Aa
side effects with weaning off tramadol
Dear all,
I have experienced chronic back pain due to several prolapsed discs, stenosis... in my lower spine and have been on tramadol for 2 years, then Targin (6 weeks), then oxicodone (2 weeks) and now back on tramadol since I had severe side effects with targin and oxicodone (panic attacs, depression, nausea and difficulty breathing) and have now decided to wean off the tramadol mainly because the difficulty in breathing and the associated panic attacks have stayed with me. I went down from 80mg oxicodone per day to 40mg in the 2nd week of taking it and switched to 200mg of tramadol per day for 5 days after that experiencing severe wd effects. After cutting the tramadol dosage to 100mg today I'm experiencing bad insomnia and a more or less constant urge to urinate like having a bladder infection. Has anyone experienced anything similar and can give me some advise concerning the sleeping and the peeing - I'm quite desperate. I know the other usual side effects that kicked in before when my pain medication got changed accidentally. I haven't really slept for more than 2 hrs per day since I've changed the medication.
Thank you very much.
Maaza
I have experienced chronic back pain due to several prolapsed discs, stenosis... in my lower spine and have been on tramadol for 2 years, then Targin (6 weeks), then oxicodone (2 weeks) and now back on tramadol since I had severe side effects with targin and oxicodone (panic attacs, depression, nausea and difficulty breathing) and have now decided to wean off the tramadol mainly because the difficulty in breathing and the associated panic attacks have stayed with me. I went down from 80mg oxicodone per day to 40mg in the 2nd week of taking it and switched to 200mg of tramadol per day for 5 days after that experiencing severe wd effects. After cutting the tramadol dosage to 100mg today I'm experiencing bad insomnia and a more or less constant urge to urinate like having a bladder infection. Has anyone experienced anything similar and can give me some advise concerning the sleeping and the peeing - I'm quite desperate. I know the other usual side effects that kicked in before when my pain medication got changed accidentally. I haven't really slept for more than 2 hrs per day since I've changed the medication.
Thank you very much.
Maaza
Hi ImDONENoMore, Thank you so much for being there for me, everything you wrote about make sense and it really makes me feel less alone. I hate having panic attacks - hope that really goes away. I try to think of what I can do or how I will feel when I have gone off trams completely - I just want to be free of WD and SEs. Although I know what is happening to me, I cannot control nor programme myself to think or react otherwise right now. Being back to less than 2 hrs sleep is driving me nuts. I cry in pain and in vain but am trying to be strong - just waiting and waiting and waiting ........
hey maaza I'm here - I'm sorry it's been such a bad night.
But it is great that you're sticking to the taper. I know how horrible you feel though. It will get a little easier with time, but unfortunately this is part of the process (I'm sorry) - remind yourself how well you're doing and how committed you are - maybe tough right now but it's important. Talk to your husband about how you're feeling it will help. My poor husband had to put up with me in the beginning a lot too but they do love us and want to see us get better. Try to think about how great it's going to be down the road to no longer be chained to a pill bottle, or how you'll be able to get up - go out and do things without the need for tram. That poison made me a different person - isolated myself from everyone and everything and you know that's no way to live. You're probably feeling angry now too - and so did I. I think that's part of the process too - we suppress a lot of our normal feelings because of the tram and after you quit (or while tapering) those feelings begin to return and they can be overwhelming. So try not to let yourself think about everything all at once. Sort of "sink" into it if that makes sense? And just let the process continue as it's going to - I also found the more I resisted what was happening to me, the worse it was.
I hope this makes sense? You are doing the very BEST thing you can for yourself even though right now it doesn't feel that way. But it will - just keep going and run on blind faith for a while because it will happen. And you'll start to feel better (when you least expect it probably - that's how it worked for me). You are going to be OKAY. :)
But it is great that you're sticking to the taper. I know how horrible you feel though. It will get a little easier with time, but unfortunately this is part of the process (I'm sorry) - remind yourself how well you're doing and how committed you are - maybe tough right now but it's important. Talk to your husband about how you're feeling it will help. My poor husband had to put up with me in the beginning a lot too but they do love us and want to see us get better. Try to think about how great it's going to be down the road to no longer be chained to a pill bottle, or how you'll be able to get up - go out and do things without the need for tram. That poison made me a different person - isolated myself from everyone and everything and you know that's no way to live. You're probably feeling angry now too - and so did I. I think that's part of the process too - we suppress a lot of our normal feelings because of the tram and after you quit (or while tapering) those feelings begin to return and they can be overwhelming. So try not to let yourself think about everything all at once. Sort of "sink" into it if that makes sense? And just let the process continue as it's going to - I also found the more I resisted what was happening to me, the worse it was.
I hope this makes sense? You are doing the very BEST thing you can for yourself even though right now it doesn't feel that way. But it will - just keep going and run on blind faith for a while because it will happen. And you'll start to feel better (when you least expect it probably - that's how it worked for me). You are going to be OKAY. :)
Yesterday was Friday and I cut down 100mg time released trams per day as planned, beginning with 50mg around 8pm. I also took valerian root and ate a banana before trying to settle down but after midnight my nightmare began - the tramadol WD is tortutring me again. I am terribly exhausted. The UTI has cleared, but similar symptoms are now from Trams, - I had that problem going off from Tram to Targin (it is not as bad as UTI, but can definite do without it). I am so fed up. i don't intend to stay long at 50mg/50mg. Monday I go down to 50mg - 25mg/25mg. I'd rather go down all at once but my husband is worried, even tapering and all the baths don't really help with the WD. Although difficult, I am trying to be strong and stay sane. Thanks for thinking of me ImDONENoMore, I wish you a nice Sunday.
Hi Lulu, my GP thought that Targin would be better for me since Tramadol was giving me problems, besides that I was supposed to have reached max dosage. What i noticed with tramadol was that it affected my speech, I was not as fast as I was thinking and that irritated me.
You are the first person I have come across that used Targin! I had the most horrific experience with it (panic, confusion, migraine that lasted a month) It was the reason I decided to cold turkey and am on day 4 of withdrawal. I hear you with the symptoms-they are awful but you get through it. All the best(:
OMG It is true! Tramadol the devil is the culprit. I noticed too that all the time I was working, although I was drinking enough measured my daily liquid intake, I hardly needed to go; I used to otherwise have to hurry when I was busy, but that was not the case until I stopped the trams and then came the UTI, it is horrible.
This is a great place to be, I feel so understood. I am in a different type of pain, and it does not come from the back. I think this affects me in a way I never imagined and it feels like being pulled down by quicksand. Tomorrow night I shall wean off again and hope that I will be totally off by Friday week. Thank you everybody.
This is a great place to be, I feel so understood. I am in a different type of pain, and it does not come from the back. I think this affects me in a way I never imagined and it feels like being pulled down by quicksand. Tomorrow night I shall wean off again and hope that I will be totally off by Friday week. Thank you everybody.
oh and trama - meant to say GREAT to see you again. Hope you're feeling better. :)
richarddidit - great advice and SO true. Tact is key when dealing with the Dr.'s.
And OMG tramahater - you are exactly right. I NEVER thought about that - because I too never had to pee when taking the tram. I can't believe you said that - that explains EVERYTHING. Poison - stupid tramadol.
And OMG tramahater - you are exactly right. I NEVER thought about that - because I too never had to pee when taking the tram. I can't believe you said that - that explains EVERYTHING. Poison - stupid tramadol.
Hey, I agree with ya. Docs don't usually like to be told stuff about what they're prescribing! Do your homework before talking to your doctor IN A NICE WAY! Then they will help you! : )
Good points!
Good points!
I have been taking tramadol for years.For pain job related.Everyone does there own research Tramadol ingredience for instance there is a anti-depressant like substance in the chemical make up of this drug.This is the reason for the mental hell you go through when in withdrawal from tramadol.If you are taking vitamins to help fight withdrawal. To much vitamin d will make your mouth dry.Vitamin c causes or helps your body to get rid of toxins all that bad stuff. Urination becomes frequent while detoxing.TOO much vitamin c makes you go more.Also it can filter out vitamins you need if you take too much.I started to take vitamin c at night and other vitamins in the morning.My wife is in health care she always told me research any treatment a doctor gives you.Health care is a practice that to me means they don't quite got it right yet.The taper for tramadol for it to be not painful could take a very long time.Ask any pharmacy for a taper schedule.We can't give taper schedules on this web site.All the info I gave you is from memory.So please verify by a web search.Myself when I got off tramadol I did it cold turky.A slow taper would still be very unpleasant. So I did it in 4 days..The mental part is the hardest for me.If you want to discuss tramadol with your doctor.Make sure you print the information and show him/her.Its very easy to offend a doctor when you tell them something they don't know.So be tactful.From my own experience I made my Doctor not like me and my treatment has suffered.No body likes a know it all.Well Doctors Don't anyway.I wish you well Happy Holidays.
You guys are right. Tram causes pain to be worse. More constant and unable to get rid of it. I had UTIs too, quite a bit while taking it. Know why? Did you notice that you didn't pee much when you took tram? I would go all day and not use the bathroom even though I was drinking fluids. I don't know how it works, but too many people say the same stuff, so there's definitely something to it!
That's my two cents! : )
That's my two cents! : )
Yeah, actually my pain got worse on the tramadol. I had surgery on my left knee during my tram days. And a few months after the surgery the pain was worse than it had EVER been. Now what's up with that right? Seriously - if you ask other "tramavictims" a lot of them will tell you the same thing. Tram CAUSES pain. It just does. I dont' know how, or why, it just DOES.
And how funny we'd both have our first UTI after taking this stuff? Again, my head knows that it was a coincidence, but my heart feels otherwise! lol - This stuff is poison.
And how funny we'd both have our first UTI after taking this stuff? Again, my head knows that it was a coincidence, but my heart feels otherwise! lol - This stuff is poison.
I also had my 1st UTI after I started the trams, it is really weird. Friday I go to my doctor for another check up. I am still getting the chills and having fever.
Now I realise that it was the trams that made me feel down, I used to blame it on my back problem.
Now I realise that it was the trams that made me feel down, I used to blame it on my back problem.
Hi maaza,
Oh boy I know what you're talking about as far as that fear and anxiety thing goes. It's awful (and weird) right? I mean, I wasn't never like that before the tram - didn't get those panic attacks or the fear of EVERYTHING ever. Not until tram came into the picture.
I definitely would attribute those feelings of fear to the tram reduction. It's such a nasty drug the stuff that it does to you. All I can tell you is that it STOPS. Thanks g-d for that - I promise you it STOPS. I don't know when you'll turn that corner - for me it was around 2 months before I no longer had a daily bout of anxiety. But PLEASE don't let that frighten you either cause believe me, after a month, those attacks weren't nearly as bad, and the valerian root finally started to work it's full effect on me. Cause I too found at first the valerian root took some time. It was almost like the tram in my system wouldn't "allow" anything else through - does that make sense? So with more time, and as you continue your taper and the drug begins to leave your body for good - other alternatives for OTC meds for pain and anxiety will finally have a real chance to work for you. I promise they will!
And my goodness I'm sorry to hear you're struggling with this UTI so badly. They are the worse. Hmmm now that I think about it, I had my FIRST UTI AFTER I started the trams. Okay, I know that's probably pushing it - to blame a UTI on the trams, but I had never had one before then in my entire life. So as far as I'm concerned, anything bad that happened to me WAS the tram's fault (lol) - just trying to make you smile.
Keep going honey - you'll get there. :)
Oh boy I know what you're talking about as far as that fear and anxiety thing goes. It's awful (and weird) right? I mean, I wasn't never like that before the tram - didn't get those panic attacks or the fear of EVERYTHING ever. Not until tram came into the picture.
I definitely would attribute those feelings of fear to the tram reduction. It's such a nasty drug the stuff that it does to you. All I can tell you is that it STOPS. Thanks g-d for that - I promise you it STOPS. I don't know when you'll turn that corner - for me it was around 2 months before I no longer had a daily bout of anxiety. But PLEASE don't let that frighten you either cause believe me, after a month, those attacks weren't nearly as bad, and the valerian root finally started to work it's full effect on me. Cause I too found at first the valerian root took some time. It was almost like the tram in my system wouldn't "allow" anything else through - does that make sense? So with more time, and as you continue your taper and the drug begins to leave your body for good - other alternatives for OTC meds for pain and anxiety will finally have a real chance to work for you. I promise they will!
And my goodness I'm sorry to hear you're struggling with this UTI so badly. They are the worse. Hmmm now that I think about it, I had my FIRST UTI AFTER I started the trams. Okay, I know that's probably pushing it - to blame a UTI on the trams, but I had never had one before then in my entire life. So as far as I'm concerned, anything bad that happened to me WAS the tram's fault (lol) - just trying to make you smile.
Keep going honey - you'll get there. :)
In 3 weeks I have gone down from about 500mg per day to 200mg. I remained at 200mg per day for another week because of the urinary tract infection which I haven't gotten rid off yet - my immune system has gone haywire, completed 1 round of antibiotics but instead of getting better, I am beginning the next round. I am having a flu or is that WD, one day I think that I will be fine and the next I feel like I have been beaten up and am bruised all over, my heart feels like it is falling and I am crying all the time..... I feel so exhausted, am more of a zombie with 3 hrs sleep - haven't been sleeping properly since the changing of my meds end of September - I started having insomnia after taking tramadol but not this bad. Went to see my GP again today because of the UTI, I was having fever and was not sure if the antibiotics worked. My GP doesn't even believe that i have WD when he changed my tramadol to Targin, and now while I am weaning off Tramadol, in fact he is more worried that I can't manage the pain. He does not understand how it feels and how desperate I am to get off these drugs.. He still believes that Tramadol is a good drug and wants me to continue. Sometimes I have the feeling that he thinks I am imagining things, so I am going off the Tramadol on my own - what do I take for my back pain? Ibuprofen? I am scared **** of the next few weeks. The WD and side effects of these past 2 and half months have made me believe that I don't have a life anymore, at times I felt like I was really going to die. Sometimes I just can't believe that everything was fine before Targin and Oxycodone, we were supposed to go away for the Christmas holidays , and now I am afraid not only of flying but even sitting in the car after all the breathing problems I had and am still having. It feels like being on a roller coaster. By the way, thanks saddy6. I am also glad that I chickened out of an OP 2 yrs ago. Depending on whom I see, some want to operate, some don't.
Hey maaza, and sorry for not responding to you sooner from your post on the 4th. Many others on here have stated of the health reasons for tapering off tramadol rather than going cold turkey off the drug especially if you have been on it for a while. Again I can't comment for certain to exactly what could happen but would only want to help you as much as possible to do this the right way and most healthy way overall. I just recall the awful experience I had with it after the doctor gave it to me after surgery and not wanting to give me a narcotic as he felt this was safer. I've come off vicodin and the withdrawls still do not come close to that awful Tramadol. I honestly get sick just thinking about it and am pulling for you 100% in your battle!
This was also my first time on a forum, I was going crazy out of desperation and am glad that there are nice people here who understand and support people like us. Thank you everybody for your kind support.
Nice to see you again ImDoneNoMore. Thanks for looking in - I am still hanging on. I don't know whether it is the WD or the urinary tract infection - I not only have to go much more often since I am drinking a lot, but also been having fever off and on during the day. I've also tried eating more especially before taking my medication. I finish my antibiotics today. I am trying to be patient, waiting till Friday night to go down 50mg night and day leaving me at 100mg per day. I felt very down and agitated about every little thing yesterday. I continued taking the valerian tablets last night, hoping that I would be able to sleep a bit more or at least calm my nerves - what irritates me is that I am not me anymore and have this fear that things will not return to normal again. I felt so bad that I was beginning to believe that there is somethingI am not used to the depression and panic attacks, i get so frighten. I read your profile, my congratulations to you, how do you feel now?
Getting alot of great info from you all! I have been on them for 18 yrs, and have never felt anything like I feel trying to get off them. I have tried before numerous times and failed. I am trying again, but not just stopping all together as I did before. I am weaning this time. I don't have expectations of being off in a matter of weeks either. I know it is going to take me time. I know just after 4 days, the hot bath thing is what is saving me. I also take 3 Advil Pm right before bed time. It helps with the legs and the aches and allows me at least 5 good hours of sleep. I have never been on a forum before but am finding this is helping me alot just reading. Thanks to all that give out their advice and stories...
Hi jeminy31, the breathing difficulty is what made me want to stop taking these drugs. I find that there is nothing worse than that. My colleague's sister was in the hospital for detox of a certain painkiller she had taken for a while - they did the same thing, substitute drugs and then reduce the dosage. Unfortunately, all these drugs would have some sort of side or wd effects. For that reason going to the hospital is no alternative for me. I want to be free of these drugs.
I understand exactly how you feel, I did not realize what was happening until it was too late for me. Even prescribed tramadol is bad, it is wicked, evil stuff. No pain is worse than breathing difficulty (it gives me awful panic attacks) - the side effects and wd symptoms are very bad, no matter what some doctors say. Do read further, I hope that the comments will help you too. It has helped me. Good luck to you. Please continue posting and let us know how you progress.
I understand exactly how you feel, I did not realize what was happening until it was too late for me. Even prescribed tramadol is bad, it is wicked, evil stuff. No pain is worse than breathing difficulty (it gives me awful panic attacks) - the side effects and wd symptoms are very bad, no matter what some doctors say. Do read further, I hope that the comments will help you too. It has helped me. Good luck to you. Please continue posting and let us know how you progress.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Addiction: Substance Abuse Community
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
If you think marijuana has no ill effects on your health, this article from Missouri Medicine may make you think again.
Julia Aharonov, DO, reveals the quickest way to beat drug withdrawal.
Tricks to help you quit for good.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
