Tramadol withdrawal

[Sandra600]

Hi have any of you gone through tramadol or any other opioid withdrawal? I am currently on day 13 and I am having a terrible time with depression and anxiety. I tapered for 2 months before i stopped so I didn’t think the withdrawal would be this bad.

[AllthatGlitters]

hi I was on tramadol for 10 days after an operation and day 11 I stopped taking the tramadol and i felt horrendous, sweats, shakes, feeling really I’ll, I guess it was withdrawal symptoms.

After a few days of taking no tramadol things did get better & I started to feel better.

Not sure if there is any way to avoid feeling like this when you stop taking opioids x

[Sandra600 in reply to AllthatGlitters]

Thanks for replying, I’m glad you started to feel better after a few days. I was on it for 3 and a half years so I suppose this will go on for a while yet.

[AllthatGlitters in reply to Sandra600]

yeah I would think so but you will start to feel better at some point, I know when you are in the withdrawal it doesn’t feel like it will end x ❤️

[Sandra600 in reply to AllthatGlitters]

Thanks x

[moo196]

I was on tramadol for 3 weeks or so after a stroke in 2014.Once I was well enough to understand the bad side effects I stopped.

It took several weeks of feeling rough (first week in particular) to get through to the other side but I'd never take it again.

Good luck... try meditating, walking, sunshine, music, art, friendship, nice nutritious food... anything but tramadol

[Sandra600 in reply to moo196]

Thanks x

[LisaSnow FMA UK Volunteer]

In the US, tramadol is considered as a VERY weak opioid-cousin and very effective, yet much safer, than opioids in addictive property. It is no at all treated with as much animosity as in the UK. I am learning interesting differences in attitudes about drugs in different parts of the world.

[Sandra600 in reply to LisaSnow]

it made no difference to my pain at all, I only stayed on it because for a while it helped me sleep, and gave me some energy. I am finding the withdrawal very tough.

[Fillingincake]

I have decreased tramadol by only one and that took some getting use to. I shall decrease again by another one. I personally have found them very helpful but very hard to to come off. Years ago I was on co proximal, I found them helpful also you could use them as and when needed. It was a shame they stopped them. Lots of the other meds I couldn’t tolerate. Small dose of Amitriptyline helps me sleep.

[1whitestar]

I feel for you. I had tramadol for pain but I had to stop as it made me very sick the next day.

[Sandra600 in reply to 1whitestar]

Did you go through withdrawal?

[1whitestar in reply to Sandra600]

No because I was not on them for long. I have bean on antindepresents and came off had withdrawel from that dizzy sick but took a while.

[Fillingincake in reply to Sandra600]

I am going through withdrawal even only taking one off at a time, but I shall stick with it. I shall reduce buy just another one soon. I am taking more paracetomol because of this, But in time I shall reduce these as well

[Sandra600 in reply to Fillingincake]

Good luck

[BonnieMagic]

I went through Tramadol withdrawal some years ago. I had shakes, sweats etc. I swore I would never take it again and there is a note to this effect on my medical record.

Unfortunately recently when I had my total knee replacement the Oramorph I was given was not strong enough so I was put on Oxycodone. This week I’m taking just one at night having started on 5 a day eight weeks ago. I’m hoping that this was quite a short term prescription so that next week I won’t take any more. But as my GP surgery refuses to prescribe any more I have no choice!

Good luck with your journey, I hope you have lots of support and be kind to yourself- lots of treats

[Sandra600 in reply to BonnieMagic]

Thank you so much, I don’t ever want to take tramadol again either. I hope you are okay when you finish the oxycodone x

[poodlelove in reply to Sandra600]

My GP just threw Tramadol at me for years and upping the amount. It did help at first but it was making me hallucinate and feel like I was living in an altered state. I slowly tapered off by taking dyhodrocodeine and a very small amount of Valium 2mg. Im off it now but my withdrawal was itching. Id scratch myself to pieces for what seemed weeks. I still pop 2mg if need be. I will never ever take tramadol again - I try to limit medication as I have a very addictive personality. Explained that to GP but she didnt seem to care. On chronic days I take dhdrocodein - I cant spell- and lucky to live near a heated pool for disability and where I can float . Being weightless provides some comfort. Do you live near a council swimming pool because they have hydro pools or ask your hospital. I tried everything and this works best for me. Tramadol is not good I think and I felt on top of everything else I was developing an addiction

Take care

[Sandra600 in reply to poodlelove]

I agree tramadol is not good especially long term. My main withdrawal symptoms were very bad anxiety and depression which are much better now I am nearly 2 months off it but are still there.

[ainslie]

my partner came off it by very gradually cutting down over a few months, she had no sides at all

[Sandra600 in reply to ainslie]

Hi I tapered over 2 months and thought I would avoid a bad withdrawal by doing that but unfortunately it hasn’t worked

[ainslie in reply to Sandra600]

I think my partner tapered for longer and I suppose it depends on what dose your coming off

[Sandra600 in reply to ainslie]

100mg which I think is quite low but I was on it for over 3 years

[ainslie in reply to Sandra600]

that’s a reasonable dose , I think my partner was on 50 so maybe a longer slower taper would be better

[Sandra600 in reply to ainslie]

Yes it probably would have been, I was prescribed up to 300mg a day but never took more than 100

[ainslie in reply to Sandra600]

wise , I would say

[George1973]

aww big hugs I was addicted and the withdrawal took me a while to feel normal again xxxx

[Sandra600 in reply to George1973]

Thanks George do you remember how long it took you to feel normal? X

[Macjayne]

I've been on 50s 2 4 times a day for 2yr I think I'm addicted them now and take 300mg gapapentin 3 3times a day for 2 year would hate to think of coming off them.

[Debsdelight72 in reply to Macjayne]

Snap, I take 100 4 times a day I'm not sure they even work anymore after 6 years on them,I don't really want to start messing around trying to withdrawl again,I cut 1 out a week

As advised by Doc,I came down with a really bad cold and went back on full dose trying to get rid of joint pains. I don't think I'm gonna try again unless my doctor says it's time

[George1973]

it took about 12 weeks the withdrawal symptoms were a few weeks but started to feel normal ish within that time.our bodies are all different but I can take diazepam no problem at all xxxxx

[Sandra600 in reply to George1973]

Thanks I’m ok with diazepam too I just can’t get it very often x

[Debsdelight72 in reply to Sandra600]

I get the diazepam on repeat prescription, They allow me 21 per month, I don't take all of them but it's a relief to know they're there when I need them

[Sandra600 in reply to Debsdelight72]

I wish I could get that many

[Bluebell999]

I stopped the Tramadol myself as whenever I felt it wasn't working, the doc would just increase the dosage. It was like leapfrogging to get to the next higher dose which would work only temporarily.

I realised if I had to keep increasing then it wasn't really doing much good and for me that was a sign of addiction when the pain urged by the brain needs more and more.

I was extremely lucky to manage my withdrawal after only a couple of weeks, which I think confirms to me it wasn't helping in the first place.

I really feel for anyone who has taken pain medication for a long time and has come to rely on it to get through the day and night. Reducing the dose slowly is the general consensus but that is easier said then done, and you have to be really strong willed not to take the extra dose when you feel you need it. It is hard when you have all the symptoms of fibro plus this on top.

The only choice offered to me was paracetamol and morphine. Talk about from the sublime to the ridiculous! So mostly during the day it is paracetamol, with the very occasional dose of oramorph and every night it is morphine long lasting. which prevents the breakthrough pain I was getting before. I take amitryptilene 60mg at night too, which helps and I just know this new doc wants me to come off that eventually.

However, at the moment I am having problems with coming off of diazepam, prescribed because of muscle spasms. I am now down to 4mg a day and doc wants to reduce further. I am not having sweats or shakes just more spasms.

If you can imagine a puppet with strings, sometimes I feel the strings are pulled up very tight from my ankles to the top of my head.with the muscles going hard into spasm. Even my toes curl up and my fingers get stuck in funny positions.

Can anyone help with ideas.

I don't have a bath, so no good soak unfortunately.

Good luck Sandra600 , it's tough but at least you know we are all rooting for you. Hopefully you will be over the worse very soon.

Xx

[Sandra600 in reply to Bluebell999]

Thank you, I am so sorry you are going through all that, I hope someone has some ideas to help you xx

[Debsdelight72 in reply to Bluebell999]

Exactly spot on