Aa
Slowly but surely
I am trying to wean myself off of tramadol. Thanks to lots of posts on here I've gotten some encouragement. I'm feeling pretty antsy already but I know I HAVE to do this! My head feels a little foggy and I am so irritable! I don't have an end date that I have to be done by....but I want to just be through with this stuff! I was prescribed it about 18 months ago for migraines. I only occasionally took more than prescribed. I knew this would be tough, but the road is seeming pretty long right now!
Having some trouble this morning just trying to stay on board at my newly lowered dose (as of yesterday). The prior 2 days I had attempted to lower my dose but ended up taking the 1 pill I had "cut out" before bed because I was sooooo anxious. (Still not going over but just not cutting anything) Last night I was able to finally succeed at the cut in dose! Woo hoo! However this morning has been very rough. I know I just need to push through this & it will get better either later today or tomorrow as my body gives in my I'm definitely feeling the w/ds- achy, anxious, unmotivated, irritable, ect. This seems to be the worst so far since I've started my taper. I think I MAY be coming down with something too....a cold or whatever but it could just be the tram. Or lack thereof. Really nervous because I want to make it through today bc I know it will get better....but this is hard :-(
Had another day yesterday at the same dose.... Up late finishing work plus an argument with my husband (he was drinking, ugh!) and I took my whole pill I had cut. Today I was super busy & cut that pill. Finally! 2 extra days at a level that I didn't plan but no big deal, I cut today- and feel decent so far. Gonna head to bed! Hopefully I can sleep all night!
Sooooo last night I had done so well, I had dropped another whole tablet for the day but after my final dose of the day I just couldn't get feeling "decent" I couldn't go to sleep. Super frustrated I took the whole tablet that I had dropped that day. Crazy thing is that my body knew it was having more, it felt awake, wired, ect and then although I felt "better" I had trouble getting to sleep bc I now felt "wired". Talk about double edged sword!
So I'm not beating myself up over it although I wish in the "heat of the moment" I would've settled for part of a tablet, but ultimately I didn't go over what I had already dropped, so I just spent an extra day at 3 tabs. No biggie, right?
Today I'm well on my way to dropping another tablet! I WILL NOT give in. I may post on here a lot so I won't give in, (sorry in advance) but I refuse to be beat!
So I'm not beating myself up over it although I wish in the "heat of the moment" I would've settled for part of a tablet, but ultimately I didn't go over what I had already dropped, so I just spent an extra day at 3 tabs. No biggie, right?
Today I'm well on my way to dropping another tablet! I WILL NOT give in. I may post on here a lot so I won't give in, (sorry in advance) but I refuse to be beat!
Thanks fourjays (and everyone)....this forum really keeps me going. I love the support, plus it keeps me honest. I don't have anyone here to hold me to this. Technically my doc hasn't even told me I needed to start the tramadol taper yet. I had to reschedule my appt for next month but I didn't want to wait.....hoping ill be down pretty far before that appt, if not done!
And then I plan on telling my doc how hard it is to get off this stuff! I don't think he totally gets it!
And then I plan on telling my doc how hard it is to get off this stuff! I don't think he totally gets it!
You are doing GREAT! Keep your 'eyes on the prize' and make it work for YOU. If you need to adjust your plan a bit here and there, then do it. You have made it very clear that you are committed to this. Sometimes things don't go exactly as expected (such is life in general :), or as suggested by the doc. You are the one living this and need to make it work for you. Let your symptoms and your intuition guide the way. You ARE doing this and these pills will be out of you life for GOOD very soon. Keep it up....you are doing an amazing job!
Still here, still trudging along! Felt decent yesterday at my drop in dose so I decided to go for another drop today! I have a busy evening so I figure if I can just push through work today (which can be hard bc I drive alot for work- sitting still is tricky with anxiety, ect) then tonight should be a breeze bc ill be up and about moving moving moving, hopefully without much time to think about it!
So far each decrease has taken about 3 days to "set in" to where I feel better about that dose. I've kept my decreases level throughout the day which seems to help....but is actually different than what my doc suggested! I'll be sure to inform him, haha! I have a feeling as I drop lower I may have to slow down, but that's ok!!!!
Good luck to all those tapering, c/t tramadol or whatever evil drug it is! We can do this!!!
So far each decrease has taken about 3 days to "set in" to where I feel better about that dose. I've kept my decreases level throughout the day which seems to help....but is actually different than what my doc suggested! I'll be sure to inform him, haha! I have a feeling as I drop lower I may have to slow down, but that's ok!!!!
Good luck to all those tapering, c/t tramadol or whatever evil drug it is! We can do this!!!
GOOD! You're getting there and that's great. Just pay attention to your symptoms and wean accordingly. I'm so happy you have decided to get off of this med!
Day 3 at my lower dose today....starting to feel much more normal at this dose.
Plan to make another cut tomorrow OR maybe stay here 1 more day - hAvent decided yet.
Pushing on!
Plan to make another cut tomorrow OR maybe stay here 1 more day - hAvent decided yet.
Pushing on!
Just posting to keep me going...,I continued with my cut in dose today. Actually cut all four dosings instead of just 2. I need to make it another 90 minutes and its getting rough! I'm
So tempted just to "feel normal" but I know that tomorrow will be that much easier at this lower dose if I just stick with it.
When I took my morning tram at that smaller amt about an hour later I still felt antsy, then since I didn't give in its like my body said "ok fine, I'll deal with this" and I felt better finally. Went & worked out and did a fundraising walk and here I am trying to hold off a measly 90 more minutes! I can do this....I HAVE to do this!
So tempted just to "feel normal" but I know that tomorrow will be that much easier at this lower dose if I just stick with it.
When I took my morning tram at that smaller amt about an hour later I still felt antsy, then since I didn't give in its like my body said "ok fine, I'll deal with this" and I felt better finally. Went & worked out and did a fundraising walk and here I am trying to hold off a measly 90 more minutes! I can do this....I HAVE to do this!
Thanks everyone! I am gonna try to get as low as possible to minimize the symptoms at the end. I HAVE to do this....for myself and my big goal is to have another child.....so that's helping! I quit the first time when I got preg with my first. Never tapered but was only taking 1-2 a day.
My hardest thing right now is keeping my head "clear" to focus & work. And not taking my irritability our on my husband, kid, and anyone around me.
Tramadol feels like the worst! I've never taken everything else long term on a regular basis like this. I've taken other pain killers- but short term like for a root canal or something. I did have to taper off of fioricet but I never felt the "need " to have that to feel normal. I just crept up to the max dose to keep headaches at bay although ultimately they were causing them bc I took them too often. That really wasn't hard to cut back on but I did do it slowly bc my doc said to. I have Xanax but hardly take them honestly. They make me sleepy. If I do take them I take like 1/8 if a 1mg. I'm Rx 'd 2 mg a day. I think those may come in handy for those few days at the end for sleep but ill try melatonin first. I'm not trading one pill for another narcotic!
My hardest thing right now is keeping my head "clear" to focus & work. And not taking my irritability our on my husband, kid, and anyone around me.
Tramadol feels like the worst! I've never taken everything else long term on a regular basis like this. I've taken other pain killers- but short term like for a root canal or something. I did have to taper off of fioricet but I never felt the "need " to have that to feel normal. I just crept up to the max dose to keep headaches at bay although ultimately they were causing them bc I took them too often. That really wasn't hard to cut back on but I did do it slowly bc my doc said to. I have Xanax but hardly take them honestly. They make me sleepy. If I do take them I take like 1/8 if a 1mg. I'm Rx 'd 2 mg a day. I think those may come in handy for those few days at the end for sleep but ill try melatonin first. I'm not trading one pill for another narcotic!
And go slow with it (and by that, I mean, one day at a time). Keep the expectations for feeling better "in check" for a while. You'll get there, just give this the time it needs. And congrats to you for deciding to get off this poison. Tramadol is just the worst. I mean, the WORST.
You have done so well with your taper; your getting close. Hang in there & when you are ready to jump off we will be here to help you through - always :))
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