Tramadol dependency, how long to kick it?

How long to kick Tramadol dependency?  I'm 51 and smashed up my back after falling 30 feet during fitness training during July 2006.  The spinal team installed an implant from T2 to T9 and I was given tramadol/paracetamol/ibuprophen after surgery.  Because of my worries about dependency, I stopped taking tramadol/paracetomol (400mg/4000mg per day) at the end of October, with the idea of taking just ibuprophen.  The withdrawal symptoms were terrible; sweating, depression, crying episodes, anger, aches, intensified cramps/spasms in the legs, 'creepy-crawly' feelings in my legs/feet/hands was the worst.  But that was just the beginning, because I then started to develop internal bleeding, and the GP instructed me to stop the Ibuprophen and go back on the Tramadol during the first week of November, which I did.  It turns out that the internal bleeding was a result of osteomelitis, and after another month in hospital during December and three months on Tramadol/Paracetomol (again 400mg/4000mg per day) I'm trying to kick it again, but this time more gradually.  The symptoms are about the same; but this time no sweating fits (this could have been related to infection before).  The general achiness, increased cramps/spasms and especially the 'creepy' sensations in the legs/feet/arms/hands were the worst.  I did end up talking to myself a during fitful sleep periods; there is definitely a mental and emotional dimension to this dependency.

[grace03]

Oh Ultram, that is a nasty nasty nasty little bugger.  I really need to just flush all the ones I have in the house away.  Dr.s started writing scripts like crazy, it was the new "non addictive" alternative.  Oh how wrong they were.  I do NOT suggest cold turkey, but this is just me.  I had all those symptoms you described and a few more.  I couldn't stand the crying fits, but the ones that really got to me were the bugs crawling through my skin and the nightmares.  I would break out in clammy sweats, need to shower twice a day because I would just be a consistant clammy sweat ball. I don't need to share the physical pain.  

Okay enough flashbacks...... I would truly talk to your doctor tell him you want to taper off the med, if you must be on a med for pain (pain is real and we do need our meds) I would seriously ask for another med.  Yes they all carry withdrawls, but I have yet to meet a pill that brought on the misery of Tramadol (Ultram). To be completly honest and there is an Ultram message board that I read up in and gathered info, it was suggested that you move to vicodin to ween off the Tramadol, by more than enough people on there.  I took that route, not on purpose but because when the sciatic nerve became pinched Ultram wasn't cutting it.  Even with Vicadin, I still felt some withdrawl (withdrawal) and I was miserable for a few days, but NOTHING compared to the feeling of what I call "slow painful death".

Taper slow, spread them apart an hour or so a day.  It could take many weeks, maybe a month.  But you really want to minamize those withdrawls.  I also read that going cold turkey is causing siezures in many patients.  guess they didn't do a whole lotta research before hyping that baby up.  It use to be my Dr. would give me bags and bags of free samples of it, then they moved it to a schedule 3 drug? (basically whatever schedule vic, percs and norcos or in) no more free samples because it had a street value.

Please take it slow, and remember withdrawl (withdrawal) is withdrawl (withdrawal) regardless of the pill and we have all (except for those of us that have magic rocks) felt some sort of misery and do understand.

[summerlover]

I agree with grace03.Tramadol can have worse side effects than vicodin.I was addicted to vicodin for abot 5 years and had to withdrawal several times due to not having easy access to them.The w/d from vicodin usually only lasted 4-5 days.I am on day 10 of w/d from tramadol and today was the first day I actually felt somewhat normal other than the fatigue which wil probably linger another week or so.I'm in the midwest and fortunatly got a "snow day" from work today and it was the first day I've enjoyed since this nightmare started.
One suggestion I do have for you would be to stock up on some good vitamins.My husband went to GNC a few days ago and came home with verelian root,to sleep,l-tyrosine,B100 complex and a good multi vitamin.Make sure you ask how to take each one.For instants,the l-tyrosine should be taken on an empty stomach for max. benifit.I really belive they've helped and if you're planning to wheen,you may not have as long of a withdrawal.
Anyway,after years of addiction and the whole tramadol thing.I've decided to turn over a new leaf and try diet and excercise for relife.
Oh,by the way I had only been taking ultram for about a year and a half.I knew within the first month i was taking them that they were addicting,contrary to what my dr. says.

[catfishjohn]

I've been taking them for several years due to bad back/neck pain. I also take lorcet for the actual pain. The ultram is just to feed the addiction. I can stay off the lorcets if I need to and withdrawals are not very bad as i've developed a way to ween myself off lorcets/percocets/vicodins whatever I was prescribed. I'm down to about 2-4 ultram a day now and ithink its really killing my mental state. Depression and anxiety are killing me. I'm now taking clonopin .5mg for anxiety and soon to take effexor 75mg for depression. I've noticed for the past 6-7 years i've been taking this drug that i've been spiraling out of control. I wish I could find a good doc to get me off them instead of feeding them to me. I miss my old self...I really feel this drug may have screwed up my past 7 years or so.
Thanks for this thread,this may have opened up a new life for me!
Feel free to ask or comment back,I have many questions but no answers..........

[IBKleen]

Hello and Welcome!

You are posting on an old thread and you may not get responses here. You would be best served to start your own post. You can do that by going to the top of this page and hitting the Post A Question button. Hope to see you out there.

[catfishjohn]

Thank You. I just stumbled on here and found it interesting and didn't look at dates. I just posted a new thread. Thanks a bunch!!!!!

[winnie124]

i have been addicted to tramadol for 3 years now and am taking 1000mg per day 500mg in the morning and 500mg at about 5pm in the evening i have noticed that it is starting to affect my memory and i forget things very easily i have not suffered any side effects but know its just a matter of time before i do and they will probably be terrible ,i do want to stop taking tramadol but i cant i like the way it makes me feel happy all the time i guess i am just not ready to give them up but i hope one day i can before any serious damage is done

[Moeburger]

Mental confusion and forgetfulness will only worsen.  My pain doc says it causes shriveling of brain neurons and can be permanent the longer you take, especially at that dosage.