How to beat Tramadol withdrawal so very easily.

Tramadol works great on my pain as well. It is surely better than other opiates I have taken. The hell that is Percocet withdrawl....well never again lol. 

Hi Steve I can not take Amitriptyline for my nerve pain. It gave me chest pain and skipped heart beats even at 10 mgs. I also take Tramadol as needed but take it as often as I need it for fear of becoming addicted. If I thought it helped with neuropathic pain I would take it every day. My point is what kind of "nerve pain" do you get? Tramadol does not help with the pain of small fiber neuropathy which is pins and needles, stabbing, buzzing and burning in legs, arms, hands and burning feet, patchy torso, etc. , its horrible, hard pain to treat. How does Tramadol help you with that kind of pain? Also,  the Amitriptyline only helped to sleep..thanks..

I get Post Herpetic Neuralgia which is the damage done to the nerve by the shingles virus. This varies in intensity from like being gripped in a vice to what I discribe as restless leg syndrom runing up and down either side of my spine.which (I find the worse) to ants crawling under my skin.these I call tinglies.

The gripping pain is lessened with Tramadol but the others are eradicated for up to 12 hours. During the day time, when I can get up and move around the I only dope for pain if I'm suffering, the tinglies and restlessness I can sort of put up with until I try to relax in the evening, then if I'm suffering I take Tramadol.

I forgot to add that when I take my Tramadol I do not take my Cymbalta. The risk of cascade is low, however I agree with you. Any risk at all I thought was too much of a risk. I havent taken any Trams in a week and have returned to Cymbalta until monday when I will return to Tramadol. I plan to update any noticeable changes for everyone here. I am also curious what dosage would stop the SSRI symptoms. Those are fairly disconcerting lol

I completely agree that the risk is probably low--especially at lower doses.  I don't remember what my Effexor dose was (it was quite awhile ago) but they were willing to leave me on it and Tramadol at the same time but because they were raising my dosage from 3 50 mg tablets a day to 4 (could have been 2 to 3, again, long time ago) My doctor started listing off what to watch for with Seratonin Syndrome and it freaked me out.  Then going off the Effexor I got this weird zapping thing going on. 

Cymbalta is newer isn't it?  I think maybe one of the older anti depressants could work, something like Well butrin.  I can absolutely see how a SSRI would improve this and I'm exceited by this idea since going off Tramadol is HORRIBLE.  Especially for those who are on the XR in the UK (no tablet option) because I think they probably have it WAY worse than those of us with the tablets who can control how much we are taking/cut pills. 

Thank you for posting yoru experience and good luck!

Hi Lin! I hope you read this and are able to reply as I'm a bit worried about the serotonin Syndrome your doctor spoke to you about. What did he advise you of? I'm currently off tramadol for about 13 days and I'm using Paxil to battle withdrawls but am interested in the serotonin syndrome your doctor spoke to you of as I have some symptoms that worry me. Thanks !

I have been very lucky that Benzo's did not seem to bother me. I have heard enough horror stories to know that they are apparently evil to stop taking. When I take Tramadol I stop taking my Cymbalta. Too risky in my opinion as they both play with seratonin. I chose to remain on Tram since it works so well for me and it is easily stopped. 

I wonder what kind of pain you have? You said you have nerve pain. Would you mind explaining your symptoms please. I have SFN, I suffer with neuropathic pain. I could not toleratre Cymbalta, Amitriptyline gave me skipped heart beats (Doc said to stop). Doc said I could try Savella, I heard its in the Cymb family, so i'm nervous about trying it. Tramadol does not help neuropathic pain, only the pain of when my legs feel like they are being squeezed in a vice. Ugh! Does not help with all of the other miserable painful symptoms. What helps your pain.  Thanks. Marie

For the record, I have heard that xanax is one of the faster acting benzo (short half life), making it one of the harder of that type to withdraw from. I have heard that the long acting benzos are easier to taper off (less withdrawals) because your body is used to it going out of your system slowly. Also for the record, I've used xanax for years on a prn (as-needed) basis for anxiety (just for when I have panic attacks or am going into a situation where I anticipate a panic attack based on experience), and I have never been additcted. Six months have gone by without my realizing I haven't taken one when I am about to go into a high risk situation, and can't even find them. I consider myself an easily addicted person (based on experience), but my doctor assured me that used this way, I would not get addicted, and he was 100% right (for me). But it has to be sporadic, not regular, if you don't want to get addicted. It never gave me any kind of high, either, so that, together with the fear of addiction, has allowed me to take it rarely, and I am happy to say that used that way it is a wonderful thing to have in my "toolchest" -- much as I eshew synthetic medications.

For the record, I have heard that xanax is one of the faster acting benzo (short half life), making it one of the harder of that type to withdraw from. I have heard that the long acting benzos are easier to taper off (less withdrawals) because your body is used to it going out of your system slowly. Also for the record, I've used xanax for years on a prn (as-needed) basis for anxiety (just for when I have panic attacks or am going into a situation where I anticipate a panic attack based on experience), and I have never been additcted. Six months have gone by without my realizing I haven't taken one when I am about to go into a high risk situation, and can't even find them. I consider myself an easily addicted person (based on experience), but my doctor assured me that used this way, I would not get addicted, and he was 100% right (for me). But it has to be sporadic, not regular, if you don't want to get addicted. It never gave me any kind of high, either, so that, together with the fear of addiction, has allowed me to take it rarely, and I am happy to say that used that way it is a wonderful thing to have in my "toolchest" -- much as I eshew synthetic medications.

I know you weren't directing it at me, but wanted to point out that someone said going off Cybalta is even worse.  I think the theory of involving another SSRI to decrease withdrawl effects is probably spot on but if you are simply using a SSRI for that reason perhaps Cymbalta isn't the way to go.  Wellbutrin, for instance.  I know with Effexor I had bad withdrawls like someone was electrocuting me.  I would do research on other SSRI meds.  I used to be a mental health social worker--there are A LOT of different SSRI meds out there.

St John's wort supposedly works as an SSRI, though I think it's slighly less effective.  Might be an alternative which is available over the counter.

Personally, it doesn't seem like a good idea to take one drug to get off of another, but apparently sometimes that can be helpful, and I'm quite sure that's what TallSarge was saying. Maybe going off Cymbalta is worse for some people, but I guess his point was that going off SSRIs in general is easier than going off opioids, or similar. I think it's always better to get off drugs entirely, and there are so many natural ways to do it, I know. I am going down on tramadol now with the help of natural pain relievers and some personal mind-body work. I don't know if coming off the last 50-100mg is going to be hell like some people say, but like many others here have said, it's just withdrawal, this too shall pass. (she says now... to be continued... ha ha)  As long as you make sure you are not in danger (and if you are tapering off slowly, you shouldn't be), then it becomes mind over matter  AND I also think if some people find ways to kick a worse drug habit with an eaier one to kick (later), baby steps, or whatever -- it doesn't matter so much how you get to the goal, as that you get there. And the goal is to be able to survive without synthetic drugs (in my opinion, anyway) -- and ultimately, to have a far better life because of it (being drug-free). That said, even if you do need drugs to get by for a while, there's no reason to feel guilty or over-anxious about it. IMHO. 

I totally agree, I don't think I'd do it but I think especially for those who were taking the Tramadol for the euphoric feeling that this could be an alternative.  I'm able to taper without any huge effects (I'm down to 100mg a day froim 200mg so far) but for those who were taking more and are also fighting psychological dependance I think perhaps it could be really helpful.  I went cold turkey once (I took 200mg a day at the time for chronic pain) because we were going to Vegas and I wanted to be able to drink.  I have never been so depressed and so sick.  I am normally not suicidal and I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it at least a hundred times in that week.  I can see where an anti-depressant could help two fold.  Also, those who are using it for the high must be taking quite a few at once--for me taking Tramadol is like taking a Tylenol, it did used to make me feel stoned but that was years ago.  I am sure they must have to take more and more to keep that effect going.  Tapering, if you are abusing it and addicted, is probably psychologically difficult to do. 

I think depending on certain circumstances it's worth considering.  I saw one girl post who failed trying to get off it a few times because she couldn't handle the withdrawls...for someone like her this might be a blessing but definitely nothing to be done lightly.