Day 6 and know I'm going to live

[toomuch51]

Well looks like I'm going to live today. Finally I am starting to feel like my old self. I thought that going cold turkey was going to kill me for sure, and probably not the smartest thing I ever did either. But in hind sight, going through all that HELL was like a learning tool for me. Like when we were small and had to learn about things that were hot and not to touch them. I have 180 more tramadol pills waiting for me to be picked up at the pharmacy and it has refills! I have no intention of coming within a mile of those! I have been to Hades and back, with the plan to never cross that universe again. Honestly I know that cold turkey is not for everyone, but for us that have addictive personalities, it really might be the best way to learn. Doctors today absolutely hate for their patients to be in pain. Any pain! They have the means to keep them from it, or at least comfortable with these pills and they prescribe them. God Bless them for wanting to help. I know if I were to ask to be tapered down on a sub drug, or even tapered down from the tram itself, I would at some point in time thought, " Oh I hurt, I'll just take a couple of these for a couple days." Then the cycle starts all over again. Next thing I know is that my pain is happening every day and I need the pills to get rid of it every day, with increaseingly higher dosages! On the roller coaster again.
One thing that I find today is that I have a very clear and concise mind. I'm not stupid, I'm educated, but the last 4 years had made that part of me dormant. To learn anything new was awful. I was sort of in limbo all the time. That was one of the reasons that my doctor gave me tramadol. Supposedly doesn't fog your head! Huh! I was on Norco and then Hydro 5mg before the Tram. The Tram is just a different kind of fog. It just makes you THINK you can think! Anyway I want to thhank all of you who have posted on this site with your own problems and those of you who knew just what to say to give encouragement.

Love you guys!
I'm FREE! YES!

[avisg]

You are doing great most of the physical part is coming to an end .Now come the hard part staying off of it .I am sure today you are thinking I will never touch this stuff again .That only lasts so long then the cravings come .Aftercare is VERY important to stay off of the drug .I tried the first time I got clean I was like ohhhhh the site is enough aftercare  for me ..That was in April of 2007 in sept aug 2007 I had a relapse .I used for about three weeks .Luckily I got back on track I have been clean 10 months now the difference is I have a therapist we are getting to the root of why I use .NA works great for others but you do need something ....Live is so much better clean...

[Demandie]

Your best bet is to call the Pharmacy, and tell them that you are an addict and that you will not be picking up the Tramodol.  If you don't do this, the day WILL come that you will end up at the pharmacy.
This is just another way to protect yourself as well.  If the pharmacy knows that you are an addict, they will question any kind of narcotic script that you fill.  I do this.  ALL the pharmacies have been told that I'm an alcoholic/addict.  It helps keep me in check.  ALL of my doctors know as well.

[wannabefree330]

I agree w/ demandie.  If I had a script waiting for me, it's like dangling a steak above a dog.  Eventually he will jump and grab it.  If it isn't avail to you, no worries.  You arent going to use it anyway?  I actually get a 'high' from knowing i have meds avail to me.  Congrats on getting through the physical, I agree w/avisg aftercare is utmost important.  Each time i have neglected it i have relapsed.  I am on day ONE of no meds.  I know what is ahead.  I am both excited and scared but know it needs to happen. I plan on treating my disease after detoxing by aftercare and you should look at that avenue too.

[sadinmichigan]

ditto about the rx...cancel it..and congratulations.I am glad you are feeling better..it can only get better from here.Just stay focused and never let your guard down..

[EmilyPost]

Yay!

Good job! I am on Day 10 of (first a taper from 6 pills a day) to a cold turkey withdrawal from tramadaol. It gets bad sometimes, and I kinda get slammed back down. But I don't at the moment feel like I am about to die.

I don't believe I am an addict. I believe I became physically dependant on these pills which eventually turned on me.  The fact is the Doctors who gave me tramadol did not know enough about it or me, to know it was absolutely the wrong drug to manage chronic pain. Not for everyone, but definately for me.

I'm so happy you are feeling better. DO not be scared if you have moments of feeling bad again. I don't think it comes back full force. For me the morning and the evening are the worst. The Thomas Detox has been a life aver (literally)

To me; Tramadol is poison. All the meds I was on were all harmful.

My aftercare is going to be solid nutrition, yoga, seeing a therapist for EMDR and stress management and also pacing.  The truth is, I have been drugged so long, I don't even really know how much my body has recovered from the car accident I was in in 2000! So, I'm planning on finding out.

So happy for you TooMuch! SO happy! And man, it is NICE to hear from a fellow tramadol-ite. That stuff is horrrrible!

Emily