Aa
New Here but not new to issue. Tramadol bit me and I am so mad!
I had a prescription narcotic addiction in the 90's, vicodin and percocet. That caused a chain reaction that left me in a train wreck and a bipolar diagnosis. I went CT and white knuckled my way out of the situation but I was in my 20's and no kids so it was easier. I was so determined not to go back to that place that I told everyone in my life that I was an addict to keep me in check. Told all of my doctors and told them not to prescribe me any narcotics no matter what I said. If you really want to stay off the drugs I highly recommend this route. It's all over my medical charts and works quite well. It gave me my power back and sense of control over my life and the drug.
If it works so dang well then why am I here?! lol. WELL, this is the kicker...I was so adamant about a no narcotic policy that when I decided to have a child at 35 I went natural. I had some back issues which is the origin of the original addiction. I was alone with a baby and could not pick her up so I agreed to try a non-narcotic pain medication that was "non-addictive", tramadol. I had full withdrawal after just a few doses that was just as bad as any withdrawal I had had from abusing pain meds. Unfortunately for me my vanity got the best of me when I figured out I could not eat on tramadol and not suffer stomach issues. I am now back to square one and addicted to the garbage and I want out. I went to my doctor and confessed my sins. I have this blasted bipolar diagnosis so he did not want to handle my withdrawal with out the aid of a qualified pyschiatrist to monitor my every move. Smart but I had a consult with a drug addiction/bipolar specialist that recommended a non approved detox program my insurance would not pay for at $3800 for a 3 day detox. I don't have $3800 and where will I be parking my daughter while I am out for 3 days?
I feel completely betrayed by the medical help I recieved. I feel like I was just a hard sell on an unapproved treatment and when I couldn't afford it then no other options were offered. It's not my doctor at all, he did not give me the meds and I didn't tell him I was taking them until it was too late. I wasnt hiding it, I didnt think it was an issue and mentioned it as a side note on a regular visit. He hit the roof and immedietly called the pain clinic that gave me the garbage. Even still, I am not blameless and no one forced me to continue once I did know it was a problem. I can't get off this he** train and I am beyond sick of the ride.
My father died at 57 from liver damage recieved during a bout with alcholism. He quit drinking 17 years before his death but the damage was done. It was a horrible and deameaning/slow death. I have a 5 year old daughter, I don't have the right to take these drugs and risk my life. I am beyond scared of what my liver enzymes might look like.
I have tried to go CT on this garbage several times but could not get past day 5-6. I am a single mom with no help, it isn't working for me to be so sick I can not care for my child. I may need help this time but taking one drug to get off another just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I am not educated on these "help" drugs but am not sold. Any ideas how I might get my life back and off of this he** train in short order? Thank you for just letting me babble endlessly about my stupidity......
If it works so dang well then why am I here?! lol. WELL, this is the kicker...I was so adamant about a no narcotic policy that when I decided to have a child at 35 I went natural. I had some back issues which is the origin of the original addiction. I was alone with a baby and could not pick her up so I agreed to try a non-narcotic pain medication that was "non-addictive", tramadol. I had full withdrawal after just a few doses that was just as bad as any withdrawal I had had from abusing pain meds. Unfortunately for me my vanity got the best of me when I figured out I could not eat on tramadol and not suffer stomach issues. I am now back to square one and addicted to the garbage and I want out. I went to my doctor and confessed my sins. I have this blasted bipolar diagnosis so he did not want to handle my withdrawal with out the aid of a qualified pyschiatrist to monitor my every move. Smart but I had a consult with a drug addiction/bipolar specialist that recommended a non approved detox program my insurance would not pay for at $3800 for a 3 day detox. I don't have $3800 and where will I be parking my daughter while I am out for 3 days?
I feel completely betrayed by the medical help I recieved. I feel like I was just a hard sell on an unapproved treatment and when I couldn't afford it then no other options were offered. It's not my doctor at all, he did not give me the meds and I didn't tell him I was taking them until it was too late. I wasnt hiding it, I didnt think it was an issue and mentioned it as a side note on a regular visit. He hit the roof and immedietly called the pain clinic that gave me the garbage. Even still, I am not blameless and no one forced me to continue once I did know it was a problem. I can't get off this he** train and I am beyond sick of the ride.
My father died at 57 from liver damage recieved during a bout with alcholism. He quit drinking 17 years before his death but the damage was done. It was a horrible and deameaning/slow death. I have a 5 year old daughter, I don't have the right to take these drugs and risk my life. I am beyond scared of what my liver enzymes might look like.
I have tried to go CT on this garbage several times but could not get past day 5-6. I am a single mom with no help, it isn't working for me to be so sick I can not care for my child. I may need help this time but taking one drug to get off another just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I am not educated on these "help" drugs but am not sold. Any ideas how I might get my life back and off of this he** train in short order? Thank you for just letting me babble endlessly about my stupidity......
Wow. God does work in mysterious ways. If he went cold turkey he has been in a bad place. I'm glad you figured it out for everyone's sake. I really wish they would quit telling addicts that it is non addictive. I am sending lots of positive energy your way. Marty
I want to thank you so much for your post. Let me share how you helped me connect the dots.
My daughter's father 2 weeks ago went off his Tramadol, he didn't get medical advice because he was operating under the knowledge that it was not addictive.
You can imanige the H*** he has been in. Several trips to the doctors.
He has a little over a year clean,Hep c and starts interferion treatments the end of the month, thats why he wanted the tramadol out of his system.Cold Turkey and Hot H***.
Your post and your honesty raised an eyebrow so I called my daughter and sure enough 2 weeks ago he went cold turkey.
He never put the two together, so I gave him this web site and your post.
Thank-you so much for sharing your experience, as painful as it is...you helped another recovering addict. Be Blessed
My daughter's father 2 weeks ago went off his Tramadol, he didn't get medical advice because he was operating under the knowledge that it was not addictive.
You can imanige the H*** he has been in. Several trips to the doctors.
He has a little over a year clean,Hep c and starts interferion treatments the end of the month, thats why he wanted the tramadol out of his system.Cold Turkey and Hot H***.
Your post and your honesty raised an eyebrow so I called my daughter and sure enough 2 weeks ago he went cold turkey.
He never put the two together, so I gave him this web site and your post.
Thank-you so much for sharing your experience, as painful as it is...you helped another recovering addict. Be Blessed
Thank you for clearing that up. I CT the vicodin and percocet and thought I could white knuckle the tramadol...not! I have a strong will and couldn't understand why I was failing. I have pulled 8 50mg pills for a proper days dosage. That will be it until I feel strong enough to pull out 2 more and so on. I have tried this before and get so impatient I wind up going too fast. If I make it through the day with less than the 8 then that will be my start off point. I have to do this, I am all my dd has and it is NOT my right to do this to her. Thank you all for just being and God bless us all in our own struggle to live....
in reply to one of your statements about "just prolonging the agony by doing a taper"
thats generally in reference to opiates like vicodin, percocet, codeine, morphine etc...
but benzos like xanax, and the tramadol/ultram are some drugs that you should not quit CT. Those meds should be tapered. Both the above mentioned drugs can causes seizures if abruptly discontinued (other drugs can do this too but these are the most common ones mentioned here)
thats generally in reference to opiates like vicodin, percocet, codeine, morphine etc...
but benzos like xanax, and the tramadol/ultram are some drugs that you should not quit CT. Those meds should be tapered. Both the above mentioned drugs can causes seizures if abruptly discontinued (other drugs can do this too but these are the most common ones mentioned here)
Okay, sounds like you understand the problem so I think I am going to try your advice. Does it sound reasonable that I try to find the least amount I can function on at this point and taper from here? You are recommending one a week? gees, that does sound slow...God, please grace me with your strength....
you all are so incredible. I found you two nights ago and immedietly felt strength in numbers.
you all are so incredible. I found you two nights ago and immedietly felt strength in numbers.
BTW,
I will never forget the look on my GP's face when I mentioned I had been taking a non addictive pain medication called tramadol. I don't think reputable doctors are saying this ****. I should have KNOWN better because it wasnt even my doctor or my appointment that gave me my first prescription. I had taken a friend to a pain management clinic for her back injection. The doctor was extremely flirty with me and he told me about the wonder drug and handed me a prescription and a bag of samples! My gp had his lisence suspended when he found out how it all came about. Looking back I see how unprofessional the whole scene was and have NO idea why I fell for the garbage!
I will never forget the look on my GP's face when I mentioned I had been taking a non addictive pain medication called tramadol. I don't think reputable doctors are saying this ****. I should have KNOWN better because it wasnt even my doctor or my appointment that gave me my first prescription. I had taken a friend to a pain management clinic for her back injection. The doctor was extremely flirty with me and he told me about the wonder drug and handed me a prescription and a bag of samples! My gp had his lisence suspended when he found out how it all came about. Looking back I see how unprofessional the whole scene was and have NO idea why I fell for the garbage!
No, no help and no one knows. I am just so mad at myself for finding myself here again. UGH! What to do, what to do? I am not usually patient enough for a taper but perhaps I can give it a try. I was taking obscene amounts for the last 2-3 months. Probably why the CT hurt so badly. Going back to do a taper always sounds like an excuse to start again. I wonder what would be the least amount I can take at this point since I have suffered through a large step down surely? I wonder if 3 or 4 a day would work for now. I just keep reading posts from people saying tapers dont work and it is just prolonging the agony?
It is hell, I have tried several times and didnt make it this time either. I go up and down on the dosage and have a tendancy to not pay attention to the amount I am swallowing when I know I am doing wrong. I have a borderline eating disorder I forgot to mention...lol. I am one big party! I fell off my taper of last because I am taking my dd on a cruise for her 5th birthday and I had gained 7 pounds. STUPID< STUPID! So, I went off Friday because I sort of on purpose forgot to order my refill. I have been so sick since Friday and it didnt help I ran out of klonopin on the same day and didnt refill it either. I can't sleep with out them so imagine how fun my nights have been. I had a refill delivered today and immedietly took 3 because I could not function. I had several customers at the house and work going on and could not afford to be so sick for an undetermined amount of time. Do you think that 3 I took threw me back to the beginning or is it possible to pick back up and not take anymore? I can't take it from the beginning again but if it will be a few more days I might be able to cope. I realize you all understand how desperate I am to throw these things out!
If any of you come across tramadol, I beg you to run the other way. It is not harmless.
If any of you come across tramadol, I beg you to run the other way. It is not harmless.
avisg has some good advice, long slow taper. I also remember when my doctor told me about this new non-narcotic non-addictive pain medicine. Yah right! I hope that they do not tell patients that now. IMO, I would not stop abruptly just because it could cause seizures (I had one 9 days have CT one time but I was taking alot). Please be careful.
I know tapering is hard. Do you have someone to help?
I know tapering is hard. Do you have someone to help?
I have been right where you are now do not try to CT off of tram it is hell I have been threw it my fair share of times .LONG slow taper like one less pill a week it helps your body to adjust to each drop.Is there anyone that can help you ? how many are you taking and what Bi Polar meds are you taking ?
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