Tramadol *****,

[badshadow]

I was prescribed Tramadol early this year for "Chronic Pain."  The  Dr. and the Pharmacist said that it was not addictive.

I have not abused the Medication.  I take 100mg 2 times a day.

I have also been doing exercise and physical therapy for my pain.  I decided to cut back and get off the Tramadol a couple of weeks ago because I'm not having bad pain, and it has been aliving Hell.  Just cutting down 50mg at a time gave me extreme anxiety.  so I thought I would just quit altogether and try to go "Cold Turkey."  If I thought I was in Hell before, I really was in Hell then.

The Anxiety was so bad  I couldn't stand it.  I only went a day and a half and today I took my regular dose again.

The Anxiety is greatly diminished and I don't feel so sick, but I am super-scared as to how I will get off this medication.

I have an appointment with my Dr. tomorrow to discuss it, but I don't really know what the Dr. can do for me.

I'm thinking I'll just have to do a really slow taper, just a quarter tablet at a time.

[badshadow]

I do mean business.  I do not want my life to jacked up by any da** drug.  I'm mad at myself that I didn't look into this medication before I started on it.  In the beginning it seemed too good to be true.  My pain, gone, my energy level, great, now 3 months later I'm struggling to get off it instead of living the life I want to be living.

I watched my Brother die because of drugs and alcohol, I've seen the destructiveness of it in my family of origin.  I do not want to bring that demon into my family.  I have a 33 year old son who is married and doing well in his life.  I have a 13 year old daughter that needs her mother.  She is turning into a teenager and that's normal, she's getting a little mouthy sometimes, but she is smart and bright, and I will not lay down and die over some stupid drug.

I will be so much more careful in the future about what I put in my body.

I have read now about the anti-depressant quality, but the worst is the Anxiety.  I don't really know anything about the Seratonin aspect, and I don't think I'm on anything with it.

I take Levothroid for my Thyroid, I'm on Hormone Replacement Therapy and that's pretty much it, except for sometimes  I take Flexeril if  I have a muscle spasm, or Zantac for my stomach, sometimes phenergan for nauseau, I have a sensitive stomach.

I am trying to keep in my mind to be good to myself.  If a friend was going through something like this, I would give them as much comfort and support as I could. I need to treat myself like I would a friend.  No judgement, no guilt, just love and support.

I will be happy when I am off and away from this drug.

[worried878]

sounds like u r a smart person...going to ur dr is a wonderful and very intelligent thing to do.  He can help u with this

ur dose is not huge//u will do this//seen folks who pop 800 mgs a day plus some..and as a rule it is Not the narcotic-like portion of trams that gets folks..it is the anti-depressant quality that nails them to the wall

Tapering down is the way to go as someone on an AD like lexapro or zoloft for yrs....tapering trams is safest even tho at ur dose i would doubt seizures would be an issue..but safety and being comfortable is important
I have never been a tram fan//they made me nervous as I do not do well with extra seratonin..didnt respond to seratonin ADs like lexapro either..couldnt sleep.  U need to look at any other medications u r taking for seratonin release as many increase seratonin that u would not suspect.   Let ur dr know everything u r taking.  He may can RX u sumpin too halp the anxiety that is safer than trams.

good luck but for some reason I sense u mean business
keep us posted

[badshadow]

Well, today I'm down to 30mg total, so that is 6 pills.  I'll stay on this for a couple of days, then down to 25 for 2 days, and so on.

I do a "every six hour dosing" and I'll cut the tablets as needed.

I know 30g doesn't sound like much and alot of people could just stop from here, but I have a pretty sensitive nervous system, so the slower I can go the better.

I imagine by the end of this week I'll be done, and then we'll see how it goes from there.

I have Valerian  Root, but haven't tried it yet.  I'm very sensitive to side effects from things.  So I'm only trying one thing at a time, so if I feel a reaction I'll know what it's from.

Tonight I'm trying L-Theanine.  Tomorrow I'll try the Valerian.

[LeaAnn807]

Well, it seems like you have your bases covered.  Remember hot baths or showers are good for calming anxiety.  Valerian Root helps some people as well.  If you are getting a few hours of sleep, you are ahead of the game.  A lot of people don't sleep at all while tapering and WDing.  When will you be done with your taper?

[badshadow]

I promise you, and myself and everyone else, I will be careful with the Valium.  I was already on it 10mg at bedtime, and although my Dr. says I can go up to 4 10mg tablets a day, I've only gone up one 10mg tablet at bedtime.

I take 2 at bedtime and I will not take anymore than that regardless of how bad I feel.  After I get off the Vicodin, I will start tapering, very slowly off the Valium.

It's actually being a Drug Addict that got me started on the Valium.  I do have anxiety problems, but when I was going off and on Vicodin for several years I was always having more anxiety.

I know that once I'm free of the Vicodin, I will be able to free of the Valium.  Fortunately for me, Valium is not a drug I've every abused.

I'm a "one drug" addict.  Just Vicodin.  I don't drink, and I haven't abused any other drugs.

Thank you for your warning and for caring about me to give me that warning.  My ears are wide open.

My Dr. gave me Klonopin also, but I am not going take that at all, because I was told that is more addictive and harder to get off of than the Valium.

I am going to try the Low Dose of Seroques to see if it helps for sleep, but I don't have it yet.

So far, I have been able to get a few hours sleep everynight.  At least enough so I don't feel like I'm totally losing my mind.

I'm also being good with my Nutrition.  When I get up in the Morning I mix a Water Bottle with part Prune Juice and Benefiber (because narcotics cause constipation,) I put in a Scoop of this "Green Stuff, LOL" that I got from the Healt hFood Store which has alot of Vitamins and Minerals, is Vegan, nothing artificial, I also put in a Teaspoon of the "Inositol" and some liquid "Silica" which is good for people with  Arthritis and joint problems.  I add "Distilled Water," and shake vigorously and that is my "Morning Meal."

With it I take my Omega 3's, my  Vitamin B Complex, and Gaba.  For some reason the Gaba does seem to help me with my Anxiety.  I also take my Calcium and Magnesium, and a  Sublingual B.

I do the same thing for my "Dinner."  I don't really feel like eating food right now, so I think I've pretty much taking care of myself for my  Vitamin and such.  I tried an Amino Acid Complex but I'm very sensitive to the L-Tyrosine and every time I've tried it, I get bad Anxiety, so I'm not really taking any aminos.

I eat at least 1 banana every day and some dark chocolate.

[LeaAnn807]

It's very important to be grateful!  Lists of gratitude are good to keep making everyday.  This is going to be better.  I promise you that.  I am a perfectionist too.  WAY big perfectionist!  I was walking around my house, barely able to move, but I was able to yell about crap being all over the place!!! LOL  During WD, everything seems like a huge drama-deal!  

One thing that I want to caution you on.....The valium!  Be very careful.  I have switched addictions several times, and WD is one of the things that can lead to that.  Sometimes we will do anything to stop how we feel during WD!  I know where you are coming from right now.  I really do.  But you have to be careful, and protect yourself, ok?

You are doing great!  Keep up the hard work.  It does pay off!