Tramadol Withdrawal Problems

[chaddavis333]

I really need some help please!! I wrote on here before about my vic withdrawal, but now I have a new demon. I switched to tramadol. Worse mistake of my life. Before I knew it I was lying to my wife about how many I was taking, buying them on the interent, and taking 18-20 a day!!! It all came to a crashing down last Friday when I ran out for almost 18 hours. The withdrawals were intense. I finally got some but now everyone knows. My wife and I went to a detox center and spent 5 hours waiting until they finally told me just to go home and detox there. It won't kill me. My kids would see everything. They also told me to wean down to my prescribed amount of 6. Here is my question: How long is going to take for my depression, crying, and overall bad feelings to be gone from going from 18 to 8. When will I feel normal again. I took this week off of work, but I can't do this forever. I swear when this is over, I am going to be an advocate to get rid of this drug. It is the devil The only thing that has kept me sain, is my faith in Jesus Christ. Although I sinned against Him by my actions, He still loves me and forgives me. Anyone have any help, please!!!!!!!

[LeaAnn807]

In the US, they come in tablets.  Problem solved.  You can taper!  And no, you have to have a script for tramadol in the US.  Don't know about Canada.

[ex_H_addict]

and,you just CANT tapper off of so called in US "trama" because first of all the smallest CAPSULES are from 50mg (and the fact that it's packed in caps.) and the second fact is that -50mg is big "step" .So maybe if you find a way to take 1/3 of capsule than hold dosage for 2 days than take dosage - 2/3 of last capsule. then again dosage - whole capsule.than repeat till it reaches zero.and the fact that is HIGHLY addictive and that w/d can be worst then heroin.I felt it on my skin.Even when i was on 1g of "really pure" street heroin (here in Serbia you can find pretty pure heroin and what's the worst it's cheap as hell,but lately there were several police hugeee actions where they arrested most of big bosses even those who held whole eastern Europe, some of them even W/Europe ... ),so the thing is even when i was on H i felt pain in bones,not so strong as i should and as i would if i was str8 but...i felt it... And i was sweating even i was not in any withdrawal ... It was cuz of other things acctually other receptors that TramadolHcl effects of. So be careful when you tap of, it can also be dangerous,it can lead to whole brain collapse. I had friend of mine,that is kept on "machines" in hospital till they turned him off :( :( :( The point is that he was verrrry addicted to Tramadol (because in 90's you could buy here in serbia tramadol without any prescription ,now you have to have DOUBLE PRESCRIBED paper for ONE box) , so he was on dosage ~600mg per day with 15mg I.V diazepam (he stoled from army diazepam ampules,lot's of) ,so he kept him self safe(in a way)from epi-attacks but ... one day he suddenly left without "Trodon" (tramdol hcl) then...other day... he was found on the floor,with foam from the mouth , hugely opened eyes turned up so the white of the eye does not see...His mother called 94 (ermegency ) ,and they hospitalized him.He was in comma for 2 days,they were doing many test over him,because they didn't understand why doesn't coming off the comma even they have injected him 5mg of methadone (not morphine).He was still in comma... Until they found out that using the tramadol ,he DESTABILIZED VOLTAGE OF NERVES,SO HIS NERVES AREN'T WORKING AT THE VOLTAGE AS THEY SHOULD (AS NERVES ARE WORKING AT ANY HEALTHY MAN) - THE VOLTAGE DROPPED AND   NEVER CAME BACK... SO... don't play too looong with "Ultram" (called in US) and if you play more than 3 weeks with them,watch about withdrawal it can be fatal ... it's not long lasting as methadone ,but it's more painful than PURE diacetil-morphine or medicine diamorphine addiction and its 2 times more dangerous (w/d) than methadone w/d (if you dont watch how you tapper of and if u dont know how to get safe "high" from it. MY ADVICE...DONT EVEN TRY ANY OPIATE...NOT EVEN TRAMADOL!!!

IS IT TRUE THAT IN US AND CANADA U DONT NEED PRESCRIPTION FOR TRAMADOL???

[ex_H_addict]

I was addicted to Tramdol while i was on Heroin. Actually i was eating Tramadol when i was out of heroin or when i was on it.I didn't choose the period :) Every time ,i had them, i would take about 350-400mg along with 15mg of Diazepam just to not get an epileptic attack. If you have use the real Tramadol (Trodon called in Serbia ,where i live) = just tramadol hcl without any additives,but due his serotonin effect you HAVE to USE in PREVENT case 10-15mg 20mins before u swallow tramadol.

[LeaAnn807]

It's hard to say what each day will be like after Saturday.  Overall, for about a week, you may feel....aching, insomnia, diarrhea, fatigue, skin crawly feeling, RLS or arms, anxiety, depression.  Take hot baths, drink plenty of gatorade and apple juice.  Go to the health pages and read the Thomas Recipe and amino acid protocol. Lots of the stuff on there really helps.

If you keep me posted on your symptoms, I can probably help you with some OTC stuff that will help a little.  AND....you can do this!  Give yourself time!!!! : )

[chaddavis333]

I have a new update. Day 2 of 8 from 18-20 a day. I woke up feeling hungry. Still anxious quite  a bit, but it does feel like it is a little better. My doc wants me to be done by Saturday. What do you think of that? If I take my last dose on Saturday, what will the next week be like? Please tell me a day by day, it gives me something to look forward to. God I can not wait until this is done. Please help!!!

[chaddavis333]

all i can do is sleep. and cry. what is the deal with feeling like i am so sad all the time. i feel like a bad father and husband. i lied to my wife. that is not me!! i have feelings of that fight or flight all the time my nerves are feeling like something is zapping. please tell me when i feel normal again. i can't take it. i feel anxious all the time. i went to 8 for the first time yesterday and i am going to stay there for a while before i go back down. when i was taking 18 to20 a day i never had any problems with my lexapro, so i don't think i would now. i am so scared i am going to be like this the rest of my life. i love my family so much but i am so out of it. i am horrible i can't quit crying and begging God to help me. I feel hopeless. Someone please tell me when I can feel ok again. Give me something to look forward too. Please!!!

[ladylisa109]

First of all please try and contact your Dr. again or maybe try and get an appt to see him.  I am continued to be suprised by how many Dr. keep precribing Tramadol AND an antidepressant because taking both together greatly increases your chanced of a seizure.  But don't get me started on the medical community and the way they keeping giving out pills like they are candy.  When I said I was feeling better by day 5 I meant that was after I jumped off cold turkey.  While it is advisable to taper due to a small chance of seizure from the WD I couldn't taper.  For one I didn't have access to the pills anymore because I couldn't afford my refill and two because I didn't have the willpower to have them and not take them.  Sometimes it seems like tapering just draws out the process but there are several people on that link I posted that have tapered quite successfully.  What I would recommend while you are tapering down is to start gathering some of the natural remedies that will help you through.  On the health pages on the top right of your screen are the Thomas Recipe and Amino Acid Protocol.  Read up on them as they have great suggestions for things to help.  Just remember to take it a day at a time and every step forward is a step in the right direction.  Take care and keep posting and updating.

Blessings, Lisa

[LeaAnn807]

I almost forgot. Talk to your doc about the lexapro and tram together. You could get really Ill from too much seratonin.  

[LeaAnn807]

I guess I was referring to after you completely stop. As long as you are tapering then it takes a few days to adjust to the lower dose. You have done a BIG reduction. Be gentle with it. You don't have to do this overnight!  The important thing is to have support and help. I couldnt have done it without help!  

Ladylisa thank you sweetie, and big Congrats and hugs on your clean time too!  

[chaddavis333]

Thank you so much for the encourgament. I am currently taking Lexapro 10mg and have been before the tramadol was prescribed. What I need is reasurance. I took only 8 today and that is going to be what I taper down to for a while. I went from 18-20 just 3 days ago. I took 15 on Sunday and now 8 today. 8 is where I am staying. I can't control the crying and the anxious feeling. You say that it might get better by day 5, which is Friday?? God I hope so. I can't take this. Thankfully, I have a great wife who is helping me. If you can, please respond right away.  I need to talk to someone who has been through this. My doc didn't call me back today. I am sure he is made, because he was the one prescribing me the 6 a day. Like I said I am going to take 8 for a while, so I am not going cold turkey. But thank you for your notes and letters. You are a God send.

[ladylisa109]

P.S.

Hey tramahater I just wanted to let you know that in the beginning you were a true insipration for me.  Thank you for all you do and the encouragement you give people to be free from this evil drug.  And WTG on being over 8 months Free!

Blessings,  Lisa

[ladylisa109]

First let me say I completely agree with you that this particular pill is the devil!  I think whomever developed it should be made to take it then forced to WD from it themselves.  It is an evil evil pill.  I am currently 98 days clean from Tramadol.  One thing I recommend is to check out another member's journal on here named Emily.  It cronicles her battle with Tramadol and also has a ton of other members either trying to come clean or that have gotten clean from Tram.  Here is the link : http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/233589/Tramadol--Ultram-Recovery-Room-Part-38

If at all possible it would be best to see your Dr. and develop a taper plan with him to slowly wean you off.   There is a small risk of seizures going CT from Tram but the risk of seizure is far greater from taking it at the amounts you were.  Tramadol is so nasty to WD from because of not only it synthetic opiate but because is also contains an antidepressant.  If you are able to see a Dr and include their help they could possibly precribe you an antidepressant to help with the depression and anxiety that usally comes with WDing from Tram.  In my case I did a short 4 day taper then jumped off CT because that was my only option.  What helped me the most through the worst of the WDs was drinking a lot of fluids.  Mainly water, gatorade and some weak tea.  Try to stay away from anything caffinated because caffine is a diuretic.  Immondium AD for the tummy troubles.  A good quality multi-vitamin and a B complex.  A calium, magnessium, zinc combo vitamin, Hyland's Leg Cramps for the RLS.  I also took 5htp for the anxiety and irritablity the first couple of weeks but you shouldn't take it if you are an antidepressant.  After a couple of weeks I switched to St John's Wort and still take it now and it helped a TON with the depression.  I have took Zoloft in the past for depression problems and the St. John's works just as well for me.  You have to be a little more patient coming off of Tram than other opiates because it does take longer but by day 5 I was starting to feel human again.  I was able to take my kids school clothes shopping by day 7.  Granted I was wiped out by the time I got home but I did it!  Be sure and get outside and get some sunshine and fresh air several times a day.  You may think its no big deal but it truly helps.  Be prepared for little to no sleep the first 5 days.  But it does gradually come back.  Melatonin helped me more than anything else with sleep.  A little over 3 months clean now and I sleep 6-8 hrs a night.  I still have some problems with RLS and take Hyland's for it but then again I had problems with it before Tram.  I have Rhuematiod Arthritis and Fibromyalsia and its common to have RLS with those conditions.  Didn't intend to turn this into a book but I hope some of it is helpful and be sure to check out that link.  It is possible to be free of Tramaol.  There is a bunch of us on here that have done it.  It may not be easy but it is definately worth the battle.  I am here and loving life again!  Take care and keep posting.

Blessings, Lisa

[LeaAnn807]

Hi!  You will feel better in about a month for the lingering stuff.  The worst will be over in a week or ten days.  Insomnia and low energy last the longest.  Talk to your doc about an anti depressant.  I did, and it really helped.  I was on about 15 a day, and I felt like I would die during WD, but I didn't.  That was over 8 months ago!  

You can do it!  Keep posting.  It really helps!