michaelkiv

I been addicted to Ultram since 98. I been taking 25 a day for a yr now. This past fall I started to ween down. Which like most of you know is hell. Well, I'm glad to say that on Monday I took 11. Tuesday I took 7. Wed I took 4. Today nothing.. It took me 3 months to get this low.. Still having withdrawls though.. How long will the withdrawls last after I stop taking the drug? & after the withdrawl phase will I be back to normal. I really forgot what normal is, since I been on these pills for 8 yrs now.. Thanks.. I started taking Ultram to help with my bladder disease. My dr said it wasn't addicting & safe. It's far from not being addictive. I'm embarrassed & ashamed. I never took any drugs out of fear of addiction. This included alcohol & pot.. & what do you know. I get addicted..

redbird

I went through "cold turkey" withdrawal just over 6 months ago from Ultram. Thought it would be a bad week or so and then I would be o.k. I wish I could tell you that was the case, but it was actually about a month before I could sleep more than 30 min. - 1 hr at a time and keep down solid food consistently. The GOOD NEWS is that once that crap passed, I am now sleeping better than I can ever remember. And unfortunately I am eating quite well too. I have what I remember as a "normal" energy level. I was taking about the same amount as you describe, so maybe the fact that you have been able to taper down (I admire you for doing it!) your experience will be physically a little less intense. IT IS SO WORTH IT, SO DONT GIVE UP!

redbird

I just wanted to add... I too never did drugs, never even tried pot. My husband is lucky if he can get a glass of champagne down me on our anniversary. I am (or I was) about the straightest geek you could ever hope to meet. I started taking Ultram after treatment for breast cancer 5 years ago, thinking it was the lesser of the evils as pain meds go. Ironically, I didn't like the way Vicodin made me feel, and I wanted and needed to get back to work. The M.D. as well as the pharmacist at the time told me, like you, that it was not addictive. And like you I found out differently. I went from geek to criminal as a result of this addiction. My problem 6 months out has never been wanting to use again (the thought makes me ill); it has been dealing with the guilt over what this has done to my family. God has taken pity on me by taking any craving away now that I am clean; now I need to work on the guilt part. One hour at a time... hang in there!

michski

Hello Michael and Redbird.. thanks for the information on Ultram. Am I correct in assuming you were taking 25 pills a day? How many miligrams?? I am taking one 50 mg pill each afternoon after work. Did you work up to taking 25 a day because 1 or even 10 didn't beat the pain for you? Did you ever take just 1 a day? I'm curious because I sure don't want to experience the grief that this medication has given you both. I have no interest in abusing the drug and so far, one each night helps me get at least a comfortable nights sleep.. but I'm afraid maybe you found yourself increasing your doses because one (even 2!) stopped working for you. I really don't want to experience another withdrawel off any drug. Thanks for the information! It's so wonderful that we can share here what doctors don't seem to know.

redbird

I started increasing the dose when I got severe burns from radiation treatment for the breast cancer. Again, I thought this would be preferable to taking narcotics (Ultram is still not considered a narcotic and is not controlled the same way). But make no mistake - once I did that for a period of time, my tolerance increased and I would increase the dose even more. I am an addict, nobody was forcing them down my throat. By the time I increased the dose beyond a point it became obvious to me that I was addicted to this non-addictive drug; whenever I would try to stop the withdrawal effects were so bad that I was not functional. And in my little addict mind, I needed to stay functional so that I could continue to work and take care of my family. I guess I thought eventually I would do what Michael is doing and taper off. But I never "got around to it". I started my withdrawal in jail (won't go into details here)... don't recommend that mode. Yes I was taking 50mg tablets...25 - 30 per day by the time I quit. You may be able to do fine if you stick to the low dose you are taking...I just want to make sure other people don't fool themselves into believing that they can increase the dose significantly over time just because "its not a narcotic". Be careful... I don't want one more person going through this hell.

michaelkiv

Yes.. 25 a day.. A few times I took 26-27.. I know it sounds crazy.. Thats about 1500 mgs a day.. I read that a person died taking 500 mgs. So I have a huge tolerance for the drug. Thing is, I still need to take Ultram for my bladder pain. BUT I only want to take the reccomended amount the DR prescribed for me. 4 a day..

michaelkiv

I would normally take 10-14 pills when I would wake up at 6:00 AM. Take about 4-6 more in the late afternoon.. about 2 or 3pm.. Then 2-4 before going to bed.. Like I read in a book.. You become a slave to the clock.. I knew when to take my next dosage.. I could feel the iritability hit me. Knew I had to feed my addiction..

michaelkiv

In 97 I took 2 a day. This latest till 99. I realized I needed more to get to sleep. Restless leg this drug causes is awful. You can't sleep at all. I started taking 4 a day. in 00 it was 6 a day. in 02 it was 10 a day. 03 12-20 a day.. I think you get the point. I was taking the drug, regardless, wether I had the pain or not. Sometimes I would give myself a huge dose, & man.. I felt such an inner peace with me. No worries. No problems. Felt good. So ofcourse you do it again..

To awnser your question. If you see yourself taking more then 4 a day I would start to worry. Taking 1 or 2 a day, your tolerance won't build quickly.. But if you see yourself taking ultram just to get by, you need to lower the dosage & get some other meds.. Ultram isnt for long term use in my opinion. & its hailed as a wonder drug given away like candy. Odd. The first time I took ultram I knew in my heart it was addictive. I got the same high as when I took Vics for a prior illness. & I had tons of engery. All of a sudden I was talkative etc.. Any more questions just ask.

I been off Ultram for over 24 hrs now. Thanks to me weaning off them, the withdrawls aren't that BAD.. Although I noticed double vision watching TV, skin is clamy, hard to get comfortable, etc.. But not as strong.. Bladder pain is still bothering me, so I might take two before bed.. Night..

shestruggles

Why is Ultram not considered a narcotic? I figure it's not opiate based, but it is addictive? The wd's described sound pretty rough. Congrats on the first 24 hours!

michaelkiv

The withdrawls aren't as bad, cause I been weening off them for the last 3 months. Still needed to take a few before going to bed. The leg problem & bladder pain weren't allowing me to sleep.. So I got to bed around 3 AM.. The makers of Ultram have everyone fooled. Its not opiate based, its a man made pain killer that mimics the effects of Opiates.. It was labled as having the pain killing abililty of Vics/percs etc.. Without the side effects & toxicity of narcotics.

michski

thank you Redbird and Michael! I really appreciate your honesty. I have abused vicodin and valium in my past as well.. using it to "cure" a hangover or to come down off stimulants. I have gone thru withdrawels from vicodin and that was no picnic either. I am in pain and just because I'm a drunk and an addict doesn't mean I have to be in agony. I will continue to take it easy with this drug cuz the alternative will land me back in detox. thanks again for your help and suggestions.
I gotta tell you this story tho.. when I went to see the doctor a couple months ago for pain medication I was quite honest with him about my alcoholism and past mis use of vicodin. He listened to me then took his pen out of his pocket and started drawing me graphs of how different pain killers worked. He then suggested I take methadone for my pain! Did he even hear what I was saying??? Blew my mind but I have to say that the addict inside me was saying to myself "man, I like the way this guy's brain works" I took the Ultram and signed up for Pain Management classes.. whatever they are I don't know, but I hope they include massage.

michaelkiv

drs are the biggest drug pushers.. I'm sure you know they get paid everytime they fill out a skript. I know the dr that first got me started on Ultram had tons of samples sent from the makers of ultram to advertise & to prescribe the drug. He gave me a bunch of free samples, which I was thankful for at the time cause I didn't have any healthcare.. But the phamplet said ppl who have abused opiates should be more careful taking this drug. (Ultram) They are at a great risk for addiction..

mammaj5

I cant belive You took 25 ultram a day!!! Ive been on ultram for 10years. At 6 a day for rheumatoid arthritis and fibromialga.I can not take anti-imflamatories they hurt my stomach.Your liver and kidneys would have shut down on 25 ultram a day. So no offense i cant belive you. IVE been very lucky my body still responds to ultram for my pain but yes my body is addicted to ultram because i suffer from withdraw if i dont take them. dr. told me i could take ultram 4ever as long as I pass liver and kidney blood work.

Dee74

This post is 5 years old mammaj - don't expect a reply

Welcome to SR tho
D

Stagebear

While Dee is correct on the age of the thread, please be careful whom you accuse of stretching the truth. Several here, including me, will assure you that 25 a day- while certainly not healthy- does happen.

barb dwyer

I am also perscribed ultram and only have 150mg per DAY.

I will attest here -
ANYTHING that relieves pain is addictive.

I mean,
if a hostess cupcake made me not hurt -
I'd be elbowing little old ladies out of the way
to be sure I had it.

So IMO - ANYTHING that stops pain effectively... is addictive.

tennladybb

oh it is absolute possible to take that many, there were times i took that and more..

wicked

oh, barb, that can't be true!
i am right behind you!
lol

chaoscalmed

mammaj5,

I know that 25 ultram and more are possible from personal experience. This drug has now been upgraded to a narcotic, and is seen as addictive. What about all the people that took this believing that the addiction wouldn't come. I sponsor a woman that is taking 180 pills within 4-5 days. I watch her panic when she gets low. She is definately at the "jumping off point" that Bill W. speaks of. The sites that a person can order drugs from should be outlawed!