tapering w/ Ultram

[slowlybetter]

For those of you who have tapered or know about tapering from other people's experiences with replacing Percocet 5 or Lortab can you explain what will happen if you take Ultram a few times a day for 5 or 6 days?  I have a friend doing this.  She hasn't experienced any w/d's while using the Ultram, I think she had been taking the prescribed dosage of Lortab (1 tablet every 6 hours or so).  She has had to take it for a while due to back pain I think she took Percocet (I don't think she wanted to tell me everything) then she was trying to get on a lower dose of medication and wean off the meds.  She still has pain but takes arthritis strength tylenol and ibuprofen as well.  She has taken Ultram in the past and said she had some w/d's but she took it for a while until she was diagnosed.  She said she didn't sleep well for a few days and is really nervous about stopping the Ultram.  I think (if I remember correctly) she has been off of the Lortab since Thursday or Friday.  Will she go through all the normal Lortab w/d's once she quits the short term use of Ultram (by the way she had a prescription for that) and have w/d's from Ultram as well?

I told her about this forum but she is just too nervous to do something like this.  She has never abused her meds, if anything she takes less than the prescribed amount and just suffers through.  She is a really tough person.  I can tell she is still in pain but determined to not take pain meds.  I don't even think the doctor thinks she should do this.  But she has been through worse pain before before she had a hysterectomy (she had horrible adhesions and endometriosis) and didn't even take pain meds for that!  So I don't think she is mentally addicted at all, just physically because it has been a year.  She has taken breaks in the meds just because that is how she is.  I am really impressed at how she handles her medication.  I have been to the doctor with her and I know she is really in way more pain than she ever lets on.

Anyway, thanks for any input that I can pass along.  Maybe I can talk her into getting on here.  You all are such a great group of supportive people!

SB