[sporty77]

I have been taking tramadol for about two years now because of chronic back pain.I also have been using vicodin.I have been using around 12 to 14 pills a day of both drugs.I decided to try to taper myself off about a week ago and it didn't do any good.I have been a drug addict all my life which is why my doctor prescribed tramadol because it was non addicting.Don't believe.I have doon about ever street drug out there over the years and have been strung out on speed and coke and I have NEVER had to deal with anything like this.I quit taking anything 3 days ago but as soon as I started tapering off I starting having withdrawals.I can't sleep,my body just feels like I'm having spasms and I am having hot and cold chills like crazy.I have depression and am bipolar and the depression is killing me.I sit here and cry like a baby over nothing.I would not recommend that anyone ever start this drug especially if you are a recovering addict because no matter what the doctors tell you this is addicting,VERY.you have to keep uping the dose to keep getting the pain relief benefits,at least I did.I don't know how long this is gonna last but I hope it's over soon.I've tried OTC sleep aides and they do nothing.Nyquil got me about an hours sleep last night and that was it.I get such bad spasms and just feels like body rushes and the pain is about unbearable.Please.DO NOT start this drug,if you're on it try to get off.

[theElectrician]

I cant believe I'm actually writing into a forum. But I think its helping. I have not had this horrible drug for over a day now and i feel horrible but i know i can get through it. I was on it for probably 6 or 7 months and have quit cold turkey. My biggest gripe right now is dealing with the lack of enthusiasm or energy. It is nice to know that there are many going through this and we all can get through it. I will keep posted on how I've done.

[no_more_tram]

Originally Posted by theElectrician

I cant believe I'm actually writing into a forum. But I think its helping. I have not had this horrible drug for over a day now and i feel horrible but i know i can get through it. I was on it for probably 6 or 7 months and have quit cold turkey. My biggest gripe right now is dealing with the lack of enthusiasm or energy. It is nice to know that there are many going through this and we all can get through it. I will keep posted on how I've done.

Please keep us posted! And yes you CAN get through it, it's help's ALOT being on this forum. I was addicted to Tramadol for about 3 years, gone though Detox twice, now for my second time I am taking Suboxone, so that I didn't have to go through the Tramadol withdrawals, they are horrible! But if you want to stay clean, you will find a way to be! If you want you can start your own thread, and update as often as you want, it can also be helpful to others who are going through it. Good Luck to you!

[theElectrician]

Well its 1 22 a.m central time and I'm up. Just like last night I took a half of a xanax. It helped it I do get to sleep, but i wake up an hour and a half later doing the same thing. Tossing, turning, sweats, chills, and just the most uncomfortable feeling of restlessness. Last night when i woke up I took a Benadryl and another half of a xanax. It actually worked. I'm not telling anyone to do this. I just know I was out of options. I probably got decent amount of sleep even though it still wasn't real sleep. I was pretty groggy for awhile though. I am doing the same thing tonight when I woke up. Except I'm not taking a half of a xanax, just the Benadryl. I hope it helps me. I am night 3 of no tram. The days are off and on good. I have know craving for them but just symptoms of hell. I am disappointed in my doctor not telling me more about this drug. By the way I was taking 8, 50 mg pills a day. For someone who is taking the suboxone. Did it help with the sleep? Thanks

[WinifredShinn]

Hi. I'm glad I finally found a forum that is currently active. Just want to say that I was taking 400mg Tramadol a day for about 5 years. I have tried to quit 3 times and each time went through all that you say. Today is my fourth day of taking zero. YAY!!!

I tapered and it wasn't as bad as stopping cold. I just cut the dose by half every three days until I was only taking 1/2 pill twice a day, and then I just stopped altogether. The first 2 days were pure hell, and I had to take off work. Yes I had the RLS and insomnia. Stayed up and did yoga all night to work the leg muscles and hot baths really relaxed the legs too. Since then I don't have the RLS, but am only sleeping 2 hours a night.

I also took some herbal medicine called Valerian and that helped a little bit.

I'm so hyper now though. My house is super clean. I'm having hot flashes and sweats. having to bathe frequently because of that.

Altogether I've been in WD for about 17 days. I feel definately over the hump. Felt that since the beginning of day 3 of nothing.

[Mallai]

I'm glad I found this forum because I too am really suffering through tram detox..I'm on day 7 and still not well..I've been on tram since Aug. and got up to 600-800mg day using a straight powdered version I got on the net..I've been through this before several years ago but haven't learned my lesson..I take tram for the severe depression I go through..It's the only thing that made me feel "normal" and give me relief..But I've really shocked my system this time and literally losing my mind..It seems like I lose one symptom one day then gain a new one the next..I'm always cold and shivering..I cry uncontrollably for many minutes..I have zero energy and have always been fit from riding my bike everyday..My sleep is horrendous and it scares me to go to sleep because as soon as I wake up (many times) I have full blown anxiety/panic..I need ambien and klonopin just to knock me out..The bed never feels comfortable and always tossing and turning to find the right place..Nothing feels good..My biggest worry is I've done some permanent damage..I'm so down, live alone, detoxed alone and really need to feel some hope..I hope they take this drug off the market..No one deserves this..I hope things get better because I can't go on like this for much longer..

[debagray]

Being an RN.. it is really important to not take 2 Ambien the same night. The maximum dose is usually a 10 mg tablet. I tried Ambien for a while and found that it worked about half the time with my chronic insomnia....I would suggest speaking with your physician about trying Lunesta.... I am currently taking Lunesta and love it... no morning grogginess and a pretty fast on-set with regard to getting you to sleep.. hope this helps.

D

[itsalive]

Look people,tramadol is a synthetic opiate.Being one it works on your gaba b receptors in your brain.So of course it is addictive,just like any other opiate.If ypu suffer from chronic pain,as i do tramadol is a godsend.Try detoxing from 100mgs of methadone,now that's a **********.As to the euphoria,I have never felt it,as a matter of fact all this drug does for me is relive my pain,somewhat.I feel for you if you are suffering,but just remember,the way you go into the woods is the way you come out.Withdrawal is the price you pay for pain relief,believe it

[21months]

Originally Posted by itsalive

I feel for you if you are suffering,but just remember,the way you go into the woods is the way you come out.Withdrawal is the price you pay for pain relief,believe it

I'm not sure what it does for you to come here and belittle and condescend to people who are suffering from a very REAL withdrawal , but you almost come off like you think we're all ignorant fools who should have somehow known we couldn't trust the doctor who told us Tramadol wasn't addictive.

Not only do you patronize as though you somehow know every single one of our lives' stories, you don't even take into account the population of Tramadol users who were put on the drug to specifically AVOID an addictive narcotic because they specifically wanted to avoid an addiction. How open-minded of you.

've never experienced the "euphoria" I hear some people talk about, either. I was looking for an alternative for Vicodin and my doctor told me this was a miracle drug that was going to work like a narcotic but have no addictive potential. So I really freaking appreciate being addicted to TRAMADOL when it doesn't even give me any pain relief in the first place. It's great.

You may not think we are as "hardcore" as you are, but that doesn't make this totally unexpected withdrawal suck any less for me - thanks anyway. Grow up.

[anm3310]

I love that I am not the only one dealing with this. Sounds mean, but I do not mean anything wrong by it. As you all know, it helps just to know I am not alone. I hope someone is still reading all these.

I have been on Tramadol for almost 2 years now. I have continually been thru the same cycle. I get 180 for a month. Take a bunch the first week, count them out and then limit myself to so many a day to make it thru. All the while getting some vicodine, loratab and soma to help out. I have slowly cut WAY DOWN on this a time or two. I had gotten down to half a pill in the a.m and the same or (1) full pill in the p.m. Now I'm at maybe (3) a day.

I noticed certain things. First.....everything here that has been mentioned. Night sweats, cranly as hell, crawling skin, and the WORST EVER is the "Brain Zaps" I have not seen anyone talk about those much. Does anyone get those. It feels like little electrical shocks going off in my head. Like my brain has turned off and the ZAP is it turning back on. Kindda scary! Only for a quick second, than it's ok for 5 minutes then another. This would last for days. This was the worst for me.

Soon as I got the next refill.....I was back to the same ************ cycle. I have been doing REALLY well this time at slowly bringing myself off of them and have another refil in 5 days. I really need and want to dig deep and find some self control and make this last. I need to talk to the doctor so he is aware and I need to get off of these once and for all. I have had (3) knee surgeries and (1) rotator cuff. Knees are still really, really bad. But I have found some hebs that might be working really well. We shall see.

I have a VERY personal question for some of the men out there. This is not a joke, this is real and I am just curious if anyone else is dealing with this.

When taking Tramadol (or vicodine or tramadol) it seems I can last forever while making love to my wife. So much so that there were times that I just gave up. Now and any other time I slowly come off this ********, I am like a 16 year old virgin boy. I can't last for more than a minute at times. I have had similar things happen when coming off of vicodine before. After a couple weeks it goes back to normal. This time may last longer due to the extended amount of time of tranadol.

Thank god my wife is VERY understanding and patient. I just have not heard anything about this and thought this would be a GREAT place to find out if I am alone in this odd side affect.

Years and years ago coming off of the vicodine, I never had any where near these withdrawls. I did have the insomnia really BAD! BUT, I would get 2 hours of sleep and wake up feeling like a million dollars. I felt GREAT! It lasted maybe two weeks. I was on vicodine for maybe 6 to 8 months. My thoughts at this point are I would almost rather take vicodine till the effects of this Tramadol go away (since it helps) and then deal with the vicodine withdrawl. It never had these brain zaps. They hurt.....I mean physically hurt. People have to know when they are talking to me, they have to be able to see it in my eyes. I would think so anyway.

Anyway, glad I am posting and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE guys....let me know if you have had anything like this happen to you. My wife is understanding but it is VERY embarising.

ANM3310

[anm3310]

Originally Posted by 21months

I'm not sure what it does for you to come here and belittle and condescend to people who are suffering from a very REAL withdrawal , but you almost come off like you think we're all ignorant fools who should have somehow known we couldn't trust the doctor who told us Tramadol wasn't addictive.

Not only do you patronize as though you somehow know every single one of our lives' stories, you don't even take into account the population of Tramadol users who were put on the drug to specifically AVOID an addictive narcotic because they specifically wanted to avoid an addiction. How open-minded of you.

've never experienced the "euphoria" I hear some people talk about, either. I was looking for an alternative for Vicodin and my doctor told me this was a miracle drug that was going to work like a narcotic but have no addictive potential. So I really freaking appreciate being addicted to TRAMADOL when it doesn't even give me any pain relief in the first place. It's great.

You may not think we are as "hardcore" as you are, but that doesn't make this totally unexpected withdrawal suck any less for me - thanks anyway. Grow up.

Very well state 21months! I would have been a little more harsh if I would have given it any attention. Very well said!!!!

If only I would have listend to "itsalive" rather than that DOCTOR that had ACTUAL medical training voodoo majic.....then all my withdrawl symptoms would just have vanished because I guess I didn't "believe it!" WTF! ROFL!