tramadol

[Lynne321]

How do you stop taking tramadol?  Are there any natural substances out there that will help with the withdrawal.  What the heck does serotonin neoepinephrin uptake mean?

Thanks,
Lynn

[jekorb]

I'm so ashamed of myself!  I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it!  I've been on this regime of trams for 14 months (8-9 per day).  I'm one of those who cannot taper.  I've been thru w/d about 10 years ago for one month on trams, and it was horrid!  I'm now in my mid-50s and cannot fathom the horror of w/d again, though I know I must do itsometime.  I can afford to buy it off the Internet, unfortunately, and my spouse has enabled me.  As a heavy smoker, I guess he feels he doesn't have a leg to stand on to fuss at me. I have tried several time to go just hours w/o a dose and the pain from my colitis, the emptying of my bowels and nausea have been my undoing and back I go.  I never feel "high" from tramadol, just "well"; I realize it's a false sense of well-being and the drug is lying to me.  How can I choke down all these "helps" when I'm vomiting my guts out?

I'm so sorry to lay this out, but I'm so jealous of everyone who has the strength to go through hell and come out the other end.  God bless all of you and God help me.

[avisg]

lynne if you are taking the Ltyro and 5hpt then I suggest you DONT take the ST johns .Keep it up you are doing great it gets better I promise
avis

[Lynne321]

Hang in there..........No don't take the tramadol.  From everything I have read, the w/d from it is even worse than the vicodin.  Though..........I'm sure it is hard to measure.  **** feels like ****.  Don't do it.....quit it now.  Hang in there.

Lynn

[Lynne321]

Michelle,
Thank you so much for your support and advice.  My dear, sweet, scared-to-death husband went out yesterday afternoon for the supplements.  I am taking the L-tyrosine, 5-htp, vitamin with calcium/magnesium, and a over all good mood supplement with the St. Johns Wort.  How much of the L-tyrosine should I take?  I only took melatonin last night 10mg...and I slept for the most part.  Woke up around 1 a.m. to pee, but was able to go back to sleep.  My brain is not flashing (that is the only way I know to describe it)  The first few days, if I closed my eyes there was a huge thunderstorm going on behind them.  I am achey in the mornings, but baths and moving help.  The stomach stuff comes and goes...a little worse this morning, but thought that might be to the supplements too.  I have never handled vitamins well.  I can say that today, Day 6 is better ...though I'm only a couple of hours into it. Prayer is my constant companion....I have started an entire packet of info about this nightmare drug and am taking it to my doctor when I go in.  Even people that are not abusers are getting so hooked on this drug, they are in the same boat as the abusers.  I was hooked before I knew it.  Thank you for your kindness.....and hang in there.  I know you are still battling too.  One thing that is good about this.................after getting through this, losing weight should be a piece of cake...(HA).

God Bless,
Lynn

[madtram]

Hi again Lynn, it sounds as though you have been off for a few days, if so, you are doing great, although I know it doesn't feel like it.  A lot of us have been horrified when we learned the true nature of this lousy substance.

If the Soma & melatonin combo is working for sleep, I would stick with those for a week or so.  Melatonin can safely be taken indefinitely & is actually a potent antioxidant so is a valuable part of any detox regime.

As you are completely off, you can safely take 5htp and/or St John's Wort for mood support, (anxiety; depression & sleep enhancement).  They will restore your serotonin levels.

Phenylalalanine & l-tyrosine will help with dopamine, (the motivation brain chemical) & norepinephrine, (the stimulating brain chemical).  Take tyrosine in the am as it can keep you awake if taken too late in the day.

L-theanine helps restore GABA function (the calming brain chemical).

You can experiment with these depending on whether your symptoms are too much anxiety, (very common in tramadol withdrawal) or lack of energy, (also common).

You can get all of these at your local GNC or other health food store.  Please post with any specific symptoms that are bothering you.

Time is of course the greatest healer & the first few days are the most devilish for many people so you are already well on the way to being free.

Best wishes,
Michelle

[anxious2stop]

I myself have a three four year old son and have been addicted to vicodin for about eight month now.. i went from taking two a day up to twelve a day now and just really want to stop it is controlling my life.. the withdraw is unbarable to deal with tho..i get very depressed and weak.. It has been two days and i have not taken any but only because i have not been able to get my hands on some.. But a freind has tremadol and if it wasnt for you i would of probably picked some up off him So thank you so much for the comment i defintly dont want to sub for somthing worse..

[Lynne321]

Tramadol is a pain killer...and to my best understanding it is a synthetic opiod.  I am finding out there is a lot more to this little pill than the doctor told me about.  I had no idea about the antidepressant effect...etc.  I was addicted even when I took them as prescribed.  Avoid this, avoid this, avoid this.  I had no idea until I started researching this stupid drug after taking it for years.

Hope that helps...there are many on this forum that are much more knowledgeable than I am.  I'm just in the trenches trying to get out from the grip of this Hellish monster.

Lynn

[anxious2stop]

Is tremadol like vicodin??

[tramhate]

Lynn,

Benzos are like xanax and valium.  You could also use ambien.  I would be careful with all of these.  Also, soma is an addictive drug, but it happens to be sadly one of the few that I have withdrawn from.  I'm in my mid 20s and apparently have an addictive personality. ....(little sarcasm :) I was worse in the past but I have been having problems the last couple of years with getting on prescriptions and off of different pills.  Hopefully for me, this will be the last.  I'm a new parent and I don't want to struggle with this **** later.  I originally was addicted to tramadol and got on ambien for the sleep problems that occurred from the w/d.  Then, I was addicted to that for several months.  Let me caution you on this.  If you want out and don't want to trade one addiction for another, then please be very careful if you use any of these for sleep problems.  Possibly only use a prescription sleep aid if you have something very important to do the next day, such as an important meeting.  

I wish that I had all the answers, but I will say that I have first exerience with w/d and have done it many different ways.  Never fun, but things are always so much better when you are clean.  So, keep that in mind when it *****.

[Lynne321]

Thanks for your quick response.  I really don't have the option of tapering.  Actually, I guess I did about 3 refills ago, but just couldn't do it.  My refill options ran out and this is more or less a forced transition.  I have tried to talk to the dr. that prescribed these for me...but she insists they are non addictive.  Wish she was here with me at 3 a.m. when I'm doubled over.  I really don't know about all the terminology.  What are benzos?  I have been able to sleep fairly well the last 2 nights using Soma and melotonin.  Thanks so much for the advice.  No, I don't feel like exercising...but truth is I don't feel like doing much of anything period.  I don't want to step backwards as these last few days have truly been the worst in my life.

Thanks for your help.
Lynn

[madtram]

Hi Lynn, the good news is there's lots you can do to support yourself through the process.  How to go about it, whether to stop cold turkey or taper is a matter of personal preference.

Tapering, (gradually reducing your dose) can be kinder on the body as it gives your neurotransmitters time  to readjust.  These are the chemicals that transmit messages between your nerve cells & include serotonin and norepinenphrine.   Once they have transmitted a message they are normally reabsorbed (taken up), however, drugs like Prozac and tramadol which also contains anti-depressant elements have the effect of blocking the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine so that more remains circulating in your blood.

When you stop taking the drug, serotonin and other brain chemicals will be out of whack for a while & this is where it is helpful to supplement with amino acids etc to help them recover.

If you would like to learn more about tapering & get support from others going through tramadol withdrawal, we have a thread dedicated to tramadol on:

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/16650

Hope to see you there,

Michelle

[tramhate]

How do you stop taking tramadol isn't the easiest question in the world to answer.  Tramadol act like an opiate and a SNRI from what I can understand.  They are more difficult to get off of in my opinion than just plain old hydro or even ocs.  That being said, you can do it.  I've been through this a couple times and most recently about 3 weeks ago.  This past time, I was only on them for a month- should have know better.  The best thing to do is taper depending on how many you are on.  It is like withdrawaling from opiates and antidepressants.  I would reduce the does by  25 mg. every 4 days or so.  I would get some benzos for sleep for when you "jump off" and you are out.  Maybe it's just me.......  The Thomas method is good but not for tramadol.  The benzos should be used to sleep, but only for a couple days (i'd say max 5 days).  Then, after that, you are on your own.  It will take a couple weeks to a month to feel better.  Exercise as much as you can!!!!  That will help the most.  I know that you won't feel like it, but you should really try to do it.