[Willow_M]

I'm very happy to say I'm down to 25mg. of tramadol twice a day in my taper schedule. It has been very rough emotionally and physically, but I'm feeling better, and it is worth what I've been through. I thank the people on this forum who have posted helpful comments, especially Maisie. Hope to hear from you soon, Maisie, but I know you're going through family stuff, so no rush.

For those of you who are on tramadol, you shouldn't take an SSRI antidepressant (that's what most popular antidepressants today are, including Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and many others). You can Google to find out if an antidepressant is an SSRI. If it is, it shouldn't be taken with tramadol. It can be very dangerous or even deadly to take both tram and an SSRI.

The end is in sight for me and I'm so happy about that. I was an emotional wreck only a few days ago, but feel so much better now. My memory is getting better. I'll be starting my antidepressant (Wellbutrin) again soon. Even though it's not an SSRI, I'm being cautious because I don't want to risk any drug interactions between Wellbutrin and tramadol.

I appreciate the people on this forum who have tolerated my emotional instability and craziness. I'm still having physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms, but am getting lots better.

I want to encourage anyone on tramadol to taper off it with the help of this forum or any other type of support you choose, it is so worth it. Tapering is safer than going cold turkey. And if I'm any example, I can say that even though I'm not totally off tramadol, it gets better as your dose gets lower.

[melinda7.5]

Hi willow
I'm happy to hear your doing so well...
I bet Maisie will be really proud of you.
Keep us posted on how you are doing...

Talk to you later, Melinda

[Willow_M]

Thanks a lot, Melinda.

Bet you never thought you'd see a smile from me, right?

[melinda7.5]

Hi willow
I hope you keep on smiling...you have worked hard at getting clean and you deserve some happiness.
If you dont mind me asking...what is the rest of your plan for your taper.

Talk to you soon, Melinda

[Willow_M]

Melinda,

The rest of the plan is to stay at this 25mg. of tramadol twice a day for 5 days total, then 25mg. once a day for 5 days, then I'm done. That shouldn't be so bad, I don't think. It's a really low dose. Thanks for replying.

[Willow_M]

Is anyone around this forum for the time being? I have some questions about difficulties I'm having.

[melinda7.5]

hi willow
Im afarid you are stuck with me I would do my best to help.
so let me know what you need, Melinda

[Willow_M]

My stomach and intestines hurt really bad and Imodium doesn't help. I'm in more pain, of course, since I have no painkillers and am on such a low dose of tramadol that it doesn't do anything at all.

I have 3 things: fibromyalgia, polymyalgia rheumatica (I take 5mg. of prednisone daily for that because it causes inflammation), and two compressed discs in my lower back. I'm hurting real bad and depressed.

My doctors (family doc and rheumatologist) won't give me any kind of painkiller besides tramadol, which obviously I will never take again. It's weird, because the same rheumatologist I go to has given Vicodin and even morphine (which I DON'T want) to other people who are his patients (they are the people who referred me to him), but he told me pills are not the answer, I just need to exercise more. I don't understand why he gives lots of people pills, but not me. It is not because of my age, because other people who are his patients are the same age or younger than me and he gives them pain meds to take every day or just on bad days. I only want meds for bad days. I don't want to take them on a daily basis because I don't want to develop a tolerance or addiction. I'm so frustrated and depressed.

I used to have a doctor who would give me vicodin or darvocet on a limited basis for my bad days, and I did very well with that. But for some reason these two doctors seem to think I'm going to be a drug addict even with just a little bit of occasional meds. The joke's on them, because with tramadol, I became addicted to something for the first time in my life, but I know they will not believe me when I can afford to go to them again. Grrrrrr.

[melinda7.5]

Hi willow
You know I have fibro also it can really get to you after awhile...
I also have DDD...so I feel your pain sista...
I'm not saying this would happen to you but i just want to share my story.
In the beginning my doctor would not give me any pain pills also...then one day I went in and threw a fit and told them I know what they give everyone else and I should not be treated any different....That was the biggest mistake of my life the drugs just started coming and the more I got the more I took and that is how I ended up here...
you know I was able to stop my drugs, but it was a struggle...

the only way I can help my pain now is exercise...there are some days I just cant do it...but most of them I can and it does help.

I wish you the best.
Talk to you later, Melinda

one more thing tho...before you are going to know how you are really feeling you will need to be off the trams for a little bit to let your body reajust...
to find out what it's normal is...becouse it doesn't know right now

[dalejrfan71]

Hi Willow,

I feel your pain as I have osteoarthritis in my knees, hips and lower back. I also have the beginning signs of scoliosis in the middle of my back. I have been on pain killers for 6 months now. I am prescribed Percocet 5/325 and Oxycontin 5mg. I am hoping not to be on these pills for the rest of my life. My wife's benefits package through her work now covers physiotherapy so I am gonna start that soon hopefully. The main problem with me is that I am overweight but my doctor has refered me to an obesity clinic so I can lose some weight and relieve the pressure off my joints. Initially my family doctor prescribed me tramadol for pain, but thankfully my wife's drug plan stopped covering it and it's way too expensive for me to purchase as I am on a disability pension. I am on the disability pension for 2 reasons, 1 I have a mental disability where I have troubles learning new things ( I was held back grade 5 and 7 in school because of my learning disability. 2 because of my arthritis, it is very painful and I have a lot of trouble moving around. I am lucky if I get 4 hours of sleep at night cuz of my pain, but if I sleep too long it's damn near impossible for me to get out of bed because my back locks up when I sleep on my back (I have to sleep on my back cuz I have sleep apnea and I have to use a bipap machine).

[Willow_M]

Melissa,

Thanks a lot for telling me your story. I guess I should take that as a warning. I have a friend with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, and she has an endless supply of Vicodin and a muscle relaxer and she takes them every day. Even though she never is high and she holds down a job, I don't want to end up like that. Besides, even with the pills, she is still in pain anyway because I guess she has a tolerance built up. I'm too afraid of getting addicted.

So I guess I need to exercise. When I start my antidepressant, I'm hoping I will be more motivated to do so. I've read exercise is the best thing for fibro, but since I also have the two other things causing pain, I've been almost at the point of throwing a fit at my doctor like you did about pain pills, but I figured they would think I was a "drug seeker" as they like to call it. So I've never done that, and I unfortunately trusted them that tramadol was not addictive.

Thanks for answering and all the info you shared with me. I'm sorry you also have fibro and DDD ... none of this is fun.

Take care.

[Willow_M]

dalejrfan,

Thanks for answering my post. I'm sorry you're in pain, too. I know what you mean about sleeping too much. If I sleep on either side too long, my hip and shoulder on the side I'm sleeping on hurt. And if I sleep on my back too long, my lower back hurts. I always hurt the most when I first get up every morning, and if I sleep too many hours, it's even worse.

I need to lose some weight, too. I know that will help with my low back pain because the weight just puts more pressure on the compressed discs. If I can get my butt in gear and start exercising (just walking at first), I'm sure it will help with the pain and with losing weight. One time I had physical therapy, and they had me do exercises in a pool, and that really helped my pain, but right now I don't have insurance or a job, so I can't afford anything like that.

Thanks again, and take care.

[2long2goback]

I for one know Tramadol has helped my brain function. I have 50% more brain function as a resolute of taking Tramadol. In fact I am in the process of creating a device that will take learning to a new level. This device will in fact change the learning process all together. It will implant date to the Cerebral Cortex of the brain and will replace the learning process altogether. So you will be able to know and speak a foreign language in a few minutes time. I will keep you up to date on my progress.

[Robert_325]

[QUOTE=2long2goback;238910]I for one know Tramadol has helped my brain function. I have 50% more brain function as a resolute of taking Tramadol. In fact I am in the process of creating a device that will take learning to a new level. This device will in fact change the learning process all together. It will implant date to the Cerebral Cortex of the brain and will replace the learning process altogether. So you will be able to know and speak a foreign language in a few minutes time. I will keep you up to date on my progress.[/QUOTE




Please let me know when you get that learning device hammered out. I would like to get one for myself. Do you think I should start taking tramadol? I could definitely use an extra 50% brain function to make up for dead brain cells from the 60s/70s. Would it help someone like me? God bless.

[Willow_M]

Originally Posted by 2long2goback

I for one know Tramadol has helped my brain function. I have 50% more brain function as a resolute of taking Tramadol. In fact I am in the process of creating a device that will take learning to a new level. This device will in fact change the learning process all together. It will implant date to the Cerebral Cortex of the brain and will replace the learning process altogether. So you will be able to know and speak a foreign language in a few minutes time. I will keep you up to date on my progress.

Tramadol is not a drug that was created, nor is it marketed, to improve brain function. It is touted as a supposedly non-addictive, opiate-like pain medication. However it is, in fact, addictive, despite what the manufacturer claims, and it negatively affects memory and clear brain function. There is no evidence that it is recommended for the off-label use of treating brain function. If anyone reads this entire forum, and many others on the same topic, that will be obvious.

I will refrain from saying everything that pops into my head about this post because I have regretted doing that sort of thing in the past.

I will simply say that my experience with tramadol, and that of many, many other people who have posted on this forum and other forums on the same topic, is that tramadol severely impaired my brain function and memory, and now that I am almost done with tapering off the drug, my brain function and memory have improved considerably.

[melinda7.5]

Hi Willow
I think this time you could let it all out...LOL...and know one at all will mind...

By the way haw are you feeling ???
Talk to you later, Melinda

[Willow_M]

Hi Melinda,

It was tempting, LOL, but I decided to be polite. "Just the facts, ma'am."

Thanks for asking how I'm feeling. The main withdrawal symptom that I'm still having is my digestive system is still messed up. My anxiety isn't as bad, and I haven't had any panic attacks for quite a few days. I only have 5 days left before I'm off the trams. This is the first day I'm lowering my dose from 1/2 a tablet twice a day to 1/2 a tablet once a day, and after five days I'll stop altogether. I know it will take awhile for my body to be back to normal (well, as normal as my body can be), but it's not horrible any more. Hooray!

Do you ever feel sad when you remember the time before you had fibromyalgia and you could be active and do ordinary things without pain and without even thinking about it? I do. I've had the injured discs and fibromyalgia since 1993. That's a lot of years for someone my age to feel like an old lady. I wish I had more motivation to exercise ... I guess I'll have to just force myself.

I hope Maisie is doing OK. I'll be glad when she can get back online. Thanks for being here for me while she's gone. It helps to have someone who can sympathize even if you didn't take trams.

Take care.

[melinda7.5]

Hi willow
I think I use to get upset but then i got addicted to all those drugs and now I'm so happy to be off all of them,It makes the pain seem not so bad...
I do feel like an old lady some days tho...

I try to stay positive and think about what I can do instead of what i cant...
It's the only Way i know how to get thru it...

have a good night, Melinda

[Willow_M]

Hi Melinda,

You have a point. It would be good to focus on the fact that I'm almost done taking tramadol, so being in pain isn't as big a deal as being addicted to a harmful drug. And another good point is I could focus on what I can do rather than what I can't.

I appreciate your comments, it helps to get another person's perspective. Also, I remember that about 7 years ago, I went to Europe for a month and walked all over the place, and all that exercise (and the distraction of seeing so many incredible things) made my fibromyalgia pain improve.

Being a person who has suffered from depression most of my life, I sometimes fail to look at the positive and instead look at all the gloom and doom. So thanks for the comments.

Willow

[Willow_M]

Ugh, feeling very depressed and still have withdrawal symptoms, especially digestive problems from tapering off tramadol. Imodium isn't helping. Maisie said I was tapering pretty fast, so I guess that's why I still feel bad, even though I'm down to a low dose.

I'm supposed to go to a job interview tomorrow morning, but I'm dreading it because I'm not getting enough sleep, my nice clothes don't fit me, and I'm depressed and have to get up early in the morning for the interview. It's hard enough for me to get up by noon, much less early morning. But I feel like I have to go for the interview because it's where my dad works, and he put in a good word for me. He's almost 80 years old and it's his "retirement job" so he doesn't need to make as much money as me because he also gets social security and his wife also works and gets social security. But they keep telling me I have to take whatever I can get, even if it pays bad.

I don't want to embarrass him by not showing up or calling the interviewer because my dad helped me get the interview. It's a ******** job, but I do need a job because I need health insurance. This is so bad. And the job is very low pay. I'm so sick of all this stuff I have to deal with.

[Richie...]

Hi All,

Like most people, I came across this forum by googling 'Tramadol Addiction'.

I had been taking Tramadol regularly for approximately 3 years, but have just managed to reduce my dependency on this drug down to not taking it at all for almost 3 weeks.

It was very interesting to read about the 'Brain Zaps', as I also experienced them throughout my time taking the drug and often wondered what they were. At first I thought I was about to suffer a stroke or something like that.

One of the biggest problem I have now is the problem of insomnia. I seem to get off okay but then wake up with my hands and feet itching like hell, and I cannot stop moving my limbs to counteract it. I often have to get up or just lie there moving around. Does anyone have a solution for this, or is this just something I will get over eventually?

I must admit that I did reduce my intake down to just 2 pills which I took nightly (probably to help me sleep), and eventually cut this down to 1 and obviously none now.

Am I to expect any more withdrawal symptoms?

Any help will be appreciated.

Cheers,

Rich.

[Robert_325]

Rich ..... try some valerian root for sleep. It's natural, cheap, non-addictive, it's just a supplement. You can get it at walmart for about $4 for 100 capsules. Take 3-4 at a time as needed (within reason). It helps me sleep. Normal sleep is about the last thing that usually returns after detox. You'll get better just don't do anything you'll end up regretting.

You can try hot showers/baths about an hour before bedtime too. That helps some. And the best medication for detox is exercise. You don't have to run five miles or anything like that. Even going for walks around the block helps with our natural endorphine production. That helps us with our overall well-being.

You did the smart thing reducing your tramadol dose before stopping. There is a risk for seizures doing a cold turkey off tramadol. But you should be okay stopping at two pills. Hope this helps some. God bless.

[Richie...]

Hi Robert, and thanks for the reply.

I will have to see what our local health shop here in the UK has to offer for the sleep side of things. I have also heard that 5-HTP is good for getting your serotonin levels up as well, so will also look at that.

Hopefully, I can get myself in a position where I can increase my exercise activity, and get back into swimming regularly, so that will help greatly.

To be honest, the itchy hands and feet symptoms have been the only thing I have had (thankfully), so once I can get over that, I should be over the worst.

Rich.

[sherri90049]

Originally Posted by anti_tram

Boy, am I glad I found this forum. I have a pharmacist friend in rehab for benzodiazapine addiction and she is going through hell. I think she will make it.

She warned me that even though I take 200mg or less a day, I was going to have real problems stopping. I am very motivated to stop after seeing what happened to her. After reading here, I am worried that I don't have enough 50mg pills left to do a controlled "slow taper". Getting any more is out of the question.

I halved my dosage to 100mg before I started reading this forum. My ears are ringing so badly that I have trouble hearing people talk. I had no idea that the brain zaps as I call them are a sort of seizure. The quality of my sleep is lousy. I also noticed the erectile dysfunction but only recently.

I stopped completely a year ago and was doing okay after a rough week of flu like symptoms, low energy, ringing in the ears, etc. I also found that coffee in the morning is essential, as well as forcing yourself to get going. Exercise, if you can manage it, also helps a lot.

I feel really stupid for starting up again because I injured my back. I love the feeling of well being as well as the pain relief. But as someone posted above, it makes you stupid and unable to concentrate. It also is affecting my vision. Now that I know what I am facing I am pretty concerned. I have done a lot of reading trying to understand my friend's problem and am up to speed on receptors, seratonin uptake, withdrawal management and a whole lot more. It wasn't until I decided to Google Tramadol Addiction that I found this forum. Now I realize that I have a problem too. And it's not very far removed from what my friend fell into.

The maximum recommended dosage for Tramadol is (8) 50mg tablets a day. I never went over that and like I said, I was taking one tablet four times throughout the day. Looks like I have a rough ride ahead of me. I'll use the advice posted here and add my own observations as I go through this.

I'd like to echo the comments about a lawsuit against the manufacturers. My pharmacist friend said it was not held in high esteem among her colleagues either. What an insidious drug to introduce to the unsuspecting public.

In closing, Thanks for being here.

Hi everyone! I am thrilled to have found this site! And I am in need of support from others in my same situation and am here to give any help I can. Here is my short history. I have lupus, fibromyalgia and endometriosis. I was given Ultram about 12 years ago when it first came out. Dr gave me the free samples and said it was not habit-forming. As about 99% of you are now all too aware, it is terribly addicting!

I was told to take two 50 mg tabs 4x a day (the maximum dosage), which I did for (are you ready for this?) 10 years!!!! For the second half of that period, I tried desperately to stop taking it! I finally decided to commit to a realistic tapering schedule a couple years ago and managed to get myself down from 400 mg/day to 100 mg/day. Recently went up to 200 mg/day during a bout with some additional pain, but I think I am pretty much back to the 100 mg/day level.

Just like all of you, I want to get OFF of this stuff completely! After being on it for so many years, I just want to make sure my goal of doing this in 3-4 weeks is realistic. I think that the hardest part (for me) must have been getting from 400 to 300! (I remember those w/d's vividly. They were harsh!) Getting down to 200 was still bad, but not as bad. And the same with getting to 100mg/day.

I love that this site exists and is such a supportive environment! Drs haven't been that helpful. The drug company certainly isn't out there ready to help us through this horror. And friends and family can only help so much, when they haven't been through what they're going through.

Any advice your have for me on the home stretch here would be greatly appreciated! Want to be smart and not do anything that will risk me having seizures or anything. But I think as long as I don't go CT, I should be ok. Not sure if it's worth it to go see an addiction specialist, as I'd prefer to keep this out of my medical records. The only thing I've been using to help is Xanax. (Of course, I'll eventually have to taper off that sh*t as well.) But I feel ok all things considered right now. Would like to know anything else that would help, including vitamins/minerals/supplements, etc.

Will read through all of the postings to glean whatever knowledge and experience you, my fellow Ultram victims, have been kind enough to share. Re: Ultram helping brain function, I have to say I (& every single other posting I've ever read anywhere) have had the exact opposite result re: brain function. I get brain fog and am not able to think clearly. If you are the one in a million person who has had your brain function helped by it, then I'm glad for you. But 99.9% of ultram users will not have that result. It's just a sad reality.

This drug is helpful for those who only take it in small doses as needed and not for extended periods of time. I never should have been allowed to take the max dosage for so many years. I just know that the drug company knew of its addictive potential when it first came out but did not warn anyone. I too hope someone starts a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer. Their greed knows no limits, when having patients become addicted is viewed as a good thing, as it increases sales by keeping customers for life.

Not sure how many of you know this, but one of the serious adverse effects of long-term opioid use is on endocrine function (called hypogonadism, which is insufficient production of the sex hormones like testosterone, DHEA, etc.) Just yesterday I spent several hours doing research and found an enormous amount of info on it. This is bad for both men and women. Personally, my periods had shortened to 2-3 days and I had stopped ovulating all together. When I begin tapering a couple years ago, reducing my dosage by 75%, I actually conceived a child! (w/o even trying!) I did miscarry at about 7 weeks, though. :-( (probably because I wasn't completely off the stuff yet!)

I happened to have my hormone levels checked when I realized I was infertile 6 months ago, and all the levels came back below normal. My testosterone level was what they call <19, which means zero! There are no detectable amounts of it! No wonder I was infertile! If you are having any symptoms of hypogonadism, get checked and if your doctor thinks there's nothing to this, find another dr. I'm serious. Type in google "hypogonadism" and "opioid" and any other relevant search words. You will be floored at the amount of articles and controlled studies! I can even forward you the links to all the studies and articles I found. It's jawdropping stuff!

So I have so much motivation to quit this cr*p, it's just not even funny, because I'm 41 and still hope to have a child some day (preferably soon)! I think I'm on the home stretch with this detox and am thrilled to have found this site! I will keep each and every one of you in my thoughts and prayers that we can all beat this thing and take back our lives!

Best,

:-) Sherri

[melinda7.5]

Hi Sherri
It sounds like you have this under control, but here is a taper plan from a doctor, That I have been using to help people.
I'm sorry your having to go thru this, the doctors have done this to a few of us. good luck and let us know how its going...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

Discontinuation of tramadol or any other medication, as you know, should be done gradually. The rule with pain medication is 10% per day. So, you are taking 250 mg total daily, so you would decrease the amount you take by 25 mg per day. As long as you are not using a sustained release form of tramadol, it would be alright to cut one of the tablets in half. Your discontinuation schedule would like this:

Day 1--225 mg (4 1/2 pills)
Day 2--200 mg (4 pills)
Day 3--175 mg (3 1/2 pills)
Day 4--150 mg (3 pills)
Day 5--125 mg (2 1/2 pills)
Day 6--100 mg (2 pills)
Day 7--75 mg (1 1/2 pills)
Day 8--50 mg (1 pill)
Day 9--25 mg (1/2 pill)
Day 10--0 mg and all done.

[sherri90049]

Thank you so much for the advice! Love that it's from a doctor! (Saves me having to go to the trouble of waiting for the appt, going to it, paying for the copay, etc.) I can do the 10% a day taper. I am at 100 mg/day now. I think I should spend a few days to be safely stabilized there at that level. But then I know I can do 10% a day drops after that!

I have come so far! I can't just taste it that I'm so close to the finish line! (not that when I get there I won't have a couple more weeks of w/d's to enjoy!) I'm at 100 mg/day now. (Having started at 400 mg, I feel proud of how far I have come!) I am so happy to have found this site. I have felt so scared and so alone, and knowing I have so much company is very comforting, although I feel so badly that anyone else would have to suffer through this, too.

We're all going to get through this! I know it! Since we are not alone and have each other to lean on and get help and advice from!

:-) Sherri

[melinda7.5]

Hi Sherri
I think getting stabilized is a great idea.
You should feel proud of yourself you have really worked hard at this.
I was scared till I found this site also...
there really is strength in numbers...when you know your not the only one it's not so bad.
Let me know how it's going along the way...

Talk to you soon, Melinda

[sherri90049]

Thanks so much, Melinda! You are amazing! I've been reading over lots of postings and I see that you are always there with support for everyone! You are just an angel!

I'm a little shaky, achy and yucky today (day 4 at 100 mg/day). :-( But I'm not going back! I am staying at 100 mg come hell or high water! Will keep you posted! Can't wait to be off it all together!

I have one more question: If I keep tapering relatively slowly, how long should the w/d symptoms last after I take my last pill? (I'm sure it differs by person, but what's like a rough guestimate? A couple of weeks? Months?) Wondering so I can gauge when it would be ok to start trying to conceive. :-)

Thanks again,

:-) Sherri

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by sherri90049

Thanks so much, Melinda! You are amazing! I've been reading over lots of postings and I see that you are always there with support for everyone! You are just an angel!

I'm a little shaky, achy and yucky today (day 4 at 100 mg/day). :-( But I'm not going back! I am staying at 100 mg come hell or high water! Will keep you posted! Can't wait to be off it all together!

I have one more question: If I keep tapering relatively slowly, how long should the w/d symptoms last after I take my last pill? (I'm sure it differs by person, but what's like a rough guestimate? A couple of weeks? Months?) Wondering so I can gauge when it would be OK to start trying to conceive. :-)

Thanks again,

:-) Sherri

Hi Sherri
I was addicted to oxycontin and vic's so it is a little different.
But you seem to be handling this so well I would say by a week all of the physical symptoms should be gone...
The lack of energy seems to be the hardest one...and that is where the exercise come in, it doesn't take much but any kind of little work out helps...
I started walking on the treadmill like 2 minutes a day and worked my way up from there...

Your doing great, be very proud of yourself
Talk to you soon, Melinda

ps...Thanks for the nice things you said

[anony71]

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hey here to say my addiction is over to ultram!! u say good for u/ well yes it is!!! and it's easy to quit with no withdrawls by going to your doc and getting the lowest dosage of cymbalta 20mg or another ssri.. DO NOT TAKE SSRI WITH A BODY FULL OF TRAMMIES!! GO 36 HRS. with NO trammies and take half of a 20mg cymbalta or ssri. if capsule form then open and remove half of the med. reason for severe withdrawls on trammy is because your mind isnt generating the serotonin or re-uping the levels.. u can replace this with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and you will be on your way to recovery.. It works im not a doc and will say for ME ONLY!! and maybe you, that cymbalta is not hard to get off of and has no narcotic like effects.. u will have no depression and all will be good if your anything like I... so quit paying 3rd world countries and money hungary internet sites an arm an a leg now.. thanks and hope this helps