Tramadol How Addictive

Unfortunately for me, Tramadol had no therapeutic effect on my pain and did not produce any feelings of euphoria. Perhaps that is because I have a history of heroin addiction [20+ years ago] or because I take a high dose of an SSRI for depression.

Many of the posts, in this topic thread, mentioned the extremely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms caused by abruptly stopping Tramadol use.

Therefore, I am going to share, with you, a technique which I used to painlessly detox from heroin [albeit, using methadone, however, the same principle will apply to Tramadol detox w/o taking any other medication].

One reason that Tramadol detox is uncomfortable, is that it's virtually impossible to accurately measure low doses, by eye, of the Tramadol powder. My technique works because Tramadol is soluble in water. You will need a syringe; in order to obtain accurate measurements of the doses you will take. If you are not very good at mathematics; you will also need a calculator.

My technique for painless Tramadol withdrawal, depends on your ability to mix the Tramadol powder with water; resulting in a concentration of 1mg Tramadol/1ml water. This will allow you to reduce your Tramadol by as little as 1mg/dose. Reductions this small do not trigger withdrawal symptoms that you would be aware of. The difference between a 50mg dose vs. a 49mg dose of Tramadol, is insignificant.

This technique is most useful when you are detoxing that final 50mg dose to nothing. If you take two doses/day; that will be a reduction of 2mg/day and in 25 days your detox will be complete. It's a slow process but what's the rush? You're not going anywhere, lol.

The only thing that might make you aware of your detoxification; is the slowly, increasing pain that you originally began taking the Tramadol to control. However, I promise you that if you use this technique; you will not experience any of the horrible symptoms that detoxing creates. Good luck!

i am a 60 yr old woman with multiple disk herniations. over 10 yrs ago i was prescribed tramadol as a "safe" alternative to the narcotics. i was happy and relieved- the stuff worked, and i couldn't get addicted to it. here i am 10 yrs later prescribed 240 a month- i have attempted to back away slowly from them, but the sneaky thing about them is that there is no "high" but if i don't take them i cannot function- nothing gets done. now i read these forums and almost wish i had stuck with the narcotics. when i went off them i was sick for a few days, then it was done. this sneaky insidious drug has become necessary to just be my normal self, like a diabetic has to take insulin, i have to take tramadol. i worry that it could or has changed my brain chemistry, making it necessary for survival.

@just tryin,

I wouldn't worry too much if they help you.

Hello everyone; TRAMADOL will affect different people in different ways; my anaesthetist friend tells me its all to do with the number and sub-specificity of our opiate receptors, some of us will get a big hit from TRAMADOL and equally, will suffer torment when coming off it. The first time I took it in quantity was for a dental abcess. I went from about 400mgs daily to zero; half way through the following morning I felt inexplicably cold as I was driving home; I checked the aircon as it felt as if someone had turned it up to max; I shivered so violently I had to pull over onto the hard shoulder.

Recently I have been abusing the drug to cope with business anxiety, it give me a wooly, don't care about anything feeling, also it helps with anxiety insomnia. Anyhow I realised I was becoming too dependent on it and came off 'cold turkey'. Very unpleasant four days but now, day five, feeling normal again.

I suppose the point of the post is to say 1) It affects different people in different ways 2) The 'down' feeling associated with stopping it will lift after a while 3) Better to try and deal with life's problems without recourse to powerful drugs like this - easy to say I know 4) If coming off with a bang is too scary, try weaning yourself off a bit at a time.

That stuff is the devil. Everyone that I know who has taken it got addicted so bad that I was scared for them. It's not that they are fun or make you feel good, it's the DTs from tapering off of them. I joined this site for the purpose of warning people about the horrible effects that this drug has on you. When my girlfriend was first prescribed ultram the doctor said that it was a non addictive alternative to opiates. He was so wrong, dead wrong. When she doesnt take them she first gets sweaty, then her legs start to burn. After that things go horribly downhill. She gets the shakes and awful mood swings. Then, she feels like shes on fire and frozen at the same time. She cries and cries while curled in the fetal position while laying in a pool of her own sweat. She cant eat or sleep and its hard for her to go anywhere. This junk is the devil. It did the same thing to my aunt and my friends. Awful stuff.

I first started to use tramadol in 2007.I had a shoulder injury and it caused severe pain. After a number of different pain meds that did not work well my Dr.prescribed "Ultram". Worked wonderfuly. But as time wks,months .....years I became so dependent on them I couldn't make it a day `without thier use!

  During my long time use I had personality change, un-noticed by me of course and nothing seemed important anymore except making sure I was well stocked with tramadol.Trying to stop using them was "hell".All kinds of physical and mental anguish. Uncotrollable sneezing attacks,the feeling of having diharria, pulsing feeling of my heartbeat in my head,muddled thought process and one of the worst just nodding off and "falling asleep"  anywhere anytime at any moment.

   I tried to stop by myself but have NEVER had this kind of physical torture to overcome and I always failed. I got to the point that I thought I would be on them for life!!!

   Finally...after al those years and with my Dr.s help I am finally done with them.

It has COMPLETELY Changed my life around! I have ambition, drive motivation determination a new appretiation for life.for so long on this medication nothing seemed important, I had lost intrest in almost all things socialy, nothing mattered.

 Now that i have eliminated that addiction , my eyes have opened to a whole new wonderful world. As I said I am appreciating life from a whole new perspective and although I'm 62 I have the drive and ambition back that I thought was gone years ago.

    the  administration of tramadol should be monitored more closely than it is! It can ruin your life in a hurry! I am sooooo happy now to be done with them and back to being a human being again. Stay away from them if you can!

I have been taking this for 8 years, I took for 5 years with no problems, no addiction. I had been rxed these because of cervix cancer and that i have a rare mutation - two cervix and uteri. This means I  get two periods at once, and when I say pain, I mean I am in pain. I cant sit, i have to lean sideways when it gets bad. It is miserable. But anyhow after i went through a rocky divorce I realized tramadol makes the hours pass and my pain is not there - physical and emotional-  it helped. I abused it for 3 years. I only take 50 mg but 3 times a day, it became 5 or 6 times a day. I still have bad pain and militray docs wont help with main problem. I am terrified of the pain that will come if i dont medicate, but i am also scared of stopping and having nothing to help! I feel addicted sometimes. but some days i can take  1 or 2 and be ok. I cant tell my doc cause then they wont give me anything for pain, and i dont want vicodin or anything that is really addictive. So I am stuck. this is an aweful problem to have . I cant speak to anyone else about this due to my profession. PS i did try cold turkey!! BAD idea!

Tramadol is very effective for treating pain. I was useing them, eight 50mg tabsch as per day for many years. Any time I tried not taking the medication though I had terrible reactions such as pulsing in my head, sneezing fits, falling asleep involuntarily at any time, disorientation, and more.I finally got off the  medication  by slow weaning. Now that i no longer am useing them I feel much better.My pain is controlled with hydrocodone now, not as effective, but i can miss or not use them without the symptoms i had from tramadol.

Thank you for your comment.  I seem to be lucky.  I am able to take one dose on some days and then others I need two doses.  I am prescribe for up to 4 100g a day.  I have only taken that quanity after a very bad muscle pull for a couple of days. I was able to go back to my regular amount.  I will be aware of issues thoough.

 

I had to come off tramadol as my body statrted to want more and more. It seems messing about with doses will catch up with most people given time. Best to stay on the lowest dose you can for the shortest time you can. Tramadol is not paracetemol to be used as needed. Take care - tramadol is potent drug, and makes changes to the brain.