Reducing painkillers

Congrats on your first step to being finally comfortable! I didn’t have much issues with reducing meds just because I knew that they are highly addicting and that it would take away from my personal achievements!

We are all so different and so are our doctors. I was on tramadol at night only , other painkillers during the day, for the weeks pre op. Post op there was amongst other pain relief oramorph but by the time of discharge at 4 days I was using cocodamol only, by the end of a week it was paracetamol and by 2 weeks nothing. 

Like you I disliked the side effects of tramadol and think you are wise to reduce slowly but as soon as possible. You may have to rethink and discuss with medics if you find you still need the pain relief 

Tramadol will make you sleepy, but it relives all that pain, do the step down not every day but about every third day, if you can. Not such a big shock to you system.

You have already cut back your morning dose, good girl, now wait, for a couple of days, before you drop the lunchtime dose, it might take you a little longer before you can drop the nightime dose, keep taking the panadol, and then do the same for the panadol, later, they are non-addicting.

If I remember correctly was able to stop taking morphine tablets at about 10 days, but continued with panadol for about a month, slowly slowly dropped morning and lunchtime doses, still take evening panadol, as my general arthiritis give me sooo much pain, and now knee has given up the ghost, as well, bone on bone, allows me to get some sleep.

GRRRR picked the wrong parents I'm afraid.

Hi Annie, well done so far, i cannot take tramadol as they make me hallucinate, cannot take codeine or ibuprofen so I was on paracetamol and Morphine tablets. I cut the morphine down very quickly but kept with the paracetamol for around 3 weeks then cut them down. Good luck. 

I had nasty side effects with Tramadol, I found that I was craving the next dose just before it was due, I was like a junkie on heroin

I came off it as soon as I could, just one week after my THR, I then stopped my Paracetamol and Diclofenac the next day as I found I was OK without them.

For my revision 10 weeks later, they gave me Codeine which thankfully didn't make me react like Tramadol did.

Graham

Hi Annie, well done so far. We are all so different and so are our doctors

I spoke to my doctor today and we have switched me to Cocodamol 30/500 with just Tramadol at night time for now. Then will reduce to Cocodamol only and eventually lower the dose and frequency, then move to panadol only until I don't need painkillers at all. I am feeling so much better already I'm hoping it won't take too long. My doctor said I should just go by how much pain I have and not to suffer if I do need something. She will work with me on this and I can phone her anytime if I need her help. The Cocodamol has done the job today so hopefully I will be less sleepy soon

cheers

Ann x

Hi Annie!

Glad you are feeling well.  May 30, 2017 had right hip done ..anterior approach . August  25, 2017 had left hip anterior approach.

Am doing great! Returning to Elementary PE job soon. The first hip; I was on Tramadol..it did not agree with me at all. For 6 weeks; the longest Inalept was two hours at a time . Luckily; surgeon switched it up with second surgery. Coedine; and Tylenol.  Felt way better .

That was my experience. Know everyone is different . Continue to reat and treat yourself well😎

Lynn