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Tramadol is not evil.

Posted , 52 users are following.

Still
Still

Tramadol does not have any malicious intent to get you 'hooked' or 'addicted'.

Tramadol provides a reliable source of relief to many pain sufferers and patients with other medical problems. The VARIABLE in all this ... is the individual patient, everyone's body makeup is different and so will react and produce different side effects with every drug they take. The only way to find out how your body will react is to give the prescribed drug a try, preferably for a couple weeks if this will be a long-term drug and if it doesn't suit you talk to your doctor. They most likely can find an alternative that will suit you. That's one of the reasons why there are so many drugs that do the same thing. wink

As for not knowing the possibilities of what might happen - there's only two people you can blame, one - your doctor for not giving you some important facts and two - yourself for not researching your prescription online.

Personally I think doctors even on the NHS should take more time to spell out the common effects and if it can be addictive but I do understand that they don't usually have the time. This isn't going to change anytime soon though, so...

There is a plethora of information online, on any prescription drug and it will tell you everything you need to know before you take it. Some websites, like drugs.com, even have an Interactions Checker which you can input all your medications into and check if they will react badly. It's very cool and I even was able to bring a bad mix up to my doctor who was able to clarify that the short amount of time I was taking the new drug would be ok with my regular prescription.

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Tramadol is a synthetic (man made) opiate. It does not mix well with natural opiates such as cocodamol as one person was complaining about in this forum. Always check with your doctor if you feel uncomfortable and always take prescriptions as advised. If you start mixing things up and not understanding the chemistry behind it then what do you expect?

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS: Constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; headache; increased sweating; indigestion; mild itching; nausea; trouble sleeping; vomiting; weakness. Constipation seems to be the most common and would advise a gentle laxative.

If you have any SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS (see following) then go to A&E or see the doctor the next day depending on how bad it is, stop taking the Tramadol until you can get medical advice:Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); burning, numbness, or tingling; chest pain; confusion; difficult or painful urination; disorientation; excessive sweating; fainting; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever; hallucinations; loss of coordination; mood or mental changes (eg, depression, agitation); red, blistered, swollen, or peeling skin; seizures; severe dizziness or light-headedness; severe nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; severe or persistent headache; slow or shallow breathing; suicidal thoughts or behaviors; tremor; vision problems; wheezing.

I DON'T WANT TO BECOME ADDICTED: Well most people don't. If your condition will be temporary then consider asking for Codeine (a natural opiate) which doesn't work as well but will help relieve some of the pain. Always take paracetamol at the same time you take any opiate, my NHS doctors have always told me this, saying that they both work better together than just the opiate alone and in my experience this is true. Also when you feel the pain is minimal to moderate, try taking just paracetamol and skipping a dose of your opiate when possible. Once you do this more often than not you can either realize that you can live with minimal pain or only take the opiate sporadically as needed.

If you have a long term condition like me, then I'll tell you what my doctor in the US told me when I told her I didn't want to become addicted. First, she said, you're only an addict if you're taking the drug to get a high, otherwise you're just dependent. Then she told me I can either take the drug to alleviate the pain and get some normal things done on a daily basis or don't take it and live with a pain that will most likely prevent me from leaving my bed and become agitated and irritated with everything and everyone because of my relentless pain. She said there is no shame in become dependent and that when the time came to stop there would be a safe period of weaning the drug and a plan for the withdrawal. I added that most NHS doctors are ambivalent towards things like this and she said, then demand it. I did and I was helped, no NHS doctor ever judged me for being dependent and it does seem like they deal with this often. They are not as organised as in the U.S. where you can get a 'kick pack' which contains valium, supplements and many useful tips but my NHS doctor did prescribe me valium for 4 days which was enough to get over the 'hump' and I researched and procured the other supplements and tips I needed online.

WHY YOU BECOME DEPENDENT: In plain speak, Tramadol does the job of making your body feel good and does it so well that it relieves the overabundant amount of pain your going through because of your medical condition. Once your body realizes it doesn't have to do this job anymore, it will stop, that's when your body has become 'dependent'. When you stop taking the Tramadol and your body hasn't yet taken it's 'job' back, you feel withdrawal symptoms because there is nothing making you feel good. The withdrawal will end once your body takes back it's normal job of releasing the chemicals which make you feel good.

HOW TO OVERCOME THE WITHDRAWAL PERIOD: If you have become dependent Tramadol and you most likely have if you've been taking it for a long time, it's almost always best to consult with your doctor about a withdrawal plan. They can help give you a plan to wean the drug and also be there for when you need muscle relaxers if you need them once you stop the drug. If they are not helpful, see another doctor, rinse and repeat (especially if you're on NHS!).

Even better - What you can do is research all this on the internet but I will include this one link because I felt it was the one who helped me the most when I went through it. Not just the info but the people who commented and gave support. There are many forums that will do the same thing, find one which has active supportive members (and a plan you feel comfortable with) and I promise you will feel better about being able to get feedback from people who have felt what you are going through. Actually I'm going to link the process I used for withdrawal, it's from the same site and you can explore that further if you want or just Google 'opiate withdrawal forum' for support and plans.

http://www.vicodinwithdrawal.org/alternative-medicine/thomas-recipe-opiate-detox

Oh and I should also warn that you will come across a lot of people who don't know what they are talking about, but you should be able to spot them pretty quick,. Just ignore them, find good info and support, that's the best thing to do. smile

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I hope this is more helpful than not. I'm not sure why people come here to complain about a drug. The drug has been well tested and it's not dangerous. However being ill-informed about a drug, how you take it and the possibilities ...well that certainly can be.

Best of wishes to everyone struggling with their conditions, keep looking towards the future! Ronni <3>

22 likes, 179 replies

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  • saurus
    saurus

    Posted

    I can confirm that my experience with tramadol has been excellent until trying to come off it!

    I have been taking tramadol, twice daily, for the last three years. I have mostly been on 200mg of prolonged release tablets BD.

    I saw my pain consultant last week, who decided that it's about time I came off it and moved onto pregabalin instead. It is not a fun experience. Withdrawal symptoms, for me, have been hugely worse than side effects (weight gain and constipation). Withdrawal symptoms, for me, have included headache, dry mouth, feeling hungover / nauseous, being sick, feelings of panic / unease, feelings of something crawling under my skin, general achiness, belly ache, loss of appetite and irritable mood. Oh, and feeling very, very sorry for myself.

    It is not enjoyable, whilst tramadol has offered me good pain relief for the last few years I will not be taking it again once I have fully stopped taking the drug.

  • cooper19
    cooper19

    Posted

    This has been an interesting thread to read. I have been taking tramadol for a couple years, for arthritic knees (I am looking at knee replacements for both of them) and painful bladder syndrome (which is really a nerve-based pain). I take up to 250 mgs a day 4 to 5 times per week. I make a point of not taking it daily, so I don't build up too much of a tolerance to it. This drug has been tremendously helpful in improving my quality of life.

    I recently started reading more about how addictive tramadol can be and how much difficulty some people have had getting off the drug. I don't doubt these experiences at all and don't know how difficult it would be for me to get off the drug. However, I have been off the drug many times for 2 days in a row with little ill-effect - other than having much more pain, not as much energy and not feeling in good humor - but these negatives are relatively mild (other than the pain part).

    I really want to thank "Still" for his (?) comments. It was really helpful for me to get a grip that I am "dependent" on tramadol, not addicted. I also think it's a great point (that many made) that all drugs are so personal. Each individual will have varying experiences with a drug. I feel it is a disservice to completely write off a drug as "evil" or too dangerous, when for me, it is one of the very few options that is available that gives a fair amount of relief from my pain symptoms. So, for now, I will continue to take tramadol as the alternative is a very poor quality of life. Basically, the risk is worth the reward for me. Thanks everyone for ALL of your comments!

  • morphix
    morphix

    Posted

    @cooper19 Thanks for sharing your experience. People who have been taking Tramadol a long time daily (and re-dosing at the maximum dose) are the ones more likely to find it difficult coming off Tramadol and more likely to experience the more severe withdrawals. However not everyone does, especially if you taper down the dosage gradually over a week or two, rather than just stop abruptly.

    I think also, one thing to consider with Tramadol and withdrawals, is that Tramadol is unique among opiate-acting drugs, in that is has a very long half-life (up to 12 hours). In layman's terms, that means the amount of time it takes half of the drug to leave the body. So you could stop taking the drug for a day or two, and feel fairly fine, and think "hey I'm not feeling withdrawals, this is not so bad", whereas if you were dependent on a pro-drug like Codeine with a much shorter half-life, you would feel withdrawals within hours of not re-dosing.

    However, the withdrawals, from Tramadol (in my experience) kick-in a few days after the last dose. The first is low energy/lethargy, combined with restlessness..the second is hot and cold flushes. I don't believe these are "classic" opiate withdrawal symptoms either, and I think they are due to the serotonin effects the drug has, rather than the relative mild opiate effect. It's similar to coming off an anti-depressant abruptly. This might explain why you feel fine for the first days (as the brain has sufficient serotonin, but eventually the level falls off and the brain is no longer getting the level its used to from Tramadol).

    This is just a theory of mine. Notice with Tramadol too (I don't know if others are the same) there's no craving for the drug like there usually is other opiates painkillers that produce euphoria. If you taper off it gradually, you can avoid the withdrawals, and go weeks or months without taking it (as I have frequently done) and you never feel the need to take it. It's not recreational and it doesn't make your feel high or euphoric (it doesn't for me anyway, regardless of the dose).

    However, there is a "dependency" issue I have mentioned in other posts and which cooper19 has identified with also. Tramadol does seem to help certain underlying medical problems, ie chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or depression, and when you experience these illnesses (as I have) while off Tramadol, you may be inclined to start taking it again to "feel better".

    So in summary, I think it's right what the manufacturers say..Tramadol has a low addiction potential, but there is a high dependency issue (in daily long term, high dose use) I think and this is not made clear or fully-understood by doctors.

  • cooper19
    cooper19

    Posted

    Hi Morphix, thanks for your comments. You have a good point that I may well experience more withdrawal symptoms from tramadol, if I were off it for more than just a couple days. However, I get such a benefit from taking the drug for my pain symptoms and also for my chronic tiredness, that I will most likely keep taking it.

    It's interesting that in an earlier post, you commented that the drug seemed to make your social anxiety worse. For me (I can be awkward socially) - it makes me feel less anxiety, friendlier and more "normal" - all good things. It is really interesting to me how different people on the same drug have different experiences.

    I think it was you also who commented that the drug helped you with your "depression, lethargy, low motivation, concentration" - I experience exactly the same thing there. Since I have chronic pain - along with sleep problems and chronic exhaustion - the drug helps tremendously - especially at work.

    Right now, I am going through a big change at work and I have to admit, I will be using tramadol to help me get through it. I have a stressful work situation where I've found if I'm not on tramadol, I am more insecure and therefore can be unintentionally rude or short with people (which is not a good career move!). Throw in pain, exhaustion and anxiety - and this is a very bad combination for me. So, I'm grateful for the drug improving my quality of life, including my mood.

    I believe this drug definitely ups my mood a couple clicks. It doesn't make me "high" - but I am definitely happier. Things bother me less, I'm in a better mood and my outlook on things is definitely sunnier - than when I'm off it, tired and hurting.

    I guess going forward, I will have to continue to weigh the cost / benefit of taking tramadol. Currently, the benefit is definitely outweighing any negative of taking it. I appreciate your comments and anyone else's.

  • morphix
    morphix

    Posted

    I can totally relate to your comments and experience. I feel (and felt) much the same on Tramadol, in terms of feeling happier, more upbeat and motivated.. I think I said before "less is more" with Tramadol, and like you say, it can affect people very differently in terms of dosage, especially if you suffer underlying anxiety conditions.. for me, a low dose (< 50mg) is all i need, once a day, and it's a big improvement, socially, energy-levels, and motivation etc.. but if i exceed that dose, the negatives soon outweigh the benefits and i become a nervous wreck and all over the place with my thoughts racing. that's why i've said before, i think tramadol is more effective as an anti-depressant than as a painkiller for some people (maybe for yourself too) because of its serotonin actions. there is actually an anti-depressant closely related to tramadol which is structurally chemically very similar but doesn't have the opiate-receptor effect (you can read about it on the tramadol wikipedia page).

    i think with time, and daily dosing tramadol does lose its benefits in some regards, and the negatives begin to outweigh the positives. this has been my experience of maybe 5+ years on this drug, off and on. eventually i even experienced pain in my liver, so i think the drug may be quite harsh on the body long-term and isn't ideal for a long-term pain management solution. it may not be everyone's experience though of course. i think like all drugs, it's good to take breaks from it. a common strategy doctors use with opiate drugs for pain-management (long-term) is continually rotating the drugs patients use to avoid dependency or addiction issues.

    i remember the first i took tramadol (the effervescent type which dissolves in water) which i took for two months for severe back pain. at the time i was very depressed, anxious and withdrawn. after taking the tramadol, it was almost like a miracle drug for me with significant euphoria and an "awe" feeling. all my problems just vanished and my life improved significantly. with repeated daily usage though, many of these effects soon wore off in a few months, probably due to tolerance. increasing the dose didn't bring the effect back, but just made me super-anxious. nevertheless, i became dependent on the tramadol to ward away the depression and lethargy i felt before i even started taking it.

    50mg)="" is="" all="" i="" need,="" once="" a="" day,="" and="" it's="" a="" big="" improvement,="" socially,="" energy-levels,="" and="" motivation="" etc..="" but="" if="" i="" exceed="" that="" dose,="" the="" negatives="" soon="" outweigh="" the="" benefits="" and="" i="" become="" a="" nervous="" wreck="" and="" all="" over="" the="" place="" with="" my="" thoughts="" racing.="" that's="" why="" i've="" said="" before,="" i="" think="" tramadol="" is="" more="" effective="" as="" an="" anti-depressant="" than="" as="" a="" painkiller="" for="" some="" people="" (maybe="" for="" yourself="" too)="" because="" of="" its="" serotonin="" actions.="" there="" is="" actually="" an="" anti-depressant="" closely="" related="" to="" tramadol="" which="" is="" structurally="" chemically="" very="" similar="" but="" doesn't="" have="" the="" opiate-receptor="" effect="" (you="" can="" read="" about="" it="" on="" the="" tramadol="" wikipedia="" page).="" i="" think="" with="" time,="" and="" daily="" dosing="" tramadol="" does="" lose="" its="" benefits="" in="" some="" regards,="" and="" the="" negatives="" begin="" to="" outweigh="" the="" positives.="" this="" has="" been="" my="" experience="" of="" maybe="" 5+="" years="" on="" this="" drug,="" off="" and="" on.="" eventually="" i="" even="" experienced="" pain="" in="" my="" liver,="" so="" i="" think="" the="" drug="" may="" be="" quite="" harsh="" on="" the="" body="" long-term="" and="" isn't="" ideal="" for="" a="" long-term="" pain="" management="" solution.="" it="" may="" not="" be="" everyone's="" experience="" though="" of="" course.="" i="" think="" like="" all="" drugs,="" it's="" good="" to="" take="" breaks="" from="" it.="" a="" common="" strategy="" doctors="" use="" with="" opiate="" drugs="" for="" pain-management="" (long-term)="" is="" continually="" rotating="" the="" drugs="" patients="" use="" to="" avoid="" dependency="" or="" addiction="" issues.="" i="" remember="" the="" first="" i="" took="" tramadol="" (the="" effervescent="" type="" which="" dissolves="" in="" water)="" which="" i="" took="" for="" two="" months="" for="" severe="" back="" pain.="" at="" the="" time="" i="" was="" very="" depressed,="" anxious="" and="" withdrawn.="" after="" taking="" the="" tramadol,="" it="" was="" almost="" like="" a="" miracle="" drug="" for="" me="" with="" significant="" euphoria="" and="" an="" "awe"="" feeling.="" all="" my="" problems="" just="" vanished="" and="" my="" life="" improved="" significantly.="" with="" repeated="" daily="" usage="" though,="" many="" of="" these="" effects="" soon="" wore="" off="" in="" a="" few="" months,="" probably="" due="" to="" tolerance.="" increasing="" the="" dose="" didn't="" bring="" the="" effect="" back,="" but="" just="" made="" me="" super-anxious.="" nevertheless,="" i="" became="" dependent="" on="" the="" tramadol="" to="" ward="" away="" the="" depression="" and="" lethargy="" i="" felt="" before="" i="" even="" started="" taking="" it.="">

    i think with time, and daily dosing tramadol does lose its benefits in some regards, and the negatives begin to outweigh the positives. this has been my experience of maybe 5+ years on this drug, off and on. eventually i even experienced pain in my liver, so i think the drug may be quite harsh on the body long-term and isn't ideal for a long-term pain management solution. it may not be everyone's experience though of course. i think like all drugs, it's good to take breaks from it. a common strategy doctors use with opiate drugs for pain-management (long-term) is continually rotating the drugs patients use to avoid dependency or addiction issues.

    i remember the first i took tramadol (the effervescent type which dissolves in water) which i took for two months for severe back pain. at the time i was very depressed, anxious and withdrawn. after taking the tramadol, it was almost like a miracle drug for me with significant euphoria and an "awe" feeling. all my problems just vanished and my life improved significantly. with repeated daily usage though, many of these effects soon wore off in a few months, probably due to tolerance. increasing the dose didn't bring the effect back, but just made me super-anxious. nevertheless, i became dependent on the tramadol to ward away the depression and lethargy i felt before i even started taking it.

    >

  • cheryl81
    cheryl81

    Posted

    Reading this group of posting finally made up my mind. Today I flushed the rest of my Rx and am determined to leave them alone. Like some of you, I never took a lot of Tramadol. My Rx was for 250 mg per day and the most I can ever remember taking in a day was 7 50-mg tablets. The problem with Tramadol is that it makes life easier. While that sounds ok, it really depends upon who you are. I am someone who doesn't drink, never did illegal or prescription drugs, restrains her gambling, never smoked, etc. The reason is that I don't like feeling out of control. And there was my Tramadol trap: Tramadol made me feel in control. When my emotions were overwhelming me to the point of disfunction, Tramadol made me "normal." So as soon as anything got to be too much, I reached for the drug. I didn't take much at a time because i didn't like the buzzed feeling I got from too many at once. But I started on that drug right as I was trying to learn to live with my emotions, and the drug got me thinking I was succeeding. Instead, it was likely killing my ability to balance myself. I'm pretty sure that qualifies as addition. I've stopped taking them before. I've gone through the bad gut, the headaches, the twitchiness, the cold and hot spells and managed for several weeks before I thought - I'm not handling things well so what would it hurt? I mean, if it helps you manage, is any drug that bad? Yeah. I think it is. Been off for only three days now, but this is the first time I flushed the remainder of my pills. I don't really have anyone to prescribe them anymore, so this is the perfect time to do this. I have to learn to live with myself. Tramadol let me stand apart from what I was experiencing. If I could do that on my own, maybe it would be ok, but not with a drug. So, if you have been taking it long term (me - about 10 years) and you think it's fine...just see what kind of excuses you're using to justify taking it. If you want it bad enough, even your emotional pain can seem real. And it works. It works. Not anymore.
  • saurus
    saurus

    Posted

    I have found it really interesting reading the messages between morphix and cooper19. I had not considered the difference between addiction and dependency.

    I had put off making an appointment with my consultant because I knew my medication would be reviewed. I think that is reason enough to come off a drug, there is a very fine line between addiction and dependency. I'm not quite sure where I am with that. I know I am (was) 100% dependent on tramadol to go about my daily activities (both because of the pain relief but also because of the psychological effects)but sometimes taking an extra tablet to help me drift to sleep quicker was becoming more and more frequent.

    It's ten days since I've been tapering off 200mg PR Tramadol BD, I have halved my dose and am no longer taking the prolonged release tablets. I am still going through withdrawal symptoms - primarily stomach pain and restlessness and hot/cold flushes. Sleeping is also much more difficult than I would like.

    With regards to tramadol being 'evil'? What a ridiculous idea! Everybody acts differently to drugs - I have tried a huge array of drugs and had very little success with many of the more popular 'effective' drugs. I have heard of so many people having good pain relief from nortryptiline whereas this did nothing for me. Stelazine is also a popular drug for helping with nerve pain - the only effect I got from it what lock jaw! You can't make huge generalisations about drugs, there will always be good outcomes and bad outcomes - whether they were the intended outcomes or not is a different story! Here I refer to the huge number of 'fail drugs' - the drugs created for one thing which actually are much better at treating something else!

    Cheryl81 - a part of me wishes I had the guts to flush mine. The thought terrifies me! Having a box of 30 tablets is my safety net. Once they're gone, they're gone but I'm opting for the slow and steady approach - although I can see why the quick 'cold turkey' approach would be preferable to some. If I lived alone, I would be more inclined to try that method but living with family would prevent me from shutting myself away until withdrawals had passed!

  • cheryl81
    cheryl81

    Posted

    Saurus: if it's any indication, I cried for three hours after flushing the toilet. I don't know if you can imagine what it took for someone like myself to admit that the drug was such a huge part of the more positive person I thought I had become. It did get me through some nearly impossible personal struggles in the last couple of years (was it the drug? or was it me?), but that only made it more apparent to me how much I had come to rely on it to make me human. Tramadol took away my anxiety; it made me not feel the sadness and fear. I must be an idiot to give it up, you think? I can think of all kinds of reasons why a person would continue this and, considering how easily I got my prescriptions from doctors, I must be pretty convincing. But I do understand this: Who I was on Tramadol - no matter how in control, upbeat or steady she was - she was not me. And in the end, even the Tramadol would never be enough. I know that now. Good luck with your taper. Be strong and don't be afraid to wallow in your bad feelings now and then - that's what they're for.
  • steve_1
    steve_1

    Posted

    Tramadol 50 to 100 mg with 10 mg amitriptyline for pain management is what I take. I find it has no "recreational" effects with me and only very minor side effects, like slight constipation which is eased with lots of fruit and the ability to sleep like a log. No weight gain or loss to speak of. Can I stop taking it?, well, I've tried a few times and when I do the pain in my neck and shoulders is unbelievable. I suffer from P H N which is caused by shingles a complaint I've suffered for getting on for 8 years, and I seem to have many attacks of that, in fact I think I feel one coming on. The usual symptoms, tender skin, like sunburn, and a couple of blisters on my neck, and of course an increase in pain, So I,ll keep taking tramadol for as long as I need them and face the consequences when the time comes. Anybody know a cure for shingles? Just one ore thing, I was told that shingles only effects one side of the body. Well that ain't true, it effects both sides of mine.
  • saurus
    saurus

    Posted

    Cheryl - thank you for your words of support - they are much appreciated. I guess I can begin to understand your struggles with tramadol / how you coped through struggles, you say you have been on it for 10 years? I have only had three and that's bad enough! I do share the feelings of 'was it the drug or was it me'. I suffered from bad depression, mainly as a result of constant pain, when I was put on tramadol so I'm now discovering that one of my huge coping mechanisms was most likely the tramadol but it's probably about time to face the truth rather than hide behind the tramadol. I have definitely become a more positive person whilst on tramadol - I hope to figure out myself now I'm coming off it.

    Steve 1 - I was in the same situation as you with regards to pain management, I also take amitrytiline. If I wasn't offered the pregabalin as a substitute to the tramadol - not taking any pain medication would not be possible!

    Also, Steve, have you tried versatis lidocaine medicated plasters? They are patches infused with lidocaine - originally made to help combat pain from shingles. I use them as I have compound regional pain syndrome, so suffer from hypersensitive skin amongst other strange sensations. I find they aren't overly helpful with regards to pain but are useful in easing tender / hypersensitivity / other skin feelings. Definitely worth a try if you haven't - I get them prescribed from my GP on the NHS.

  • cooper19
    cooper19

    Posted

    It's so interesting reading about other people's experiences with tramadol. Cheryl and Saurus, good luck with your new life being off tramadol. I hope you are happier - in the end, really feeling "you" are "you" on your own - and not the drug.

    For me, being off the drug is not an option that will leave me with any decent quality of life. I do find tramadol to be an effective pain killer. It doesn't take away all my pain - but it makes the pain much more bearable.

  • osborne
    osborne

    Posted

    Decreased tramadol, then went without approx 36 hrs. Needed relief again but it took another dose 6 hrs later to bring some help. Its almost as if it has to be in system. Have rested today so easier and so far put up with discomfort. True it doesnt take all pain away just makes it easier to manage, even extra panadol doesnt seem to help.
  • morphix
    morphix

    Posted

    osborne: Yes I had the same experience.. Tramadol does have a very long half-life so the withdrawals take a while to fully-set in... I have found the best way to get off it (and have successfully done it several times) is gradually taper down very slowly over a period of weeks.. if you have tablets, just cut in half, quarter, then chip smaller and smaller pieces.. if you have capsules, just empty less and less powder out into a drink, that way its not a shock to your system, and gradually you get used to it. But all the problems you had before Tramadol (pain, low energy, low mood etc) will return eventually, but not the Tramadol-induced withdrawals. For pain relief, and to deal with withdrawals (if you are really addicted to opiates) I can highly recommend Subutex (if you can get it). A tiny dose is all you need (200mcg) and it will work a lot better than Tramadol, it's a much cleaner drug and easier to come off quicker.
  • osborne
    osborne

    Posted

    Morphix, I am not trying to come off tramadol, just attempting to get dose right. Due to injury in foot/ankle it depends on how active the day has been also pressure and weight on foot. In time yhe injury will be sorted out I hope. Unable to tolerate codeine, not allowed diclofenic Paracetamol no help. Now am aware a certain amount has to be in system first before dose ajusted. Have gone 9 hours between doses today so heading in the right direction. Do not have an addictive nature thank goodness. Thanks for your reply.
  • morphix
    morphix

    Posted

    osborne: Ah I see.. well the opiate-receptor action of Tramadol is fairly weak as you probably know on the opiate scale (below Codeine)...the liver converts Tramadol into the potent O-desmethyltramadol opiate antagonist, but some its not metabolised in small amounts in liver and in some people not very well at all..

    The key with Tramadol seems to be, small, regular doses (50-100mg) spread out over the day (every 5-6 hrs), to keep the level of O-desmethyltramadol building in the bloodstream for the break-through pain-relief, rather than taking higher doses (i.e. 200mg) which is wasteful.

    There is a more potent painkiller based on Tramadol called tapentadol, which doesn't require the liver to memetabolise it into O-desmethyltramadol. Never tried it myself, but if you're a poor metaboliser it could be a better choice. It's said to be more potent as a painkiller and comparable to a low dose of Oxycodone at equivalent 50-100mg doses of Tramadol. Certainly addiction would be more of a risk on that I think if more than a few weeks or months of daily usage, but maybe if you can keep the dose low could be manageable and you can always rotate pain-relief drugs around to lessen the risk of addiction or dependency.

    I was taking Tramadol for PVNS (I didn't realise I had the condition and just assumed it was a knee injury) for 4-5 years! It kept the pain tolerable but I could still feel it a bit. When I had surgery earlier this year, I was on morphine several times a day, and because I had such a high tolerance from Tramadol and Subutex, the Morphine did nothing!

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