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Tramadol and alcohol

Posted , 5 users are following.

michele28539
michele28539

I began tramadol in June 2014 after surgery. It subsided the pain and made me feel good. Like happy and optimistic about my recovery. I couldn't drive while recovering, so I walked everywhere, including to physical therapy appointments. That was all of last summer. I stayed on them until January to help with physical therapy discomfort. Then I suffered an elbow injury also in January, so stayed on them. My surgeon who originally prescribed them began cutting down on what he prescribed, so I found them elsewhere. This past spring, I began drinking alcoholic beverages after taking my last dose at around 5pm. Two months later was a disaster. Since, I have learned two very important things about Tramadol. One is that it's also an antidepressant and two, alcohol makes them even more addicting. This I learned through all the research I desperately sought. I am now 11 days without taking Tramadol and It's been hell. I spoke to a detox facility and they said that my insurance company would not pay for treatment for Tramadol because it is...wait for it... NOT ADDICTING. So here I am still trying to get this poison out of my system. It stinks because it is now I need something to calm my symptoms. Which is the lesser evil? I have no energy, depression, muscle weakness, no motivation and can cry at any given moment. Why me, why any of this? Doctors need to know what Tramadol truly is as do the insurance companies.

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • SteV3
    SteV3 michele28539

    Posted

    Doctors do know the effects of Tramadol, and how you should come off it. I was on it, I was introduced to another drug that was not addictive, increased it over time. Then lowered the Tramadol, this is the correct way of getting off Tramadol, you cannot just stop taking it, without severe side effects.
    • michele28539
      michele28539 SteV3

      Posted

      What medication is that? Because this hurts. It has changed me into someone I don't like. Please share. I am in the US.
  • tony15730
    tony15730 michele28539

    Posted

    Hi Michele, Firsrly well done for staying off it for this long. I know it has not been easy but it will get better.

    As you say tramadol has two sides. Firstly it is an opioid and stopping any opiots or opioid leads to the muscle aches and general flu symptoms along with depression and anxiety. And secondly it is an snri antidepressant. And coming if that will cause even more anxiety and depression.

    By 2 weeks the physical symptoms normal ease off but the mental problems take longer. Google opiate withdrawal help. I used nurofen and paracetamol for the aches and pains. Also Google ssri ans snri withdrawal to see what helped other people.

    I doubt there is anything else you can take which will not risk another addiction. Some people suggest benzos but they are also addictive if taken for a week or more.

    My doctor suggested switching to codeine and then tapering off that. As that is just and opiate so no snri effects. But as you have been tramadol free for 2 weeks I don't think that is your best choice as your over the worst of the opiate withdrawal. It really is mainly the snri withdrawal your suffering with now.

    Starting an antidepressant may help but then you will need to taper off that later down the line

    You could try taking 5htp (check the herbal store) as this will help increase your serotonin.

    Good luck and again well done for going this long without any tramadol. And remember the body and brain will heal. It adapted to the tramadol and it will adapt to not having tramadol.

    Good luck and I wish you well.

  • Kalten
    Kalten michele28539

    Posted

    How much were you taking per day?

    You are correct, Tramadol is also an antidepressent. Meaning when you quit cold turkey, you are subjecting yourself not only to the physical dependence of the substance but also the mental crash which causes severe depression.

    Your doctor can give you xanax or something similar to really take the edge off.

    As for myself, when I come off the stuff (probably in a few more months), I will be tapering slowly.

     

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