Can someone give me slow taper advice for tramadol?

[goatfarmer]

I even called the dang company who makes ultram and they didn't know! *sigh*
I was on 8 a day tapered down to 3 1/2 took about 3 months to do that. Well it is getting MUCH harder now! My main symptom is anxiety/depression and PANIC! I will be totally fine for 3-5 days when I taper 1/4 pill and then blammo on day 4-5 anxiety attack sets in that lats for 3 days! OMG its hell! Dr gave me vistiril. That helped tremendously for sleep! I just take it at night for the last 2 nights. My anxiety is much better but i need to do another taper. How much should I taper? I am taking 3 1/2 a day. 1 every 4-6 hours until my last dose at 6 pm of 1/2 pill. I WILL NOT cold turkey it. Heard way to many scary things about that and last time I did I went right back on. What is the usual protocal for tapering tram. Is it 10% a week? 5% a week? anyone know of what percentage? I have heard of it being 10 but I even have w/d from 10% a week! Gosh this is horrible! I have been on for NINE years! Dr said not addicting yada yada!  I wish I could get ahold of some vicoden because I did taper all the way off a couple years ago using vicodin and was successful for about 6 months. WHY did it pick these up again. Where do I get info on tapering? a pharmacist? My doc said a pill a week is probably fine! WHAT???!!!!! no way! I am VERY determined to get off. I have to for various reasons I can't share here.

[vicki595]

Hi there- It's true, we can't give taper schedules but after reading your post, you know quite a bit about tapering...

I can say that the slower the better with a taper, always dropping by small amounts.  It will take awhile but you've got a lot of time to do this, right?

I agree with the Vicodin. It would be great if you could take it instead; a lot of doctors switch people to that to taper off.

Keep posting, there's always someone here...

[Twosandbits]

Hello

I'm really sorry that you are having such a hard time trying to stop taking Tramadol. I am on day 6 of stopping taking them and it has been really tough but I think I have turned a corner now. On this forum we are not allowed to give tapering program's as it could be dangerous, I am not a medic. I do however think your doctor should be able to help you, if not can you find one who can? I know you said no body has given you the correct advice, but surely there must be someone! From my own experience day 5 was the worse for feelings of being anxious and panicky, plus I felt super super hyperactive! Now on day 6 I do not feel anxious or panicky and last night I got a full nights sleep :-) When I was anxious I found it useful to keep telling myself "don't worry, you know why feel like this, it will pass" and it did!

I'm sorry I could not answer your question directly, but hope I helped a little.
Good luck and hope you find your way :-)