weaning off tramodol. help

Hi Paula by no means Im not a doctor, but from my experince its best to go at your own pace without the pressure of the doctor if you can.Even if you just go from 400MG to 350MG thats a step in the right direction use hot baths if you feel achey, you shouldnt feel too bad if you go 1 at a time, use other medcations if you have acess to them its what I did. i ALWAYS taper in the day time Id never taper at the night before sleep cause that would affect my sleep.

I've written on here before about my Tramadol addiction. Im in US. Texas. Now in US tramadol is considered a controlled substance. You only get 5 refills an they have to last 30 days each. Also against law to get on internet now since controlled. I'm a recovering addict. May 12 of '14' was my lsst pill. 50mg pills. 20-25 a day. I became a recluse. Ordering off internet. 360$ a mnth. Id been taking it for 7 yrs. Normal first 4-5 yrs then slowly upping dosage. In2010 I think I had a seizure fr taking 3 @ once. At my parents house. Fell straight into t.v. cabinet corner. Cut my head an ambulance came. I didn't know anyone at first when came out of seizure. Then my mind became normal slowly in couple hrs. Embarrassed in ER. They new I took to much. Did that stop me??!! NO! went back to normal dosage then really started goin up. It was like my body now could handle high doses. Didnt go to any DR's for checkups afraid they would find out I was abusing Tramadol. When Id run out waiting for FedEx to come, I'd go to a clinic an fake I hurt my back. I do have a bad back an fibromyalgia. Get rx until package came by FedEx. Ficious cycle. I avoided all my friends an didn't do much for last 2 yrs. Finally God intervened. Id wanted to stop an tried several times but the high dosage I was on, over 1,000mg, was dangerous for me to do it alone. So on May 10 I started getting the flu then heart palpitations an skipped heart beat. I was scared. Went ER. Basically was humiliated to say I took that many but I had to. They said I needed help to get off. Two days later went to a detox facility for 5 days. I dont remember much. I do remember taking long hot showers fr restless legs. Horrible. They had other meds available to make me as comfortable as can be in detox. Its not fun but not as bad as at home. Theres no sugar coating Tramadol withdrawals. After getting off I was put on antidepressant & anti-anxiety meds. Zoloft made me pretty sick so only took it for 2 1/2 mnths weaned off it (horrible) then started weaning off Klonapine (anti-anxiety) thats really horrible. Id taken it since May 12 an started weaning in Sept of '14' till Dec. That long. Very slow taper. Well in Sept I became very depressed an angry. Started scarying myself. I also found out I started menopause. So put on Lexapro an bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Been on Lexapro since December 13th an hormone replacement since Nov 26th. Antidepressants can take 4-6 to kick in. I know the depression is fr Tramadol withdrawals still. Tramadol messes with your neurotransmitters in the brain. It has Antidepressant an anti-anxiety qualities not only pain management. So watch out for depression when you do finally stop. Tramadol increases serotonin an norepinephrine so dont take anything that increases those. You could have Serotonin Syndrome. Deadly. Look it up. Im still a little depressed but not as bad as couple mnths ago. I didn't want my pills for about 5mnths but when 6-7 mnths came I miss them an want them. But I know Ill never take one again. I went to Narcotics anonymous meetings an a therapist for 5 mnths. Exercise is important. You MUST get off or cut way back on them an stay there at that dosage. If you think your going to go up then get off them. Cold Turkey by yourself is not a sure fire way to stop. It will make you crave them more an give in. If detox is not an options then slowly, I mean slowly taper down. Go to a pharmacists or your dr an ask for a super slow taper. I mean months of tapering. They should know.an if withdrawals symptoms are bad at a drop then go back to what you were taking b4 the drop. Some people say drop whole 50mg pill when time but I dont think so. If pills can be halved drop by half a pill every drop. If you cant trust urself give pills to someone like husband an let them or him know you are slow tapering to get off the pills an not suffer so you can still function. They need to be able to give you the pill at rt times to. So it could take 3-4-5 mnths to get off. Show taper plan to Dr so he knows your serious an you dont run out of pills. Also Immodium AD is good to take for diaherra. Take Vits an magnesium an stay hydrated. Do not take 5-HTP, or St. Johns wart or L-tryptophan. While on Tramadol. They increase serotonin as does Tramadol or antidepressants. Dangerous. B-vits are good. Exercise to. Create new habits instead of old ones when you would take the pills. Thats about it for me. Goodluck. Get off these if you can. Oh also I realized about two mnths off them that they were actually causing me pain instead of helping! I take Tylenol or Ibuprofen (Advil) an Lidocaine patches, they require an rx.

God bless, Zio