Tramadol and Withdrawal: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Mai...
• February 19, 2021

For Depression "I don't do drugs! I take tramadol for 'kidney stones.' I suffer from anxiety and manic depression. Huntington's runs in my family, so low dopamine is a biological part of me. I experimented with tramadol and had withdrawals (night sweats and digestion issues for a few days). I then fine-tuned my dosage: 100 mgs on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I no longer consume alcohol on those days. I've completely quit smoking cigarettes. My wife says I'm more loving and pleasant to be around. My sexual performance is amazing (tramadol helps with...premature ejaculation...look it up), and I'm more productive at work. This drug works great for depression! But you need to regulate!"

• Tad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I have been prescribed Tramadol 50 mg tablets to be taken 2 tablets at once every 6 hours a day and have been on this medication for 3 months now. Suffering from chronic neck and head pain for 3 years with no final diagnosis except for maybe possible whiplash or stress related, I have not received any help from numerous physicians I constantly visited. After countless failed non-opioid pain medications and physical therapy sessions, I was prescribed Tramadol, a synthetic opioid pain medication. 1st month had full pain relief with no problems, 2nd month I developed a tolerance and had to take 2 every 4 hours, 3rd month I am getting little to no relief and stopped taking it, which has me in withdrawal and pain. I do not recommend Tramadol at all."

• boo...
• March 1, 2016

For Pain "I was put on tramadol for PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) for nearly two years. I was never told it was addictive. I stopped using after I was refused any more. The withdrawal symptoms felt like I was dying, please DO NOT USE."

• Anonymous
• September 2, 2010

For Restless Legs Syndrome "I have taken tramadol as prescribed by my doctor for a little over 2 years. It works 100% for my restless legs syndrome. The only downside to this medication is the withdrawal symptoms when you stop. You have twice as bad the problem of restlessness than you had in the first place. The doctor gave me clonidine, and that really helped with the withdrawal problems."

• Anonymous
• June 30, 2011

Tramadol for Restless Legs Syndrome "Tramadol has been very effective for my severe restless legs syndrome. However, the body does seem to build tolerance, so you must increase the dose from time to time. The withdrawal effects are quite severe. I found that a slow withdrawal helps ease the discomfort. I have also been on Neurontin in the past and had good results for several years, but the effectiveness seems to lessen over time, and increasing the dose did not help."

• Car...
• March 23, 2009

For Restless Legs Syndrome "My girlfriend got me on tramadol because I had a toothache once and said it would help. Anyway, to make a long story short, I took it a few times and ended up getting addicted to it. It helps with RLS that I have and helps me sleep, but when I'm without it, I cannot sleep at all. The withdrawal is horrible. I don't know if I should be mad at her for introducing this to me or mad at myself for getting addicted to it. If you are not prescribed this by a doctor, do not take it because you become dependent on it. I look back, and I was never like this."

• jac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2016

For Pain "After reading everyone's experience with tramadol, I feel better knowing it wasn't just me having withdrawals. H-codone, couple days, little stomach tightness, no problem. Tramadol, real sick feeling, now been 4 days without. Starting to get better, no bad stomach feeling. Did think I was getting the flu, but sounds like everyone else trying to quit had the same symptoms. I have a script waiting for me at the pharmacy, and that's where it's staying. Wasn't much help anyway."

• Det...
• March 15, 2011

Tramadol for Fibromyalgia "I have suffered from fibromyalgia for 20 yrs, diagnosed 11 yrs ago. I have been on Tramal SR for the past 8 yrs. It allowed me to keep working, although I now take the maximum allowable daily dose and sometimes have to top up with ibuprofen or codeine. If I miss a tablet, pretty severe withdrawal symptoms, but without it, I wouldn't still be able to work. It saved my sanity."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 17, 2018

For Back Pain "Pretty effective treating pain, but the withdrawal is terrible, as others have claimed. Even if you're not stopping it completely, if the levels get low, the withdrawal starts. Usually in the middle of the night. Abrupt awakening, restless legs, abdominal pain, and intrusive, rapid thoughts were the most bothersome. I couldn't take it before bed because it made falling asleep impossible due to the rapid thoughts, so the levels would fall, resulting in abrupt waking. It was prescribed to get me off methadone. God, what I wouldn't do to be back on the methadone. Avoid this if possible."

• Anonymous
• April 17, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I have tried this medication twice strictly for chronic pain relief. Both times on the medication, I experienced more side effects than benefits, and also had withdrawal symptoms once stopping. I did have mild relief, but nothing that would convince me to take this again."

• Big...
• June 5, 2017

For Back Pain "Worst stuff around. Do not take this stuff! Doc started me out with 50 mg two times a day. Wasn't relieving my pain, so I got pushed to two pills every 6 hrs. It only takes away some of the pain. When I wanted to stop taking the pills, I went through 4 days of awful withdrawals, even though he told me I wouldn't have them. I hate that doctor now. I'm going all natural for the pain."

• Cam...
• November 21, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I was prescribed tramadol by my pain management doctor, along with Gralise (extended release gabapentin) and epidural cortisone injections for pain from cervical and lumbar stenosis. I loved it at first - it enabled me to resume walking and sleeping through the night. But after 3 months, I had upped the number of pills I was taking to the max of 400 mg/day because I was becoming tolerant to it. When I had to go off it due to surgery, I decided to stay off it and experienced unpleasant withdrawal of sweats/chills and loss of appetite for about 4 days. Now I use a TENS device for pain at night (FDA recently approved a new device that can be worn at night) and am off tramadol. Tramadol was not a good long-term solution for me."

• Sha...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 15, 2019

For Pain "I was prescribed Ultram due to its dual mechanism to help with persistent joint pain and nerve pain. It is activating, so nighttime use can be problematic. Long-term use: dependency is something to consider, and you need to taper off it extremely slowly, reducing the tablets as necessary. Takes months for some. Missed doses is also an issue, do not miss a dose, as you may go through withdrawal symptoms."

• Fix...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 20, 2021

For Depression "A major help with metabolic depression. I was prescribed it for a severe knee injury. I keep my mouth shut and tell my doctor how much reduced my knee pain is. After 10 years, I still use it. Some years back, I started cutting the 50 mg in half and spreading out the two 50s over the course of a day. Works better for me. Be aware. One person's experience is never indicative of another. I get no withdrawals, nothing if I skip for a few days, like forgetting to take it on a trip. Also, combined with caffeine, I feel fully alert and not like an undernourished feral cat or dog. I have no other health issues or weight problems. I eat right and work every day. I tried SSRIs and dopamine of every type. They all made me feel weird. I get blood tests at least once a year, including liver and kidney. Always normal."

• Hat...
• February 7, 2016

For Back Pain "1. Effectiveness time shortened after each pill. 2. Withdrawal effects after effectiveness caused desire to immediately take another. 3. Addiction seems highly likely after use for more than a few days."

• Rob...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 23, 2022

For Depression "I'm 64 and have suffered from depression most of my adult life, and during that time have tried just about every antidepressant available through several doctors. Tramadol, which I discovered by accident when it was prescribed for pain relief from an inguinal hernia, has been by far the most effective. I'm fortunate to live in Thailand where I can buy it over the counter, sadly, it has now been classified as a narcotic in the US. (Probably the FDA protecting the drug companies selling garbage antidepressants, or is that type of thinking the cause of my depression?) I take 50 mg at bedtime and 50 mg just after lunch. One warning: even at this relatively small dose, quitting tramadol is incredibly difficult. You get just about every type of withdrawal imaginable, and it lasts several weeks. Even if you forget to take a dose by a few hours, you know it. You get the sweats."

• Mad...
• May 16, 2008

For Pain "I started taking 2 x 50 mg four times a day, but I only take about 4-6 now. I have been on Vicodin 10/325 12 x a day for the past 3 years, and believe it or not, this has replaced the Vicodin for the moment. I stopped taking Vicodin yesterday and have no withdrawal or as bad a pain as I thought."

• bir...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 4, 2012

For Pain "I take tramadol for painful neuralgia. It ensures that I have a good night's sleep and takes away most of the pain for up to eight hours per dose. I find I need to take 100 mg together with 500 mg paracetamol for the best effect: 50 mg tramadol isn't enough for me. Because of the stories I've read about people becoming dependent on it with withdrawal symptoms, I have limited my usage to two to three occasions a week only. I can easily not take it for three consecutive days with no ill effects at all. I intend to limit my use of it in this way unless my symptoms worsen."

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2011

For Pain "I was prescribed Tramadol following a serious motorcycle accident (max dose 400 mg daily). For me, this was/is the only effective pain killer. Without it, I would have struggled with my recovery. However, please, please, please do not underestimate the difficulties associated with coming off the drug. Withdrawal symptoms are horrible. Whilst I am still recovering from the accident (18 months ago), I don't need pain relief anymore. Unfortunately, I have found that my most difficult challenge to date is to come off the Tramadol. Over the last 6 months, I have gradually reduced the dose - now down to 100 mg daily. I reckon it's going to take me another 6 months to come off it."

• JEL...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 5, 2022

For Anxiety "I have taken tramadol daily for the last five years. It works to alleviate a wide variety of conditions I used to suffer with, including headaches. It helps alleviate my anxiety and depression on a whole new level. However, after the continued use and over 200 mg daily, I now notice if I don’t take it or have it, severe withdrawals and depression occur."

• Anonymous
• April 17, 2011

For Pain "Initially, tramadol worked wonderfully for the chronic pain that I experience. I was prescribed Ultram for foot and back pain as an alternative to hydrocodone. I never had any significant withdrawal symptoms or dependency problems from the hydrocodone, my doctor just had a problem prescribing it to me for reasons unknown to me. I asked him directly about the long-term effects of taking tramadol, and he assured me that it was nothing for me to worry about. He was wrong. I understand that every drug affects everyone differently, but I have never felt so terrible in my life as I am currently in the process of getting off of tramadol. Body aches, cold sweats, mood swings, overall body stiffness... I feel miserable."

• Lym...
• January 28, 2018

Tramadol for Chronic Pain "My doctor prescribed me this for chronic pain. I tried it 3 weeks in a row, and it did nothing for my pain! I was really excited about getting it and trying it and was so disappointed. Though it did help me a couple of times coming off of stronger prescription painkillers. It was helpful with some of the withdrawal symptoms."

• Av8...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2021

For Chronic Pain "I got Tramadol 50 mg for severe back pain. I took them for 3 days only, once a day in the AM. I could not believe that after only 3 days at 50 mg total per day, when I ceased taking the medication, I had severe withdrawal. Not sure if I'm some weird case, but I couldn't sleep for 4 days, had electricity in my arms and legs, severe lack of energy, it was unreal. A week of pure nightmare on earth. Don't be scared to take this medication, but just be aware that this medication is highly addictive and has SNRI effects, so if you do not do well with SNRI medications, it might be better to look elsewhere. The fact that doctors prescribe these like they are candy is scary, and they do not even believe you when you say you had withdrawals. Thank goodness I'm off of this medication."

• Tri...
• January 6, 2018

For Fibromyalgia "I started with 50 mg 4x/day. Ended up taking more than that. I bought it online for 14 years until they scheduled it. The most terrible withdrawal in the world. I heard it's worse than heroin. Be careful. It's better for mood than pain. I can't imagine it for post-surgery. Not a great painkiller. Methadone for withdrawals, that's a whole new monster..."

• suz...
• September 26, 2009

For Pain "Have back pain, Dr. gave me this to take with Norco 3xd. I didn't think it would help being 'non-narcotic,' but it has taken my pain from sometimes a 6 with hydrocodone to maybe a 3 or even 1. HOWEVER, I have experienced withdrawal symptoms. I don't know how to detox because you're not supposed to cut them in half. Anyway, if you get dizziness and like mild electric shocks in neck or head when you don't take it, it may be from this drug. I'll still take it because it helps so much."