[frustratedwife]

My husband had been addicted to hydrocodone for a year and a half. After going through countless withdrawals and being arrested for a DWI and cocaine possesion, he finally agreed to go into rehab. After leaving rehab, he had been sober for 16 months. He wasn't sober because he was in an active recovery of any kind, he was sober due to fear of the law and fear of losing his professional license. Now that that is behind us, he started using tramadol this October. How does the feeling of tramadol compare to that of hydrocodone? He has only withdrawn from it one time as far as I know, so I suppose he has a great enought supply of tramadol or isn't taking enough pills yet to withdraw? At this point he has rationalized that there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking tramadol everyday, even though I can tell when he is taking this becuase he is in a "drugged" state. He has droopy, slow eyes, he sweats, he can't sleep, he is constantly wiping his brow, his pupils are small and glossy, he slurs his speech, etc..... Are these true symptoms of tramadol abuse or might he be back to hydrocodone again? He is in such denial right now and doesn't seem even close to admitting that he needs help with this. The problem is that he thinks it is prefectly okay to be taking medication since it is a prescription. I am just about at my breaking point where I can no longer live with these lies, etc..... I love this man deeply and don't want our family to fall apart, but neither one of us can go on much longer like this. Does anyone have anything to say ? (other than he needs to go to rehab, because he says he will kill himself before he goes to rehab again?)

[tamara02]

Hi frustrated,sorry abt.your predicament....Ive taken tramadol before ,even a few at a time and never experienced ,slurred speech droopy ,etc,Its quite the opposite,tramadol give you energy,I know people that are hooked on them and the withdrawal is pretty bad,,Check out featured drugs current topics,then click on it ,then you'll see Ultram/Ultracet/tramadol,click that ,there are abt 12 pages click on 12 and see whats going on,then you can post your topic ,everyone on that board is great and helpful,good luck will keep you in my prayers,,,,Tamm.If you dont have any luck go to the painkiller addiction board I think were on page 304 ,try there,maybe we'll see you there .Tammlots of great heads put together over there,too.

[hatelove percs]

they make me sleepy, but everything makes me sleepy, even caffeine! they made me feel similar to hydrocodone if i took enough and that is why i had to flush them.

[ladybird]

I actually have another topic going on ultram (tramadol) and am currently going through withdrawals myself.

I was on it for almost 2 years and took it daily and know some people who only took it a few days a week and were addticted.

Tramadol works differently than regular adictive drugs. Instead of the person actually craving it like it was a very tasty food, their bodies are craving it as if they were without food for weeks.



My experience with Tramadol is as follows:

Daily I had brain fog, i forgot words and when someone would tell me a story, sometimes they had to tell me 3 times for me to remember.

I had horrible swelling in my joints, i was on ultram for about 4 months ( you can get addicted as much as 1 month ) this use was for a swelling in my hip and lower back which was caused by my uterus. Anyway, Tramadol caused so much joint and muscle swelling that i couldn't get out of bed at all without help and couldn't walk without a walker etc. I was diagnosed cuz of the swelling with having Rheumatoid Arthritis when most, if not all, was caused by this drug. Every day i have less and less joint pain.

I felt good. No panic attacks of any kind, I felt perfectly normal which was great until I missed a pill.

Very dizzy, would fall up against walls



My Withdrawls:
Constant sweats, sometimes hot, sometimes cold.
Tons and Tons and Tons of pain.
Shakes
Trouble Breathing
Dizzy



You need to get him off this drug if it is possible and if he really doesn't need it because it can become a horrible addiction and it can cause all sorts of problems. Be sure to find the tramadol section in this site and read what it is.


I have learned while being addicted to several things that a person who is will fully agree to getting help when they want it. They will do what your husband is when they don't want help or don't want to quit.

A person needs to want to quit and sometimes things have to happen to get them too. Things like family interventions, or even leaving your spouse.

If you have him misplace his pills for 24hrs, and he is addicted, his body will tell him. I'm not saying it is a good thing to do, but sometimes you have to do hard things to help people.

I haven't come accross too many people who were stubborn like this. Most I knew jumped at the chance for rehab. It is very possible because "doctors" say this drug isn't addictive (they are stupid) that he is believing them because he feels he finally has help away from all other things. It's kind of like his blankie or teddy bear.

It's a hard thing and I wish your family well.