Ultram withdrawal

[theGolden1]

How long does it take to get Ultram out of your system? I take 3 a day ... I just need to know how many days or weeks will it take?

[mustangsally123]

Hey
I have been on Ultram for the better part of a year now. I realized it is a problem when I began taking 10+ pills daily. I have JRA (juvinal rheumatoid arthritis) wiith arthritic symptoms since age 12. I also recently herniated my L4/L5. I requested purposely to have pain medication that wasn't narcotic, and my doc gave me Ultram.  Now it is too early to get the refill --because i take too many due to the tolerance) and I am already having anxiety with cold sweats. I also get these strange feelings like a buzzing sensation going through my body, almost like uncontrollable bursts of energy- that is the worst because i don't know what to do with myself.. By reading all the comments, i know this is going to get worse. When i get my refill I know i have to taper down. Please, does anyone have any helpful advise.

[kellyrae91]

i would love to get off ultram..beem taking 8 a day for 4 years..i get so sick..please hlp

[kazar]

yes I would like the recipe.

[VintageButterly]

TRAMADOL OR ULTRAM (SAME THING) ADDICTION AND WITHDRAWALS ARE LIVING HELL! THIS IS MY SECOND DAY OF WITHDRAWAL, TOLD THAT TRAMADOL DOES NOT STAY IN THE BODY NEARLY AS LONG AS VICODIN OR PERCOCET, ETC. I WAS ON TRAMADOL FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS FOR FIBROMYALGIA, CHRONIC PAIN SYNDROME AND OVARIAN CYST. I WISH I NEVER TOOK MY DR'S, YES MORE THAN ONE DOCTOR AND A NEUROLOGIST UP ON THE OFFER OF TAKING TRAMADOL. SO ADDICTIVE YOU DON'T EVEN REALIZE YOU ARE DEPENDENT UNTIL YOU GO OFF, JUST FOR ONE DAY, AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE, SHAKING CHILLS SWEATS AGITATION ANXIETY CRYING BECOMING IRRATE ALL OVER MODERATE TO SEVERE BODY ACHES AND PAINS RESTLESS LEGS AND RESTLESS ARMS (IS WHAT I CALL IT) AND ALL THIS ON THE FIRST DAY WITHOUT TRAMADOL! I WAS TAKING 100MG 2X A DAY SOMETIMES MORE IF MY FIBRO PAIN WAS BAD OR I WAS FLARING. I WILL NEVER TOUCH TRAMADOL AGAIN, VICODIN IS NOT HALF AS ADDICTING AS THIS DEATH TRAP. THIS DRUG NEEDS TO BE RATED A CONTROLLED NARCOTIC, JUST BECAUSE IT IS SYNTHETIC DOES NOT MEAN IT IS ANY SAFER. PLEASE I AM TRYING TO GET THROUGH THESE NEXT 4 TO 7 DAYS OF WITHDRAWAL...I AM ON MY SECOND AND ABOUT TO LOSE IT ALREADY, LITTLE VOICES LIKE SUZE SAID IN YOUR HEAD TELLING YOU TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO GET THOSE PAIN MEDS! VICIOUS CYCLE THAT NEEDS TO END. I HAVE A VERY SUPPORTIVE HUSBAND AND I HOPE I HAVE REACHED THE PEAK OF MY WITHDRAWAL SINCE ON AVERAGE WITHDRAWAL FROM TRAMADOL IS ABOUT 3 TO 4 DAYS, DEPENDING ON YOUR OWN BODY AND HOW HEAVY YOU USED AND HOW LONG. I WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A "LOW DOSE" AND MY SYMPTOMS ARE THIS BAD... INCREDIABLE!  PRAYERS FOR EVERYONE, GOD BLESS.

[littlebit667]

good for you!  If you need help or just want to share more.....go up to the top of this page and start a NEW thread by clicking the orange ask a question icon and posting.  That way more will see your post to support you.  

[cathy5990]

i have stopped taking my pain pills 6 days ago.i only took 3 norco10/325 a day. i put my happy little butt in rehab and went cold tukey.my doctor just gave me tramadol for pain as a replacement. thank you all i will be getting rid of it ASAP.my cronic pain is no worse after stopping the pills.i had been on norco daily for 4 years after my last back surgery.i am 52 years old and encourage everyone who feels their pills control their life to get help.i feel like i am coming out of the darkness.the sleeplessness is a problem along with the restlesss legs,but i will beat this.thanks for letting me tell my story

[lisa80164]

I have been on ultram for 2 months now, and i was on it before years ago. The withdrals ARE BAD. I didnt sleep last nite and dont plan on it to nite,But you have to just keep reminding your self it will end soon, it takes about 4 days for me...I will never take it agian!!!! Hot cold, shakes, im aggervated easy, sweaty, cant get comfy....i feel like i wana give in just to stop this pain. I was in tears last nite

[rrk111]

i to was on methadone and the i know its trading one thing for another but i take 3 ten miligram tramadols and i have no withdraws from the methadone it has been a god send for me and i wish i knew how well it worked years ago i know everyone is diffrent but it worked great for me good luck i hope everything works out for you

[littlebit667]

I sent you a message about the recipe.  I hope you got it.  It tells you where to find the recipe and how to post your own thread.

[victoriahaceg]

hi iv been taking ultram bout 150 mgs a day uhh or less slowly weened my self off from like 400 mgs, iv been without for two days tired of needing them to feel better hope i feel better soon and for who ever takes them please be careful because its just as worse as any other addiction i hate them and want my life back so i pray for who ever is going through this physical/ mental bs i understand and feel your pain but tomorrow will be day number three so does any one knw how much longer i will feel like i have the flu times ten...this ***** but i know in the end it will be worth it..good luck

[Paulie1963]

What is the famous recipe? Im going through horrible ultram withdrawals!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!

[bingo715]

I thought I would finally take the time to share my story of Ultram addiction so for the first time I would admit it publicly and to myself. I have read forums in the past and found the stories so honest and wonderful and I could always put myself in everyone's shoes.  Yet at the same time not fully admit it to myself or others.  I want to stop so bad, this is a consuming part of my thought process right now.  It isn't bad yet, it doesn't effect my work, my exercise or my life but I do know it makes me feel like crap every morning.

I have been taking ultram off and on for about 8 years, I have endometriosis and the doctor gave me this to deal with the pain.  What a miracle this drug is in all honesty.  It would work so well I would only have to take one per day when the pain flared up.  I was taking maybe 2 or 3 per month in bad times and had plenty of months where I didn't take anything.  I never craved it, never took it for recreation.  About 6 years later the pain started to get really really bad and I was up to 4 or 5 pills per day to stop it.  It worked great, I was still able to work fine, workout and do all the things I enjoy, but as other people on this forum can relate too it does change your personality a little bit.  It makes you tired in the morning, eyes are puffy and overall health suffers.  I decided to have surgery and get everything removed so I wouldn't have to deal with this anymore.

the doctor never talked to me about stopping the pills, addiction or anything else and it isn't because he is a sinister person, he honestly hasn't had a patient complain about it. After the surgery I was prescribed oxy for 2 weeks while I healed, and honestly I didn't have that much pain. Certainly not what I had before but I followed his instructions about keeping it at bay.  After the second week I asked him if I could just take the Tram instead, it worked better and longer.  Of course that was fine.  Didn't take anymore of the opiates after that.

After 3 or 4 weeks I decided I was fine and didn't need any more medications. I was fully back to the gym, working out hard and feeling just fine so thought, time to quit.  Now I had never quit cold turkey before, and when I was taking one or two at a time and quitting I never had an issue.  My body wasn't used to it just yet. I thought the same would hold true here since it is "non narcotic".  Whew I was so wrong, I went through hell for about 4 days before I realized what was going on.  I had night sweats, the chills, couldn't get warm, felt like I had the flu, had the runs, and horrible insomnia.  I had no idea what was happening until I started doing some research.  Holy Crap i was a drug addict.  I was experiencing total withdrawal.  I decided to start taking it again and find a way to taper down and this is where I sit today.  I take 3 50 mg pills per day and spread them out.  I am in a taper process now and finding that it takes me longer than most people on this forum, mental or physical I have no clue.  There was a great post on another forum, that of course I can't find that shared a strategy that worked well for me.  

I want off this ****, I don't want to be this person anymore.  I feel like it is aging me faster than my own body and lifestyle is.  My plan is the following and I plan to post here to share so I stay true to myself and others.  This is very important to me, i don't need this. I am not an addict and don't want this to consume my life anymore.  Nor do I want to become an addict and I know I am dangerously close.

The plan I had read worked pretty well for me so i am doing it again.  

Taper off by cutting your dose by 1/3 each time, each person is different here but they had recommended every 3 days.  That was too aggressive for me and my withdrawal symptoms were too intense with this plan.  I am down to 3 pills per day right now and the plan is to take two in the morning then 1 in the afternoon.  the one in the afternoon prevents me from wanting one when i get home at night.  This is the biggest thing for me, getting home and wanting to feel higher.  It is so stupid.  At this time and at this dose I am experiencing withdrawals, they are mild compared to no drugs but I am jittery, feel like I am crawling out of my skin, irritable and moody.  I am able to sleep with a Melatonin right now so that is good.  I plan to do this until the withdrawal symptoms subside and I feel better, then it is time to cut it again.  

I am guessing this will take me a week to week and a half with each cut and the plan will be to be done within one and a half to two months. The hardest part is the insomnia that is experienced as the drugs in your system become less and less, the night sweats are horrible too.  Tapering does help with this stuff.

Another poster had shared that tapering while taking Ibuprofen and cough syrup will help with these symptoms so I will keep everyone posted.  My plan is to share here so i can stay true to myself and I am sorry for boring everyone here but I sure appreciate the support.

[jay863]

I have to tell ya that it is a hard habit .here I am calling my pain doc and hopeing he will call me back and help me get off this ****.It all started last year I ended up getting shingles.The doctor had to put me on pain meds perc 10 mgs cause my body hurt sooo bad that I was on fire the meds really did not help me just mask the pain plus It was hard to just take one.
I started wakeing up taking two during my time with shingles plus a few during the day then after two weeks I still had the shingles he perscribed me more.Then I ended my deal with shingles and I was waking up in the night with cold and hot flashes I called my friend the next day he told me he had sum blue perks that were 30 mgs I took those felt great and I was able two conquer the world.I was working out happy then the high went away I was just taking them to take them.Now here is the crazy part I started a new job working at a place that I had to lift sumthing heavy I hurt my back bad.I ended up in the hospital put on an Iv then at the same time I was like yes I will prob hurt for a bit then I will have refills on my meds stay home watch movies,playstation Life will be great.After the hospital I had to see a doc it was right befor christmass he told me he was gonna give me enough pills to get me through the holiday that ment 120 perk tens,I went to the pharm to get it filled couldent wait when I went to pay it was 140 dollors I was like  what.I got my pills.2 weeks later I was getting short so I called the office They called me in more ,2 weeks again did the same thing they called me in more,Then had a doc visit they gave me more.I had asked the doc how am I GONNA HEAL HE SAID JUST TAKE The pain pills then call me in a month so I did,the women who answerd a month later said the doc has to see you I went in he told me that I need a pain doc then he gave me more meds to last me till my next apt with the pain doc I had know idea what I was in for cause the doc also said that this will be the last time he can give me anything so make your meds last.I RAN OUT a few days before the pain doc my wife got sooo fustrated with me that she went to stay with her mom I was going though WDs .I WAS dizzy could not eat hated the world could not sleep I felt like how do I stop my mind was telling me to stop but my body and brain was like what the ****.I started counting the hrs before I see the pain doc I was like this **** Is crazy cause how am I gonna drive I could not fuction The time came at the pain docs never been to a place like this before I thought that I was gonna have a norm doc visit no no no I was wrong I sat for 1 hr I was getting fustrated Then a lady with a white doc coat brought me in and as soon as I got in the room she told me here is a johnny coat take your clothes off ill be right in.I was very frustrated cause I just wanted my meds and She came back in and saind she was gonna do a check of my body she checked everything including my penise I had no idea why but she checked my toes then she said ok put your clothes back on then she said she would be right back i waited for 15 min then she came in with a piece of paper stateing that where was I getting all those other meds in the past like stuff ten years ago I thought that was weird she said I had A HUGE Problem I said yeah like my back she was mean top me then I got soo frustrated and just said help me please and started to cry I said my back is killing me I do really hurt please I am not lying she said I will help you But your turning into an addict if you dont take it slow and take them as perscibed your too young your 32 she said so they got my script together but were holding on to it not giveing it up right away almost messing with me finally they gave it to me I had self paid and could not wait to fill it I went to the pharmacy filled it then took it as soon as I hit the lot. I felt great again went home started to clean put on the playstation calling people wanting to talk things were norm I started taking them as persribed but dabbed a little here in there they  gave me 60 of 5mgs comeing from takeing the tens but I had another apt a month later Plus I forgot to say that I have no insurence to help me pay the pain clinic so it was a hundred dollors every time I go plus the persciption fee  So my next visit a month later I asked them for ultram cause I learned Of it from something I was reading online to help get off perks so I said IM READY to take the next step I got 120 of the 50 mgs I took those through out the day and felt great Now six months later I ran out too early like two weeks away from my next visit Im like oh **** and the whole time I kept saying I can just stop takeing it dont worry you will be ok thats what I kept saying to my self .So last month I ran out a week early too and they just called it in soo this month I knew that this has got too be it I got up 2 days ago and only could take two insted of 4 that is when it hit me Then I started cutting them in half thinking ill be ok nope I feel like **** and now I have 1 left and my next apt is in two weeks .I said this is not good and my life is depending on this stuff all the time .So I called my doctor that helps me at the clinic and said very honest that I ran out and this happend for my third time and said I hit rock bottom AND to please help me I dont want to rely on this nomore Im done I put myself in jeperdy by takeing more then perscibed cause now im gonna withdraw and am scared cause I will quit my job and be real bad I need help I asked him about suboxone cause that is the drug to kick the hab but never thought of doing it cause i dont want to be considerd a junkie he said I will call you back after he talks with the lead doc of the office I said pleas help cause I am really done he said ill call you back in a few now im scared that they will just stop me and let me withraw hardcore I dont know if I SHOULD WITHDRAW hardcore or go from one thing to another ???But I think that is the prob if I do withdraw it Is gonna take a while but if I do it the comfortable way maby that would be better then puking on myself and haveing the flu and hate the world I guess its in their hands and most of all mine cause its me who has to deal with WD.I wish you all luck and hope that people can get through their addiction cause nomatter what it turns into one,  one way or another.....That joy plant shuld be burned

[Gator5a]

I have been on 200mg for almost 3 years. I was injured in Iraq and told by the Army docs that it was not habbit forming. I have recently realized that I think I'm addicted to this med and need help to find how and where to go to so I can get off of it.

[aero87838]

i have a question to whomever will answer please... i've been taking vicodins for about a year heavily and i've finally put it to my mind that i need to quit before it completely ruins my life.. i was taking nearly 3-8 a day however many i could afford basically... i started taking these ultrams n they seem to work with my withdraws from vicodin i been taking 3 pills of 50 mg a day but am gonna start cutting it down to 2 pills 50 mg... will i have withdraws from these ultrams if so what would someone reccommend to take to help with the upset stomach, diarrehea, headaches, night shakes, sweats , hairs standing straight up.. once i get past that point i will quit taking everything!!!

[Lwaters]

I am glad to hear you got off the ultram and are feeling better.  I started taking ultram around 5 years ago for osteoarthritis pain and have taken 2-50 mg tablets a day.  I felt myself wanting to take more and decided to stop them.  I definitely have the addictive personality and stopped drinking 23 yrs ago.  I ran out of them, became panicked, but made it through. Achy, for a couple of days, headache, sleeplessness and anxiety.  But after 3 days was much better.  Had to stay home from work which was tough for me, but glad I got through it.  The hardest part is staying off for me.  It is the mind that talks to us and tells us it is ok.....but I am trying to use the positive thoughts to keep me going....good luck to everyone...hope this helps....it can be done!!!

[shadyshadow]

I have some major dental problems often leaving me in a lot of pain.  For a while there I was taking Lortabs but where I live now doctors don't like to prescribe Lortab due to their addictive proponets so I was offered Ultram.  I found that it worked very well for my dental pain and even better than the Lortabs that I had been taking.  It also has a sedation effect very simular to the Lortabs and even more so.  No one believes me when I say that this drug is definitely addictive and definitely an opiate.  I've been on it for three months.  I take 400mgs of it a day and am scared, sick and depressed.  I'm really terrified of withdrawals.  I don't know who to turn to for help and there's still the issue of pain in my teeth as I truly do have pain and the over the counter stuff does nothing for my pain so I'm stuck between a rock and a hardplace and am just very very depressed and scared about this whole ordeal.  There's never enough or so it seems and it's just as hard to get even more so than Lortabs.  I would appreciate some advice.  Thank you in advance

[sudie58]

this is an old thread, started over a year ago, someone else added 2 months ago, but its dead now, if you go to top of page and post question there, you will get lots more help and answers,you could be missed here.

[wyndy]

I was put on suboxone for detox and was also told it would help for pain.  After I was on for a week or so, I decided it wasn't working..I was told by my pain doc that getting off suboxone was nothing-no w/d's.  I went thru hell for 3 months..then started reading blogs of others on suboxone and trying to get off and they all agreed that getting off suboxone was worse than getting off the pain drug they were on.  Mine at the time was 30 mg morphine for several years.  Trust me, read blogs about suboxone before going on it.  The doctors are wrong!!  Suboxone is a ***** to get off.  I will do a slow taper any day before going on sub.

[madtram]

It's great that you have only minor withdrawals after 8 years & it would seem that your body is able to metabolise tramadol successfully.

In theory, tramadol can be taken "as needed" & given your experience to date, perhaps this will work for you.  I do have some reservations relating to the antidepressant effexor-like component of tramadol, in that sporadically blocking the  reuptake of neurotransmitters is contrary to the design of these drugs which rely on achieving a steady state of serotonin & noradrenalin activity.  For this reason, it's not the same as taking straight opioids such as vicodin, when needed.

The valium may well be masking your withdrawal symptoms so you would have a truer assessment of tramadol's effects once you stop the valium.

Best wishes.

[PaPap9]

I am a 67 year old male who has been taking Tramadol (Ultram) for close to 8 yrs. for back pain. Surgery's out. I had originally been taking 50 mg. 4 times per day. I then discovered that 100 mg twice a day worked better for me. I would sometimes take 250 mg or rarely 300 mg per day if I had more pain. My doc was okay with that.

I had noticed some withdrawal symptoms after 14-16 hrs. if I forgot to take the med, I could not sleep either and, yes I was afraid I might end up without at some time. I also have eczema on my hands and considered that one of the side effects of long term use of Ultram can be "skin rash". I decided that was long enough and need a break from it, even though I had NO side effects from it other than insomnia if I took it after about 8pm, nor adverse health issues from it that I know of. I'm interested to see if the eczema is resolved with elimination of Tramadol.  

I started phasing down by only taking 125 mg per day-about a 40% decrease. Not much problem. Then after about 1 1/2 weeks I reduced to 100 mg per day for 8 days and now am taking 75 mg per day. Plan is to continue to decrease at 7 day intervals. I did not discuss this plan with my doctor.

The withdrawal symptoms now are: some anxienty, restlessness and mildly fitful sleep. Also, I'm experiencing increased incidence of back pain from not as much medication but can live with it so far by taking 800 mg of Ibuprofin occasionally.

If I have restleness and anxiety I take a low dose of Valium which was prescribed for back, muscle spasms and would only take occasionally. It  also helps with sleep for me with higher dose.  Medical marijuana also helps with sleeping difficulty occasionally, but I don't combine the two. I don't take any other medications presently. My withdrawal symptoms so far seem relatively minor.

I agree with Golden1 above "Each person metabolizes the drug according to their own individual physiology".

Don't know what is ahead If I start experiencing severe pain again. When I started taking Tramadol I was using a cain because of severe hip and back pain, but I hope I can at least get by taking it "as needed" for pain.

Any thoughts?

[bigrick21]

My wife has been on Ultram for 4 years 200-300mg/day). She has complained of "panic attacks" where she had to stop driving due to decreased vision.  Could this possibly be on-set of seizures?

[Transport1]

I was a Correctional officer at a state facility when i was diagnosed with severe nerve damage in my lower back and left leg. After several tests and procedures I was given severeal different pain medications. I have now been on Ultram for over four years and it has helped with the efects of the drug helping less and less. I recently have had two rhizotomies to burn the nerves so I dont feel such pain. It has now come to the point that the pain from not taking the ultram is actually worse than the pain from my nerve damage. I am trying to stop taking the ultram now and I have made it 4 days with extreme  trouble. I do NOT believe for a second that taking these drugs as perscribed makes any difference on a person becoming  addicted since I was taking them as told by my doctors.this is my first time dealing with any type of drugs or withdrawal and it is tearing me up. I am sure that all of you who have been throught this know what I am talking about so I wont bore you with details . I have been reading about ultram and most everything I see says that it is as bad to detox as heroin

I undrstand that my doctors are trying to help me with the pain and I am grateful for that . I just wish I would have known what I was looking forward to coming off of it. I guess no matter what it is that you use for to long in some way will be habbit forming some more than others obviously.

I wish the best of luck to all that are in this battle to regain their true self and get through it as easily as possible.
  

[Mike_505]

I am a soldier currently deployed to Afghanistan.  In 2006 I was wounded here and after surgery I was put on Ultram for pain.  I quit after a few months and didn't seem to have too many problems.  Then last year I reinjured myself and was put on it again becuase of the pain.  It has helped me throught the combat part, I am an infantryman, but I am trying to quit becuase of the heart palpitations I get at night.  Right now it is kicking my butt.  Any suggestions?