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Quitting Tramadol (Support Group)
I'm just trying to bring together some people interested in quitting Tramadol. I have made up my mind 100% and am going to quit. So I'm tapering down 1 pill per week or two. I was at 15 per day a couple months ago. Now I'm at 11 per day. I had an excellent support group when I had to quit taking Methadone back in 2004 Aug. and it helped me a lot. So if anyone would like to join me, come on in.
Can you tell your doctor? There is Clonidine and Adavan which will help with the withdrawal issues. Tapering off slowly is also an important factor.
You will find the real issues will be psychological, so see a therapist if at all possible while detoxing.
If you are a veteran then go to the VA ER with a copy of your DD214 and they will take good care of your detoxing.
You will find the real issues will be psychological, so see a therapist if at all possible while detoxing.
If you are a veteran then go to the VA ER with a copy of your DD214 and they will take good care of your detoxing.
I'm sitting here, reading this stuff, and freaking totally! I just recently realized I'm addicted to tramadol and i don't know what to do. How do I start tapering off this stuff? I was prescribed this for my fibromyalgia for breakthrough pain when my Lyrica wasn't enough. For the last few months I've progressively been abusing it and taking tripple my prescribed dosage. I'm up to taking 6 (50mg) pills first, then taking 4 more an hour later, then 4 more another hour later, then 6 more pills over the next 2 hours. So I have been essentially taking 15-20 (50mg) pills a day! I'm freaking out right now, sobbing so hard it is difficult to type this! What should I do? How can i taper off this? Anyone? help, please!
Oh, and because this is such an old post it may not get the new attention it warrants. To start a new thread just click on "post a question" above and it will start a new one.
Hello John and welcome - I am SO glad you found us! I personally had a 15 year "love/hate affair" with Tramadol myself and am right now at about 3 months clean! Our stories are really similar in timing, reason for starting (medical problem) and the dosage amounts. I was initially prescribed Tram for back pain (w/the understanding that it was NOT addictive and NON narcotic - what a joke). It turned me in to Super Mom, Super Wife, Super Everything . . . for a couple of years. It was never really a great pain reliever per say; keeping myself fit, injections and physical therapy worked just as well, but by that time I was addicted anyway, so it did not matter. Over the years my interest in all of the above "super" categories declined as my tolerance for the Tram went up and I took more and more, and it became the focus of my life. I pretty much lost 10 years to this drug, during which time I had 4 seizures (all from overdoses), lost interest in things I loved, including friends, control of my home and finances and gave up a 25 year legal career - just didn't care anymore. All of this and I still kept taking it. I did detox from it a few times in the later years, and once even made it to 47 days clean; but always ended up relapsing.
About 2 years ago my upper back/neck problems escalated & I ended up having cervical fusion last summer. For a few weeks before and after the surgery I was on such heavy opiates I barely remember it all (maybe good in some ways!). One huge negative however was the fact that because my opiate tolerance was SO high (due to years of Tram use), they could not control my pain afterward . . . it was like I felt every single movement in my neck for a few days after. Anyway, within a week or so I weaned down (w/out any major problems or w/d affects) off all of the "heavy" stuff and was back to just my good old Tramadol.
Because I would run out of pills from my legit dr. scripts, I started ordering online off and on for the last few years. In late November and order I had placed did not ship. I was stuck with only a few pills and NO way to get more for at least 5 days. So I just did it. In about 5 days I will be 100 days clean!!! I was taking up to 45 - 50 pills a day at that point. There is NO way I would NOT have died had I kept it up at the rate I was going.
So - I agree 100% that this drug is one of the more dangerous out there - period. And even to this day it is still being prescribed as non-habit forming, and without full disclosure about the anti-depressant nature. Unfortunately it is people like us who have to live it to learn it.
In the meantime, you are planning to taper again? I think that is the best way and have heard that the Clonidine is really helpful in w/d. It sounds like you know what to do and how to go about it. I DO agree that the emotional/depression issue does need to be addressed once detox is complete. Whether it is w/AD meds, therapy, natural supplements - any or all of the above; whatever works best for you. Without the aftercare and support the chances of staying clean are minimal.
You will find a lot of support here and many others that have been through or are currently battling the Tram devil. Please keep posting your progress and good luck . . . . you KNOW you can do this!
Julie
About 2 years ago my upper back/neck problems escalated & I ended up having cervical fusion last summer. For a few weeks before and after the surgery I was on such heavy opiates I barely remember it all (maybe good in some ways!). One huge negative however was the fact that because my opiate tolerance was SO high (due to years of Tram use), they could not control my pain afterward . . . it was like I felt every single movement in my neck for a few days after. Anyway, within a week or so I weaned down (w/out any major problems or w/d affects) off all of the "heavy" stuff and was back to just my good old Tramadol.
Because I would run out of pills from my legit dr. scripts, I started ordering online off and on for the last few years. In late November and order I had placed did not ship. I was stuck with only a few pills and NO way to get more for at least 5 days. So I just did it. In about 5 days I will be 100 days clean!!! I was taking up to 45 - 50 pills a day at that point. There is NO way I would NOT have died had I kept it up at the rate I was going.
So - I agree 100% that this drug is one of the more dangerous out there - period. And even to this day it is still being prescribed as non-habit forming, and without full disclosure about the anti-depressant nature. Unfortunately it is people like us who have to live it to learn it.
In the meantime, you are planning to taper again? I think that is the best way and have heard that the Clonidine is really helpful in w/d. It sounds like you know what to do and how to go about it. I DO agree that the emotional/depression issue does need to be addressed once detox is complete. Whether it is w/AD meds, therapy, natural supplements - any or all of the above; whatever works best for you. Without the aftercare and support the chances of staying clean are minimal.
You will find a lot of support here and many others that have been through or are currently battling the Tram devil. Please keep posting your progress and good luck . . . . you KNOW you can do this!
Julie
My name is John and this is my shortened story.
I have been taking tramadol for about 15 years! It all started as an adjunct to Lortab because of some abdominal pain I began to experience circa 1996. I was consistently told by my PC, “It’s just a bad case of IBS”. It wasn’t until I was in the ER for the 3rd time in 7 month with extreme abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea and vomiting when it was determined, not by any ER doctor, but a specialist they called down; which took 4 hours for him to arrive from an office 3 floors up. I ended up getting a colon resection 3 years later from my “phantom” pain, which turned out to be diverticulitis, which just wouldn’t heal. I should have sued someone for mal-practice! I may have saved my colon!
That is how I got started on it. It then became my Rx of choice for my kidney stones, which flow thru me like water. I also used it for my arthritis, and so it went.
I grew “immune” to the lower amounts and so it followed I increased the doses. At my peak I was taking between 35 & 40 50mg a day. I could not wean myself at all, the psychological issue being the strongest pull!
I finally reached the end of my rope, and was able to get detox help from the VA, although this is my 3 try. The home support medication is soooo important, and that is a difficult understanding to get thru to these doctors who are suppose to be specialists with addictions. I also got the impression these doctors haven’t dealt with a tramadol addicted patient before and, therefore, were using opiate withdrawal protocol, which isn’t sufficient; if tramadol is used for methadone withdrawal, then doesn’t if follow that tramadol will be a very difficult withdrawal experience? This is a most underrated and misunderstood drug from which to withdrawal, and I hope these sites, further studies and these testimonials will begin to have an impact for future withdrawal support and assistance!
My first 2 experiences with detox at the VA was the use of Adavan & clonidine. My 3rd try used a clonidine patch and the tapering off of tramadol over 5 days. But I have learned that it will take a minimum of 10 days of the 3rd experience to help defend against the psychological backlashes of the withdrawal symptoms of tramadol.
After being “free” from tramadol for an appropriate amount of time, then maybe the introduction of anti-depressants would be contraindicated.
This is a withdrawal subject matter, which is in its infancy, and obviously needs A LOT of continued study to achieve the best withdrawal results.
I have been taking tramadol for about 15 years! It all started as an adjunct to Lortab because of some abdominal pain I began to experience circa 1996. I was consistently told by my PC, “It’s just a bad case of IBS”. It wasn’t until I was in the ER for the 3rd time in 7 month with extreme abdominal pain, fever, diarrhea and vomiting when it was determined, not by any ER doctor, but a specialist they called down; which took 4 hours for him to arrive from an office 3 floors up. I ended up getting a colon resection 3 years later from my “phantom” pain, which turned out to be diverticulitis, which just wouldn’t heal. I should have sued someone for mal-practice! I may have saved my colon!
That is how I got started on it. It then became my Rx of choice for my kidney stones, which flow thru me like water. I also used it for my arthritis, and so it went.
I grew “immune” to the lower amounts and so it followed I increased the doses. At my peak I was taking between 35 & 40 50mg a day. I could not wean myself at all, the psychological issue being the strongest pull!
I finally reached the end of my rope, and was able to get detox help from the VA, although this is my 3 try. The home support medication is soooo important, and that is a difficult understanding to get thru to these doctors who are suppose to be specialists with addictions. I also got the impression these doctors haven’t dealt with a tramadol addicted patient before and, therefore, were using opiate withdrawal protocol, which isn’t sufficient; if tramadol is used for methadone withdrawal, then doesn’t if follow that tramadol will be a very difficult withdrawal experience? This is a most underrated and misunderstood drug from which to withdrawal, and I hope these sites, further studies and these testimonials will begin to have an impact for future withdrawal support and assistance!
My first 2 experiences with detox at the VA was the use of Adavan & clonidine. My 3rd try used a clonidine patch and the tapering off of tramadol over 5 days. But I have learned that it will take a minimum of 10 days of the 3rd experience to help defend against the psychological backlashes of the withdrawal symptoms of tramadol.
After being “free” from tramadol for an appropriate amount of time, then maybe the introduction of anti-depressants would be contraindicated.
This is a withdrawal subject matter, which is in its infancy, and obviously needs A LOT of continued study to achieve the best withdrawal results.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/19/us.online.pharmacies.probe/index.html
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