Tramadol taper plan, seem good?

[RedB]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum and so happy to find it. Like many, I was told ultram/ultracet was safe. 5 surgeries in 2 years and I got a big problem with getting off ultram/ultracet. I'ts my responsibility and I blame no one else. Anyway to sum up. I was taking 6-9 tabs a day, say 400mg for arguements sake. 9 days ago I started tapering down like this: 6 then 5.5 then 5 then 4.5 then 4.5 then 4 then 4 then 3.5 then 3.5 then 3.5 today. No problems till yesterday. Bad depression/anxiety during the day. crying,mad,ashamed,afraid. no physical signs of w/d yet though.Nights not to bad. I take a clonopin before bed. I was holding off my first dose til 3:00pm for the last 4 days which is partially the problem. From reading the posts here, this taper seems too fast. so I changed it from a post I responded to. Couple questions please:
1. Considering if my taper is too fast and i'm going on my 4th day at 3.5 tabs, should I just hold out there till I feel better? Im at the 4th day, how many days will the w/d last at this point?

2. If I follow the following plan, do you think I will experience minimal w/d?:
It goes like this: 7days at 3 tabs then 2days at 2.75 tabs
                         7days at 2.5 tabs then 2 days at 2 1/4 tabs
                         7days at 2 tabs then 2days at 1 3/4 tabs
                         7days at 1.5 tabs then 2 days at 1 1/4 tabs
                         7days at 1 tab the 2 days at 3/4 tab
                         7days at 1/2 tab
                         5 days at 1/4 tab
  So this will take me about 2 months and a little over 90 tabs.
3. What do you all think? Please, please, please any info or comments will be greatly appreciated.  

Thanks to all in advance. Respectfully.........RedB

[avisg]

there are interactions between the too

Rating Medication Interactions
  
TRAMADOL
Detected

ZOLOFT
Detected

[avisg]

save the zolft until after you stop the tram

[RedB]

oh, when you say that "drug" are you referring to serotonin or tramadol? if its tramadol, would'nt a serotonin drug help? sorry for all the questions, just trying to plan. thanks so much.

[avisg]

no do not take anything with serotonin until you are off ....... It is going to get harder because you are depriving your body of that drug your body has gotten used to have that med you have change your body chemistry ,It take a lot of time to go back

[RedB]

thanks. how does it get rough as I get lower, should'nt get easier? is it because of serotonin levels? If I were to take say Zolft to increase serotonin, would it kinda even out?...Red

[avisg]

yes you are already there your taper is good  remember if you are not comfortable with a drop just hold steady longer ....It is going to get a bit rough as you get lower but you can do it I will be here to help anyway I can .
avis

[RedB]

Thanks avisg. I was waiting to here from you. I was told you have a good taper plan. Does my plan seem good overall? does it get easier as you get lower and lower? I definately went to fast from 8 tabs to 3.5 in 10 days but i'm here now right? no turning back!!!!

[avisg]

Taper half a pill every 7 days ,when you get lower you might have to hang out like 10 days to give your body time to adjust down

[RedB]

Hi, I'm sorry I don't have a solution as I am seaking help myself. All I can say is that nothing is hopeless and there is a way. I'm determined to taper down from 8 pills a day to 0. In 10 days Im down to 3.5. Any number can be taperd down ANY! If you need to, make your family understand. Have someone help you. If you need professional help, get it. Set a goal, and make a plan to get there. keep your chin up. Theres always a way.

[Hopeless55]

I'm addicted to tramadol.  I started taking it in January 1998 and have steadily increased the dose ever since.  My doctor STILL says it's not addictive, and I can't tell him why I wanted to discuss it with him.  He would go to my husband, and that would kill him.  I know it's awful and sound impossible, but I'm taking 10 pills at a time just to maintain my "normal" state.  Without that, I'm severely depressed, achy, sweaty, get jerks in my arms and legs, get totally exhausted, and don't have any motivation to even get out of bed.  My husband thinks it's menopause, but my kids (25 and 28) think I've just lost it all together, don't clean my house any more, don't ever go outside, don't want to do anything, and they think I've just become worthless.  They have no idea.  It makes me so angry that nothing official has ever been said about this drug except that if you have a previous history of addiction, you should stay away from this drug.  I can't imagine anything being harder to kick.  I have no one to talk to about it, and it's out of the question to try and talk to my family.  They would never forgive me or accept the fact that addiction is a "disease."  My daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 2 years ago and has the best and most positive outlook, and she thinks I should be able to do the same, no matter what's causing my "symptoms."  There is nothing positive in my life right now except the people I love, and I can't even attend to them because of this drug.  I've tried taking Vicodin ES for 10 days to help ease the symptoms of withdrawal, but as soon as it's out of my system, the symptoms return.  It's the most awful, depressing feeling in the world, and I feel completely hopeless.

I find it amazing that a few years back, a bottle of Percodan that I got for a root canal sat on my kitchen table for 2 years without being touched.  I finally threw it out.  Now I would do just about anything to ease this pain except go to my family.  They have no patience for weakness, because that's what we've always preached, and I myself always taught them that it's a personal choice to take that first dose, and if you become addicted, it's your own fault.  I'm at a total loss as to what to do.  I just need to know how long it takes to kick this addiction.

[GoingToMakeIt]

The 'expert' on Trams is avisg. PM her this and she'll tweak it for you (If needed)