Dr. has pricribed Tramadol I was taking oc's should I take them?

[Debbie1054]

I was taking oc's for about 4 years and I wanted off so I told the DR.  He helped me tapper down and have been off of them for 3 wks I got down to 5mg's 3 times a day then I just stopped taking them had no withdrawl at all by doing it this way I would tell anyone that wants off of oc's to tell your DR. will help it did take me almost a year to tapper down but it sure was alot better that way than just stopping.  I am sure some of you remember me I was posting every so often to let everyone know how it was going....Anyway he has given me a script for 90 50mg tramadol.  I have heard alot of bad things about it so I don't know if I want to take it or not but my Dr. says that I will not get addicted to it.  So what should I do?  I know alot of you have information on it and have taken it, Please let me know some of your stories, I would be thankful for any info I can get about this drug before I start taking it.   Thanks again guys.  I hope everyone is doing good.  I look forward to any info anyone fees like sharing with me.   Debbie

[TysonRed]

I know it some awkward way having the pills in the next room adds some sort of comfort factor for you, but its not worth the risk. I know you may think your strong enough, maybe you are, but if your goal is to truely get off the oxy's then you really need to flush them down the toilet and say good bye. For some people the whole symbolic act of getting rid of their remaing drugs(pill) can be really empowering and help them realize that they dont need the pills for any reason at all. I hate to nag at you because your doing so great, best bet is to stay away from the tramadol because it is a very addicting medication. Back to the main point though, having half a bottle of oxys in your house when your trying to get and remain clean, is just too much temptation for us addicts. I know you probably understand what Im saying but eventually there will come that day when your sick, bad day of work, fight with your spouse, kids acting up, depression/anxiety issues, bad cravings, it could be anything and you end up taking a few without even wanting it to happen. You may think after months of sobriety that you can get away with taking  1or two for a day or so, or just evey so often, theres tons of different scenarios that could seriously derail your comeback. Whatever mental comfort you think your getting by having them around is a disaster just waiting to happen and I know thats not what you want. Again I hate to sound negative, you doing so well and seen so positive, but plz plz get rid of the pills, its just not worth it. Best of luck with your continued success, flush, flush, flush, lol....take care.

[reeny924]

Pls DO NOT take the Tramadol!!!  I type this with my eyes full of tears!  I am 48 years old and have dealt with a major spinal injury for 20 years. I have never been addicted to anything in my life, I am now in MAJOR with drawl of Tramadol!!! My doctor also told me that it is not addictive! And there are no warnings of such on the labeling of this drug!
And I did not even take as much as what was perscribed to me.
I wish I had thought to check on-line with a site like this and other's I've found, before I trusted my dotor.Good luck to you. Reeny924

[Debbie1054]

Thanks everyone for all the info.  I too don't think I will take it I dont' want to start counting and waiting for refills I just got done with that with the oxy's.  I still want the oxy will my mind does.  I still have about a half of bottle of them and that helps believe it or not.  Just knowing that they are there some how helps me not take them.  I don't have to wonder if only I had some.  like I said in my post I did get help from my doctor to get off and I would tell anyone to do the same.  He let me go at my own pace and yes it took about a year but I would drop 10 mlgs a month and there were some months i did not want to drop and he was o.k. with that.  So there are doctors that will help.  but let me tell you this the doctor that put me on them in the first place is not the doctor that helped me get off of them.  I told that doctor i wanted off and he said why?  So I found another nurolgyest I don't know if I spelled that right but anyway the new doctor was all for me stopping the drug but he said it was up to me. Anyway agian thanks to all of you for your stories it really does help.  Next time my doctor gives me a script and tells me this is not additive I am going to say have you taken it and then stopped?  If he says no then I am going to say then how do you know.  Because I know he is going to be mad that I am not going to take this because I need something for the pain. Thanks again Debbie

[TysonRed]

Just thought I would share my experiences with tramadol. When I used to live in San Diego I would make frequent trips to mexico for inhalers(asthma) and you could basicly get any drugs, but tramadol was the only med similar to an opiate that the border would let you bring back without a prescription. Anyways being the addict I was I used to take a bunch of tramadol, mixing them with full agonist opiates, or just taking 10-20 perday when I didnt have my oxy's or dilaudid. Well make long story short I couldnt afford to keep up the oxy habit so for awhile all I was taking was tramadol, not a specific dose but just a handful everyday. At that point I had no idea of the problems it could cause, all I knew was that is was non-narcotic so I just assumed that there wouldnt be any signifigant problems. So when I did decide to quit I had gotten down to taking about 100-200mgs/day then c/t. Honestly Ive gone through worse w/d's but it was terrible, not as intense as oxy's, dilaudid, methadone or even suboxone, but it lasted awhile similar to the length w/d's last with suboxone or methadone. Just like other times when I quit pills when I was younger I wasnt that educated about drugs, so I truely believe that my own stupidity probably helped me not notice every little symptom. I had the same thing happen to me when I came off methadone for the first time, although small dose 10mgs, I was only sick for 10-14days, not months like my friend had gone through. Back to the topic, dont underestimate tramadol just because its not a typical opiate, unfortunately I went through detoxes later on and learned first hand how bad they can be. The only difference for me was that I didnt vomit alot like I did when coming off oxy's or methadone, besides that I think I experience everything else. Now saying all that I think the typical person can get away with using tramadol as prescribed, I just wouldnt want to use it for too long that it will become a problem. Being the addict I am I know if I got a script I would eventually abuse it, maybe not right away but it would happen. Im not sure what kind or degree of pain your experiencing but the potential relief may not be worth the risk, there are other methods of pain relief that you could try first. Let us know what your plan is, if you can get by without the trams, by all means I would. Take Care.

[Kevin_Bacon]

I read in a reliable source (just don't know where I found it) that in modern Desk Manuals, Trams are to be prescribed with extreme caution for former opioid addicts ... though they're harmless to many, I see quite a few folks get quite a buzz ... they can induce cravings for the bad stuff.

Urinate frequently, but try not to hit the cat.

[candothis247]

well, after reading that above-mentioned emily post journal, i have decided to NOT use tramadol one more time for my oxy withdrawals.  wow, they sound evil. The bottle is going down the toilet!!!

[madtram]

Tramadol is a partial opiod agonist, (synthetic opiate) which means it has a weaker affinity, (ability to attach to), opiate receptors, than say morphine, but the extent to which it blocks receptors will depend somewhat on individual biochemistry.

For many people, the build up of tolerance to its effects is identical to any other opiate & as posters have noted above, tram includes a 5ht agonist which has SSRI effects which complicates withdrawal because your serotonin levels are fubard as well.

I would recommend anyone contemplating a tram habit, read a few posts on Emily Post's journal:

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/104822

Tramadol is now being scheduled with harder opiates in many states as a result of an increasing number of reports from users with virtually identical reports of tolerance; addiction & traumatic withdrawal.

There are safer options for easing withdrawal & ongoing pain control.

Best wishes,

Michelle

[123456m]

Wrong wrong wrong Trams is a opiate just made in a lab instead of a natural source!
I would tell that doc to go to hell because he is not only wrong but has opened himself to a lawsuit by saying such a thing.
Trams are extremely addicting because they have a very high ceiling and they also mess with your serotonin levels which means when you go off you have doubled your problem with WDs and depression.
The problem with most docs is they simply beleive the drug sales person that comes to there door and never do any research on the drug itself so they can reasonably give the correct advice to the patients!
I was taking 2000 mg a dxay of this **** and had to admit myself to a hospital for a week to get clean. Trying to get clean off this stuff yourself is harder than a herion addict stopping IMO.
Peace
Randy

[candothis247]

Tramadol Ultram, Ultracet is a "non-opiate" medication, but it is and "opiate-like" medication. Correct?

[GA Guy]

Although marketed for a long time as a less addicting opiate pain medication, Tramadol (brand name Ultracet and Ultram) has turned out to be an addictive beast for the right people. The problems with Tramadol addiction is that it seems to work on the normal receptors that regulate opiates as well as those affecting mood much more. From the accounts I've heard on here and in the rooms of NA, it seems as though Tramadol withdrawal produces the same withdrawal symptoms as other opiates with a few twists. First, the depression afterwords is much more pronounced. Second, it seems to last much longer. And thirdly, there is an inherent and extremely real chance of seizures such as those encountered during alcohol and benzo withdrawals. Talking about this being a safe alternative for opiate addicts and those in recovery may well be taking the person out of the frying pan and throwing them into the fire.

[candothis247]

Similar question ---- I’m on day 12 off oxys. I found an old bottle (2004) of tramadol HCL 50 mg   the bottle says take 3 per day for pain. For the last 3 days I have taken one per day, I don’t know if it’s helping, I think maybe it is. I have about 24 pills left with no intention of refilling and no intention of taking more than 1 per day. I to wonder too, like Debbie, would I get addicted to them if I took them sort term, because I sure don’t want to get addicted to tramadol after what I have read here.
Same ad Debbie, feedback appreciated.
Thanks

Debbie congrats on 3 weeks, I, like you tappered also, for months and months, but still had w/d'd and now mental cravings.

[ImGettingClean]

from my experience, Tram W.D was by far a million x worse than Vics/percs...

Just my own personal experience. a while ago, i was heavily craving vics/percs and someone offered me trams, and i turned them down because i remembe wht the wd was like...

good luck

[allaboutmary]

Think long and hard about taking them.  Tramadol is very addictive. There are many people on this site that are dealing with Tramadol addiction. Hopefully they will come on and tell you more than I can. Congrat's on the clean time.