to: avisg

[PharmaGirl47]

Hello, to answer your question, I was taking approx. 20 pills per day until a few weeks ago, when I had a seizure related to this...since then I have managed to get down to 12 pills per day.  The psychiatrist I went to see did recommend a slow taper, take 1 less pill every week.  He gave me a low-dose rx for klodopin, 5 mg to split in half and take half in the am and half in the pm.  I just find tramadol to be very addicting for me, I am afraid I will not stick to the tapering, but I guess I have to try.  Thanks for responding, anyone else out there with any ideas please let me know.

PharmGirl 47

[avisg]

when you get lower you,may have to go half a pill a week you can do it !!!!

[PharmaGirl47]

I don't know about hubby, but maybe have my best friend hold meds.....I guess the question is do I have the self-discipline to do this myself?  One pill a week, that doesn't seem too bad, until I get down to the lower numbers, then it may get kind of iffy.....I will see if the Klonopin helps.  Maybe then I will ask my friend to hold the meds.  I will keep you posted, I'm intending to subtract one pill on Monday.  Thanks for your support!!

[avisg]

ohhh sweetie You can do this can hubby hold meds for you I will help you anyway I can to get threw this OK!!!!!!!! you can do this .....I will walk ya threw the whole thing .One pill a week for now

[PharmaGirl47]

I have not had it filled yet, but I looked at the prescription and it does say 0.5 mg.

[TrayCee]

you mean .5mg of Klonopin, not 5?

[PharmaGirl47]

No, I did not take any other meds or alcohol when I had the seizure.  And, yes it scared me to death.......there was no warning prior to it happening like I thought there may be, I just blacked out.  To make it worse, I was driving at the time and had my husband and 7 yr old daughter in the car.  I was driving at a low rate of speed in city traffic, so my husband was able to grab the wheel and drive the car towards the curb.  When I woke up, I was sitting in an ambulance and they told me I had a seizure and was taking me to the hospital.  Also, I somehow broke my left foot when I was in that state and have no idea how I did it and no one seems to be able to tell me how it happened.  That's what makes it so scary, I just blacked out, no warning or anything.  So now they have me on anti-seizure meds, which I'm not crazy about, but being I don't have the luxury of not driving anymore, I feel it is the right thing to do.  I guess I overdosed on Tramadol, and I am afraid if I don't stop using it, eventually I will escalate back up to those dosages.  That is what is so scary; I have an addictive personality and this has definitely become my drug of choice and difficult to imagine getting thru life without it; it definitely gives me energy to keep up with my daughter and a demanding husband and gives you a sense of peace and harmony at the same time which is difficult to explain if you haven't experience it.  But at same time I want a life free from this addiction, which is hard to imagine since I have been drinking and drugging since a teenager, although I do not drink anymore  and have no desire to drink (I guess that is the one good thing that came out of abusing Tramadol???)  Anyway, thanks for listening and if anyone has any other insights to this, please share it with us.

[avisg]

That is honestly the best way to do it one pill a week Is what I recommend .Is there anyone that can hold your pills for you ??.I am sure that seizure scared you to death .I am just kind of wondering where you taking any other meds or alcohol when you had the seizure ? If you need someone to talk to PM me anytime I have been right where you are and I am here to help.