Coming off Tramadol

Hi, I have to admit, it doesn't sound good to say (and I know others say it too) it's good to know I'm not alone.

Also I live on Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

for me, in December 2012, I had a bike accident also. I was 24. Broke my right humerus. Got pre scribed targin & endone. unfortunately the surgery was stuffed up and I had bad pain so I continued taking endone for another 6 - 7 months until I went back to hospital.

July 2013, back to hospital to have the surgery totally redone. Walked away with same pre scription. Unfortunately by now my dosage had increased and I was slightly addicted to the endone, not so much the targin.

March 2014, after a gruelling battle and working with my doctor, I managed to get off the narcotics and was but on tramadol 200mg tablets modified release.  After being on these for about 1 month, I had a seizure. Went to hospital. Had bloods, etc done and had some time off work. Went back about another month later and at home I had another seizure. At this stage I was fairly certain it was the tramadol. Hospital did bloods and tc scan, all clear. Also had MRI and the 3 hour sleep deprivation test. Still all clear. Hospital diagnosed me with epilepsy. Grand mal seizures were the types I had.

July 2014, currently as of 1 week ago I am cut down from having in excess of 8 x 200mg tramadol all at once per day to 5 x 200mg tramadol separated throughout the day.

still trying to get off everything. Haven't had any seizures yet, I believe mostly because of the cut down.

it is currently 2.20am here, I have been without tramadol for 1 day and I can't sleep. I am boiling hot and it is only about 5 degrees Celsius outside, and the fan is on. my head is thumping, getting a bit agressive but everyone is asleep so that's fine.

drs tomorrow morning, going to ask for less dosage tramadol. Maybe 150mg packs if it's available. Otherwise 100mg packs will do because I can split them because they are not capsules.

anyways, after I got diagnosed with epilepsy, it was a bit of a wake up call, well that's the way it took it. 2 weeks after I was diagnosed I had a bit of a mental breakdown, I think the epilepsy sunk in finally and I was just hysterical. Crying most days and too paranoid about thinking what would happen if I had a seizure on the train into work (because you can't drive for 6 months after a seizure in Australia)

please let let me know your thoughts and comments. Ultimately I would like to be off EVERYTHING, except for my epilepsy medication...

thanks, SAILAWAY

I've only just joined this group but I feel anger that your GP is useless. Mine also was and I had a patient survey delivered to me right out of the blue. I wrote on this form exactly how bad and unhelpful my GP was,gave names,dates etc. within a few weeks 3 new doctors were installed and 2 of them are truly marvellous. So please make your complaints known. 

Now your other big worry........snap! Until you get a decent GP ask your current one to put you forward for a group called Step By Step. They'll phone you in the first instance and you need to make sure they realise that you're in a desperate state over the Tramadol plus whatever else is going on in your head. I do wish you luck,Fizzysoap,because,even with a really emphatic GP, I am struggling terribly having been told that,through no fault of my own, I am a Tramadol and Solpadol junky  after having been prescribed them 14 years ago for arthritis.

I read all of the experiences of everyone and found out how similar it was to mine. I got in to a car accident 2 years ago leaving me with back problems, the doctors have done everything epidural, therapy you name it nothing worked I was put on all types of meds which I took my self off from because of the horrible side effects. Tramadol I have been taking for one year now I tried to get off this medication and the withdrawals were scary. I never been addicted to anything my entire life always healthy never had to take meds until now. I did my research and found out how dangerous this medication was and I have been trying to lower the dosage I was taking which was 300 MG a day. I been taking 150 MG a day with a lot of success no withdrawals. I will continue to lower the dosage by week as recommended by some of you. I do not want to try to see any doctor for help because the ones I have seen do not understand they look at me like I am some kind of an alien. They are quick to put you in a drug as dangerous as this one but not quick enough to respond to your answers about you suffering with it. Good luck to all of you and thanks for the stories they have helped me. I hope to be completely off this drug as soon as possible.

I was wounded in Iraq in 2004 and had been taking Percocet 5/325 daily @ 2 pills evry 4-6. This went on for 8 years before I went cold turkey. I now take Tramadol 50mg x2 4x daily for the past 4 months. I left my meds while on the Atlantic coast and cannot refill until the 22nd of August. I have been without for 3 days and have not felt the slightest bit of withdrawl besides a bith of lethargy. Tramadol does not cause opiate withdrawl. Perhaps the SSRI properties could creat discomfort. I take 40mg of Cymbalata as well for nerve pain and perhaps this is what is helping me. Compared to Oxy withdrawl this is nothing but a tiny...minute and I imagine very temporary experience of mild discomfort.

              I was very worried that is was worse than Oxy withdrawl due to horror stroies I had read. Not so!! Have no fear, this is nothing to worry about. 

 

Hi all--

I've had a lot of experience coming off various meds (mostly for bipolar disorder & related issues) -- tramadol & klonopin were two of the hardest for me. Anyhow, I've been off them for about 2 years now, and would love to help ya'll in any way I can.  I've been studying herbal medicine for almost a decade now, and using plants and herbal extracts along w/holistic health management has helped me SO much.

The benzo's are REALLY horrid to get off of- makes tramadol w/d's a walk in the park, so PLEASE use caution when using them to ease the pain of WD--- I know how effective they are and how hard this is-- I started on Klonopin to ease the pain of opiate WD's & then found myself stuck w/a 2 year project to get off those. no fun!

I would HIGHLY recommend a few herbs to help w/the tramadol detox process-- if you help your body to begin regulating its serotonin-norepinephrine system again on its own as quickly as possible you will have a much easier time getting back to normal quickly.  St John's wort is really helpful, but you must take it 2 hours apart from any tramadol that you are still taking so that it will work-- it is used for nerve pain and stabilizing your nervous system, helps your body regulate serotonin activity & mood.  I took a liquid extract 10-40 drops about 5x a day (and during the night if i woke up) and was able to come off the tramadol w/out too many problems.  i detoxed before w/out the st john's wort and it was HORRIBLE! this time, i avoided many of the nastier side effects-- i would take st john's wort when feeling the shaky/panicky WD feelings escalate, and often could avoid taking any tramadol if i let the st john's wort have time to do its trick.

try valerian, hops, or skullcap instead of benzos (valium, etc.) Motherwort is incredible if you have a racing heart when you are detoxing -- it's stopped some incredibly nasty panic attacks for me, right in their tracks.  You may have to be a little more patient when working with the herbs, as their effects are not as predictable in individuals as pharmaceuticals are (that is also why they can heal you when pharmies can't-- they are able to work with your body on a much more subtle level and help it begin to start taking care of itself again.  Withdrawal is really one (or a few of) the body's system's coming back online and trying to figure out how to work again--- how to sense pain for example, or respond to stress/threat in the environment (anxiety).  When you feel those electric shock feelings, pins & needles in your body, it is literally your nervous system shocking itself back into action!!! Skullcap & Valerian are great for that since they tone your nervous system over time & help make it stronger & more able to resist stress.

Anyhow, good luck to everyone, please PM me if you have questions or if I can help any further.  It is such a hard struggle to get off these drugs, but it is possible~! There is a light at the end of the tunnel And there are other resources out there to help--- the doctors are often very clueless about what is going on. I now have a 4 month old baby girl who is amazingly beautiful & a garden full of all these natural medicines, able to take care of myself w/out the ups & downs of pharmaceuticals.

I know how this is going to sound, but I've been having much luck with cannabis.  I'm not a regular, or even infrequent, user but I've recently tried cannabis as a remedy for chronic pain.  It didn't do much for the pain, but it has helped me get off Tramadol and 2 other medications along with caffiene and a serious cut back in nicotine (2 packs/day to less than 1/2 a pack/day).  I do have cravings for the Tramadol and they're no walk in the park...but they have nothing on the smokes and I'm getting through it.  I was on 50mgx2 for 3times/day for 5 months and I went cold turkey more than a week ago.  Good luck to you all!

LOL fizzy, a chocolate tea pot. I love that. I agree. I have only taken tramadol as needed but i take enough meds that it didn't occur to me what these side effects were from. I avg about 2 to 4-50mg tablets a day. I thought i was suffering from acute onset menapause. Depression, needle pain, severe hot flashes, irritability, easily triggered weeping, that electric sensation while sleeping that people describe, aches, and exhaustion. I have severe neuropathy in my legs and some in my arms and hands. I am sure that the menapause is still an issue but nowhere near as bad as I thought. Does anyone know how long it could take to wean and withdraw completely so i can see what symptoms are left?  I plan to go down to 1 25 mg tablet a day. Then when that seems to level out go to everyother day. then none. I seem to be experiencing the same symptoms as those on high doses. I have been taking it for about 2  years now. 

hello, i read all your messages and wanted to tell you our story, hubby has been on tramodil for years with severe back probs, he recently had a patch and has cut out the tramodils, he is suffering with hot sweats, shivers all the symptons that you all have mentioned, we will get through it, but its hard, its nice to know we are not alone and there is light at the end of the tunnel, he is determined to not take tramodil anymore, so we suffer at the mo, 

Yes I agree this has been very helpful and it is nice to know were not alone. Please let us know how it's going and how long it takes. I have not heard anyone say a time frame yet.

I had been on Tramadol for 9 yrs for a shoulder problem. Took 100mg in morning and 100mg in evening. I had been wanting to stop needing to take meds but when I would lessen the dose it was hell. So 5 weeks ago I went to fill my prescription and was told my Dr was gone for 2 weeks. I finished what I had and then it was over. It now has been 1 month and 2 days. The first week was HELL !!! I wanted to punch walls I could not sleep. A friend gave me an Ambien and it did not work. I was crawling out of my skin.i even took Benedryl thinking it steely would help me sleep....NO ! Once I got padt the 1st week I did not want that HELL to be for nothing so I went on to the 2nd week. Boy was I weak. But each week did get a bit easier  and I still has some issues sleeping so I try to call asleep when I am tired now versus staying awake to name up for getting up several times a night. I do not muss Tramadol now with the exception of the evenings which is when my shoulder would act up. I now take 3 ibuprofen with a heating pad for now. I was originally told that this was a non narcotic thing to rake with no problem.......if you read up on it which I now have and should have done before hand I would never had taken it........best of luck to you all...I know it is not an easy thing to get off of....