Please help. Any advice would be appreciated!
Posted , 11 users are following.
I'm a 25 year old women with three little boys, when I had my eldest at 18 I was put on cocodamol and tramadol 2tabs 4times a day.
7 years down the line I am still on these tablets and feel so depressed! I worry when I'm running low or notice I have very little left and psychologically started instant fear. I've tried cold turkey 3 times and it was absolutely horrendous I was taking fits, sweating, being sick, shaking every few minutes, suicidal thoughts, angry, sad and overall I'll like I had flu! My doctor cut me off completely two years ago and I was left ill and was feeling very suicidal!
I've tried everything and I need help otherwise I fear the worst for myself! I misscarried 9 weeks ago and lost over 2 1/2 litres of blood and was operated on and my body went into shock. I nearly died. BUT I was kept in and they didn't give me my correct medication and by the next morning I was feeling very upset, agitated and down right sad I had to beg them to give me my proper prescription other I'd be very unwell.
I realised when I ran out I'd be very unwell (before I knew about withdrawals) I'd end up in hospital each time having panic attacks and what not. My heart rate was through the roof and they always thought I had an infection but it was indeed the tramadol withdrawals!
I have looked into rehab facilities and tried to see if I could get some help.
I'm from Scotland and don't have no help
1 like, 19 replies
Gerrymoo amy10814
Posted
Amy you poor thing, my heart goes out to you. I was on tramadol 100mg per day and felt so ill on them (4mths) I just quit them not realising the consequences! Agitation, sweating, claims, awful nausea. Thought I'd got over it and bang - 4 weeks later was flattened by horrendous rebound anxiety which I had never had before. I am now on antidepressants !
Please get medical advice to help you taper down, it'll take time to do it really slowly. It's a frightening experience , let us know how you get on x
amy10814 Gerrymoo
Posted
Oh my goodness gerrymoo! - do you feel it's took its toll badly?im so sorry to hear that, absolutely horrific the things you can suffer😔 I'm still on medication for my blood to go up I did have two transitions but I'm still unwell. Trying to cut down right now is proven harder than ever😔 I'm very proud you stopped tho I'm not obviously happy or the outcome but you must be very strong xx
rob53972 amy10814
Posted
I'm in the same position.
I went to the docs and they increased my tremadol to counter side effects. Not a solution atall. I've tried cold turkey and cut right down .. both made me feel completely rubbish and even suicidal.
I feel your pain x
amy10814 rob53972
Posted
It's so awful rob, it's sad seeing other stuff like yourself experience the same symptoms, I've read many posts about real life people who have and still are struggling! I see other posts about rarely about medical people who say it's not living hell withdrawing.. oh it really is! You need to have been on these tablets to realise it is hell trying to come off them not everyone will agree but that's my realist experience X
Gerrymoo amy10814
Posted
It is hell Amy you're right. No one tells you when you start them that they are part opiate and part ssri which is an antidepressant which affects the serotonin levels. When you quit cold turkey which I did you go through the opiate withdrawals and the ssri withdrawals which kick in a bit later. I only found this out by googling it cause I felt so crap. I think my brain just crashed and went through 2 months of hell until I realised what was going on. I was diagnosed with gastroenteritis and I think it was just the anxiety escalating . Been on antidepressants now 9 weeks and after their hellish side effects just starting to feel better.
Amy and Rob hang on in there and just taper really slowly. Keep in touch.x
rob53972 Gerrymoo
Posted
Thanks.
I've tried my hardest and thats an understatement. 6 years on these things.
And would love to be normal again. Even would put up with the pain of ruptured discs.
I'm going to look at rehabilitation off these.
Thanks for your comments.
Fingers crossed
ruth86511 amy10814
Posted
Doctore unfortunately have had no training or insight to what long term use of this drug does to you or how to wean off! The do not know the dangers of this drug, but due to media, they are beginning to find out, although the pharmaceutical companies will not tell them!
Start researching this drug and SSRIs. There is lots of support out their, FaceBook has many support groups.
Good luke xxx
luis28539 amy10814
Posted
Gerrymoo luis28539
Posted
ruth86511 Gerrymoo
Posted
Yep, same, I reached what they call "tolerence withdrawals" while actually on them!
Gerrymoo ruth86511
Posted
whatupjonathan amy10814
Posted
Its very tough to stop using tramadol. I used for over 3 years and finally stopped because I got in trouble over it. I detoxed in jail which was not fun. I'm now 4.5 months sober and feel great! It can be done. Good luck on your journey.
aja2278 amy10814
Posted
thebird55 amy10814
Posted
Know your enemy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol
"It has two different mechanisms. First, it binds to the µ-opioid receptor. Second, it inhibits the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine."
Just like an SSRI antidepressant. Some people have more trouble with SSRI drug withdrawal than opioid withdrawal. I suggest dealing with one aaspect at a time. Either continue taking some kind of opioid while while your body adjusts to doing withont the elevated serotonin, or (and this is trickier) start an SSRI just before stopping the tramadol. The latter method runs the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Speaking of serotonin syndrome; this could be why you started feeling bad while still on the drug. The article I posted above contains a list of substances (and substance types) that can cause serotonin syndrom (and other problems) when combined with tramadol. It could be something as simple as grapefruit or St. John's Wort.
mike07558 amy10814
Posted
I was on a similar dose of the two but for much shorter, just two months. And that was a fortnight of hell! But apparently that's all it is for anyone with any opiate withdrawal. The first week is the worst and the second is bad, but you start to feel yourself get dragged back to 'normal'.
Speak to your doctor obviously. Then I found drinking smoothies, taking something for diahhrea, lots of water all helps. In the first week I found keeping people at arms length helped. I slept in the spare room away from my partner and I went with them on car rides. That took my mind off it all. Then the second week I wanted to be around everyone all the time!
It's not easy because these drugs are very powerful, but you absolutely can beat it.
I'm not a doctor but in your situation, if I had to do that again, I'd stop the tramadol first, then the cocodamol.