[Willow_M]

I don't know if this thread is active any more. But I guess it doesn't hurt to try. I messed up. I got into so much physical pain that I got back on a higher dose of trams. I still had a lot of them left. I'm not taking as many as before, but for about 5days I've taken 4 of the 50mg. pills a day again, after getting down to 1/2 (25mg.) a day. I was almost off them and was thinking clearer and had better memory. I was temporarily happy because of that, even though my underlying depression has never gone away. But then the physical pain got so bad, I caved in.

I'm still unemployed and can't afford to go to a doctor for pain management or depression. I had an old stash of anti-depressants that I took in the past, but discovered they are more than a year past expiration. I haven't been able to look for a job because I can barely function. I'm lucky if I take a shower more than once a week. I never in my life imagined I'd be looking homelessness in the face, but I'm gonna lose my apartment if nothing changes.

I know this isn't a help-the-almost-homeless forum or a depression forum, but I don't know what to do about getting off trams when the pain gets unbearable and I can't go to a doctor. Any possible advice at all would be appreciated.

[MaisieC]

Willow,

Did you ever look into my suggestion of looking for a psych clinic with a sliding fee scale? Call all the local hospitals and universities. Call your local health department. Did you try this?

Hang in there,
Maisie

[Willow_M]

Oh, hi Maisie. Are you back home? I hope you're doing okay.

I haven't looked into a sliding scale clinic. I only discovered last week that my anti-depressants expired a year ago. I can barely get out of bed and take a shower, much less do anything else. There are so many bad situations going on in my life that it would take too long to explain, and explaining them wouldn't matter anyway.

My family is of no help to me. It just baffles me that they don't ask how I'm doing or care about the dire straits I'm in. It's a very dysfunctional family and we've never been close. How stupid of me to have moved back to a place I hate because it's so freakin hot, just so I could live near them again, thinking it would be a good thing. It's as if I still lived halfway across the country, if not worse.

Everything that's going on just has me paralyzed. And now the tram problem again.

[MaisieC]

Hi Willow,

I am not back, but I am hanging in.

You simply have to do something to take care of yourself. If you are totally paralyzed, it's time to go to the ER. Forget about your family. Quit wasting energy lamenting and being angry about them. You have to save yourself. Deal with your feelings about your family in therapy later. If you cannot function, get yourself to the ER and get some help.

Please take care of yourself.

Maisie

[Willow_M]

Hi Maisie,

I'm glad you are managing to hang in there. I know you said your situation is different than mine was, but I'm sure it isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination.

I agree about my family. They are self-centered and only care about their fancy houses and cars. I'm also convinced my older sister is seriously mentally ill. I'm talking WAY worse than recurrent major depression and anxiety disorder, which are what I deal with. I cut off all contact with her over a month ago because she's so cruel to me.

I don't see how I can go to an ER when I have no insurance. Nobody takes anyone without insurance.

[melinda7.5]

Hi Willow

I just want you to know I wish there was something I could do for you...
I'm not close with my family either...My sister was my drug dealer...pretty sad she had no remorse knowing her sister was addicted to pills and all she cared about was how much of my money she could get from me...

I know AD are a year old but I would call your pharmacy because I bet there still good...
It's worth a try...
Hang in there...
Talk to you later, Melinda

[sherri90049]

Hi Melinda,

I'm not doing as great as I was thinking that I was. I guess this 100 mg/day was a bigger drop for me than I thought. (Had been on 200/day for a good couple of months recently after having spent a month or two before that at 100 mg/day!) Any way, I feel like I am reaching this emotional point where I can't handle feeling like a drug addict for another second! I took 25 mg at 5:30am, 25 mg at 10:30am, and nothing since then. Would it really be a terrible idea to go cold turkey now (considering that I am at such a low dose?) Problem is I have to work tomorrow through Thursday. If the withdrawal symptoms get worse, don't know if I can hide them from my clients.

Bottom line: I don't know if I can even bring myself to swallow another Ultram ever again! I guess if I can't sleep at all, I'll probably be forced to. I guess if I can get away with taking only 75 mg today, that would be an accomplishment in itself. I just don't want to be stupid and risk seizures or something!

Help! Thanks!

Sherri

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by sherri90049

Hi Melinda,

I'm not doing as great as I was thinking that I was. I guess this 100 mg/day was a bigger drop for me than I thought. (Had been on 200/day for a good couple of months recently after having spent a month or two before that at 100 mg/day!) Any way, I feel like I am reaching this emotional point where I can't handle feeling like a drug addict for another second! I took 25 mg at 5:30am, 25 mg at 10:30am, and nothing since then. Would it really be a terrible idea to go cold turkey now (considering that I am at such a low dose?) Problem is I have to work tomorrow through Thursday. If the withdrawal symptoms get worse, don't know if I can hide them from my clients.

Bottom line: I don't know if I can even bring myself to swallow another Ultram ever again! I guess if I can't sleep at all, I'll probably be forced to. I guess if I can get away with taking only 75 mg today, that would be an accomplishment in itself. I just don't want to be stupid and risk seizures or something!

Help! Thanks!

Sherri

Hi Sherri
I had to work when I did my taper and i only took the least amount that I could get away with and still half way function...
I know it's hard but you really are doing great...
Let me know how it goes tomorrow...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

[MaisieC]

Originally Posted by Willow_M

Hi Maisie,

I'm glad you are managing to hang in there. I know you said your situation is different than mine was, but I'm sure it isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination.

I agree about my family. They are self-centered and only care about their fancy houses and cars. I'm also convinced my older sister is seriously mentally ill. I'm talking WAY worse than recurrent major depression and anxiety disorder, which are what I deal with. I cut off all contact with her over a month ago because she's so cruel to me.

I don't see how I can go to an ER when I have no insurance. Nobody takes anyone without insurance.

OK, you have two choices. Go to bed and wait for the marshals to come and throw you and your stuff out on the street, or make an effort to get some care for yourself. Even if you get thrown out on the street, your family isn't going to be any different from who they are now. You write so much about your disappointment with them. Are you trying to prove to them how sick you are? Forget them! No more family dramas. They're not going to help you. You have to help yourself.

It is ILLEGAL for an ER to refuse treatment to someone who needs it. Go there. If your situation is as you say it is, you cannot function due to physical and mental illness. They have to treat you. Apply for Charity Care, apply for Medicaid. Don't flail around being helpless, lamenting that your family don't care about you. Who wants to win at that kind of game?

If you have enough energy to post on this board, you have enough energy to look into health care options for yourself. I'm not saying it's easy, but you keep saying it's impossible, and that's simply not true. Get out there and find something. No one else is going to do it for you.

[Willow_M]

Maisie,

Something had JUST happened between my brother and me that brought up my feelings about my family. I mentioned them because it was fresh in my mind. You don't know the whole story. It's not easy to be robotically logical and detached about my family like Mr. Spock.

I did not know that it was illegal for an ER to refuse treatment to someone. Thank you for telling me.

[Willow_M]

Originally Posted by melinda7.5

Hi Willow

I just want you to know I wish there was something I could do for you...
I'm not close with my family either...My sister was my drug dealer...pretty sad she had no remorse knowing her sister was addicted to pills and all she cared about was how much of my money she could get from me...

I know AD are a year old but I would call your pharmacy because I bet there still good...
It's worth a try...
Hang in there...
Talk to you later, Melinda

Melinda,

Thanks for your concern and for this post.

I called the pharmacy and he said it won't hurt to give the antidepressants a try because sometimes they last awhile past the expiration date. He said the drug companies build in some extra time when they print the expiration date on a bottle.

Take care.

[Willow_M]

Originally Posted by MaisieC

OK, you have two choices. Go to bed and wait for the marshals to come and throw you and your stuff out on the street, or make an effort to get some care for yourself. Even if you get thrown out on the street, your family isn't going to be any different from who they are now. You write so much about your disappointment with them. Are you trying to prove to them how sick you are? Forget them! No more family dramas. They're not going to help you. You have to help yourself.

It is ILLEGAL for an ER to refuse treatment to someone who needs it. Go there. If your situation is as you say it is, you cannot function due to physical and mental illness. They have to treat you. Apply for Charity Care, apply for Medicaid. Don't flail around being helpless, lamenting that your family don't care about you. Who wants to win at that kind of game?

If you have enough energy to post on this board, you have enough energy to look into health care options for yourself. I'm not saying it's easy, but you keep saying it's impossible, and that's simply not true. Get out there and find something. No one else is going to do it for you.

By the way, I really don't appreciate the things you are implying here ... that I'm trying to prove to my family how sick I am, wanting to win a game. That doing all the things you recommend takes no more energy than typing on a computer keyboard. That I've said things are impossible. That I'm flailing around being helpless. And worst of all "if your situation is as you say it is" ... implying that it isn't. You don't have the physical pain issues that I have, in addition to everything else, so you don't know how it is for me.

Maybe you need to continue taking a break away from this forum because getting pissed off at someone doesn't help.

[sherri90049]

Well, my Ultram cold turkey attempt was a complete and total failure. I fell asleep and woke up an hour or two later with terrible withdrawals. (The pain that is excruciating and you just flail around in the bed with no a chance of sleep.) I don't have the luxury of even trying cold turkey (and boy I wish I did, because I want off this stuff NOW!) because I have to work every day to survive. So I've decided that today starts a week of 75 mg/day. Going to try to go to bed now for the first time of only taking 75 mg. So wish me luck and let''s pray my body doesn't punish me like it did last night! If that works then I'll do a week of 50 mg/day, then a week of 25 mg, then 0. Then I should be finished within a month. (or maybe less if I can do it!)

I can't wait to see what my life is going to be like after I'm off this ********. If my brain is able to function well like it used to and actually retain what I learn, then I am going to really work on changing to a different career doing something I love more than bookkeeping. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate what I do entirely. I'm decent at it. and I charge a pretty good hourly rate. But I just don't feel challenged and/or stimulated by it. I also thought I would do something more with my life. But when my brain function deteriorated over the years, I did try to do different things but found that my brain just couldn't function well enough to learn anything new. :-(

This drug has controlled me for 12 years. And I am only now understanding the depths of that devastation on my life. But I'm stronger than ever and getting closer and closer to being off it! :-) I know it has been helping so much having this site! Seeing what works for different people and getting support during the really hard times have both been so incredibly helpful!

Every day is a struggle! I'm not sure why cold turkey isn't working for me. Could be because I can't take off more than one day a week from work and/or also the fact that I took the maximum dose of this ******** for 12 years! Either way, I'm resigned to the taper, but just want to do it fast! :-)

Will keep you all posted!

Best,

Sherri

[MaisieC]

Hi Sherri,

Your taper plan sounds really sensible to me. You do have a long-standing habit, and that does make it harder to get off. So don't be discouraged; you're doing well! You really are at a low dose right now, and dropping by 25 mgs a week makes good sense. I found that the incremental drops at the end could be surprisingly hard. So even when you get down to 25 mgs a day, you could consider cutting that pill in half and splitting that dose over the course of a day. You might even want to plan to go down to half a pill a day for a few days at the end. See how it goes. You're really close, so hang in there and easy does it!

Maisie

[melinda7.5]

Hi Maisie
I hope you are doing well...
let us know things are going for you !!!
Talk to you later, Melinda

[trishmun]

I have been through withdrawls of tramadol before and am now faced with withdraws from hydrocodone after a joint replacement. I really dread it as the last w/d 's caused me terrible pain and perm. nerve damage in my arms and legs.My dr. sent a referral to a pain mgt. dr. however I cannot see him for a month. Any suggestions as to what may help with the muscle cramps since my regular dr. does not prescribe pain meds. ? I am 50 yrs. old and not sure I can handle the w/d's another time

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by trishmun

I have been through withdrawls of tramadol before and am now faced with withdraws from hydrocodone after a joint replacement. I really dread it as the last w/d 's caused me terrible pain and perm. nerve damage in my arms and legs.My dr. sent a referral to a pain mgt. dr. however I cannot see him for a month. Any suggestions as to what may help with the muscle cramps since my regular dr. does not prescribe pain meds. ? I am 50 yrs. old and not sure I can handle the w/d's another time

Hi trshmun
Have you seen the thomas recipe...I wil put it up for you...
do you have any hydros left to do a taper ???
Let us know...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

THOMAS RECIPE

If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.

For the Recipe, You'll need:

1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.

2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).

3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.

4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium (you may not find the potassium in the same supplement).

5. Vitamin B6 caps.

6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).

How to use the recipe:

Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can't find a supplement for it.

Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.

During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.

Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.

At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.

Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.

As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.

Thomas"

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by sherri90049

Well, my Ultram cold turkey attempt was a complete and total failure. I fell asleep and woke up an hour or two later with terrible withdrawals. (The pain that is excruciating and you just flail around in the bed with no a chance of sleep.) I don't have the luxury of even trying cold turkey (and boy I wish I did, because I want off this stuff NOW!) because I have to work every day to survive. So I've decided that today starts a week of 75 mg/day. Going to try to go to bed now for the first time of only taking 75 mg. So wish me luck and let''s pray my body doesn't punish me like it did last night! If that works then I'll do a week of 50 mg/day, then a week of 25 mg, then 0. Then I should be finished within a month. (or maybe less if I can do it!)

I can't wait to see what my life is going to be like after I'm off this ********. If my brain is able to function well like it used to and actually retain what I learn, then I am going to really work on changing to a different career doing something I love more than bookkeeping. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate what I do entirely. I'm decent at it. and I charge a pretty good hourly rate. But I just don't feel challenged and/or stimulated by it. I also thought I would do something more with my life. But when my brain function deteriorated over the years, I did try to do different things but found that my brain just couldn't function well enough to learn anything new. :-(

This drug has controlled me for 12 years. And I am only now understanding the depths of that devastation on my life. But I'm stronger than ever and getting closer and closer to being off it! :-) I know it has been helping so much having this site! Seeing what works for different people and getting support during the really hard times have both been so incredibly helpful!

Every day is a struggle! I'm not sure why cold turkey isn't working for me. Could be because I can't take off more than one day a week from work and/or also the fact that I took the maximum dose of this ******** for 12 years! Either way, I'm resigned to the taper, but just want to do it fast! :-)

Will keep you all posted!

Best,

Sherri

Hi Sherri
You have a great plan..I had my taper all planed out...and it was exciting...just like you I knew I was going to make it...
Keep us posted on how it's going...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by Willow_M

Melinda,

Thanks for your concern and for this post.

I called the pharmacy and he said it won't hurt to give the antidepressants a try because sometimes they last awhile past the expiration date. He said the drug companies build in some extra time when they print the expiration date on a bottle.

Take care.

Hi willow
I thought the a/d would be ok but I just wanted you to make sure before you took them...so how are you feeling...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

[Willow_M]

Originally Posted by melinda7.5

Hi willow
I thought the a/d would be ok but I just wanted you to make sure before you took them...so how are you feeling...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

Melinda,

It's too soon to tell if the antidepressants are still effective, despite being past their expiration date. In my experience, I have to take them a week or so before they kick in. I'll find out soon.

Thanks for asking.

[MaisieC]

Originally Posted by melinda7.5

Hi Maisie
I hope you are doing well...
let us know things are going for you !!!
Talk to you later, Melinda

Hi Melinda!

Things are about the same. Just really busy, but hanging in. I hope you guys are well!

Take care,
Maisie

[sherri90049]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the support. I have to confess, I am doing terrible. I think I got way too agressive at trying to taper down. The last two days I was trying to do 50 mg/day! I can't even describe what I have been through in the last 48 hours. I don't want to relive it. I'd probably just start crying and not be able to stop. I see that this is going to take much longer than I thought, probably at least another 4-6 weeks. I have got to learn some patience, but I am just so angry about being given this drug and being told it was NOT habit-forming. :-(

I don't know what I'd do without the support from you guys. It feels pretty lonely trying to go thru this when no one understands (friends, family, etc.) I mean they try to understand, but they don't. Not like you guys all do.

I feel like a failure that I am having such trouble getting off this ********. I called an addiction specialist and left a msg saying I need to be seen ASAP. Apparently 12 years of Tramadol makes the detox aliving hell. Any way, thank you all again so much. I am hanging in there at the moment. Can never go thru what I went through in the last 48 hours. I pray that the addiction specialist can help make this manageable.

My rheumatologist gave me Clonidine, but I am already on Xanax at bedtime and am scared of adding another drug and if there might be interactions. Any way, will keep you posted. Trying to not be discouraged, but it's hard.

Thanks so much for all the support! You guys are the best! :-)

Sherri

[melinda7.5]

Hi sherri
Here is a taper plad i got from a doctor you might want to try it while your waiting to see your doc..
let us know how it is 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.

Good luck, and should you have any problems with this, please see your prescribing physician.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Kristin105]

i found this site after finding it on google like some of you and read some of it. it sounds all too familier. i've been trying to get off tramadol for a long time but every time i try i fail cuz it is sooooo unconmfortable. i was given it by a new dr. 3 years ago becuz he wouldn't give me vicodin or oxycontin any more like my previous dr. did. he said it was not addictive like vicodin or oxycontin. i have herniated discs and don't wannna risk surgery cuz i known sevral ppl who got surgery and they only get worse back pain and even nerve damag. the wierd thing is tramadol didnt even help at first so i kept taki;ng more and more pills, and finally it helped take the edge off the pain, but not completly. so i took it and sometimes even took vicodin from my aunt cuz she has a huge amount of it. then i bought it online to add to what my dr. gave me. it really doesnt help the pain very much but when i try to quit i get real sick and ********ed up. i wanna get off it and go to another dr. and get vicodin again or oxycontin or somethin that will actualy work for pain. but i see that evryone here has trouble getting off tramadol even tho its supposedly not addictive. i take about 12 pills per day sometimews more. does anyone else have trouble getting their dr. to give them something that works better for pain like vicodin so they can get off trmadol? they dont wanna get me addicted so they say but i think i am addicted to tramsdol.

[chose2live]

i feel like you do-
i just started suboxone 2 days ago, and although everyone claims its "a miracle"
i dont ... i cant sleep, i feel like ive taken 12 cups of coffee-its 430am, and im
wide awake!
i will admit, i am not "sick", no RLS, no headaches, no nausea, no diarrhea
but i am the most anxious i have ever been in my whole life
i cant seem to calm down
my docotr precribed only 10 days of sub for me
after that, who knows
horribly addicted to vicodin and percocet
feel like drinking just so i can sleep
i hope you're doing better now....anyone with sub experience
tell me this is normal? or no?
thx

[Kristin105]

hi thanx for answring. I dont know what suboxone is. is it to help you get offf tramadol or is it a pain med? im in severe pain and need to find a dr. who will give me somethng besides tramadol becuz it really dosn't help the pain as well as vicodin, etc. but it sure seems addictve to me.

thanks

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by Kristin105

hi thanx for answring. I dont know what suboxone is. is it to help you get offf tramadol or is it a pain med? im in severe pain and need to find a dr. who will give me somethng besides tramadol becuz it really dosn't help the pain as well as vicodin, etc. but it sure seems addictve to me.

thanks

Suboxone is a medication for helping those who are opiate-dependent get through detox with little or minimal symptoms. It works on the same brain receptors that opiates work on. Suboxone is also effective for tramadol detox as the same brain receptors are affected.

I most always suggest a taper down and then just stopping for tramadol. But if you can't do that for whatever reason then suboxone is a viable option. It works if you use it properly.

Here is a link that will explain how most people on this forum do the detox with suboxone. Hope it helps. Good luck and God bless.

http://www.drugs.com/forum/featured-...apy-50887.html

[Kristin105]

thank you very much. i'm going to a new pain dr. and will talk about suboxone with him and exsplain how tramadal isnt strong enough bu t i cant get off it without baaaaaad problms. thanx for replying to me.

[Robert_325]

Suboxone isn't really used that much for pain medication. It would help you get off the tramadol but it wouldn't likely do the trick if you're still in constant pain. God bless.

[Kristin105]

i understand what you meant, that suboxone isn't for pain, it's for getting off tramadal. that's why i want to mention it to the new pain dr. i want to tell him i want to get off tramadal with the help fo suboxone becauise in my opinion tramadal is no stronger than tylenol or aspirin for pain, except that it for sure is addictive, no matter what i was told by my prvious drs. i will tell him all the terrrible things that happens when i stop taking it and i hope he beleives me. i dont think drs. believe me very much though.

i think tramadal is the worst of both worlds, meaning hardly any pain relief but also addictive, so nobody wins escept the drug company. the drs. are obviously unknowldgible about tramadal. i do hope this new dr. i s educated about tramadal, thats all i can say, because i need something that will help wiht my pain, that's all i want. i can't live like this in constant pain.

thanks Robert