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Tramadol withdrawal

Posted , 6 users are following.

peter25514
peter25514

Hi

I have taking Tramadol on & off for about 5 years for Arthritis. Recently at work I tore a back muscle, been off for 3 weeks. The Doc said to use the Tramadol for the pain. I ended up taking about 10 tabs a day for 3 weeks. Three days ago I stopped taking them so I could feel the muscle pain as it needed exercising. All well and good until the 2nd night. I started going through hell. That is when I actually went on line to find out about the wonder drug. It works alright, but as they say everything has a price, I am paying. All the usual things, so I will not elaborate. I have no history of drug abuse etc, so I was not happy. I have no objection to using drugs, but use the drugs, don`t let the drugs use you. Me being a stubborn individual made a choice this morning. All the tabs are gone down the toilet. Thats it, so cold turkey here I come. I am due back at work on Monday, so I hope the worst is over. I know people come off Tramadol gradually, also using other tablets, but like I said, I am stubborn & a strong willed idiot at times, but hey, that`s me. I will never use Tramadol again & would advise anyone not to use them either. It makes me wander how a strong addictive tab like this is so freely available. The pharmaceutacal companies must be making a mint. All the best to all you folk out there.

0 likes, 20 replies

20 Replies

  • DeeDee50
    DeeDee50 peter25514

    Posted

    Some natural stuff I did was wrap my body electric blanket hot baths often exercise drink lots water magnisum for restless body syndrome I couldn't do it cold turkey so cudos to you your a bad ass god speed

    • peter25514
      peter25514 DeeDee50

      Posted

      Many thanks Dee Dee. I am drinking liquids, but not hungry at all, but I will eat fruit to keep me going. I am sure it will help.
  • Gerrymoo
    Gerrymoo peter25514

    Posted

    I quit tramadol 2 x 50mg daily and only after I went ct did I realise what a terrible drug this is which is often dished out like smarties with no warning to taper off. I didn't even realise there was a dual opiate/ssri component.

    I paid the price of ct with all the usual effects plus terrible rebound anxiety which I'm only just recovering from thanks to antidepressants. It's been the worst time ever and I will never touch tramadol again.

    • peter25514
      peter25514 Gerrymoo

      Posted

      Yip, I did not fully realise the effects either, but the hard work starts now. I will never take another one of those wonder pills. I like to be in control of my life, except maybe after half bottle of single malt whisky smile

    • DeeDee50
      DeeDee50 peter25514

      Posted

      Def hard works starts now after 16 days clean I still miss taking one in the morning and having energy all day, now I'm suffering to get off the coach but will push forward that drug is the devil, just think I asked my doc to give me non natcotic pain pill HUH that was joke he gave me tram

    • peter25514
      peter25514 DeeDee50

      Posted

      Well, good luck on that. Not sure what I will do for arthritis when it bugs me, but that is another thing. Co Codamol is not good either, does nothing but cause constipation, so as you say Dee Dee hard work starts.
    • DeeDee50
      DeeDee50 peter25514

      Posted

      I also have osteoarthritis but I'm learning there are a lot of plants natural healing properties we can explore il be praying for us 🙏🏻

  • thebird55
    thebird55 peter25514

    Posted

    While you were researching, did you happen to notice that tramadol also acts as an SSRI antidepressant? Since your withdrawal symptoms took two days to manifest, I believe it is the SSRI aspect that is giving you the most trouble.
    • peter25514
      peter25514 thebird55

      Posted

      Yip, possibly is, but the thing is Tramadol stays in the body for 2 days, hence the problems being delayed. Now there is none so I am looking forward to some hardship. That`s life smile

  • happyjoy
    happyjoy peter25514

    Posted

    If you are stubborn, you can cold turkey it. If you are going crazy, go to the doc and explain and get some diazepam to help. Physical dependecy is what you have, not addiction. You do not crave the drug. Your body just has become dependent on it. Loads of drugs are like this, not just tramadol. I wish you all the best in your coming off. Pretend you have flue to yourself, and be willing to be up all hours. It is not easy to come off, but it is worse in day three through five for most people. You may find you continue to struggle for longer with some lesser symptoms. It varies person to person. Please, do not get down on the drug itself. It is a good pain killer and is fairly well tolerated. If there were something better, your gp would have given it to you. Tramadol is not prescribed due to its cheapness, but to its effectivness. I hope you find an alternate way to manage your pain. I did not. After two years of trying other things and finding the side effects impossible, I am back on a low does of tramadol. It does what I need and allows me to live a normal life. If that is dependency, then it is fine by me. 
    • peter25514
      peter25514 happyjoy

      Posted

      Thanks for your comments, I am stubborn & will see it through smile

    • Gerrymoo
      Gerrymoo happyjoy

      Posted

      Hi Happyjoy,

      I get what you say . My issue is with GPs dishing this stuff out without warning patients about the pitfalls.

      Lack of adequate information from the GP or prescriber leads to a lot of anguish for the patient.

    • happyjoy
      happyjoy Gerrymoo

      Posted

      your GP certainly does have a duty to warn you, and it should also be clear in the paperwork that comes with the medicine. Since Tramadol is a controled substance and requires an extra signature on purchasing the prescrition, it is remiss of the GP not to point this out and to say why - and also to encourage the patient to take care with the dosage, and to go back to the GP for help in cutting the dose and coming off. You could srite to the practice manager and tell them your complaint. That would help your GP practice to not unwittingly mislead/misinform others. 
    • peter25514
      peter25514 Gerrymoo

      Posted

      My Doc did warn me, but I did not take him too seriously. My thing is how can a drug like this causing so many probs still be on the market.  It works I know BUT?
    • Gerrymoo
      Gerrymoo peter25514

      Posted

      Thing is Peter, after four months on the stuff I was feeling terrible even whilst I was on it (2 x 50mg per day) . I figured that something wasn't right and I couldn't bear to take another - it was a terrible time and then when the rebound anxiety hit - well I never !

    • peter25514
      peter25514 Gerrymoo

      Posted

      Yip, it makes sense to me now about when I was on it. I would not take it some days, but then I would aches, hot flushes, chills etc. Not overly bad, but I got them. The penny did not drop. Only when I injured my back at work as I said before that was my moment of clarity when I wanted to go off the meds to exercise the muscle. But things are going OK at the moment. I will prevail smile

    • DeeDee50
      DeeDee50 happyjoy

      Posted

      GPs don't have to do anything they don't want to do of course it's the right thing to do and good practice but they don't go in depth on teaching that's what nurses do they'll tell you the general things to do on how to take it but they don't go in depth on teaching they just don't do that unfortunately I agree with what you said what they should do but that doesn't happen

    • DeeDee50
      DeeDee50 peter25514

      Posted

      Pharmaceutical is big business big bucks big money they don't care how hard we are having it to come off of sad but true all we can do is get clean and then warn people when they talk about it or they need to get on pain meds I asked my doctor to give me something non-narcotic and he gives it to me and that was before it was changed but it was still narcotic in my bad that I didn't research it and then I trusted my doctor we need to take our own health and welfare in our own hands and do our own research

    • peter25514
      peter25514 DeeDee50

      Posted

      To be fair DeeDee my Doctor did warn about the addiction. I did not research enough as I usually would. On this occassion there is one person to blame, ME, but trust me it is a valuable lesson I have learned. But as they say, it will all come out in the washsmile.

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