tips on how to stop using tramadol

I am currently trying to wean myself off tramadol, I wish when they prescribe it to you they would tell you how dependent your body get on it... The withdrawls are worse from those than anything I have experienced.  I only have about 8 of mine left and well basically I am screwed for the next few days....good luck to you, I hope you have more success than I have.

Well , you know .. you should try to reduce it , to 1/2  50 mg ... 50 mg eachday for about 4 or 5 days , and then 25 mg for a week , and then you can simply quit it , I advice you to take some alchoholic drinks at the last day , like scotch or brandy ... This is how I'm about to quit this damned drug

I have learned to buy the drug on line.  So I can get it whenever I want it. This makes it harder to stop.  

I want to stop because of the expense but I don't want to quit cuz I don't want to go thru the hell I have heard about.  How can I stop and keep my job?

You guys/gals, i have been on tramadol for about 1 year now, and I have developed the same addictive situation.  I find myself trying to take less and end up taking what i usually take and sometimes even more.  I was first prescribed by a doctor of course with no knowledge of its addiction and now my boyfriend purchases it for me online.  I have had 3 seizures......yes seizures from taking too much of it and i still find it hard to stop.  If you are worried about the widthdrawl affects, they are different for everyone, so do not think that it may be as difficult as people describe.  I would recommend that you have someone possibly hold the pills for you as i do, and only allow them to give you a certain amount daily, slowly making it less.....this way there are no widthdrawls.  It works, just know a lot of it is MENTAL DEPENDENCE!!  You have to truly dedicate your mind to quiting and you will..........good luck, i know what you all are going through.

Having gone from 3 50mg capsules a day to 2 50mg to 1 50mg i tried stopping the other day. I sneeze non stop and feel like i have flu and CANNOT sleep at all!!! I had to take 1 to get rid of the symptoms. How the hell do i come off it as i have only taken it for 3 weeks in the whole of my lifetime!

Thank You in advance...

I am going to try AliReza's suggestion of  reducing it.  I am taking between 12-15 tramadol everyday, and sometimes more, if i want the extra energy.  As long as i am taking it i'm fine, happy, energetic.  But now every morning when i wake up, i feel awful until i eat and take a couple.  this happens every single day now.  I am starting today with 8 tramadol and will reduce it by 1 every week until I'm done.  I've been taking tramadol for about 10 years, but have only been taking the amount I am taking for about the past year.

I am down to 1 50mg a day and have just stopped entirely.  I have had a terrible night and not feeling good at all.  Can anyone tell me just how long it will take to get it out of my system.  I was taking it for 9 weeks following an op.

Hello, Today is the end of day 4 cold turkey off Tramadol. Now I have been taking this evil drug for over a year. However I am more disgusted in myelf for why and how. I work in a Vet Hospital and we use it for dogs in pain. I had hurt my back and someone suggested to use it. I didn't than I found an article in a magazine about it. So couple weeks later tried a few. Than a few more. Before I knew it I was out of control. Stealing it of all things. A whole year of this and no one noticing. Until a few weeks ago. Needless to say Tramaol got locked up and here I am. I went to the hospital the withdrawel was so bad. They helped me for a few hours than sent me home with a list of meetings and counslers. Now I have done drugs off\on my whole life but nothing has ever had such control of me. My anxiety is through the roof and I am very depressed. My husband knows and is supportive but I can not take time off work because he is unemployed. I have suspicions that I was not the only one taking it because a few other people that "Joked" about it have been very ill!!!! I Will defeat this one minute at a time if I have too. I am scared that I will never feel normal again though. I told my husband that if by day 7 I have no mental change I may need to check myself in somewhere. I am hopefull after reading all this. I wish this on NO ONE and wish you all the best of LUCK. Benadryl helps with sleeping. Try to stay away from caffiene and natural uppers. fruit lots of water to flush flush flush. Find a support group NA\AA Counseling anything. This to shall Pass.

Today is day 6. Day 5 I had a breakthrough and really started feeling normal. Today even a bit more. I am tired and sluggish but my anxiety is better. I hope everyone is getting through it ok. You can do this. You deserve It.

(the repetition itself is going to kill you )suddenly become manageble and sometimes even to your astonishment becomes pleasure by itself.The other thing is you always have to be polite to more irksome characters whom you thought can not bear one more time become quiet a good a company to have after Tramadol.Most of us have unpleasant life which somehow has to be lived till the big END comes.This vicious cycle is broken by Tramadol for which you feel you ought to be eternally gratefull.Then there comes a time when your friends start commenting your  look haggard and  kind of shooting your mouth allmost allways when it's least expected and some of them starts giving you THAT understanding smile,-you start thinking differently.Gets up in the morning not even thinking about Tramadol,only thing is the day does not come to a close at all and before you know you have become sullen,tired and wish you have not born at all.WHY CAN'T YOU HAVE A TRAMADOL AND FLOW EASILY THROUGH LIFE.Hope somebody will find a way out  for you and you by this time allmost know you are powerless against the love-hate relationship you share with TRAMADOL.Every night after finishing your daily quota of courtship with Tramadol you go to bed very sure that was the last day of your friendship hoping SOMEONE will save you.YOU BY THAT TIME TRAMADOLISED AND KNEW YOU CANNOT GET AWAY EITHER.Kind o SCARY-YES.Sure it is true -YES,YES,YESSSSSSSSS!11

i've only been taking tramadol for 4 months and i'm up to 8-10 per day. I decided to stop cold turkey last week on a friday. I left work early because i thought i came down with the flu. Couldn't sleep friday night at all. Felt horrible, couldn't move, felt depressed  Saturday until i read about the withdrawal symptoms. My doctor didn't tell me this was an opiate! Now i need to decrease my dosage by 1 pill each week until the week after Christmas. I'll be taking that week off of work, so when i totally quit, i won't have any responsibilities and can just deal with the withdrawal.

i am struggling with this medicane since long time ago, especially when i discovered that i will make  my sex life better ,i mean ejaculate after one hour of having sex, wow, so this is make me an addict and i can't stop, i stopped many times and the symptoms were so bad , no sleep, fever, sneezing, and failure to erect and have sex for 1 minutes like aloser, so how to stop

I was prescribed Tromadol 50 mg once every 6 hours, I am up to 10-12 a day. I have taken this drug for 6 8 months.I just took my last 2 tromadol. I have ran out before it is discusting. I have known of heroin users and from what I gather is is very similar to that feel ing coming off this drug. I have a 2 month old baby and my wife has seen me run out before, and it is not pretty. Iam very scared and fearful what my family has to go through the next 5-7 days. God help me. This drug needs to be put as an opiate enough is enough. Too many people have had terrible side effects and there has to be something done. I have seen 4 Dr.s that say nothing wrong with the drug is not addictive, they are wrong. I will try to write again and explain how I feel and what is going on with my bady. Best wishes to you all.

i was prescribed tramadol 2 yrs ago for the pain of  O/A in my hands after nothing else would work i was told it was addictive but i just wanted to get rid of the pain,tramadol did help at first but as time went on the pain came back before i was due to take the next,i was on 50mg 3 times a day the doc put it up to 100mg 3 times a day before long the pain was back so my doc put me on 200mg twice a day they entered my body slower so the pain did not return.At no time did i realize hey i am addicted,well come on i was a 60 yr old mother of 2 and a gran of a lovely autistic boy,that does not happen people like me,how wrong i was.pls bear with me and i will tell you a sad story.Me and my lovely partner(my husband died 12 yrs ago of the dreadfull C)went of on a romantic holiday abroad,we stayed in a lovely hotel step out of our front door onto the beach with lovely white sand,i was to get to know that beach very well !!!!!!! who forgot her tramadol,remember i still dont know i am an addict yet.I thought i can manageon all my other prescribed drugs a bit of pain will not ruin my holls,day 2 i felt tired day 3 unwell,night 3 could not sleep at all and then tired all the days awake ALL NIGHT and i mean ALL NIGHT and every night for the rest of the holls.I could not lay still in my bed i had to keep wadering and pacing if i closed my eyes and half nodded off it was like being on the end of a piece of elastic something pulled me back awake with a woosh so i would not be allowed any sleep.I would walk the beach throughout the night.I feel so stupid now i still did not realize it was lack of tramadol,untill months later i ran out on a long bank holiday,it realy did hit me hard,i went cold turkey for 1 wk can you imagine in the end i went to doc got more but told her i wanted to take less she said fine let me know how you get on that was 10mths ago,today i am down to 1or2 50mg at night but i am back to the no sleep hot and cold in seconds, weary, tired during the day trying to get through each day and night without the children knowing about all this is so hard,it is 5-15 in the morning whilst i am writing waiting for the day to start so i can look forward to another long long night up i am so fed up with this but i will some how or other get off these dreadfull pills even if i have to live with the O/A pain,if i manage it i will come back and let you know

Hello again, I took my last tramadol yesterday morning and it is almost impossible to even type this right now. I feel like I have the worst flu in the world. I know I will mess a bit please forgive that. I couldn't even hold my 2 month old baby this morning at 10 am. I am so freakin cold then I get rediculously hot. I can not get comfortable no matter what I do.  It is very hard for me to ea. I can't type anymore it i s taking too much energy. Ihave to go lay down. THis is horrible I cant hold my baby.

i feel so sorry for the man above and to have a little one to look after is dreadfull,when i am at lthat stage i just have to lay down even 5 min can help,sometimes even peeling potatoes can be too much but sit down if you can it will give you a little boost,this hot and cold is a killer that and the no sleep is the worst part of all this for me,what i do is have a very loose cuddley cardigan to put on for 5 seconds at a time,in the evening i get in to my pjs and a soft blanket and something to fan myself with.
todays update is my pills are 50mg so i have redused them down to 25mg by undoing the capsule and halving the contents,
so yesterday i hade25mg at 10am and 25mg at night i got ready for a night up and going to bed getting up trying to sleep in the spare room then watching tv and then trying to sleep in the armchair,then starting that again and again all night as usual but last night it may have been a small break through i go to the libary and get talking books which helps at night a little just hearing a voice helps me to feel i am not alone whilst everyone else is asleep,well i went to bed at 11pm put on my story and i went off to sleep for 30mins GREAT then i have to get up and pace and start my routine again i try the spare bed i try my story again back to main bed NO LUCK so down to the tv O my god the tv wont work this is going to be a long night but no i fell asleep in the chair for 4hrs GREAT i then went back to bed and got another hours sleep ,right now i feel i am starting to get somewhere i will go on like this with these awfull pills for 3 more days then i will cut out the morning one  and next week cold turkey i have gone this far I WILL CRACK IT SO CAN ALL OF YOU

IT'S QUARTER TO ONE IN THE MORNING I HAD 25mg THIS MORN AND THE SAME AGAIN TONIGHT,I HAVE A FEELING THIS IS GOING TO BE A BAD NIGHT MY O/A IS NO MORE PAINFULL THAN IT WAS WHEN I WAS ON FULL DOSE (DOES THIS MEAN IT WAS NOT HELPING MY PAIN IN THE FIRST PLACE) BUT I JUST ACHE ALL OVER AND CANT SIT STILL ONE MIN HOT NEXT COLD O WELL 5 MORE HRS AND MY PARTNER WILL BE AWAKE AND I CAN START WALKING AROUND THE HOUSE WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT WAKING HIM UP,GOOD LUCK ALL

i got through the night had to be near the fire all night i was cold all the time no hot flushes i suppose thats something but i have changed my mind TODAY I STOP i am now on such a small dose and going through so many nasty wd i just want it over with, i can think of nothing else at the moment,so here goes cold turkey coming up,wish me luck.

its 5 am i have been awake all night hot and cold all night long cant sit still for more than a few min i ache all over but my o/a is still no worse than it was when i was on the tram.well its nearly another 24hr towards being normal again

OK I had started to stop Tramadol this past monday as you may see if you read back. I feel wonderful except the reason why I started to take the drug in the fist place my legs and feet issues are here again. I don't even care I am going on a new regiment and I am motivated by my 2 month old baby that needs her Daddy. Durring the third day I lost control I had to go to the ER where I was given an Ativan shot a prescription for Zanax and some Naproxin (that doesn't even begin to help the pain). The Benadryl did help me cope with the hurt before I ended up in the ER. Tramadol is a neurological terror. My body went into shock and I have never in my life had pain and well just body aches like that. The nervousness and tremmors and inasbility to sleep is horrible. I still don't sleep until 5-6 am but I feel human again, thank GOD. I wish you all the best and do not be afraid to go to the ER and ask for help and explain your hurt to them they can help.

To: iamsotired
God bless you! I wish you no more of this terror. You are a special person and you can do this. The pain will still be there but maybe another medication would do well for you. I cannot imagine I am 37 and broke down crying several times. Please go to the ER if you need, but this too will pass. I have faith that for me this was a life lesson and hey just try another road. I feel wonderful today I really do. God bless your soul and I will pray for you.

to stein thank you for you lovely message i have just come back from looking after my autistic grandson while my daughter had a well earned night out so i thought i would have to tell her what i was going through she understood but i dont think you can really understand unlessyou have been there,i am still having trouble sleeping and sitting for any length of time it's the constant change in body temperture 1 second hot the next cold but you are right i can and will crack it i am never going to take another tram in my life.i have to see specialist in 10 days hopefully he will sort something out for me,but for now onwards and upwards hey i think my sense of humour is coming back GOOD LUCK EVERYONE WE CAN DO IT

i'm doing well still trouble sleeping but not so bad, i find the worst problem now is a dreadfull bloaterd feeling which i hope will go away soon it's a horrilble feeling,just like you have over eaten.i hope you are all doing as well,GOOD LUCK ALL

9 DAYS OFF THOSE DREADFULL PILLS I FEEL GREAT EVEN MY OA IS A LITTLE BETTER I DONT KNOW WHY, I SEE THE SPECIALIST FRI I CANT WAIT TO TELL HIM HOW THINGS ARE.I JUST WISH I COULD SLEEP BETTER 3HRS IS NOT ENOUGH BUT STILL BETTER THAN NONE.GOOD LUCK ALL.

I have been taking Tramadol for more than a year and up to 30 plus a day! I want to stop but I can't, can anyone help me to quit so I can be myself again?  

I have been taking tramal pills since 2 years i even discovered way to increase its effect so i can get more chills and energy i became a tramal expert since 2 years and each day of those 2 years i took 30 50mg tramal pills yes 30 TRAMAL PILLS. EVERY DAY FOR 2 YEARS.

a day came when i realized i should stop i knew i was destroying my kidney's my liver and my bones i knew i should stop

i tried tenth of times but failed 30 pills/day was a lot and with hot tea with extra sugar it used to give me the same effect of H  i was sad about my self i was destroyed  my wife felt sorry for me  every time i lose my temper while on tramal i become like a roaring animal with no logic and crazy like i'm being possessed by demons i hurted my wife i used to beat her like she's a man and suddenly kneel infront of her and cry  this mood flactuations is caused by tramal.

since 2 years i sleep at 5 in the morning because of tramal i lost my job i lost my wife even tried to suicide became more aggressive became more animal.

yes 30 pills/day for 2 years i was living real hell.

my dear fellows who lives the pain i lived who are still suffering and still living in hell  i left tramal forever i took a serious decision about it and by chance i discovered the one only way to leave it and never use it again

you don't have to stop -stage it. never

just stop tramal replace it with vodka even if you don't drink do it even if you will vomit for the first 2 days do it don't be afraid  it will clean ur liver and ur kidny's and ur blood from tramal keep drinking vodka for 3 weeks every day  3 cups.

than after 3 weeks  stop drinking vodka and start consuming good ammounts of fresh yogurt   eat fruite cocktails

a lot

every morning during after leaving vodka  take 1 calcium pill with VITAMINE C DO THIS for 1 month.

at night take a hot shower and sleep.


45 days will be enough for you all to leave tramal or tramadol  my fellows i have nothing to lose i'm telling you because i used to be a tramal addict to the bones and i'm sharing this with you because i want you to have your life back i want to become clean once again and free from the slavery of tramal

You gotta fight for it you gotta win else it will take you to grave.

I wish you all the best my friends of misery..

I honestly had no idea that tramadol was a major issue for so so many people?! I'm 31 and have been on the drug for 3 years with only a couple of short gaps in that time, i knew i was taking a drug that was very strong initially as i worked at a chemist. But having finally confessed to a close friend that i was addicted, i decided that the potential for kidney or liver damage not to mention the effect to your state of mind being some what false when taking tramadol. I have gone 1 week now without any and still feel quite spaced out, sneezing, sleep disturbance. But in all honesty having been rushed to hospital last time i tried to go cold turkey, i really am not feeling too bad? I am now leaning towards homeopathic remedies, my advice to all wishing to stop is to treat it the same addiction. Admit that it IS a problem to be unable to cope without it, then set a realistic date that you will no longer take it. Then if you work book at least a week off, it will be worth it! Then for the 2 weeks previous cut your dosage and gaps between them to get you down to the bare minimum you can cope on the schedual your last dose for night time. Prepare your self, i.e easy to eat snacks, plenty of water, comfortable clothes bed and films to watch books to read, get a herbal remedy to help you fall into natural sleep, don't pressurise yourself. Instead have a couple of tablet to one side just in case as it can be reassuring. Depending on your dose, speak with your gp to tell them what your intention is. Also telling a friend or family member that you trust so someone knows. If i can do it then believe me it.s possible! I wish everyone luck and good health, you don't need this addictive and damaging drug. If i can be of any help feel free to post a question or comment.

my boyfriend has been addicted to tramal for the past 6 years. he s been taking 6 or 10 per day. two days ago he had a seizure. he went to the hospital i stayed there with him. he smokes 2 or 3 packs of cigarettes per day. the doctors didnt know that he was on tramal. he prescribed him a half of a lexotanil pill till monday, he got to do some tests. i dont know what to do with him. we was lying all this time on me, he tried even to drive me there, when i had to do some efforts w proposed that i take tramal. one month was the time. then i stopped i knew i was doing something wrong and he didn't say anything. he s still under drugs. this is a mortal issue. i saw him having the seizure i thought he was dead. i experienced the worst feeling ever, seeing someone u love, suffering in front of u is not easy.,..... what should i do? :(

why not take some alternative medicine for your problems...

i am only taking 3 50mg daily, due to broken tibia/fibula leg, have been on them for 5 months, am going next week to talk to my dr about getting off of them, they dont seem to help me anyway not that much, now that I have read this I am scared, didnt know about the addiction.

I have been on Tramadol for 3 yrs.  I have fibromyalgia and scoliosis and arthritis . I was on it in Florida while getting cortisone and phenol shots from a pain management doctor.  When i moved to Washington I was scared to be in pain so he gave me a couple refills. Now I am in Washington and have been for about 5 months and I have a Rhuematologist and he prescribes it I was taking 1 50mg tablet twice daily with bacoflen, flexeril, diclofenac and some other meds.. but he tells me to take up to 6 daily.. I take 4 50mg tablets daily now and I want to get off it because I have a baby and want more and if I get pregnant  I can't be on these meds. But I worried about the pain.. right now I have pneumonia and the hospital game me oxycodone so I am taking that plus two tramadol. I just know It won't be prescribed forever because my family doctor wants me to get off it.. I also had a sleep study done and with meds I only get 7% REM sleep a night out of 100% ..so I know I really won't get sleep if i stop taking it... sometimes I wish I never went to that doctors appointment about my back pain... so now I am a scared 22yr. old...

I was prescribed Tramadol after a lobectomy (half lung removed) following a nasty abscess that occured out of the blue.

I am only 37 and I have a full time job and 3 children. Previously I was very active and I take the tramadol for chest pain that occurs on activity. I agree that without it I feel hideous with flu like symptoms and I also get these hot cold sweats. My operation was in March 2009 and I was originally on 300mg per day ( 2 tablets 3 x per day)

Ive managed, over the past few months to reduce my dose to 50mg in the morning and 50mg in the evening.

I know that I just need to take the step to stop altogether but will ensure I have some tablets left in case it is unbearable. Ive had 3 kids, with natural painkiller free births so I know what pain is.

Here goes !

Nic UK

What is the best way to ween down on tramadol?  I am using like about 100 mg per day, and feel dizzy, brain zaps and unsteady fuzzy feeling when i dont use it? Any suggestions?  Please I need help bad.

Anyone have these symtomps been using it about a year.  I think I am losing my mind.

Ive been taking tramadol for 3 weeks for a bad back, i stopped taking it a day and half ago last night and this morning i have felt terrible and depressed im only on 2 50mg a day should i off weened off them istead of just stopping?

Been taking Tramadol for about 8 months. I take one 100 mg slow release before bed to relieve persistent headaches and it has helped, but I am concerned about becoming addicted to the med.I want to stop to see if the headaches return, do you think I will have a problem withdrawing?

Hey, recovering Cobee, are you out there somewhere?  Your testimony moved me... everyone's did but, somewhow, maybe the loss of everything, got through to me... Are you doing okay?  

i take tramadool for 5 years ago and i want to stop i can'tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

Its day four,im so glad I did this im tired,but I dont hurt,i been a lil shakey,but for the first time im four days I wanted to clean and stay busy.my husband isnt worried about me falling back into the pill bottle which boast my coffidence through the roof. Im happy I did this. Stoping cold turkey is the way to do it. What is the point of weening urself off it.its like askimg for failure.. Everyone out there if ur down to ur last pill make it ur la st pill. More tomarrow,good luck my friends,luv u all

Well everyone today was a bad day. I have developed a 8cm cyst on my left ovary. I lost  my right  ovary in nov. I almost lost my chance of having any more childern. The doctors said u have to lose everything to be pain free,but I said no and they were mad but they took only the right ovary anyway. Tonight I had a er doc. Tell me I was stupid for not having a total hystorectomy,and refused to treat the pain,because he didnt want to be the one to get me addicted to pain killers. I looked at him and said how  could u judge me for wanting one more chance at having a child. This is my body my choice. I walked out that er and gave the doc. A one finger salute while I walked out the door.  I dont have to be on anything and I get called a seeker.i just dont get it..

You are talking about Tramadol , which I am taking it since 2 years and Half , It's really a damn drug which let people live another fantastic life without pain or thinking or sadness, suddenly you see yourself as nothing without it ( mad , crazy) and can't leave it suddenly , at last it takes  you to dark life which full of thinking , scare,bad health .sleepy all the time , and you feel you don't wanna wakeup from you bed.  I tried many times to leave it , sometimes i fail and sometimes i success , but i back for it , because here is Gaza Strip  the life is so baaaaaaad ,we can't buy it from pharacies , authority doesn't accept to let them sell it, some ppl bring it from Egypt through under ground and sell it with high price (****)  10 pills*200 mg= 15$
My Advice to you: you have to be ready when you be comfortable and have no problems , close room at yourself , let tv turned on and try to watch all the time witout sleeping , dont see people or talk to anyone , bring all things you need to room, don't eat heavy foods , or smoke too much , just eat sweets ,energy drink , alchohol of you can .
The best Drug you can take when you can't sleep from pain is 3 pills of TRUFEN 600 mg , you will fall a sleep , i used it with  pharmacy avice and it worked will , just 3 days you will feel better,I wish you a good luck , and sorry about my bad English , you know i am palestinian and Arabic is my main lang.
Best wishes.

You have to WANT to stop....Truly WANT to stop!!! If you do then you will need to do as soooo many have suggested in all of these posts. You should never quite cold turkey. This can lead to severe unwanted withdraws and even seizures. Now don't let that scare you because It is really not as bad as some may say. Even though the effects will very between people try to keep in you mind that we are all here because of the same cause TRAMADOL. You will need to lay out a regiment. Day 1 will need to start with what you normally take. Day 2 will need to have one pill taken away in the morning. Day 3 will need another pill removed this time from you latest dose. Then it starts again. Remove another pill in the morning and the following day another at night. Keep this up until you are down to ONE pill in the morning and ONE pill at night. Stick to this for a few days until you can reduce down to only the on at night. Then you should simply be able to stop. To those out there who can see there doctor for help tell them that you are trying to get off this horrible drug and ask them if they can prescribe you a ten day supply of LORAZEPAM. This is in no way a reason for you to get hooked on another medicine. This medicine is for ANXIETY. It is the most helpful prescription for those of us with this Tramadol Demon. Once you are down to two a day you can start adding this drug as needed. Make sure you leave enough to be able to take them without tramadol for at least two days. You should Now be fine.            Reading these posts after can also be a great tool to staying off Tramadol. Remembering the place you were for so long that you didn't want to be anymore should lead to possitive energy for you to maintain sobriety. This was the way I stopped taking Tramadol after a 6 year relationship of 300mg in the morning and 300mg in the afternoon. The key is wanting to stop. Having only enough to finish your plan and maybe a friend to talk to while doing so. Having an extra bottle in the closet or knowing you stashed a few under the couch just encase WILL NOT WORK!!!  Trust in this it took me quite a few time to get this just right but it worked. Remember there is always sunshine behind the clouds.  Good Luck. You mind is the most powerful tool. Stay positive and I forgot to tell you. Try and stay busy. Don't lay around this will make you feel worse. Even just walking down the street will be good for you.  

I was given tramadol after knee surgery. I was told it was no worse than extra strength tylenol. I have only been taking it for 2 months. I wasnt even taking as much as i should at the end. I ran out over the weekend. I had called the dr on friday but the nice nurse said they are not in on friday and I would have to wait until monday. Iam sure she knew what I would go through. I have been sick like the worst flu ever. This has been happening whenever I skipped a dose or 2. Until I looked this up on line Ihave chills and hot flashes and cant stop shaking. didnt know why I felt like this. I cry constantly, cant sleep or eat, Can anyone tell me how long this will last! I am going crazy!  

The withdraw symptoms of Tramadol are a LOT worse than withdraw from just using standard opiates (vicoden, percocet, oxy, etc.) You get depressed with lack of energy and aches and pains all over...that is withdraw from regular opiates like I mentioned above.

Tramadol has all of those symptoms and then some! It adds to the pot: restlessness, constant hot/cold flashes, extreme fatigue with constant yawning, very weird vivid dreams (if you finally sleep), anxiety and general malaise with not being able to think clearly at all. I mean, being off of the drug will cause you to be utterly incapacitated! I would suggest taking a regular pain killer, like vicoden (5 or 10mg) to combat Tramadol withdraw and then come off of the vicoden - if you can. You can completely quit Tramadol as long as you immediately take the vicoden (or whatever kind of painkiller you can get) and you will not have near the horrible symptoms that Tramadol causes, at least that is what I discovered. You will not suffer as bad, trust me!

Not trying to get anyone hooked on pain killers, but I am just saying. If you want to stop Tramadol right away without the horrid withdraw effects, take painkillers and then wean from that.

I have been on pain meds all my life im only 26 and I feel like I can never stop I have tryed and failed many times I have never been on anything like this I have been on ultram for years and im getting off no matter what it takes I would tell anyone DO,NOT TAKE ULTRAM it will ruin your life I need it now just to feel like a normal person

OMgosh! Its true. Tramandol is physically addictive. I have pnly been on 1/2 pf a 50mg tablet per night sonce Febraury 2011. I cannot get to sleep ever with out answering my body's temper tantrum without that one tiny little dose each night. I need help. This is so unfair.  

Please please someone..post a success story on getting off this stuff.

I was recently given a prescription for tramadol for a knee sprain. I also was given etodolac as an anti-inflamatory. I take one etodolac in the morning and one at night. The tramadol was for one 50-mg tab every 4 hrs as needed for pain. For the first week I took them regularly during the day, starting when I got up at 6:15 and ending when I went to bed at around 11 p.m. I was feeling less pain, so I began alternating them with arthritis strength acetamenaphin. After 3 weeks I took one in the morning and one at night. I stopped taking the tramadol 5 days ago and I have experienced the hot/cold flashes, sweating, shivering, not being able to sleep at night (or dreaming crazy stuff if I do fall asleep - usually around 3 a.m.) However, I now don't take any tramadol at all and I still have an almost full bottle in my medicine cabinet. I feel much better now - I was so drowsy when on the meds - and I will always remember to ask my physician if any future prescribed medication is addictive, and, if so, I will ask for something else. The leftover pills just had a 'burial at sea' via my bathroom toilet.

Dear All

I was checking with many Drs in Sweden ,its a matter of decision and just stop it ! just stop it and go a head nothing will happen ,try to replace pain killer with Panadol or any other simple pain killer ,dont give up for it ,end of the day ,its easy dont worry and just stop it ! it was only 5 days for me and I stop after more than 4 years !! just avoid nervous situations ,and relax ,relax relax ,its going to be fine !

I have been on this horrible drug since 1/2010 I had knee surgery on my left & right knees.  My total intake has been 100mg twice a day.  I am down to 50mg a day and I am having withdrarel systems.  I am going to kick this tremble drug
(TRAMADOL).  I feel so sick depressed, anxious, crying, hot, cold, I sleep with the air conditioner then I get to cold. I am going to get this **** out of my system.  In order to get some sleep you will have to take something to help you or you will be up all night and all day.  Good luck and May God Bless and Keep us from further us of TRAMADOL!

Hey everyone,

It's good to hear that so many are going through the same thing. Its been about two and a half weeks since I stopped using Tramadol and the problem isn't the physical symptoms anymore, but the depression. It's like I don't want to wake up or get out of bed or leave the house. Is this normal? If so does anyone have any idea how long it will last? Thanks, and everyone hang in there!

I take two 50 mg Tramadols a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon or early evening.  Please, would someone (really knowledgeable) tell me how to wean myself off????  I've taken Tramadol for years; and, obviously, I'm addicted to them :(.  Help!

I am currently going thru withdrawal and it is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. 4 days sober and almost no relief! All I can think about is going to get some to stop this pain. This drug is EVIL! Do not do what I am doing. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone after I got addicted and didn't ask for help. I have been on very high doses for a long time. Suck it up and ask someone for help! Go to a center or ER instead of doing it by yourself. You are not a bad person if you cannot stop on your own. I wish I would have asked for help. People will stand by your side. I don't know know how much longer I can take these feelings!! The worst drug ever! ASK FOR HELP.