my thoughts iv been having about is it pain or withdrawal is that normal n have other experienced same thing.
    • Nebula
      Nebula chloe68525

      Posted

      Again, I am not a doctor, but I just think if it was prescribed for pain, and when you don't take it, you get pain, that means you need to focus on the issue of why you are having pain and how to resove that problem. Getting off tramadol is not hard for everyone. As long as you don't abuse it, or overuse it, maybe you (and your doctor, of course ;-) )should keep your eyes on the prize: getting well so you don't experience the pain that requires you to take the tramadol? I know it's hard when you read about so many people having withdawal problems, though :-(

       

  • Notabene
    Notabene chloe68525

    Posted

    That's the big question with tram.. When you try to cut back/stop, you never know if you're ill, in withdrawals or whatever.  When I cut back I go into coma and utter tiredness take to bed and rest rest.   Am I unwell with something else or can all symptoms be put down to withdrawing.  It's a b..ch
    • chloe68525
      chloe68525 Notabene

      Posted

      Ok thnks, that's helpful to know..thts how I feel when missed 1 definitely my slow release 1s. If you don't mind me asking. . Were you taking them for long? did you ride those symptoms out?.if so did it last long? or did u start the whole tram cycle again? Thnks for replying x
  • michele28539
    michele28539 chloe68525

    Posted

    Chloe, Pain is pain. Withdrawal is he'll. I was taking them for 18 months. Today is day 11 off of them cold turkey. The symptoms of withdrawal for me began with tremors, sudden spike in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, panic attacks, a constant feeling of pending doom, prufuse sweating, chills, diarrhea. It was horrible and terrifying. If you don't have any of this symptoms, then ask your doctor to switch your medication. Tramadol is not only a pain medication, it's also an antidepressant. It messes with your brain. I did not know this when I began taking it. And so far everyone on every forum I've seen has similar nightmare stories. My advice is to get out while you can.
    • Tabstoyou
      Tabstoyou michele28539

      Posted

      Why are you doing it cold turkey?!!!!  Its really dangerous.  Go back to your doctor and get some advice or do it really, really slowly.  You can have seizures doing it this way.
    • chloe68525
      chloe68525 Tabstoyou

      Posted

      Pain clinic dr has suggested I think about coming off them and find different way to handle/cope with pain as it's more than likely not guna go away now. I haven't stopped taking any yet..fully understand I need to slowly reduce them over time. Thnks for your post
    • michele28539
      michele28539 Tabstoyou

      Posted

      I began having those awful symptoms while I was taking it. I stopped because I thought the Tramadol caused them. I took the same amount always, never increased them. It began quite suddenly after 18 months. I was pain free and always happy. It was great. Then I was feeling none of that anymore, in fact just the opposite. Looking back now to when the symptoms first began probably was because my body needed more to achieve the same effects and I didn't respond to that. Instead, I got scared and just stopped. I don't know what it is to have a seizure, but 11 days off of them and starting to feel better.
    • Tabstoyou
      Tabstoyou michele28539

      Posted

      I had all of the above and ;they lasted weeks.  In the end I had to go back on it and taper really slowly and I STILL had the symptoms, albeit to a lesser degree.  The brain zaps went on for months.  In fact I thought I was going to have them forever.

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