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MedHelp Member's Question

Ultram and hydrocodone

by jule1, Jun 14, 2001 12:00AM

Tags: hydrocodone, Addiction

Hi everyone I posted a question about two weeks ago but I had to put it in the answer section. I really need help I have been abusing Ultram and hydros for quite a while I think th e Ultram is the hardest I ran out the other day and felt horrible and did not sleep at all I had a seizure from taking too much about a month ago. You would think that would make me stop but so far it has not. I am feeling so guilty I know I am not the person I could be and the mother and wife I should be. I have been reading this forum every day for about 2 weeks and I really like what I read you all seem to care and be so honest about everything! I had called NA and they gave me two names to call one didn't live there and the other linw was disconnected. Thenk I called a rehab that did not know about Ultram. Then I called a counselor who also did not know so I really got frustrated. However sometimes I am so afraid to quit I do have a lot of back pain. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again Cindi and Thomas

Member Comments (83)

by cindi, Jun 14, 2001 12:00AM

To: Jbear

Hi again you say you had a seizure from taking too many ultram and I think I have told you before that they will cause seizures when the drug is discontinued abruptly do not cold turkey from ultram..you say you also abuse hydros...ok no one in your area seems to be knowledgable re: ultram and detox..I don't know what else to tell you except this....and this is advice that I really don't like to give out since you will be substituting one drug for another but sometimes we need to do what we need to do for our own good, I call them survial skills.....ok if yo have access to any other kind of opiate,,,,vicodin, lorcet, etc, or even darvocet (which is what i used to get off the ultram)you should get a good week's supply and use the other med to get off the ultram...these other drugs will curb the ultram withdrawal...just stop the ultram all together and use whatever else you have....you do need to be careful with the other drug so you don't end up addicted to them....stay off the ultram for 4 days to a week,,,and then gradually start decreasing your dose of the other "detox" drug...this way your body will be able to adjust to havein less and less of a substance in it...after all is said and done and you have been off the ultram when you finally come off of everything you may still experience a certain degree of discomfort (albeit minimal) what we do to ourselves when we abuse is not without consequence....we may not get into trouble with the law or we may not die etc. but we do suffer in other ways...my sister and i both used darvocet and maybe even vicodin to get off the ultram....and it worked....even though ultram is not an opiate per se,,,,it still acts on the opiate receptors of the brain.....so other opiates will counter attack the ultram withdrawals....it may even help if you had access to ativan, xanax, valium etc..once again though you have to be careful as these are benzodiazepenes..and they are another class of drugs that should not be stopped abruptly...Maybe Thomas, JB, Wiz or anyone else has something they would like to add.....I'm sorry I have no other suggestions but this is the same thing I have suggested to you in the other posts....please if anybody knows of anything else let us know,,,,good luck take care love to all cindi

by jule1, Jun 14, 2001 12:00AM

To: Cindi and everyone !!!

You are a blessing! I am so comforted for some reason just knowing that someone else had a problem with Ultram! And for some wraped reason it makes me feel like I have a little narcotic abuse family in the people in this forum so to all you who have ever written a post or question thank you! I do think it is time to try I would like to live a life without this abuse I have the most wonderful husband anyone could ever want, a beautiful home and a beautiful baby! I need to remember all that is good. Does anyone know why addictions run in families? Is it psychological or some sort of physical need. So many people in my family have problems with this and I come from a family with 7 kids so it's a lot. Well thanks again I am a helper at heart and it is always very hard for me to ask for help. Cindi you seem like a natural caregiver I feel close to you already Are you going to Fla soon? If so have a great time. I am going to Santa Barbara next week and whenever I go away I always worry about my stash! I think I need to withdraw now so I can have a good vacation. Bless you all and if I can help anyone I would be happy to!

by cindi, Jun 14, 2001 12:00AM

To: Jbear

Thank you for your warm words...I don't know if I wold say I am a care giver by nature LOL taking care of people has been my profession since I was 17 years old....I started working as a nurse aide, then 20 years ago I went to nursing school, because of my addiction I felt too vulnerable to work in nursing anymore so I went into the pre-school business....LOL now I am the director of a the toddler program in a pre-school/daycare center....I love people, I have a genuine concern for people and I can't stand to see anything be it human or animal hurt..last night I got chased by a baby squirrel,,he was acting funny and he kept chasing me....and a few other people,,,,,everyone thought we was rabid but I knew he was just a baby and afraid..but playful..so,,,,I called the police to come and get the squirrel.....LOL I didn't want anyone on my street hurting the poor thing..LOL do you know I could not sleep all night thinking about this poor baby....I swear I can be such a dork LOL anyway,,,hang in there, I am heading to NC and Florida next wednesday :) can't wait.......God bless you love to all cin

by Thomas, Jun 14, 2001 12:00AM

To: JBear

cin's right. For one thing, if you've got Vicodin, what do you need the Ultram for anyway? And yes, other narcotics like vics and darvocet will make coming down from Ultram a lot easier. Good luck.

by wildcat, Jun 14, 2001 12:00AM

To: jbear � Cindi

jbear, I have been taking Ultram for over one year now and it has been fairly good in relieving pain but many days the pain breaks through and I could take any amount of Ultram and it won't work. I was taking 10 50 mg tabs per day but now that I take 8-10 30 mg of plain codiene everyday I automatically have hardly taken any Ultram. I was taking them both at the same time but there was no need for the Ultram. Sometimes if the pain is bad I take 2-3 codiene tabs and 1-2 Ultrams. That seems to help. 3 Ibuprophen tabs with it works good too.

Yes, I had some withdrawal from the Ultram when I cut down before the codiene but not now. My pharmycist told me that 10 Ultram tabs 50 mg is over the daily toxic limit so I had cut it down to eight but that was not enough, but now I don't have to worry about it. No wonder you had seizures at 40 tabs!!!!!

Ultram lowers the seizure threshold anyway, so that was one problem I had to worry about. I have not had a seizure in over a week so the codiene must not do that.

Cindi, how is Florida doing? Here it is has been thunderstorming every afternoon, tyipcal of the rainy season. I love rain. My land youn asked about is in Tropical Gulf Acres on one of their man made lakes. It is in Charlotte County fairly close to Sarasota. Take care, I am tired and don't feel too good, I just took my meds I hope they work soon. Bye for now, I almost started on my Temporal Lobe Babbling Trend again.

by cindi, Jun 15, 2001 12:00AM

To: Milo

I will have access to a computer while I am gone.....I'm sure I'll be busy for the most part in the daytime, but never too busy for my forum family......I'll be thinking of each and everyone of you in my dreams...ahhhhhhhh as I'm flotaing around in the pool on my little sleepy raft....just drifting and floating,,,,maybe waking occasionally to take a sip of some sun tea....and to notice the palm trees and the sea breeze.....and maybe take notice of george Clooney lounging next to me...OOPPSS sorry,, got lost in the moment..LOL seriously I'll be able to keep in touch talk to ya loater tater love cin