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Coming off Tramadol

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fizzysoap
fizzysoap

Hello all,

I am after some friendly advice. 12 Jan I had a riding accident, hurt my shoulder. It was previously injured (dislocation/fracture of humerus) and it's been weak ever since. Doc put me on cocodamol as of 14th, and then on the 17th I was back at docs because they were making me sick. He put me on tramadol. 2x 50mg tablets three times a day.

I wasn't warned about any possible side effects, other than they may cause drowsiness.

11 weeks later, I can't kick it. I no longer require the tramadol for pain. They tried a weaning programme. I was given Tramadol SR tablets. I cut from 300mg a day to 200mg. One tablet morning, one tablet evening for a week. The week after I was cut down to 100mg tablet in the morning, then nothing.

I lasted a day before I used some left over regular tramadol.

The effects were horrific when I initially changed the dosage, but I thought it would be okay with cutting down and then coming off completely. I was ready for some side effects, but not what happened in reality.

Headaches, nosebleeds, sickness, sweats, freezing cold, aggressiveness, exhaustion, tearful, restless, insomnia.

I had some very very dark thoughts that I haven't had in years. I took the tramadol and felt ten times better.

I have a doctor's appointment today, but they tend to be as much use as a chocolate teapot. Any recommendations or information you think will be helpful to take with me is greatfully appreciated.

A nurse over the phone expressed she thought that the time frame for coming off them was too short, and the leap from 100mg to none was too much.

Please help.

I know I have a problem, but I'm scared to come off them and become the horrid, nasty person I was at the weekend. My rational thoughts tell me once I stop for good I'll be back to normal, but I don't have those rational thoughts when I try and come off them. I need them to cope with the most simple of tasks.

18 likes, 387 replies

387 Replies

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  • Wobbly68
    Wobbly68

    Posted

    Hi there, it varies from person to person, but you will have some withdrawal if you have been taking it continuously

    . Not sure about the slow relief. Only aware of mine which are 50mg capsules and what I have read and experiencing. Sorry can't be more help.

  • thebird55
    thebird55

    Posted

    Are the tablets (more like small oval caplets, actually) not available in the UK?
  • Nebula
    Nebula

    Posted

    I don't know about Wobbly, but mine are capsules (gelatin), with 50mg powder inside, so not easy to divide. I am in Scandinavia. The capsules are called Tramadol or Nobligan.

  • Nebula
    Nebula

    Posted

    Thanks for the reply, Wobbly. I know each person is different, but I have had problems with addiction to other medications, so I'm worried about this. However, I am still unable to function without at least 2 tramadol (50mgx2) a day for intense pain, mostly at night. I don't believe in most drugs, they treat symptoms and not causes, but I still need to function.

    • Nebula
      Nebula

      Posted

      I'm with you on this, totally.
    • thefamilyroom
      thefamilyroom Nebula

      Posted

      I dont know what kind of pain your in but i started getting massage therapy for mine. It has helped with mobility and endurance. I have weaned down sonsiderably off of pain meds. I only take gabapentin now and Ibuprophen. There isn't a good answer for pain but there are natural ways to cope. I come from a long line of addicts myself so I have always been guarded. This medicine was presented to me by my doc as non addictive!!! can you believe it. I was furious when i found out other wise. It was 2 years later. I can only blame myself for not researching it first. Doctors. You can only trust them as far as you can throw them when they are an FDA puppet. Natural doctors are very  helpful. 

       

    • thefamilyroom
      thefamilyroom

      Posted

      also i did take 2 on a really bad pain day once recently nad the next evening was my worst day of withdrawal. My brain swung right back into it. thats the day i had to breathe through it for an hour. but i was glad to know that it passes if you wait it out. 
    • Nebula
      Nebula thefamilyroom

      Posted

       I am now seeing responses I didn't see yesterday, even though they are 3 days old. Anyway, thank you for your responses familyroom. I agree with your assessment 100% (FDA puppets, etc.), and I like your attitude about how things are... it's not the end of the world. I am now taking natural pain relievers, less tramadol, not feeling the need. I don't think I was ever additcted, just that I notice I get a little down if I haven't had any all day, and then an hour after I take one, my mental attitude is a bit better. Not high, and not immediate, so not very chaseable. I'd rather take one than not, but then again, maybe later... that kinda thinking.
  • Wobbly68
    Wobbly68

    Posted

    Hi there, yeah mine are capsules too and I'm in the uk. If you need them for pain relief then take them you have to function. For me I just know I need to come off them now as my pain is a lot less. What I am very cross about is that when I was put on them (and other meds) I wasn't given the full information from the healthcare professionals and so I did not make an fully informed choice and decision. I probably would of still taken the meds but that isn't my point. Never mind I need to keep positive and try and get off them in the most safest and with the least possible withdrawal effects. So far it's not been easy but all part of having a condition I suppose.
  • thebird55
    thebird55

    Posted

    Tramadol was developed as a non-addictive alternative to opiates. But, in general, it turned out to be almost as dangerous. And just as bad, if not worse, for some people.

    I personally believe that this drug is metabolized at VERY different rates for different people. I do not get much relief from them, but the negative side effects last 12 hours or more. This would seem to indicate that it could build up in my system, making me a candidate for addiction. The only reason I have a bottle next to me now is that I kept them around for emergencies. I generally do not take them.

  • Nebula
    Nebula

    Posted

    I wish I could figure out what's causing the pain and treat that instead of just keeping the pain at a level that is (barely) tolerable. Pain is there for a reason. Making it feel better is not the solution. But I guess some people just have to accept chronic pain for the rest of their lives, at least that's what the doctors indicate. I don't buy that, but as long as I can't figure out how to treat what ails me, I have to bite the bullet (literally, I open the capsules into my moth so the pain relief will get into my blood faster). and keep swallowing it. I know what withdrawal is like and am not looking forward to it.
  • thebird55
    thebird55

    Posted

    Actually, getting a large initial boost can make the psychological aspect of addiction harder to break.

    • Nebula
      Nebula thebird55

      Posted

      I don't really get that. It takes at least an hour before a dose works, and even then, it is gradual and subtle. It's mostly something I notice when I DON'T take it.
  • fizzysoap
    fizzysoap

    Posted

    Hi everyone,

    Thanks for all the replies!

    I can't split my pills as they are capsules, but I will let you know if I can get liquid form.

    I've been doing okay on 150mg. Tomorrow I cut down to 100mg. I'm going to space them out between morning and mid afternoon. The thought, even now, makes me feel sick to my stomach and want to cry. Daft, eh?

    Had a bad morning this morning. My body is feeling super run down, and I just had a crash. It happens every five-seven days of being so hyped up, then not sleeping well, but still being hyped up. I didn't make it to work until this afternoon. My colleagues, are thankfully, awesome and wanted to send me back home. I told them this is going to get worse over the next couple of weeks, so I will work as much as I can when I'm feeling a bit better!

    My specialist wants me to see a community psychiatric nurse. I'm going to book my appointment in a moment.

    The 150mg cut down felt fine, and I had no worries about it.

    Cutting to 100mg makes me feel anxious and sick.

    The thought of 50mg sends my heart rate through the roof and panicked.

    This could be fun!

    I will keep you updated.

  • Wobbly68
    Wobbly68

    Posted

    Hello fizzy soap

    Well done you! I'm on 150mg capsules and trying to reduce just dare not at the moment as I have water infection and feel rubbish with that plus the antibiotics. Please let me know how you get on as I need to reduce exactly like you and thinking of dividing the three tablets into 24hours. The symptoms I had reducing to what I have, has not been easy. Coming on here has helped. Keep me posted even private message me if you want. All the best Hun

    Xx

    • HipLiz
      HipLiz Wobbly68

      Posted

      Thanks to all of you for making me feel better about my withdrawal from tramadol. I didn't know what was wrong with me until today when I put a few bits of information together and wondered if I was in drug withdrawal. Then I googled it and found you guys. I had a hip replacement 8 days ago. I came off morphine drip onto tramadol and panadol and an anti inflammatory. The tramadol make me feel sick so after only 12 hours at home I stopped taking them. 18 hours later I took one more. 50mg. That's all I have had. But since then I have been nauseous, have a hideous taste in my mouth, have dreadful restless leg syndrome in my operated leg, to the point of thinking I am going mad, awful insomnia, very cold all the time except when I am sweating badly, nightmares, claustrophobia, crying and feeling exhausted all day. I can't believe that this is all from taking tramadol for only about 4 or 5 days! I will be very wary of ever taking these again. After 3 days of none at all I think I am coming out of it. I really wish I had been told about the withdrawal effects before surgery because I would definitely not have taken them. Thank you for easing my mind. I am not going mad after all.
    • thebird55
      thebird55 HipLiz

      Posted

      It sounds more like you are having a bad reaction to the psychoactive properties of tramadol than having actual withdrawal. I'm glad you made the connection early.

      Your body takes the drug and metabolizes in another substance that is actually what kills pain. And it is also a metabolite (I'm not sure if it's the same metabolite or another one) of it that has serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake-inhibiting properties. I believe that some people metabolize the drug more efficiently (or maybe just differently) than others, meaning they get more pronounced effects.

      Many drugs that are prescribed for physical problems can psychoactive properties, and can affect some people more adversely than others. A muscle relaxer called cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril here in the US.) is one that affects me badly.

    • thebird55
      thebird55 HipLiz

      Posted

      Typo: .....metabolizes into another.... 
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