Help to overcome withdrawls

Hi Cathy I was on around the same dose for years and have come on and off a couple of times and agree the withdrawal is horrendous, especially on that amount and for that length of time. I went cold turkey and got it out of the way in a week but it's not for everyone because it is pretty bad, after five or six days you will come out the other side feeling much better and it will all be worth it. I found the trouble with tapering is it's a long drawn out process and you get lots of Minnie withdrawals as you taper down and when you come off the last dose you still get pretty bad withdrawals. I read somewhere it's something to do with the half-life of this particular drug, not a good drug to tapper down off. There is one thing that will help you as you withdraw and I used this, it's called Kratom and is legal in the UK,  if you live in the UK you can buy it online. I use Green Malay Kratom which is in powdered leaf form and costs about £12 for 50 grams this is sufficient to get you off Tramadol in a week. It binds to the same receptors in the brain as Tramadol so staves of the worst of withdrawal, the trouble is it is tastes really bad and earthy, the best way to take it is fill a teaspoon and tip it under your tongue and take a big gulp of juice to wash it down, it might still make you retch but it will lesson your withdrawal to a very great extent and worth putting up with the rotten taste. The good thing about it for withdrawal is although not perfect gives you some respite over the days instead of the constant depression and cold etc. After a big spoon you will feel the withdrawal symptoms lift in a few minutes giving you a break. Don't plan on working if you’re coming off, choose your time carefully when you have few commitments and you will get through it. If you want any more advice get back to me. You can still get it in most US states I believe but I don’t think all. I will add that although Kratom has a potential for addiction that really only applies for concentrated preparations of the substance, In powered leaf form it is extremely low and you will not get addicted in a week, so it is perfectly safe, on balance it's a god send for anyone coming off Tramadol. Just think back a week to last Friday it's not that long, then project forward a week and in that time you won’t have to take a handful of Tramadol to feel normal. When you get off them look up post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) you may well need to become knowledgeable regarding PAWS to understand ongoing emotions you may have having been on Tramadol for so long under a large dose. I wish you all the best I am three weeks clean but have to be aware of PAWS. I wish you all the best.

Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the link as it was to a site unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.

http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398316-adding-links-to-posts

http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

I don't, but would be interested if someone does...I did want to say though, I've backed off half so far of the 400 mg a day I have been taking (I too am doing somewhat better plus the Tramadol doesn't work as well).  I tried dropping back an additonal tab and it was not as painless as as the first half.  Just go go slow and don't drop back too much at once.  I heard someone else recommend the first half at the beginning so maybe I'm the norm there.  That didn't make me sick at all.  I am now sticking at 100mg and will drop down just 25mg after this. 

Good luck!

I've been on Tramadol for two years, anything up to and including 400mg a day.

Last week I decided to see for myself what the withdrawal was like so I stopped taking them. That was ten days ago and so far I have had no adverse effects except the PHN pain which I take Tramadol to ease has kicked back in with a vengence.

No sleepless nights, no anxiety. no crawlin skin, just sheer bloody nerve pain.

So now to decide whether to abstain or get the pain relief...... as nothing weaker seems to work?.

One thing I would like to point out.....Herbal does not necessarily mean safe/non addictive, bearing in mind opium and cocaine are herbal as are a lot of other addictive poisons.

Thats me down to 200mg daily instead of 400mg now since last Friday!  I had tried to get down to 200mg a couple of weeks ago but I did it too quickly and had to up them a bit for a while .  Now that I am only taking 200mg I am feeling much more like my old self for the first time in 7years which is fabulous!! I am going to stick at 200mg for a couple of weeks to let my body adjust fully before the next drop.  I think the most important thing I have learnt is that it is the coming off these tablets which is the important thing and it doesnt matter how fast I do it as long as i do it! I have kept a daily diary which has helped me too.  I have the Kratom but not yet had to use it but twice have had 1 diazipam before bed as it was this week I reduced my bedtime dose so rls and no sleep was driving me crazy.  I am through that now though and feeling proud and happy with myself 😄. I am also VERY grateful for all of your advice!!! Heres to the next 200mg being not too traumatic!