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Avatar universal

Need to quit Tramadol cold turkey

Hello,

I have a question but before I get all the standard replies on quitting tramadol such as don'tdoit, you run risk of seazures, it's the worst drug to quict cold turkey, you need to go into the emergency room after your last dose etc etc yes I have read all this. None of t helps me what it really does is make's you never want to quit.

However I really do need help and advice on what I can do in my current situation. I need to make it through this I have no other option, failure or dying is not a option either.
I got hurt over  a year ago and I have been taking trams snce then and for the last 6 months or so I have been taking around 1,500 mg or 30  50 mg caps per day. Never all it once. I normally take 500 mg 3 times a day over a period of 16 hrs. I have never quit before. My body actally craves for more tramadol than the 1,500 mgs but I have been able to keep it at this dosage.

Now here's what is happening and I cannot change this. I am living in another country not the US. You get all the Trams here over the counter and pretty cheap 14 cents for 1. Anyhow in 2 weeks I will be on a plane with my 4 year old dog returnng back to the US. That is a fact. I need t be clean before my flight takes off.
Only helpful suggestions please anything that is going to incite fear keep it to yourself. I only want to know what I need to do and what method will work the best for me during these 2 weeks.

Thank you
PG
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707563 tn?1626361905
This thread is now closed.  Please do not post to it again.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Emily


***************************** CLOSED THREAD  *************************
                                     NO MORE POSTS
Helpful - 0
1285097 tn?1323780241
i mean i am really concerned about you being on CT from Tramal without any additional medication that decrease the risk of you having seizures.
By the way.. sodium valproate comes as a Long term medication.. tramal doesn't.
What is going to happen if you drive, if you walk across a busy intersection and have a seizure? It could cost your life.

take care of yourself!! hugs and be strong
Helpful - 0
1285097 tn?1323780241
Hi paradiseguy
you're truly right about sodium valproate and its side effects, however your risk of seizures would be far higher than getting your liver damaged and to be taken a lot more seriously.
I come from a medical background myself, dont mean to be supersmart here.. but i am really concerned about you being on CT after such a high dose of Tramadol.
Helpful - 0
1406964 tn?1283203866
To find out more about sodium valproate, go to BNF.org and type it into the search engine.
Helpful - 0
1406964 tn?1283203866
It's sodium valproate. I do think you may wish to check the side effects though....

It isn't normally started unless your liver function has been tested due risk of fatal liver damage.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks is there another name for Epilim?
Helpful - 0
1285097 tn?1323780241
p.s. i mean i'm on day 6 of Tramal WD
Helpful - 0
1285097 tn?1323780241
paradiseguy.. i am thinking of you. I'm on day 6 of Tramal. The first day was ok.. the second was hell on earth, day three to five were kind of yucky with intense sugar cravings, agitation and low energy, today feels a tiny bit better than yesterday.. My dose was far from being as high as yours (max 300mg twice daily) but you can do it too!!
Are you able to buy Epilim over the counter? They prevent you from having fits. Try to take them for one or two weeks. And an antidepressant (Lexapro/Cipralex works quite fast) can take the edge off the depression
Be strong.. there are a lot of us going through this.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow!  You're feelings are a bit scewed!  First,there are no doctors on this forum. The
Moderators are here to make sure no one gives crazy advice. Taper plans are VERY specific and only a knowledgable and experienced individual (doctor) should give advice
about that along with dosage changes etc...None of us want to have anyone get hurt!

But,I will say this: You've got a HUGE problem on your hands,in my opinion. You take way too much Tram. You need to get that down and you should start today! You're going to kill yourself. You don't think you've hit a rock bottom but you're getting there:
That little walk with the dog after taking 14 caps didn't get you thinking???  Falling down 6 times,unable to walk,bruised face,forced yourself home,and dropping onto the sofa??
You're only kidding yourself,my friend. What if you had been in a car??

I suggest you learn to like doctors and find one to help you. I'm very concerned for you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,

Well you are in a pickle!  My advice would be firstly go and see a doctor or drugs works or cpn as soon as possible , explain the situation and hopeful he/she will be able to give you advice and a proper reduction plan. Also with a medical professional involved you may  be able to take medication with you legally .. If you try to take some in illegally you could be arrested and end up doing cold turkey in your own in a cell.

Then I would also start reducing yourself as much as you can , at the same time by yourself some energy  drinks, vitamins and generally healthy food as you are going to go through a rough time no matter how you do it.

basically lots of comforts and whilst your are going through the worst get things to take your mind off it dvds ect. also try to have someone with at all times if possible in case you do fit or start to feel really bad !

hope all goes well !!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks I will do that.
It's really the doctors who feel they are god that tell the mods what to do and the mods follow blindly the wishes of the docs not a good thing in the people helping business.

My cousin has been a RN for many years and I will tell you a truth over 80% of doctors if not more have made major mistakes with their patients concerning admin drugs in hospital situations and if it was not for sharp RNs that really know what doctors are to challenge them, these patients would have died and many have you just don't hear about it because it's acya type of thing.

I would never take the advice of a doctor concerning this. A RN, or even a person that has worked in tramadol recovery but not a doctor. I am not saying all doctors are careless or stupid what I am saying is they tend to do things much to rash the way their brain works.


thanks
PG
Helpful - 0
707563 tn?1626361905
Yes, that is exactly why.  It has been explained in this thread, and is explained in the first 2 threads on the topic listings, with the Posting Guidelines.

Emily
Helpful - 0
1406964 tn?1283203866
Hi Paradiseguy,

As you already know, the real Tramadol expert on the site is Tramahater. You could send your previous post by private message for further discussion.

I'm sure the reason that the moderators don't allow us to discuss tapering is fear of legal liability if something goes badly wrong (eg Grand Mal Seizures), because of advice given by one of us.

It isn't personal.

Wishing you all the very best
Helpful - 0
1406964 tn?1283203866
Hi Paradiseguy,

I am very pleased and relieved that you've decided to taper rather than just go cold turkey.
It'll be much safer.  It'll get you the same place that you want to be, just take a bit longer.

I think your chances of success would be highest if you were able to hook up with a sympathetic doctor. Perhaps when you get home to the states?

Wishing you all the very best.
Helpful - 0
1406964 tn?1283203866
Hi Tina,

My heart goes out to you. Day four off Tramadol must be grim.

I'll be thinking of you.

Take care
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just wanted to let you know that I am praying for you. I have been using
Tramadol for about 5-6 years gradually going from a few a day to17 a day at the most. Ihave had two seizures during this time.  having the seizures was the scariest thing to ever happen to me.  I have stopped cold turkey, todayis my 4th day and im notgonna lie,its no  picnic. I have been doing mybest to stay active,andthat really helps. the first few days are the worst.  body ache, stomach upset, anxiety, depression and major fatigue.... but actually being able to feel emotions andlive life not halfdazed is so worth it. A few months back i tried to taper but it was almost impossible for me cuz I wasnt strong enough to have it and not take it.  everyone is different and i wish i could tell u what the easiest choice will be, but no one can do that. Be strong and know that you can do this. Its tough, take lots of hot baths TRY, TRY, TRy to get a little exercise.  I worked out all the time,soit killsme now that i can only do 30 min max now, its frustrating not to have the energy you had before, but i keep telling myself it will get better and easier...all in good time. If you have access to a sauna or steam room, that really helps, at least it helps me. Iwish u thevery best.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow never heard of grand mals from drug wd's. I think I won't stop all at once you read me into it!
pg
Helpful - 0
617347 tn?1331293081
Hi paradiseguy

i don't have experience with tram but i remember well your first thread and wanted to wish  all the best and all the luck ... to you and your best friend there, your dog :)...hope you can rebuild your life again, sure you can :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You are right about them effecting your mood.  I went on Prozac about 2 weeks after I quit the tram, and I felt better, but it was gradual.  It took about a month.  I had never been depressed, so I didn't know alot about it, but I knew that I didn't like how it felt!!!

As far as the seizures, I don't remember a thing.  They were grand mal.  I just remember waking up to everyone looking horrified or waking up in an ambulance, because I was in public and someone saw me have it.  They were awful and took me a couple of days to recover.  It is the worst feeling in the world.  I have been told by my parents and people who have seen me have them, including one I had while driving, that my eyes rolled back, I started to convulse and make an awful sound.  This went on for a couple of minutes I believe.  Then it took me another 5 minutes to come around where I knew people and knew who I was.  It's bad....really bad!  I wouldn't wish it on anyone!!!  There are different kinds of seizures though.  It is my understanding that those are the big ones.  

I totally understand what you are going through with trying to decide.  It's a real pickle, but you just have to decide what is best for YOU.  I wish there was a way you could see a doc where you are.  I used to go through WD a couple of times a month at least, and I would take clonidine.  The last time I did it in March, I also took neurontin for a few days, because I was honest with my doc about what was going on, and he gave me that for RLS I think??  3 days maybe??  Anyway, the clonidine helps a lot.  It can be dangerous if not taken correctly, but I'm guessing you know that? : )

Let us know what you decide!  You'll get a lot of help here!
Helpful - 0
199177 tn?1490498534
I would try to taper as much as you can .CTing will be hell ..the reason we don't have or do taper schedules is because we dont know other med history and we would never want to hurt someone if there is a taper schedule in the health pages I don't think its for tramadol(there should not be a taper plan in there ) However there maybe .Is there a doctor you can see there to get you some meds to help you threw ...


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well I guess I can try taper but I know myself once I start takng less and feeling like crap I will just want to stop completely and get it over with.
Describe to me what your seizures were like.

Well I guess I need to stop frankly this is the only med I have ever taken that does not get my high but keeps me feeling normal and good. I tried every kind of ant-depressant out there and none of them help as much as Trams do. So I probably would just go on taking them if I could. the thing is I know what it feels like to be addicted to codeine, Vicodin, Oxys but all those do not work on your mood they just give you a high feeling if you take enough. Trams are different they work on your mood just as much or more than they do on the pain. The truth of the matter is if they took the pain part out of the pills and gave me only the anti-depressant part at the strength I am taking I would be fine.

I know how to take clondine don't need a doc for that however I do wish I could go into a hospital a couple days have them flush me out with IVs but can't have everything

I am not really scared of these trams mostly when people quit they do so because something happens they hit bottom or they are afraid they will take more and more and more. I don't have that when it got up to 40 I told myself that's too high and went down to 30 a day and been like this for more than 8 months I don't worry about them.
that's the thing when you don't see anything bad happening to you and your full functional and your depression is gone would you want to throw a monkey wrench in there and mess it up heck no no one does.
So that's where I am.
thanks
PG
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
That is a tough question!  My first thought is that you only really have one choice......start tapering your dose.  You really do not need to stop that high of a dose CT.  It's really not safe.  It's also not safe to just buy catapres and ambien (or the like) and take it without being monitored.  I'm certainly not wanting to scare you, but I would begin a slow taper, and you shouldn't feel real sick.  Where are you and when will you be back?  You should let a doc help you taper.  They can help you do it quickly with adding other meds.  Is that possible? (getting the help from a doc?)  

Worst case.....you taper after you get to the US.  You can taper so slowly and use catapres under doc supervision, and you won't be too sick to work.  I hope!!! : )

I am most concerned with your current dose though!  I had seizures, many of them, on less than that.  And I had a pretty good tolerance to meds in general!  Not trying to scare you, but you need to get off of them for SURE!!! : )  I think you know that already though, don't you?!!!!



Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Great thanks I think I can get catapres down here so I will buy some to take home.
What do you think about using a sleep aid like in the family of Ambien there a bunch of them and they always worked find for me before I was on these trams I can buy those here also.

Here's the question that has been going around I leave here in 2 weeks do you thing it's better for me to detox here r in the US. I am suppose to go into a job when I get back lol.
You were on a much smaller does than I also. I take 30 per day now but there was a time I was at 40 a day with this stuff. Now my body is so use to it. I really just feel very normal energy level good I never get sick or feel tired however I really got scared once and it was a biggie. This stuff have a very long half-life of 9hrs. sometimes you have a loot more in your system than you think. Anyhow one day I woke up took my usual 10 caps. I had breakfast and at noon time I took 4 more don't know why and my dog Whiskey was ready for a walk I felt great so we went for a walk in the small town I live in. typical country town houses and behind the homes you have paths or open green spaces whatever. Well half way through my walk my feet just gave out and I was flat on the ground every time I blinked my eyes  could feel this rush sensation so I got up again and again I fell hard and again I got up  and again fell hard I had to do this at least 6 times my face black and blue because when you hit you just hit. I was luck there wer no big rocks around. Meanwhile my dog thinks I am playing and he's barking in my ear at the same time.After failure number 6 I rolled on my back and closed my eyes for around 5 mins. then I stood up I could feel my feet want to give way it was only through deep breathing and being as focus as I could that I made it home fell on the couch.

So after that I made darn sure I don't walk right after taking trams. It was really scary the only thing that helped me was in my early days I have done LSD and I have been able to control it somewhat keeping myself conscious that I am tripping well the same with this  was very consciousness what was going on. If I have no prior experience to these states who knows what would happen.

So what's the next step detox her or in the US knowing I am going into a job.

Thank you
PG
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi!  I'm so sorry!  I just got home.....from being gone ALL day long.  YUCK!

Ok, I did go cold turkey from about 15, 50 mg tabs a day.  I took clonidine and used some other vitamins and natural stuff that is OTC to help the WD.  Some of it DOES work!  I can get you a list if you need it.

There are good and bad things about tapering and cold turkey.  I would recommend tapering some before you stop completely.  No matter what, it will not be easy, but you can still get through it!  You will have WDs regardless of what you do, but you can certainly make them bearable!

Let me know if I can help you in any way!  Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner!  WILD day!
Helpful - 0
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