Tramadol Withdrawal

[Trekman]

After taking Tramadol 300-400mg a day for 2 years, I quit cold turkey 5 weeks ago.  I am still having HORRIBLE fatigue daily in addition to limb weakness, depression, and blurred vision.

Can anyone tell me if this is going to end soon or perhaps I'm suffering from some other illness that I am confusing with withdrawal?

Thanks folks!!

Trekman

[1penny]

i am looking to finally conquer the beast of addiction. My mom is an addict and i believe that is where it all came from. It started around eight years ago when i started taking pain medication. My father had a foot injury and got tramadol and i absolutely loved it along with my mother. Ever since then i have been on and off with pills and for the past four years i have not gone a day without taking a pill. I have tried numerous times to quit but with the amount i work i just can never come up with the energy to do it. Withdrawal from tramadols is the worst i have had by far. I will start my withdrawal process soon and will update on my success and am looking for a supports system to help with such. The pain i go through with withdrawal is so excruciating if anyone has any pain tips or sleeping tips please let me know........

[mrs_dobson]

I have been on Tramadol HCL 50  mg 3 times aday, for pain in my lower back, (I have even had surgery for buldging disks, and I have pain from that) and pain radiating down my thighs and knees. I have been on that for over a year. I was on vicodin for 3 years before that. I usually take 3-4 tramadol aday. I am disabled and on ssdi, but I am trying to figure out why im experiencing chest pain when I stop taking it. I can only figure out after hours of recounting what I did before the pain started, and my husband and I both think it is w/d. BUT this is no normal pain. Its so bad that I scream and cry and freak out because it hurts so bad. Im used to alot of pain. Im 27 and have been disabled for 5 years from a car accident. But this is excurciating!!(I cant spell very well) Im wondering if anyone out there has ever expierenced this kind of w/d? Is there any websites I can go to to see more into the symtoms? Thank you. ***@****
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[angel44240]

I'm bumping this up, although it's been quite some time for the first post, but it's about Tramadol! SCroll up! Some very helpful info! :D
Love to all!
Alli

[Gunnerfubar]

I've taken Tram for about 7-8 months.  Varying from about 2-5 pills a day at 50g per pill.  I don't have any of the other symptoms some have described with pain or with my bowels.  My problem is sleeping at night.  The restlessness is pure HELL!  It drives me absolutely nuts.  I'm tempted to get some nyquil  and knock myself out as to avoid the restlessness in my arms and legs.  How long does the restlessness last.  Again I didn't take more than 5 a day at any one time.  Usually between 3-4 a day.  But I need to sleep!

[arizonamom]

I just found this forum and am so glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with tramadol.  I think it is realy interesting that dr's freely prescribe this drug since it's not techically an opiate and therefore not monitored the way other drugs such as vicodin, oxycodone and morphine.  However, it is just as addicting and you can become just as dependent on it, especially since it also acts as an anti-depressant of sorts, which I think someone on this board pointed out.
I have struggled with chronic debilitating headaches for the past 2-3 years, and have tried everything in the book from lidocaine and Botox (yes, botox) injections, to drugs for blood pressure, to tri-cyclic antidepressants.  Nothing has been effective long term.  So, then it comes to treating the pain, which of course, typically involves narcotics and now, tramadol.  I have to say, even though I am supposed to take the tramadol as needed for headache, I basically take 2-4 per day as maintainance, and it works better than anything else.  However, when and if I do get a bad headache, I can take 8-10 per day to combat it.  I think, too, for many people in chronic pain, it's importance to realize the difference between dependence and addiction.  If you have a good dr., they will talk about this with you and honestly address which of the two they think are what you are going through.  Because of the nature of my headaches, my dr has determined that my use of tramadol is because of dependence on the drug, not addiction to it.  However, I, too, like many of you,a nd just tired of taking pills every day, and would like to stop completely.  There is no neurological cause for the headaches that they have been able to identify, and so treating the pain is really the only option, short of going to the ER and being given morphine injections and then being useless for the next 3 days.  
I guess I just wanted to vent.  The withdrawals from tramadol are worse than withdrawals from fentanyl patches (which I used onece for a week when I went away on vacation away from my dr...and will never use again...the withdrawals from a week of use with the lowest dose were awful), and seem to last longer.  The sweating, inability to get comfortable or sleep for more than an hour or two at a time, and the overall generalized blah and lethargic feeling is horrible.  I don't get aches and pains much but all I want to do is fall into a really deep sleep for 3 or 4 days and wake up with all the withdrawal symptoms gone.
Everyone out there stay strong and good luck with whatever demons of your own you're dealing with.  My heart goes out to all of us who deal with these feelings on our own.

[Ms. Shingles]

I just found this forum tonight. I am trying to withdraw from Tramadol but don't know if the pain I am feeling is from Shingles fallout or some other virus I have not gotten the labs back on yet - OR withdrawal from Tramadol!. I've been on T for 8 months now. I am 60 years old. When it looked like pain from Shingles had gone on too long, I was referred to a specialist. I am 5 days into withdrawal and I will see the specialist again in 2 weeks. I'm supposed to be reducing the pain by treating the inflamation that causes it, not just numbing it with the T. So I was advised to take Advil (no results) and on my own I tried asprin and naproxin sodium (no results). My doc has now requested Celebrex and I hope the insurance papers go thru - it's not in the Blue Cross apothecary! It's really expensive!

So - has anyone out there used Tramadol for the post-herpatic pain of Shingles? And tried to get off the T? What happened to you? I get bad aches in my hips, legs down to the knees, shoulders down to the elbows. I feel stiff and just want to go to sleep to avoid the pain. I will forget to take my meds, then when I feel the pain creeping back in I remember I forgot to take my pills. I seem to have stiffness and swelling in my hands prior to needing to take the T. I don't have arthritis or Lyme disease indicators in my blood.

[enufizenuf]

Hi there Trekman! I am new to this forum and just started tapering my tramadol last week. I have been on it off and on (mostly on) for the last 10 years and have tried several times to stop cold turkey. I know EXACTLY what you are going through and my prayers are with you. The last time I w/d from ultram, I got food poisoning that got me into the ER..not a good way to stop ultram...of course, I started taking them again in December of this year after that food poisoning cleared my system and got back up to 800 to 1000mgs a day. Now, I am tapering off and have been doing it much better. I want this to be the last time and since I never stopped by tapering before, I decided to try it out this time. My doctors always prescribe it for my chronic neck pain but I am so tired of depending on the pills that I will have to just live with the pain. Anyway, I hope that you will start feeling  yourself by the second month. I know when I have stopped for that long, it took me a few months to feel somewhat normal. I also exercise and I know that helps alot! I have been taking B vitamins, multi-vitamin, and Milk Thistle this time around along with drinking green tea when I start feeling tired. That helps alot. I wish you the best and keep us posted. It was nice finding this site because I never used it before but it really has inspired me alot to  finally stop and, hopefully, for good. Take care! Lisa

[FLaddict]

Well of course everyone is different.. I know minnie has struggled greatly.. I think if you take the aminos as listed for a couple months you should start noticing small differences soon.. sometimes they are hard to notice.. others in your life may notice a difference b4 you do.. Your receptors and neurotransmitters will start to "wake up" from the long winter nap we put them in from pill use and the aminos will help to rebuild them back to where they were and even better than b4..
After 2 months you can cut back to 1-2 times per day... Then 2 or so months after that 4 times a week.. depending on what you feel helps you there may be something you may feel like you need all the time.. but this will start to mend the damage done.. the damage is the main reason you are feeling so bad this far out.. Do some research on PAWS and look out for the signs and what you can do to make it better.. I am always open to chat recovery, supplements or whatever.. so hit me up when needed.. my email is available in my profile that can be found by clicking on my screen name.

Stephanie
Day 44

[Trekman]

Thank you Minnie for your post - very helpful to know that there is someone out there (even in Denmark, lol) that understands what I am going through here.  You all have been so helpful and encouraging to me.  

Yep, you are right about the time frame - I would be so happy if 4 weeks would have done it for both of us, but it looks like it is going to be a very long road.  However, it is one I want to travel only once, so I am going to try my best to stick to my guns.  I understand that you have to get back with your family and work.  I have 2 wonderful children, ages 2 and 6, and a wonderful wife, we've been married for 13 years.  She has been so understanding throughout this situation and is taking the full load of the kids and house while I come in from work and go straight to bed.  Its hard not having anything to offer your family, but that is exactly where I am.  I've missed maybe 2 days of work, throughout the ordeal, but I can honestly say that when I am there, I'm not getting as much accomplished as when I am feeling myself.

I'll just be glad when it is all over.  I hope that you can continue at lower doses, but we both know that is not very easy.  I appreciate your positive energy and I am supporting you and your family throughout your situation.

I will keep you and the rest of the guys out there posted on my progress - any new members that have joined with tramadol issues feel free to contact me and we can traverse this thing together.

God bless!

Trek

[Trekman]

Thank you Stephanie for your advice and kind words...lots of good advice.  I went to GNC today and got most of the goodies you recommended.  The GNC Sport multivitamin has most of what you've recommended, so I am going to be taking that along with the 5htp.  Your knowledge is quite comprehensive and impressive.

What is your opinion of a time frame?  I have heard various opinions, but I certainly would like to hear what someone with knowledge of opiate w/d to give me an idea of how long this could last.  Since I've been on Tram for 2 years, do you think this could last as long as 3-6 months?  Since this is my first rodeo with any drug whatsoever, I just have no clue.  I thought after 4 weeks I would be out of the woods, but here I am in week 5, still feeling like week 1 except for the anxiety - that has wained quite a bit.

Thanks again so much for taking the time!

Trek

[minnie11]

Actually, Tim, I am from Denmark, but at least IT IS Europe (LOL)

I quit c/t in May from a habit of 12 tramadol (for 8 months) and I can only agree that it was pure hell. Unfortunately I caved after 5 weeks (I am 48 and have never before had any addiction issues), because I had to get back to work and take care of my family responsibilites, and I was desperate to try and see if it made any difference - and to get better. I had initially taken 6 days off work in the naive hope that that would be enough. I actually thought I had some weird virus on top of the withdrawals because I just didn't get any better. Now I think it was "just" w/d. But then I suffered another infection (some dental problems that were the reason I started taking tramadol in the first place) and started taking a couple of tramadol a day again (I am keeping the amount down though this time, I never want to experience such w/d again), but I am therefore not able to tell you when it gets better. But I know now that withdrawals from tramadol can be very tough and take a long time, but after five weeks it really must be the last part of w/d you are experiencing. If you at all can, hang in there, I am sure it must almost be over.
What I have also learned from this experience is that everyone reacts differently to withdrawals (of course it also depends on the amount you have been taking), so thinking that it will be better after 4-5 days is not always the case.

I am sending you lots of positive energy, hang in there, and keep posting, I would never even have attempted to quit, if it wasn't for this forum and the tremendous support that the kind and caring people here offers.

I hope you feel better soon. Take care
Minnie

[FLaddict]

Tramadol is a tough one since it is not only a syntetic opiate it also has properties that act kind of like a anti depressant. It stimulates the serotonin and norepinepren (I believe) parts of your brains neurotransmitters.. So it literally effects alot of the brain.. I highly suggest getting on a amino acid program like the one in the book END YOUR ADDICTION NOW.. since you were on Trams you would fall into two categories.. as did I since i was also taking anti depressants with my pain pills.. Taking these make us deficient in our neurotransmitters and we have physical issues to this.. such as what you are experienceing.. I am also posting a thing I wrote that gives the aminos to help rebuid these parts of the brain... check it out.. maybe order the book on Amazon.. it changed my life and I owe getting off of pain pills,antidepressants and xanax to this program.. Here it is..

All of this program is from the book END YOUR ADDICTION NOW.. the doctor who wrote it ran a treatment facility in UPstate New york where they gave patients amino acids and vitamin via IV during treatment.. He also counsels patients individually.. All of these things are meant to rebuild activity in the major neuro transmitters.. as addicts our neurotransmitters have been disrupted by our use of drugs.. even stuff like cigarettes and eating alot of sugar can disrupt them.. with drugs however it can be more damaging.. I will list the aminos maily used for addiction, their dosages etc.. everything should be taken on a empty stomach... an hour b4 meals.. Take all of them together with lots of water...

**These are the ones from the pain addiction category as well as the depression/anxiety...**

B- vitamin Complex either 50mgs or 100mgs, needed for absorption of aminos..

Multi mineral vitamin, just good to take all around

5HTP-- this is what tryptophan gets turned into prior to being turned into serotonin in our brains. Serotonin is what is usually depleted if we are depressed and anxious.. Taking the with help with PAWS ( post accute withdrawl syndrome) DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE TAKING A SSRI OR TRICYLIC ANTI DEPRESSANT
Dosage-- up to 300mgs a day 3x DAILY ( I take 100mgs 3x per day, start with the lower dose and move up if needed)

L-glutamine--amino acid required for GABA production, that is the relaxing part of our brain.    up to 2000mgs 3x per day.. ( I take 1000 mgs 3x day, again start lower and work up if needed)

L-Taurine-- another "relaxing" amino  up to 1000mgs 3x daily

DLPA-- helps restore the function to the pain receptors working with the enporphins/enkephalins  DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE TAKING A SSRI OR TRICYLIC ANTIDEPRESSANT
Dose-- up to 2000mgs 3x per day (again you can start lower like 1000mgs 3x daily)

L-leucine-- required for the production of endorphins up to 500mgs 3x per day

L-methionine-- same as leucine

If you find yourself really struggling with energy after being on the aminos you can add L-tyrosine to the mix in the early part of the day.. up to 1,500mgs..

If you find yourself having some anxiety the amino L-theanine is like natural valium.. It has helped me so much I no longer need to take xanax at all for my panic attacks

If you are interested in other ways to help heal.  Ester C 500mgs to 1000mgs per day can be very helpful.. as well as extra calcium and magnesium.. Alpha lipoic acid is a anti oxidant that helps portect your body against free radicals.. EFA"S can also help in the form of fish oils and omega 3's

As far as sleep.. in my early days off of pills I took a sleep blend from GNC with a L-theanine and calcium magnesium liquid everynight and slept like a baby.

I suggest GNC to purchase this stuff they are pretty cheap (some stuff is only 4.99 a bottle)  they were also super helpful and knew alot.. I got a gold card to save some bucks in the future..

After a few months if you are feeling good you can taper the aminos back to once a day... then a few months after that a few times a week.. the best part about taking aminos instead of drugs is you don't have to take them forever to get the benefit.. the FIX the problem not put a band aid on it..

If you have any questions I am always around.. Stephanie

[Trekman]

Thanks so much for the encouraging words, Tim.  It is very uplifting for you to take the time to respond to my post.  I will take your advice regarding the supplements, I'm only taking a multivitamin and obviously it isn't helping with these symptoms.  I will look for Minnie on the board and hopefully we can get a response from her regarding her experience.

Thanks again, friend!

Trekman

[TimH2]

Welcome to the board. Congrats to you at 5 weeks. That is so great. There is a women from UK named Minnie and she went through the tramadol withdrawals. I am sure she will answer any questions.  Google PAWS and it will give you an idea regarding the way you feel right now. Try to take it day by day. Do you take aminos??? I have been taking them for energy. I have Amino 1000 and purchased it at GNC. I also take B6 and B12 and potassium. You will find much support on this board. Hang in there, you are doing great!!!!!

Tim