Tramadol is not evil.

Posted , 52 users are following.

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>

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  • Posted

    Good luck Carly I think you're making a wise decision and it should work, glad your friend has helped you out. I think the sudden onset of withdrawal is because of the high dose and length of time you been taking, your body is just used to it, those on lower doses for a long time like I was, 50mg can feel ok for about 2 days and then you start to feel a bit icky, but nothing as bad you describe. Keep strong and remember we're here for you.
  • Posted

    Hi Carlye - I understand now what you're saying - about understanding other people have struggled getting off tramadol as well. I'm glad you are aware you aren't alone! Also, I do want to say, I've read elsewhere that it is better to cut down by 25% - and hold for a week, then another 25% and so on, even then cutting pills in half and in quarters until you are weaned off. However, I would say listen to your body and do what you think you can handle. My thoughts are with you and I wish you the best in getting off the drug.

    On a totally different topic, any sympathy from the board for getting laid off (permanently) from my very good job of 21 years - today, would be appreciated. I'm actually feeling more shock and anxiety (major anxiety) than being teary. I thought I would cry - but, it's just all anxiety and a bit of anger and resentment as well. I'm glad I was saving a lot in the last few years! At least I don't have any kids to support, but no spouse to help me out. Major bummer.

  • Posted

    I am so sorry cooper19. That really is awful. I remember getting laid off after only 3 years when I was very young. I still felt that the bottom of my world had just fallen out, I do hope you are able to find something else. It is so hard though.
  • Posted

    Thanks so much for your kind words, evergreen. I really appreciate it! Luckily, today I found I had more friends than I thought and they were all very comforting and encouraging. This is so distressing beyond words. A lot more people from my former company will be laid off Monday and I suspect there will be some folks like myself, who thought they were "safe". It is a really sad state of affairs.
  • Posted

    I'm new to this site and have read all of the comments, and its nice to see such positive & supportive posts. I'm on day 1 - usually take 100-200mg a day - and its been 22 hours and the withdrawl symptoms started about 8 hours ago. I'm wondering if anyones tried vitamin supplements, if that helped anything? I'm petrified about restless leg tonight - its extreme if I miss a day, and I'd like to get off Tram, but I will be up all night with RLS. Ive read some places that iron, B12 etc. can help, but I'd rather ask actual Tramadol users. Thanks!
  • Posted

    I should've stated too - I was not planning on just stopping, I took a 50mg & feel a bit better already. I'm just afraid that the RLS will still be there (I really don't want to have to be dependent on another drug for that). Morphix - some reading that I've done state that there were 3 trials done on 820 people for 90 days. I agree that I think more studies need to be done. I've been taking it for almost 5 years now. My father takes it also, and it affects him differently (he's 56, I'm 33) which I'm sure has something to do with it. He's more for pain, I'm more for anxiety, being able to focus, etc. Seems I've always been on something (anti-depressants, anxiety meds) and I'd like to try more natural things, which is why I came to this forum.
  • Posted

    WHockey10: RLS is a real problem and insomnia, even on low doses I experienced it when I stopped.

    As to natural substances, the obvious ones that spring to mind for relaxation are Valerian, Passilora, Hops (you could try the branded formula's like Quiet Life or Kalm's which contain several relaxing ingredients to promote sleep, but you might need to take higher dose than normal), also a high potency B-Vitamin Complex and Magnesium are said to help with anxiety. If none of that helps and you're really suffering with RLS and unable to sleep and really desparate then there's a drug called Etizolam you can get without prescription online. Although it's a benzodiazepine analog, so has some dependency and withdrawal issues similar too traditional benzo-class drugs like Valium. It would only be recommended for very short term use to get past the worse of the withdrawals and for night-time use only as a sleep aid. If you start taking it you'd have to be really careful not to get dependent on it for sleep.

    The two main things which have helped me after discussing with my GP are cutting out caffeine, exercise every day, and taking Escitalopram. It's an anti-depressant with is also used for anxiety conditions.. I've tried a lot of different meds like yourself in the past for anxiety but this is the only thing which has worked for me to some degree.. it definitely lessens the severity of anxiety and evens out my moods. It's early days yet though I've only been taking it a few weeks and take a lower than normal dose (5mg) of an evening. I find it helps me sleep too.

  • Posted

    Morphix, Foot pain increased, its numb but painful so having to increase Tramadol. The supports in trainers have not helped as put strain on ankle At least can manage I think on 400mg, only just had to put dose up again reluctantly.
  • Posted

    Every evening, around 10 to 11 ish I get a restless leg sort of thing at the top of my spine. I call it restless back syndrome and I think it kicks in either when I'm getting tired or when the previous nights meds wear down a bit.This together with the pain is realy not very pleasant at all, Anyway, last nights session was a humdinger and 10mg amitrityline with 100mg Tramadol didn't do their usual magic, I think maybe I left taking the meds. too long.After several hours of turning over and over like a rotissary I thought I'd give the old Naproxen a go. 10mg amitripyline, 100mg Tramadol followed two hours later with 500mg Naproxen did the trick, can't recall the rest of the night at all but I woke up around 8 am feeling a little frayed around the edges and following reality about 3 seconds late but it got me through with no real harm done.

    Probably not a cocktail to be repeated too often but I think you'll agree when I say that sometimes things get so bad that you are willing to risk anything.

    Today the feeling started early at around 5pm (probably tired from the previos bad night) so I took 100mg Tramadol. I don't feel to restless at the moment although it's there in the background. I will take my usual dosage of things at about 10 (if I last that long) and hope for the best. I will let you know how it goes when its gone.

  • Posted

    I'm still here, having survived yesterday pretty much unscathed. Woken up feeling as though I'd been kicked by a horse between the shoulders. Not a nerve pain just a pain, so I took Naproxen 500mg, after 4 hours I was still in pain so I took Tramadol 100mg. A bit lighter on the pain but generally feel washed out.. I think I'm getting a heavy duty dose of PHN so I suppose I'll be on Tramadol and Amitriptyline. big time for a while. The trouble is I find it so hard to stay with it and awake and I still have to earn a living some how.

    Anyone know of some wakey wakey pills that don't clash with Tramadol?.

  • Posted

    It has been interesting reading other peoples history while taking this drug. I have been using tramadol for probably two and one half years. I have never approached the maximum dosage level of 400 mg a day, I acually get a little too "buzzed" if you will, if I take more than half that amount in one day. My tablets are 50mg, so what I'm saying is that if I take more than five a day that would be a rarity. I take the medication for my back as I drive a forklift all day, and those machines have zero suspension. So the tramadols do help, with my lower back pain that can deveop because of my forklift use. My own side effects to tram. is constipation occasionally, but that can be dealt with, with an increased fiber diet. Also I have found sleeplessness can be a problem. But I also have a script for lorazepan which I started taking for nervousness when I was working on quitting smoking, I actually have not had a cigerette in more than two years but have found that by taking one lorazepan before bedtime really helps put me to sleep, so I guess I have found my way around restlessness. I do get a euphoric high from the drug, but I've always found it to be increditably productive, if you will, that is my desire to get what ever it is done in front of me increases immensely, whether it's paying bills, doing the dishes, writing a sermon(I was a Pastor for over five years recently at a small church here in Nebraska, as well as maintaing my full time job at a building supply company) or splitting wood. I have also found that despite the claims of having a decreased appetite, the drug has always seemed to enhance my taste buds, has anyone else ever noticed this? Good food seems to just taste better and great food tastes awesome.

    Please be aware I am a recovering alcoholic, and have been sober for almost twenty years now, and I am fully aware that I have a very addictive personality. I am concerned with any long term effects due too the usage of this drug, such as kidney failure or any other major problems that may be connected with it's use. However I have not found any, what I might call real "dangers", to the body after a period of long continued use.

    I have found this drug to be much favorable to such drugs such as hydrocodone, my own experiance of extended use of any drug from the "codone" family is not a pleasant one, even after a week of use with any of these drugs they always have produced feelings of being "wired" if you will, or the same type of feelings one might experiance with a bad hangover, and whenever I have stopped taking such a drug as hydrocodone, restless nights and very strange and vivid dreams were always common. So I just say no when ever they are perscibed.

    Sometimes I wonder if I need to be on tramadol and that I should probably try to manage without it, but you can't beat the price of the drug, with my co-pay I pay of about 12.5 cents a pill. So I continue my usage yet at the same time feel a little concerned about continued prolonged use. Are there any others out there who may have similar concerns or experiances. I would love to read your posts. Thank you.

  • Posted

    I've been taking them for a while now and like you Tom60418 I have an increased appetite and have no trouble sleeping but do have trouble staying awake. Unlike you I don't have to pay for them...Good old NHS.
  • Posted

    I've just completed a tramadol tapering plan that is worked great. I am 46yrs old and about 5 years ago was given hydrocodone for an injury. About 6 months later realized I was taking waaay to much, getting from various sources and couldn't stop without feeling like I had the flu (was taking approximately 60 mg/day) I had to taper off those.(horrific experience) When I went to my doctor and told him what happened he prescribed me tramadol and said it would be better for me.(ha!) Well, low and behold about a year ago I realized all I did was switch addictions. If I went without the tramadol I felt like I had the flu. Diarrhea, nausea and absolutely no energy even to get off the couch. I've messed with so called "tapering" schedules many different times. I know everyone is different. Some never become dependent on things and others can look at something and get addicted to it. But this is what worked for me coming from taking 2-50mg tablets 4 times a day (way too much!) They gave me "pops" of energy although my husband says they do nothing for him (again everyone's different)

    Immediately started 3x/day for one week instead of 4 times a day (your not going to have withdrawals as long as your body is getting most of the usual dosage on a consistent basis)

    Every week I decreased my dosage by 50 mg.

    Once I got down to 1/2 a tablet 3x a day I started taking them only twice a day (25mg morning and evening)

    This is where I started noticing a difference. No withdrawals but just tired all the time and lack of energy. I went to GNC and purchased something called lumiday (google it) I did this for 2 weeks.

    One would think that at this low dosage you should be able to stop completely but I did and within a day started feeling icky (be it all in my head or not, that's how it was for me). After a lot of internet research I found a sight where an actual doctor talked about crushing the tablet in water to make a liquid to be able to lower yourself into the milliliters instead of trying to break tablets into tiny pieces. I crushed half a tablet 25mg and used a syringe and added 36ml of water, dissolved it and put the liquid into the syringe (no needle lol) I squirted half the syringe (1.5ml) into my mouth twice a day for the next 2-3 days. Then for 2 days gave myself 1/2 a squirt only first thing in the morning for 2 days. Then stopped. BTW when I got down to the liquid every other day, I threw all but 1/2 a tablet away in the garbage disposal so that I didn't have a choice to continue much longer. That half a tablet went into the garbage can a few days ago.

    I've had nothing for end of day 3 now and feel fine. My mood isn't what it use to be (feel more like watching tv and chilling on the internet rather than being active) however, no withdrawals. If this is the worse I haveto deal with, then I'm good. After all, I've taken pain meds that are serotonin releasers for like 6 years now. I'm sure it will take time for my body to get use to taking care of itself again.

    As far as pain treatment. It was a mild back injury and I've been on a regular exercise now for about a month to strengthen my lower back muscles per advice from my new doctor. (also got me the Brazilian butt lift program that I just started a week ago, although it takes to much energy lol)

    My ex-husband smoked for nearly 20 years and quit cold turkey with no withdrawels. A friend was on hydrocodone after back surgery for nearly 6 months and quit with no problem. There are others, like myself, who are easily addicted to anything that alters our mood. I've read and heard a lot is genetics. Either way, there is no right or wrong answer on this message board or any other I've read. As long as people don't "dismiss" others addictions as false because it's never happened to them. The best thing to do is to thumb through threads and find something that is applicable to yourself and realize there is no easy way out sometimes. Set your mind to it, be gentle on your body and recovery process and take it one day at a time!

    Good luck to anyone trying to stop this medication that is having a hard time. Hopefully my story will help someone out there, even if it's just one person :-)

    • Posted

      Hello SLR, I am currently taking Tramadol 100mg/daily for back pain due to a previous car accident. Been taking tramadol for 3 months and ready to come off this medication. I've researched for s on how to wean off tramadol. I came across your post and it was the most positive and detailed information I was willing try. Yesterday was day 1 of tapering off tramadol. Cut dosage in half 50 will keep at 1 week and then half down from there and so on. Sorry about the rambling.

      Thx the great advice. Hope this works for me as well as it did for you.

  • Posted

    Correction! Was re-reading my post. I used 3ml of liquid not 36ml! lol guess I hit 2 keys at once! sorry. 25mg tramadol, crushed and dissolved in 3ml of water. :-)

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