I have now been off tranadol for the past 6 weeks, I am still getting withdrawal symptoms only through my legs ( I know this sounds strange) I get restless legs at about the same time every night, I find this so annoying, it's not painful but I find I cannot sit still, my legs want to do their own thing they fling about, and I cannot sit still, will this feeling go away with time?
My doctor has upgraded my Butan patches to 15ml which I have to change on a weekly basis, this has helped the pain in my back to almost nil, the only thing I find is that they tend to wipe me out, not in the sense that I cannot think straight it doesn't affect my head, it's just my body, I cannot put one leg in front of the other without feeling so tired most of the time, I told my doctor this and she said she thought it was because of the lack of sleep, ( I only get on average about 4 hours a night because of the pain), and that upping my patches would take away most of the pain and that I should sleep better because of this. I am feeling so much better without so much pain but I am still only getting on average 4 hours, having diabetes as well this isn't at all good for me, does anyone think that because of the diabetes I am more likely to have the constant wiped out sensation or should I agree with my doctor it's decades of the lack of sleep.
Sorry to have rambled on for so long.
Written by
Nin123
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Nothing strange about Restless legs isn't nice, the thing I do is go straight to bed and stretch out and sleep, when I awake 19/20 they disappear, I know it probably not work for everyone but it works for me.
Yes I try and get up and move my position, this usually works for me, I go on to my iPad which is in a different room and when I sit on my kitchen stool this seems to fix the problem, sounds strange but this is the only thing that works for me, but I wonder why I am still having this problem after being free from tramadol for so many weeks
That's a good question, WHY, when at first I started my patches I did feel great until London night I took my patch off so I could change it but in between a shower and having to rush out ( children ) lol, I had to go to Manchester, in a big hurry 40 miles away, I forgot to put a new patch on, did I regret it , wow yes and it took about a week or two getting back to normal, so don't ever to put one on always order early so you can build up a stash of them lol, I'm thinking that your coming of tramadol must be like going through cold turkey as druggies do, it might be similar sort of thing.
Maybe hang on for a while or ask your GP about it or even your pharmacy lol because they must get a lot of people through thier books. Maybe we are druggies without knowing it and we don't need to steal to buy lol.
I really hope that you get things sorted really soon.
Thanks for that reply Phillip, it's good to know that other people go through the same things, I do change my patch regularly and try not to forget, the only thing that troubles me is it comes off when I shower, I am quite careful not to get it to wet but sometimes it isn't possible, I shower every day and I am quite bothered about it getting them to wet, do you know of anything to do except covering them with cling film like some people suggest lol, I would be greatful for any suggestions
Someone suggested on another post to use a section of tubigrip. Perhaps u have an old one you can cut up. And then I'm thinking cut the end off a large plastic sandwich bag and carefully tuck this over the tubigrip at the top end and that should work better still and be reusable. Not tried it myself though but will have it in mind for the next time I try a patch.
My patches are situated on my chest so it would be difficult to try and use a section of tubigrip and even if I could use tubigrip it would get wet whilst I showered even a plastic bag would be difficult, but I thank you for your reply and I will keep trying dodging the drips lol x
Nin123 Hi! Im Rob, I suffer from chronic pain and diabetes MS and dozens of surgeries. Maybe I can help. Although, I am not a DR. I only play one on TV.
First, your legs thing. That is or sounds to me like Diabetes. Not withdrawal from Tamadol. Tramadol Is technically a narcotic. But that is something the UK and US governments got involved with and said it was. It is a good and effective pain reliever if you don't have a tolerance to narcotics. It is strange your DR went from tramadol to a Butrans patch. That is a heavy narcotic! Anyway, back to your legs. I would agree with your DR that it is exhaustion. Your brain thinks its asleep and your body isn't and your legs twitch. Or could be neuropathy from diabetes. As far as feeling wiped outed. It is between the 4 hours of sleep and the Butrans. The best I can explain it is. Like a dream where you are trying to run and you are in slow motion, but everything else is normal.
Diabetes. Are your numbers under control. I know you probably hate people asking that. I hate it when people ask me about my diabetes. But if you have a high A1C or your diet is not the best. you can absolutely feel that way. I know when my sugars are high for a while i feel that way often. Also, by no means am I a well controlled diabetic. Well, I should not say that. I don't have the best diet and because of my back and MS I do not exercise. My A1C is normally between 6.5-7.5 which is not bad for a 42 year old that does not get off his bum very often.
Does any of this help? Feel free to ask me more or ignore me. Have a great day!
Hello Rob thanks for your reply, yes I am a diabetic and try and keep my sugars under control, I test on a couple of times a week only because my diabetes nurse won't provide me with the strips I need to do it more often, I have to buy my test strips from eBay and they are not cheap.
My diabetes nurse suggested I only to test if or when I am not feeling well, and for most of the time I don't feel to bad as far as my diabetes goes, I really don't think my restless legs are any thing to do with diabetes, this happens at the same time every night, even when my sugars are ("normal"), are you saying that you think my sugar is higher than it should be at the same time every night, and what about when I move my position the restless legs then stop, so do you think my sugar each time I move goes down,
Not long ago I was having hypo,s my sugar for some reason was going to around 3.2/4.3 and that is when the nurse suggested I test more often, we finally got it under control with changing the dosage of metformin.
Any way I digress, I am not really worried about my diabetes it's my back problem that's concerning me, my doctor only this last week has increased the dosage of the patches to 15mls and as I said this wipes me out, my legs don't want to work,(except at night when I get the restless legs), I will look into this being to do with my diabetes rather than the patches, but I tend to go with what my doctor says and she hasn't mentioned any thing to do with my diabetes. She leaves this to the nurse.
I am due at the hospital again soon to have special inserts fitted to my shoes I am hoping this will help my back, do you think Brutan patches are worse than tramadol, I was taking tramadol for over 15 years and in the end didn't have the desired effect on my back so my doctor decided after some research by her to change me to Brutan
First, I forgot things are so very different across the pond. I am type1 diabetic and check my sugar @10xs a day and ware an insulin pump with a blood sugar sensor. All covered by insurance. Or I should say I am assuming you are in Europe. I am not actually saying anything directly. just suggesting. if you Dr is not concerned about your diabetes and just lets a nurse handle it. That bothers me very much. Also, only checking a couple times a week is dangerous Type 1 or 2. There are programs from the manufacture of the strips to get financial assistance. Worth looking into. you should be checking at the least 2 times a day. Also Diabetes under control will after a long time will have effects like neuropathy. I have it after having diabetes for 20+ years that has been under control
Moving on. What is wrong with your back? I also did not realize you had been on tramadol for so long. That would cause withdrawal. Just not at the same time every night. That would be an all day thing. Also, the Butrans patch would help negate that since it is a narcotic. it would make you have little or no symptoms of withdrawal. Also, Butrans is not better or worse. Just stronger. But to me. It is what ever works for you. I use Opana er 20mgs every 12 hours. That is an incredible amount of narcotics!!!
You have a lot going on! Sounds complicated. So please don't take me wrong in any manner. Just looking to offer suggestions to a new friend!
Yes I have loads going on with my health, I have diabetes, an atrial fibrillation, 2 prolapsed discs, and arthritis In my spine and neck. I also have carpel tunnel syndrome and arthritis in my hands.
That is why I am on Butran patches, I am in a great deal of pain throughout the day, I come from the middle of the U.K.
I have never heard of the medication you are on Rob, I don't know about anything except tramadol and now Butran patches.
What is opana Rob and what is it for?
Where do you come from ?
I presume you are from the USA as you mention your medicine is covered by insurance.
I have a son,daughter- law and 3 grandchildren who live in Michigan, I love going over to visit them,but being as my health is so bad I don't get to see them as often as I would like.
You seem to have your diabetes under control Rob, having it for so long you must be used to the ups and downs it causes, mine is type 2 is yours?
It's nice to have a new friend to discuss these things with.
My Brother tells me I can't sit still and relax, I thought it was just me. I didn't think it was Tramadol which I came of 3 years ago. I felt awful for a couple of weeks, so I don't really know if Tramadol can cause this effect, try playing games on your I-pad or tablet while watching the Tele this might help you get your mind of it, I don't see my restless behavior a problem.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Licodeine patches
capsaisan patches 
