giantfan2015

Hi all, I've been on Tramadol for about 8 years.. 50 mg a day. I started taking it for extremely bad headaches, but now I'm physically dependent on the drug. If I don't take it I feel terrible.

I've tried to stop taking it numerous times over the years, I can deal with the withdrawal symptoms for about 4 weeks max. At some point I just fall back into taking it again...

I plan to attempt another detox in another week... I thought this time I would reach out for some help and moral support.

Upward2Enlightenment

Welcome giantfan.

Have you talked to your doctor about stopping the tramadol? I don't think you should be going through withdrawal for that long. There may be something else wrong that the tramadol is masking the symptoms of.

Good luck.

SoberinSyracuse

See if your doctor can advise you on your detox. Perhaps a taper is necessary.

Any detox that leaves you still strung out after four weeks needs a little tweaking.

Soberwolf

Welcome Giantfan its nice to meet you

PurpleKnight

Welcome to the Forum Giantfan!!

Dee74

Hi GiantFan - welcome
I don;t know anything about Tramadol but I know you'll find support here

D

Anna

I'm glad you found us and I know you will find lots of support.

giantfan2015

I'm planning to start my detox this Thursday.... I'm sure that I'll be reaching out this coming weekend.

Upward2Enlightenment

Good luck.

There will be lots of support here.
Did you see your doctor?

Liebe

I searched the forums for Tramadol- this is the one I decided to post on. I still dont know how to start a whole new thread- hoping someone can see my post.
I also took Tramadol for 8 years- for back pain. I am 5 days clean of that drug today-Im also tapering off Xanax and am down to 1/2 of a 2.5mg pill per day.
Im having a really tough time. Looking online for natural help- taking some amino acids- supplements. Exercise is key I know. I just feel like crying all the time- wondering when my brain is going to re-set. I know all about tram and its effects- its no mystery why I feel awful. I just hope that someone in this chain can tell me when it gets better. I dont want to give in. I want my life back.

fripfrop

Hi,
My sister has just had this problem. The doc prescribed it for back pain and she took them for 2 years. She only knew she was hooked when she had a stomach bug and couldn't keep them down and withdrawals set in.
She went to see the doc again. He prescibed her a dose half she was on, but slow release. Then half again in slow release form.
Your doc may be worth a try. Yes, her withdrawal symptoms dragged on and on, why she had to go to the docs for help

Irnldy001

I took tramadol years ago while waiting for back surgery. For sure it is strong. I started on a lower dosage the was over time bumped to a strong slow release (all day) dosage. When I said I wanted to stop, my doctor put my on a very stringent tapering program (though I didn't know if I was addicted or not, he said everyone has a hard time after prolonged use). The taper took quite some time, as a previous poster said - he cut me to half my dose on a slow release, then half of that on a slow release, then switched me back to the very low dose tiny doses that I had started on. I felt fine through the taper. After what had to have been 4-6 weeks, I finally went to zero. I had a few tough days but nothing unmanageable - I think I called in sick to work on one day. Within a week I was completely fine with no symptoms whatsoever.
Perhaps I had a physical addiction without having the psychological one at the time - all people are different. I was very different with alchohol.

If detox is what works for you then by all means do it. But experience tells me that my doctor did what he did for a reason. I believe it's a drug that causes a strong physical addiction (and must cause the psychological side where people think they can't be without it).

As all others would say here - follow good medical advice - get some quickly! Good luck to you!

thomas11

I just completed this process. I will qualify my input by saying that I think people who take the slow release forms of an opiate seem to experience worse withdrawal. I started on 60mg a day of oxycodone (immediate release) and got down to about 20-30 mg a day and wanted to quit but I think pxychologically I was hooked. So I switched to 5mg percocet and weened myself down going 15 x 3 days, 10 x 2 days, 5 x 1 day...and done. Both physically and mentally it is very mild in terms of withdrawal...so far. Today is the start of day 3 and I'm feeling about 80%. Maybe I'm lucky. I did a lot of mental exercises to prepare me for this. Convinced myself its poison and its not supposed to be in my body. Sounds weird, but its working.

Dee74

Best wishes to you Leibe - I have no personal experience of Tramadol to share but there's heaps of support here as you can see.

D

Liebe

Thank you to all who replied and encouraged. Today is the 7th day. I feel like I my skull is packed with cotton. Moving around is tough as I feel like Im in slow motion.
I know from research that stopping Tramadol can have a 2 fold effect- opioid like withdrawal and anti depress withdrawal. Tramadol works on Serotonin–norepinephrine. My brain has a lot of work to do.
I did a slow taper- I also convinced myself that its poison as a motivator.
I just feel so down, almost helpless at times. I talked to my counselor today- felt a little better- then signed on to see messages from people. That was really needed. My counselor and husband are the only people that know Im going through this. Im sure others are confused by my behavior so Ive kept myself pretty isolated.

Soberwolf

Congrats on day 7 bud

Liebe

Thank you. Does anyone have thoughts on Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms? How you've coped, what has helped?
Knowing there are many variables that contribute to the time it takes before you start feeling better- what have some of you done- or are doing to help get through the day? I dont want to mess up someones post- but I dont know how to start a new post.