Aa
Buprenorphine for Ultram withdrawal
I need to ask a question of those who have dealt with Ultram withdrawals (I have never taken Ultram, only hydrocodone and Xanax -- those were bad enough to deal with).
I recently found out that my sis-in-law has taken Ultram for the last year and a half due to injuries sustained in a car accident years ago (she was taking Vicodin for the 1st year, and her doc switched her over to Ultram). She told me the other day that she became very ill when she missed her dose of Ultram (doc told her that it shouldn't have been the Ultram that did it?!) and I gave her some information on the web to look over to see if her symptoms were consistent with what she read (and also to show this to her doc!). It's amazing how many negative stories people have about this drug.
She's wanting to quit the Ultram, but wants to know if buprenorphine can be used for tapering down, instead of tapering with the Ultram. She's looking for a new doctor now, but her choices are limited to only several within her HMO.
If anyone can provide information about this, I'd be very appreciative.
I recently found out that my sis-in-law has taken Ultram for the last year and a half due to injuries sustained in a car accident years ago (she was taking Vicodin for the 1st year, and her doc switched her over to Ultram). She told me the other day that she became very ill when she missed her dose of Ultram (doc told her that it shouldn't have been the Ultram that did it?!) and I gave her some information on the web to look over to see if her symptoms were consistent with what she read (and also to show this to her doc!). It's amazing how many negative stories people have about this drug.
She's wanting to quit the Ultram, but wants to know if buprenorphine can be used for tapering down, instead of tapering with the Ultram. She's looking for a new doctor now, but her choices are limited to only several within her HMO.
If anyone can provide information about this, I'd be very appreciative.
My story is the same, I did post a comment prior on another portion of the site but this is sort of an update. I must admit this has been extremely difficult, I'm 41 years old, 169 pounds and I take very good care of myself so there is no reason to blame lifestyle or
health on how dependent your body becomes on this ****. I'm eleven days into the detox after a 11months on 100mg ER to 300mg ER, and it is still affecting me. I admit I did get some Ambien from a friend to sleep because in the early stages it was basically
impossible to sleep. I have been suffering from extreme restless leg and this non stop
obsession of constantly changing my position in bed to get comfortable. I wake up to back aches and no energy. Its flat depressing the way this stuff can make you feel. I was refered to a man that knows a great deal about how this medicine and how it works and I was flat floored when he told me how it works. It basically acts as a narcotic and anti narcotic. It attches to both receptors, so when you detox your body is sending all kinds of mixed messages to itself which causes these symptoms. In many ways its worse then narcotics. I have committed myself to toughing it out with no help, mind over matter and its starting to work. FYI the first 3 days of detox were basically living HELL. If not for my Wife, Child and my employees (business owner) there is a good chance I would have put a bullet in my head, I felt that rotten. I have contacted PRI CARA a half a dozens times and they were no help at all. I have pondered the question was I still better off taken the medicine at the time? I had an Intra Muscular Hemengeoma, which a blood vessel condition that embeds itself in your muscle and causes a dull nagging pain. If I had it to do over again, I would deal with the pain, or take the medicine every other day and ignore recommending dosage. Kevin
health on how dependent your body becomes on this ****. I'm eleven days into the detox after a 11months on 100mg ER to 300mg ER, and it is still affecting me. I admit I did get some Ambien from a friend to sleep because in the early stages it was basically
impossible to sleep. I have been suffering from extreme restless leg and this non stop
obsession of constantly changing my position in bed to get comfortable. I wake up to back aches and no energy. Its flat depressing the way this stuff can make you feel. I was refered to a man that knows a great deal about how this medicine and how it works and I was flat floored when he told me how it works. It basically acts as a narcotic and anti narcotic. It attches to both receptors, so when you detox your body is sending all kinds of mixed messages to itself which causes these symptoms. In many ways its worse then narcotics. I have committed myself to toughing it out with no help, mind over matter and its starting to work. FYI the first 3 days of detox were basically living HELL. If not for my Wife, Child and my employees (business owner) there is a good chance I would have put a bullet in my head, I felt that rotten. I have contacted PRI CARA a half a dozens times and they were no help at all. I have pondered the question was I still better off taken the medicine at the time? I had an Intra Muscular Hemengeoma, which a blood vessel condition that embeds itself in your muscle and causes a dull nagging pain. If I had it to do over again, I would deal with the pain, or take the medicine every other day and ignore recommending dosage. Kevin
I have a question for jess.I am new here and just happened by when I googled how long the detox lasted for tramadol.I have withdrawn from opiates on several occasions and have had some sever detox periods.I was addicted first to Perscription medication and then turned to street heroin when The doctor. cut me off.It was actually cheaper on the street also.I became addicted and eventually stopped.It was a hard and long road but i was able to do it.Now two years later I find all of the sudden I am addicted to Tramadol. And like you jess I Am taking anywhere between 25-35 a day.* at a time.I have attempted to stop a couple times but the depression was so debilitating I failed.I know I can do it cold turkey but would jus like to know how long this will take.Keeping in mind the amount that i am taking.And for any one wondering,this is just as bad and in some ways worse then heroin was to detox from.Take it from some one who has detoxed several times from a large habit .Thanks for the help jess.I cant believ I am going through this again after three years clean.
I have been taking Ultram on and off for about a month and I ran out of them a few days before I could get my re-fill. I had to be taken to the emergency room for a headache sooooooo bad I could not see straight.........I did not know about the Ultram WD's but I do now...............Thank God for this post...........
Here is what I did to painlessly get through ultram withdrawals. Simple, the first day I used 6 norcos 10/325. Day 2 I used 5 norcos, Day 3 I used 4. Right until I stopped on the 7th day. These drugs are not cross addicting and I was not on the norcos long enough or in high enough dose to give me a habit on them. It turned out to be one of the easiest drugs I ever quit. Keep in mind I was only using Ultram at 8 per day and only for 2 months. Your situation may be different. I agree that using Bupe is probably am bad idea and may be cross addicting with the ultram. I think this will work for you but the risks in using this method are obvious.
Good luck
Bodymechanic
Good luck
Bodymechanic
Hello :)
Just wanted to add to Jesses warning about Ultram...
I found this board last Dec. when I stopped taking Ultram for endometriosis. I had only taken it for 2 months, at the prescribed dose. I was sicker than a dog coming off of that ****, and if it hadn't been for this board, I don't know what I would have done. I have been reading this board since Dec. because I came to care about the people on here. Although I don't post, I do keep up with you all, and pray for you :) Congrats to all who are fighting the good fight, and stay strong, it can be done :)
I do an interesting story to tell. I was prescribed Ultram again last month, but only for 10 days. Seeing as to how I hadn't touched the stuff since I quit, and this was only for a short time, I thought it wouldn't hurt. Guess what? After only 10 days, at the prescribed dose, I again went through withdrawal when I stopped. Granted, it only lasted for 3 days and wasn't as intense, but it was definetly there (sweats, shakes, no sleep, anxiety,). It was like a mini withdrawal.
So, for anyone considering Ultram because they were told it was non addicting, please think again. I have never had withdrawal from anything else, so I don't know what to compare it to, but others on this board have said they have heard Ultram withdrawal is worse than Vicodin and other opiates. All I know is that it was one week of pure hell...
Stay strong!
Fairlight
Just wanted to add to Jesses warning about Ultram...
I found this board last Dec. when I stopped taking Ultram for endometriosis. I had only taken it for 2 months, at the prescribed dose. I was sicker than a dog coming off of that ****, and if it hadn't been for this board, I don't know what I would have done. I have been reading this board since Dec. because I came to care about the people on here. Although I don't post, I do keep up with you all, and pray for you :) Congrats to all who are fighting the good fight, and stay strong, it can be done :)
I do an interesting story to tell. I was prescribed Ultram again last month, but only for 10 days. Seeing as to how I hadn't touched the stuff since I quit, and this was only for a short time, I thought it wouldn't hurt. Guess what? After only 10 days, at the prescribed dose, I again went through withdrawal when I stopped. Granted, it only lasted for 3 days and wasn't as intense, but it was definetly there (sweats, shakes, no sleep, anxiety,). It was like a mini withdrawal.
So, for anyone considering Ultram because they were told it was non addicting, please think again. I have never had withdrawal from anything else, so I don't know what to compare it to, but others on this board have said they have heard Ultram withdrawal is worse than Vicodin and other opiates. All I know is that it was one week of pure hell...
Stay strong!
Fairlight
that ******* quack md should be pinned to the wall with 25 gauge
needles!!!!!!!!!!!
kip
needles!!!!!!!!!!!
kip
Hi!
Most of you readers probably know me by now as the former ULTRAM junkie also known as Jessesarpy.....
Anyway, as an "experienced" user of this drug to say the LEAST; I hope I can add some insight into your sis-in-law's situation.
As Hippy stated, and I can VERIFY, Withdrawel from Ultram (tramadol Hcl) can be ABSOLUTE HELL. As far as using Buprenorphine as an agent for tapering down / getting off the Ultram, I'm not so sure that it would be a good Idea.... First of all, we must consider the current amount she is using consistantly on a "Day-to-day" basis. Ask her to HONESTLY tell you the amount of the drug she is taking-- considering that the maximum recommended daily dosage is eight 50Mg tablets (or 400 milligrams), and a slow taper is *usually* best for the user, she is going to need at least 100 tabs to get down to where her intake is 2-4 tablets per day, and at that point, Just "cold-turkey" from there-- with the help of a certain "Recipe". I found that in MY case, I just didn't have the "Control" or "Willpower" to taper! If I had the Pills, I'd always find an excuse to take more than I needed.... That's just me, though.
Anyway, back to the point: I was using 30-50 tabs per day (YES, THIRTY TO FIFTY PILLS), and my first attempt to just "QUIT" landed me in the ER after only 18 hours from taking the last pill. As you have noted, and is quite true for many people, the withdrawels from Ultram can be just as bad as all the horror stories we've all heard of (or experienced) with Methodone or other highly potent opiate withdrawels. No matter if she tapers slowly down on the Ultram, or switches to Buprenorphine it will be a painful road ahead, BUT it can be done! I did it... and if I can do it (Considering my outrageously high daily intake) ANYONE can.
Once tapered down to 2-4 pills per day, I reccommend the use of "Thomas' recipe" to calm the nerves for the first few days, along with KavaKava (At HIGH doses - 4 150Mg pills 3 times per day for a total of 1.8 grams) KavaKava really does help one "Relax", and the high dose is very similar to the sedation of Valium or Xanax in my experience.... WITHOUT the dangerous withdrawel symptoms of the Benzo's (If stopped abruptly).
Within 4-7 days of being Ultram-free, her body will be starting to get back to "Normal"; however, in many people, depression sets in.. (this is where a good 12-step program like AA or NA proves helpful to many).
In MY opinion, substituting Buprenorphine for Ultram would be counter-productive, as you would be switching from a SYNTHETIC opiate (tramadol Hcl) to an opioid mixed agonist-antagonist (Buprenorphine) that may put her into WORSE withdrawels!
I hope that this helps; and considering the nearly exponential growth of Ultram addiction in the last few years, I am considering putting together an "Ultram detox recipe" to be distributed throughout the medical-posting community much as the heralded "Thomas' recipe" has helped many of us. If there is an interest shown for this specifically ULTRAM detox recipe, by anyone reading this, Please E-mail me at: ***@****, and I'll give it a go!
Good luck, and GODSPEED!
Jess
Most of you readers probably know me by now as the former ULTRAM junkie also known as Jessesarpy.....
Anyway, as an "experienced" user of this drug to say the LEAST; I hope I can add some insight into your sis-in-law's situation.
As Hippy stated, and I can VERIFY, Withdrawel from Ultram (tramadol Hcl) can be ABSOLUTE HELL. As far as using Buprenorphine as an agent for tapering down / getting off the Ultram, I'm not so sure that it would be a good Idea.... First of all, we must consider the current amount she is using consistantly on a "Day-to-day" basis. Ask her to HONESTLY tell you the amount of the drug she is taking-- considering that the maximum recommended daily dosage is eight 50Mg tablets (or 400 milligrams), and a slow taper is *usually* best for the user, she is going to need at least 100 tabs to get down to where her intake is 2-4 tablets per day, and at that point, Just "cold-turkey" from there-- with the help of a certain "Recipe". I found that in MY case, I just didn't have the "Control" or "Willpower" to taper! If I had the Pills, I'd always find an excuse to take more than I needed.... That's just me, though.
Anyway, back to the point: I was using 30-50 tabs per day (YES, THIRTY TO FIFTY PILLS), and my first attempt to just "QUIT" landed me in the ER after only 18 hours from taking the last pill. As you have noted, and is quite true for many people, the withdrawels from Ultram can be just as bad as all the horror stories we've all heard of (or experienced) with Methodone or other highly potent opiate withdrawels. No matter if she tapers slowly down on the Ultram, or switches to Buprenorphine it will be a painful road ahead, BUT it can be done! I did it... and if I can do it (Considering my outrageously high daily intake) ANYONE can.
Once tapered down to 2-4 pills per day, I reccommend the use of "Thomas' recipe" to calm the nerves for the first few days, along with KavaKava (At HIGH doses - 4 150Mg pills 3 times per day for a total of 1.8 grams) KavaKava really does help one "Relax", and the high dose is very similar to the sedation of Valium or Xanax in my experience.... WITHOUT the dangerous withdrawel symptoms of the Benzo's (If stopped abruptly).
Within 4-7 days of being Ultram-free, her body will be starting to get back to "Normal"; however, in many people, depression sets in.. (this is where a good 12-step program like AA or NA proves helpful to many).
In MY opinion, substituting Buprenorphine for Ultram would be counter-productive, as you would be switching from a SYNTHETIC opiate (tramadol Hcl) to an opioid mixed agonist-antagonist (Buprenorphine) that may put her into WORSE withdrawels!
I hope that this helps; and considering the nearly exponential growth of Ultram addiction in the last few years, I am considering putting together an "Ultram detox recipe" to be distributed throughout the medical-posting community much as the heralded "Thomas' recipe" has helped many of us. If there is an interest shown for this specifically ULTRAM detox recipe, by anyone reading this, Please E-mail me at: ***@****, and I'll give it a go!
Good luck, and GODSPEED!
Jess
i agree with jess. buprenex is great for withdrawing from opiates, but ultram isn't an opiate right?
Damn.... Pretty deep for THIS early in the A.M.
It's Saturday, 8:43 a.m. and I'm sitting here at work-- Been here since I got paged @ 4:30 in the a.m.
Im starting to ~~~Burrrrrrnnn OUT~~~~ BUT isn't it: "Better to Burn out, than fade away?"
Where is Everbody be at today?
See what I mean? I'm not even making sense! and to top it off, I'm completely SOBER!
Well, I have a word of advise for everybody on this board today:
Jess says, "...as drug addicts; whether practicing our vice or not, we must be careful to maintain good dental hygene-- For it is a proven fact that most of the drugs that we talk about here on this board lead to enamel depletion. In other words: a bad case of 'Mouth-rot' -- Take care of those choppers, people! We only get 2 sets..."
Skip.... I'll be back at home after about 3:00 CST today...
If you get a chance, say, "Hi, Irish Rose." to the woman who is your significant other.
Thank you for your continued cooperation!
The Jess
It's Saturday, 8:43 a.m. and I'm sitting here at work-- Been here since I got paged @ 4:30 in the a.m.
Im starting to ~~~Burrrrrrnnn OUT~~~~ BUT isn't it: "Better to Burn out, than fade away?"
Where is Everbody be at today?
See what I mean? I'm not even making sense! and to top it off, I'm completely SOBER!
Well, I have a word of advise for everybody on this board today:
Jess says, "...as drug addicts; whether practicing our vice or not, we must be careful to maintain good dental hygene-- For it is a proven fact that most of the drugs that we talk about here on this board lead to enamel depletion. In other words: a bad case of 'Mouth-rot' -- Take care of those choppers, people! We only get 2 sets..."
Skip.... I'll be back at home after about 3:00 CST today...
If you get a chance, say, "Hi, Irish Rose." to the woman who is your significant other.
Thank you for your continued cooperation!
The Jess
Thanks, all for your comments. I'll be talking to her today to see how much she's taking, I don't know whether she'll want to disclose that to me or not, but maybe a tapering schedule from the Ultram would be best if bup doesn't work.
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