Tramadol question

[Moose745]

I have a question.  I started taking tramadol about 3 months ago due to a back injury.  I have been very careful to take it only when the pain becomes extreme. I have only been able to work a few hours in the mornings and lately have gotten into the habit of taking one after work due to pain.  This is usually around 1100am.  I have had some severe headaches around 7pm the last few days along with an increase in my back pain.  When I take another tramadol the headache goes away.  I am concerned this may be a sign I am becoming dependant and would like some opinions.   Since I originally posted this on an old thread I have had some nausea, dizziness and general poor feeling when I went a full day without it.  This is really starting to concern me.

[Moose745]

Right now I am ony taking 2 or 3 a day.  The prescription allows 3 and I only take them when the pain becomes unbearable.  I am also taking 900mg of gabapentin(nurotin) a day for about a month now.  The problems seemed to increase when I started these.  i that possible or it is just me?

[vicki595]

So,how many do you take per day?  Are you not taking it now?

Tapering has to be done slowly with small drops in dose at a time...

[caregiver222]

Yeah. You are becoming depenent on Tramadol. I was prescribed the med several years ago, and if I didn't take it I would develop severe headaches. In addition I noticed a perceptable degradation in intellectual ability.

[Fawners]

You are right, you are becoming dependent on the tramadol, This can get a whole lot worse if you don't stop NOW! I took them for 9 years to the tune of 8 or more a day. I stopped taking them but only cause I needed stronger pain medicine. I got as long as I could out of them. If you are not in pain then I would cut you dose in half for a week or so and then in half again for a week or so. So on and So on until you are not noticing withdrawal. Tramadol is a great drug for many people but it does act on the opiate receptors and acts as a ssri antidepressnt.
Like giving up two drugs at once. So go slow. Your habit is not real big so it should be pretty easy to taper if you do it now. After I would only take them if you are hurting not for any of the side effects. If you are taking them for pain and they are helping you to have quality life then just don't increase your dose and when you don't need them follow the taper your doc gives you. I am not a doc anything I say is from personal knowledge and not because I am in the medical field. You really should consult your doc about percription meds