Tramadol withdrawals HELP

[Livdeadgrl22]

Hi everyone, I have been sitting here reading all these posts and wondered if anyone can offer some advice. Here is my story...
8 yrs ago I injured myself and came to find out I had three bulging disks in my lower spine. That lead to sciatica. The pain was so bad and my insurance was worse. All the doctors would do is give me pain meds which I did not want because my mother was extremely addicted to pain killers which aided in her death in 1998. After physical therapy, acupuncture, being taped etc... Nothing helped. I finally got approved for a cortisone shot but with NO ultra sound. Which meant the doctor had to run a needle down my spine, move it around and inject where they thought the bulging disks were. Dr said it may or may not work. Well u guessed it, it didn't work.  I finally pulled out the pain killer prescription and filled it. The drug was Tramadol. I had never heard of it. My mother never had this drug so I figured I'll be fine. I took it and felt nothing. Over the course of 6 months, my addiction grew to taking 7-10 50mg a day. It's not a lot but enough for your body to tell you "you need it!"  A few times I tried just stopping. That didn't work. I'm married, have 3 kids and had a new business I was starting. I would go to my doctors and tell them I'd like to get off this stuff. All they told me was, "oh that's not a lot, your fine taking that dosage" then the doctor wouldn't refill the prescription.  What's the logic in that??? I'd have to go in, pay $50 just to tell him give me the prescription. 5 yrs ago my sciatica just went away. The cortisone? The tramadol? I don't know but thank God. So now I've been on Tramadol 7 years. I've got down to 2 pills a day. I thought I was home free. Not so.  I haven't been able to do any less. A month and a half ago the doctor again rejected my refill. My business is doing very well but there's no work in summer so money is tight. I refused to pay that doc $50 so I decided ok this is it. With the few pills I had plus my sister had just received a RX for Tramadol I'd slowly come off this evil drug. From 2 pills a day to half in the morning a full pill at night. Then now I'm doing a half in the morning half at night. The past week has been hell. The withdrawals r crazy. No sleep, jitters, convulsions. My question is I have half a pill left for tomorrow morning, then that's it. How long do you think it'll take for the withdrawals to subside?  I'm not a women who is normally scared of anything. THIS scares me. The withdrawals I've had this week alone will probably triple. Will they? I haven't had insurance in a few years so going for help is not an option. To add to it I'm on a anti depressant. These two should have never been given to me. All I want to know is how long? Since I'm only taking 25mg a day to going cold turkey.

I'm SO sorry for the long post. I've never told my story before. The only ppl who know of my problem are my husband and my sister who both have been great help to me. I wish I knew all I know about addiction back to help my mom. All I remember is telling her just to stop. Now I know it's not that easy...

[waterview4326]

  I am here to support you, I know exactly where you are and yes you will be okay. Just take it minute by minute and soon you will be free, keep us posted, okay?

[Livdeadgrl22]

Thank you both for the support. I really appreciate it. Tonight I took my last piece of the tamadol pill. For the first time I can truly say ill be ok. The next few weeks will be different but I can actually see a light at the end of the tunnel. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again.

[waterview4326]

Hey just wanted to offer you some support. I just got off tramadol myself. I like you was not on a big dose, yet I was completely addicted to this drug. I was on 4 to 5 50 mg a day. I understand exactly where you are as I am today only 7 days clean. I will share my experience in hopes it will help you. I did do a taper myself, I am in my mid 50;s and I have fibro, arthritis, and an auto immune disease so I chose a taper method. You from the best I read are at 25 mg right? In my opinion if you MENTALLY prepare for this you can do it. I experienced withdrawls ALL the way down in my taper, I tapered to a morsel of a pill due to the FEAR of letting it go. Now my withdrawls were very tolerable and you are at a low dose so I just wanted to give you some comfort in the fact that the FEAR is sometimes so much worse than the actual withdrawls. I would get a multi=vitamin, some advil for the aches, flu like aches, also some sublingualb12 is good. During the fatique times, a dose of honey has helped me, along with HOT soaks and showers. Please know you can do this I have been posting on the tramadol forum, Emily's Post, during my whole taper and withdrawl. To be honest at least MY experience is the withdrawls really were not as bad as I made them out to be. The anti=depressant part is a bit difficult as my emotions are a bit everywhere. I tapered down to 1/8 of a pill and I believe I could have jumped way sooner, I think for me it was just SOOOO hard to let the tramadol go. Please get your supplies like I mentioned, go grocery shopping, get bananas for potassium because the rls was a bit bothersome for me, I ate and still do 2 bananas a day. Also get maybe a rotisserie chicken, things like that to make meal times easy for you. Set yourself up to succeed. Do all this before your last 25 mg. I promise you it can be done. I was able to do everything as normal in my life , now I was MUCH slower and a bit more emotional the first 5 days or so. Each day you don't take a tramadol you will feel a sense of pride that is so wonderful. If you need anymore info PM me, I am only on day 7 but I feel that each day is getting better, letting this go will be the best thing you can do for yourself. Good Luck, you can do this

[jessesgirl828]

It will take a few days. I in the past tried to get off methadone and took Tramadol/Ultram for a month, one or two a day. I was with drawling bad when that month was over. I know what you're going through, I have experienced the withdrawals. Back then though I wasn't strong enough though, and I couldn't take the withdrawals. I was a lot younger and didn't have the option of going to a detox facility. You might have to end up going to a place like that, but it takes a lil but o get in, so if you need to, I would get started right away. Wish you the best of luck, I'm sorry, I know how bad it is.