Tramadol

[FairyDust25]

Hello. I am so lost and I dont know what to do, I desperately need some non biased advice.

So here is my story. Its a long one...

About a year ago I started having pain with my stomach. I had all kinds of tests and scans but no one could find out what the cause of the problem was. So my dr. just kept on giving me Vicodin 10/325 he gave me this and just kept on refilling it for about 6 months, then when I asked him to please take me off the drug he did not wish to speak with me and discontinued me as a patient. This is when I made the startling discovery I was addicted to this damn drug. I was lost and so upset so I made a phone call to my childhood dr. She started to wean me off the pills and everything was going to be okay. I got off the drug and did not take it for a while, Then I started to have these pains every where all over my body. My skin was extreamly sensitive to touch I ached everywhere and I was just always in such bad pain it felt like I had just run a marathon every morning when I woke up that I struggled to get out of bed. I went back to the dr. after a long while the dr discovered I have fibromyalgia. She was hoping that it was due to me not sleeping well and that after time it would go away. She prescribed me Tramadol for the pain. I could now believe how well Tramadol took away my pain. It was like a miracle drug and it didnt give me the same fuzzy feeling like Vicodin. But of course like everyone over time I up my dosage myself. I started at about 6 pills a day and now I am up to 12-18 a day. I do not know what to do. I am terrified to tell my dr because I dont want to get in trouble and  quite frankly its embarrassing. I dont even know how this happened. I want to get off this pill or at least get back to a reasonable dose. I am always terrified of having a seizure. Recently I ran out and I cant refill my pills for a few days yet. I am miserable my whole body is stiff and my legs are so restless I cant stand it. My husband is extreally supportive which I am greatfull for but support doesnt take again my pain, and hes never been though anything like this. I really need some advice from people who have. Thanks!!

[LeaAnn807]

Hi!  You really don't need to start back on it after days off of it.  That could be dangerous if you take your regular dose after stopping CT.  And since you are taking an AD, the tram is a very dangerous mixture with it!  How many days has it been since you took one?  Maybe you said and I missed it???  Hyland's Restful Legs and Hyland's Leg Cramps work very well.  So does the Mag/Cal/Zinc supplement from Wal Mart.  You will be surprised how well they work on RLS.

Keep posting ok?  I have been clean from tram since early March, and I feel great!

[PromisedLand]

I'll leave out my previous attempts at tapering when I was at your level because I went up and down with them.  I was completely out for a week and it was hell...I then started at 6-8 per day. I felt OK then...and then I gave them to my wife and said each week..we'll reduce by 1... and I lived through it..then after about 6 weeks, I finally got to where I was down to 1 per day..yes, I felt some anxiety...none of the horrible torture I'd gone through before..none of the gastrointestinal distress, restless leg, etc..I got to 1/2 pill/day and one week ago today I took my last 1/2..I feel wonderful...yes, a little shaky at times but each day is better and I feel like I've been born again...like the old me, more energy, my wife (to whom I promised that once off of these I would NEVER touch another pain med (unless serious accident/surgery, etc) again and they would not be in the house...

I feel my life has started over...good luck to you...talk to your doctor or pharmacist about a taper plan for you and perhaps something mild for the anxiety..

And stay with us here...we'll help.

Jim

[Prospero73]

The basic problem with Tramadol, it seems to me, is that it is not really a very effective pain medication, so that for a dose to work at all well it has to be high enough to cause addiction.  Doctors commonly prescribe 200 mg a day or more, and if it becomes less effective in time, there is a tendency to take more.

I was prescribed 50 mg every 6 hours, for an arthritic thumb, about a year and a half ago.  At the time, I was reading this forum about another matter relating to a member of my family, and ran across a lot of scary stuff about Tramadol.  I reduced my dose to a half pill (25 mg) per day, which was not dramatically effective, but it helped me get back to playing the piano again (one of my hobbies), and it has been good for that ever since.  I've had no desire or need to increase the dose, and it doesn't bother my to go several days without taking any.  I think it would be better for doctors to prescribe a much lower dose, and if that doesn't do the job, try something else that doesn't have the potential for addiction.  Of course, as we all know, anything that works really well for pain has the  potential for addiction.

[singha]

try Hylands restful leg.....you can get it at walgreens. I am yet again going through this ct after being addicted to tramadol for 14 years.

[perch101]

Sorry to hear about your tramadol problems - I too became hopelessly addicted to it, and it sounds like we were taking around the same amount.
I quit cold turkey - it was HELL - and the restless legs are hideous. They DO - I promise you that - go in about  4 -5 days.
I agree with you that tapering is the way to go.
You say you cant fill your script for a few days? By then then the worst of the withdrawl will be over.
What would be best is if you had say 15-20 (50mg) tram pills that you could taper off. I don't know how it works in your country (I assume US?) But where I am (Australia) I could go to any GP who would prescribe a one off script so your doctor wouldn't know (since your embarrased and worried about getting into trouble...) - although I'd probably have to BS to the doctor a bit to get it. ("I couldn't get an appointment at my usual doctor and I do shift work, I just need the one script...") Can you do that in the US? I know I probably shouldn't be encouraging to get more pills in an underhand way, but if it's only enough to so a 4-5 day taper your more likely to get and stay clean which is better in the long run...................
Good luck, and remember, the restless legs do go. They are, IMO, the worst withdrawl symptom.

[GoingToMakeIt]

Before taking supplements. Especially ones that can help mood. Check with a pharmacist or drug interaction sites, listing everything you are taking. Anti-depressants need to be watched so you don't have too much serotonin.

[FairyDust25]

oh and I do take an anti-depressant too

[FairyDust25]

thank you for your advice I am trying so hard to not take the hydro but the restless legs are unbearable!! I wish I could get my pills filled so I could taper off but I cant refill them for a while. When I get them I want to get on a taper plan and I am going to give them to my husband so he can be the one to give them to me. I dont want to be on this drug anymore. It is ruining and controlling my life.

[avisg]

Here is the thing with the tramadol you are going to have to taper off when you get on high amount there are seizure problems .Do you  hat so one that can hold you pills for you and give them to you.
From me coming off tram was alot worse then hydro but I will tell you exercise supplements as long as you not on any anti depressants can help . I would try to stay away from any other addictive meds you do not want to swap  out again one for another .Hang in there keep us informed.

[badshadow]

Hi and welcome to the Forum.  I'm really sorry to hear that another person has gotten caught up in the "Tramadol Web."

I was prescribed it for Arthritis Pain, and in the beginning I thought it was great.  I was taking 4 50mg pills a day.  I've also been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and it worked great for that too.  However, after a few months I noticed it wasn't working as well, and fortunately for me, I didn't start taking more.

However, just trying to come off the dose I've been on has been hard for me.

I would start trying to taper off with your next refill because Cold Turkey is very uncomfortable.  Taper as slowly as you can so you don't feel too much discomfort, but definitely start getting off this drug as soon as possible.

You will find alot of help and support here.