Yup sure can tramadol works just like an ssri anti depressant .That probably why you like it ..What antidepressant are you on for your bi polor ?
Sounds like too much of a drop in dose. Take it a little slower, like a ten percent drop every week.
Thank you for the advice. I have just stopped Lamictal and am supposed to start Trileptal in about five days. I am not sure I shoudl wait. My depression is horrible and I think I shoudl at least take it slower with cutting out the Tramadol. I took two tonight - as I normally would have in the afternoon and felt like a normal person. Slow is going to have to do it as there is no reason to bring on a major depression. I was starting to feel suicidal and panicked that there would be no other way out for me. Just hafe to take it slower. I was trying to take 5-htp but my doctor advised against it being that I am a rapid cycler in terms of mood changes. But I really want to get off the Tramadol. even my psych doc told me he is not crazy about it and yet I have read that some doctors do use it to treat depression. He thinks it may make it worse for me.
I also suffer from depression, started with post-partum - well, that's when I acknowledged it! I currently take generic Zoloft and also take tramadol for low back/hip pain. I take about 150-200 mg/day and have the same problem when I try to wean off. I was down to just 50/day, but was having anxiety and naseau and would easily get depressed and angry. I hate having to take pills, but they help and get me through the day as a happy, "normal" person. I've read articles on tramadol and have heard that it is highly addictive, but my doctor says that taking 200-400 mg a day isn't bad. Has your doctor told you to stop taking them, or are you just cutting back for personal reasons? I sometimes worry that I'll never be able to stop!!