Aa
how to stop
I have been taking Xanax for a year now. 1mg daily. Also Paxil 20mg.But I have cut the Paxil down to every other day for about 2 months now because I simply could not afford it every month. What could I switch to taper off the Xanax that would be easier than the Xanax itself? I get withdrawels even at the low dose. Also is there anything that I could take that is cheaper than the Paxil? Thankyou Danielle
If you are really only taking 2½ tramadol pills every 24 hours, the withdrawal from that should be light if you decrease your dose. The half life of tramadol is approximately 6 to 9 hours. By the end of the day, you should certainly have past enough time to metabolize the half life plus another half of that. After 20+ hours, there is very little tramadol left in your system (if you're only taking 2½ pills each day).
If you're down to 2½ pills from 15, you should be very near the end of the tapering down process. The worst of the weaning should be over for you. I realize everyone metabolizes differently, but 2½ pills over a 24 hour period is a very low dose of Ultram. Unless you have liver or kidney issues that are preventing the metabolizing, almost all the tramadol should by out of your system after 24 hours (when taking 2½ pills per day, that is)
I have had extensive experience with tramadol withdrawal (4 times). I also feel cheated like some of the others here. I was told it was non-addictive and that I would not get a buzz from it. My doctor actually told me it was "a wonderful drug". I had been off the stuff for a couple years when all of a sudden my back went out. I ended up on tramadol again, and I was pissed!!! It was like the addiction was worse than ever before. The symptoms of addiction got worse every time I went back on it. At my worst, I was up taking over 40 of the 50mg tramadol pills every day. My face looked all gaunt and sickly. My eyes were so messed up because they looked red, bulged out, and/or glassy. I was taking tramadol instead of eating many times.
In the beginning, I would get an anti-depressant effect from tramadol. Somewhere along the line, the drug turned on me like a back-stabber, and it actually caused me to feel deep dark depression. However, if I tried to stop, I would get sick with withdrawal.
I swore off the stuff dozens of times... only to end up ordering more within a couple days. It may sound corny, but I had to pray desperately for help to whatever Higher Power created the world. I also had to try to keep busy as much as possible. I actually ended up using a lot of the AA and NA principles to get off this stuff.
At first, I went from 40 pills to 18 pills per day. I felt kind of icky for about 3 days when I did that, but nothing like the severe withdrawal of going cold turkey. Then I decreased the dose by two pills each day. I went from 18 to 16 to 14 to 12 to 10. Once I got down to 8 pills, I decreased the dose by a half a pill each day (or by half a pill every other day if I started to feel crappy).
Anyway, once I finally got down to 3 pills per day, I would just wait as long as I could until I started to feel withdrawal symptoms and then take a half of a pill or a quarter of a pill every 30 minutes until the symptoms were bearable. Then I would be OK for about 8 hours. I just kept spacing it out longer and longer until I could finally go without it. I was taking little chips every few hours by the end. The whole process took me 2 to 3 weeks.
The hard part for me was sticking to the dosage decrease schedule. -- If you have bad day and end up taking a step backwards by going up in dose instead of down, you just have to get right back on schedule the next day.
If you're down to 2½ pills from 15, you should be very near the end of the tapering down process. The worst of the weaning should be over for you. I realize everyone metabolizes differently, but 2½ pills over a 24 hour period is a very low dose of Ultram. Unless you have liver or kidney issues that are preventing the metabolizing, almost all the tramadol should by out of your system after 24 hours (when taking 2½ pills per day, that is)
I have had extensive experience with tramadol withdrawal (4 times). I also feel cheated like some of the others here. I was told it was non-addictive and that I would not get a buzz from it. My doctor actually told me it was "a wonderful drug". I had been off the stuff for a couple years when all of a sudden my back went out. I ended up on tramadol again, and I was pissed!!! It was like the addiction was worse than ever before. The symptoms of addiction got worse every time I went back on it. At my worst, I was up taking over 40 of the 50mg tramadol pills every day. My face looked all gaunt and sickly. My eyes were so messed up because they looked red, bulged out, and/or glassy. I was taking tramadol instead of eating many times.
In the beginning, I would get an anti-depressant effect from tramadol. Somewhere along the line, the drug turned on me like a back-stabber, and it actually caused me to feel deep dark depression. However, if I tried to stop, I would get sick with withdrawal.
I swore off the stuff dozens of times... only to end up ordering more within a couple days. It may sound corny, but I had to pray desperately for help to whatever Higher Power created the world. I also had to try to keep busy as much as possible. I actually ended up using a lot of the AA and NA principles to get off this stuff.
At first, I went from 40 pills to 18 pills per day. I felt kind of icky for about 3 days when I did that, but nothing like the severe withdrawal of going cold turkey. Then I decreased the dose by two pills each day. I went from 18 to 16 to 14 to 12 to 10. Once I got down to 8 pills, I decreased the dose by a half a pill each day (or by half a pill every other day if I started to feel crappy).
Anyway, once I finally got down to 3 pills per day, I would just wait as long as I could until I started to feel withdrawal symptoms and then take a half of a pill or a quarter of a pill every 30 minutes until the symptoms were bearable. Then I would be OK for about 8 hours. I just kept spacing it out longer and longer until I could finally go without it. I was taking little chips every few hours by the end. The whole process took me 2 to 3 weeks.
The hard part for me was sticking to the dosage decrease schedule. -- If you have bad day and end up taking a step backwards by going up in dose instead of down, you just have to get right back on schedule the next day.
Bama bum, you have been talking to my next ex haven't you, shame shame. I love Etta James and I have all of her cd's, all of them I mean. I'd rather go blind is one of my all time favs!
Now go tell her I ain't bad damn it! NOW! Bill
Now go tell her I ain't bad damn it! NOW! Bill
"What a Difference a Day Makes" Etta James, 1956, :10 intro,2:45 fade......You are doing so much better than a couple of days ago! You apologized for a whiney post a bit ago, but 1) it wasn't , and 2) even if it was, if you can't say what you need to say, then what good is this forum?? So I encourage you to vent QOD PRN...LOL Don't change a thing!! And watch out for that Bama Bum!!! Love--Peazy
Thanks so much for responding! Well I woke up today feeling pretty damn good--No pain--I guess things do get better with time--I can't tell you what your support and the support from everyone here means--I would have lost my sanity long ago if it weren't for this forum--I'm so glad you are doing better! Thanks again for the E-mail address---I'm not too swift with this computer and I haven't quite mastered the intricacies of E-Mail but I'll try when I get home--lots of love--Take care--peace Prayers N.O. Lady/Mystere
Anne
Anne
God if I had a dollar for everytime I have played the song! I'd be rich. Thanks for the comment. I needed that too.
I am a pain patient first and I still struggle with taking the meds. I have been high since 1989 and I can tell you it ain't a pretty sight, ask Peazy! LOL
I am struggling also. I am on Oramorph(MS contin) and it is a great pain killer but I am also broke out with a rash all over my body and girlI mean all over my body. I havetaken Kadian(morphine) in the past with no problems at all. So yesterday I stopped the Oramorph and I am taking norco's(lortab 10) until next Monday when I'll prolly go on Oxy contin. So you see I have no choice except to live in pain or take my meds. Legal scripts I should say too.(referring to the drug habit remarks from Goatdude). Until about 14 days ago I was struggling to the point I thought I would just give in but thanks to some incredible friends(you know who you are) and a certain well lets say a certain DJ I know helped me save what life I have left and actually am as happy now as I have ever been. Well once this damn rash goes away! LOL If you ever wanna ask me a question and I am not here my addy is ***@****. Also I have been to N.O. many times and have spent alot of time on N.Rampart Street in a litttle shop called Art Accent Tattoos by Jacci.
I love that town and have played there many many times. I am a bassplayer If you didn't know that!( I am still thinkng about the DJ comment) sorry! Anyway thanks and if you ever need anything email me and I'll be right there! Bmac
I am a pain patient first and I still struggle with taking the meds. I have been high since 1989 and I can tell you it ain't a pretty sight, ask Peazy! LOL
I am struggling also. I am on Oramorph(MS contin) and it is a great pain killer but I am also broke out with a rash all over my body and girlI mean all over my body. I havetaken Kadian(morphine) in the past with no problems at all. So yesterday I stopped the Oramorph and I am taking norco's(lortab 10) until next Monday when I'll prolly go on Oxy contin. So you see I have no choice except to live in pain or take my meds. Legal scripts I should say too.(referring to the drug habit remarks from Goatdude). Until about 14 days ago I was struggling to the point I thought I would just give in but thanks to some incredible friends(you know who you are) and a certain well lets say a certain DJ I know helped me save what life I have left and actually am as happy now as I have ever been. Well once this damn rash goes away! LOL If you ever wanna ask me a question and I am not here my addy is ***@****. Also I have been to N.O. many times and have spent alot of time on N.Rampart Street in a litttle shop called Art Accent Tattoos by Jacci.
I love that town and have played there many many times. I am a bassplayer If you didn't know that!( I am still thinkng about the DJ comment) sorry! Anyway thanks and if you ever need anything email me and I'll be right there! Bmac
I need some advice from a fellow southerner and Chronic pain patient--After reading all of your posts I think you and I are in the same boat as far as needing the drugs for pain and "loving" them for the high--I have been having a really rough time lately especially with the pain aspect and I'm worried that if I don't get this pain thing under control I will cave and I'll be back on the hydrocodone merri-go-round--I too have detoxed many times from these demons but for some reason the pain came back with a vengnece this time--Before--Advil pretty much kept everything in check but that doesn't seem to be the case this time--I keep hoping that things will settle down but my quality of life really sucks right now--Maybe there is something to this post withdrawal syndrome ****--I enjoy your posts--you have helped a lot of people including me-- Thanks--Peace--Prayers--N.O. Lady/AKA Mystere
Anne--P.S.--Sweet Home Alabama--Where the Skies are So Blue
I pull for Alabama except when they play LSU!
Anne--P.S.--Sweet Home Alabama--Where the Skies are So Blue
I pull for Alabama except when they play LSU!
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