Tramadol withdrawal

[Seraphina56]

Hi. I took 400 mg Tramadol a day for three weeks for severe shingles pain and after 2 weeks tried to reduce it but the pain came back. So I carried on at 400 for another week then tried again. This time I got it to 200 in 10 days and thought I was doing okay. Then on day 11, with no return of the pain, I started getting what I assume are withdrawal symptoms. Awful fatigue, tension, sweats, weakness, can't concentrate, a bit nauseous. It comes in waves but there is an odd hour when I might be relatively okay and can hold a conversation or make some food; I think it's gone but it always comes back. It's been 6 days and is no better. I'm still on 200 and intending that once I get over this I'll go on a very slow taper. But at the moment I'm desperate to know when this will end and whether there's anything I can do to make it stop. Is this normal for someone who was on it for so short a time? I would be grateful for any help.

[Bananas5]

You have certainly come down far too quickly . Tramadol is horrible and even though you have only been on short time you are having bad side effects.

My best advice is to go back up to a higher dose and stop there for a week or so. Come down slowly and if side effect start up again you have to bafck to higher dose.

It may take a while but it is worth it.

This really should be done under guidance from your GP but unfortunately many bring patients down too fast.

x

[Seraphina56 in reply to Bananas5]

Thank you for this. I’ve thought about going back up to 250mg but it’s a depressing thought. If I didn’t do that, how long do you think this awfulness will last? Any idea? Unfortunately my GP surgery is not helpful. They gave me no advice at all on reducing, just said to do it. Rang them day before yesterday and could only get a phone consultation. I don’t think the doctor I spoke to knew any more than I did. With the empathy level of a snail.

[Bananas5 in reply to Seraphina56]

How long will withdrawal last? Difficult question. Maybe weeks? Of course only you can decide but I know what I would do and I am a whimsy!

x

[Pam6971]

I was on them for 2 years and had bad withdrawals, I ended up in hospital, it took me a few weeks to come off them completely, I was put on tapentadol which doctor said is the sister to tramadol, reduce them slowly, take 1 less tablet daily for a week, then reduce by another the next week, I didn’t feel good one day so went to bed, missed 2 doses of tramadol, didn’t think it was them causing the hot & cold sweats, hospital put it down to a viral infection, after 8 hours in hospital I went home, sweats started again, I took 1 tramadol instead of 2, sweats stopped, it was then I realised it was withdrawals, got to my doctors on the Monday and was put on tapentadol which is a 12 hourly tablet, I wouldn’t touch tramadol again x

[Seraphina56 in reply to Pam6971]

You're not the first to tell me about bad experiences with Tramadol withdrawal. It seems to be extremely common. I do share your feelings. I've gone back up a capsule and feel much better.

[Pam6971 in reply to Seraphina56]

That’s good, just reduce by 1 tablet every week, I was on 8 a day so went down to 7 then 6 and so on till I was off them x

[MissyLynn]

WOW Tramadol is one of the worse medications ever. Please be aware of other meds prescription and over the counter. You can get the same feeling that you describe as it interacts with so many other meds herbs alcohol etc. Much of what your feeling may be contributed to contraindications as well.

I would like to suggest that while you are tapering you pay close attention to your diet and building your immune system. You want to have a high fiber diet consistently cleansing internally. Oatmeal Chia etc. Pro biotics gut flora are very important. No alcohol or herbs that may conflict with tramadol. Try to stay away from foods that become paste in your colon like white breads pastas. Reduce sugar and don't over do salt.

Drink loads of water. Cherry and pomegranate juices are great for cleansing blood and anti inflammatory. You can sweeten with honey or agave if you need to. You want to try to get your colon cleaning on a regular basis.

Sometimes the Dr prescribes tramadol for the dual effects of pain management and effect on nervous system. I know my shingles would come on thru the years when I was under a great deal of stresss then I would get cold symptoms. I found taking a high potency stress tabs and B12 helped. I also added vita C to my regimen. Bananas are great especially not to ripe. What you don't want is an empty stomach but you want nutrition your body can use them then move on out as waste. Soups with fresh veggies and purees. Beets greens etc. All this should help you taper while cleaning internally and building your immune system. I did take an ansaid for pain which I would no longer do. I found DMSO and it was a God send.

In essence I would check for conta indications and make sure you are not increasing the effects of the tramadol or prolonging it's visit. Keep tapering off and don't reverse. If you are having bad side effects ask someone to be with you and help you stay hydrated and eating. It's not just a matter of what you are taking in but also what is leaving your body. You can get dmso in a roller form cream or liquid. They also have ansaid patches for pain. Oatmeal baths or scrubs are great for shingles. Using essential oils in your environment can be helpful.

What I found was the way I handled my shingles attacks determined how long they lasted and how frequently they came. When doctors prescribe tramadol for shingles it is a lifetime invitation to the shingles virus as well as obviously other complications more far reaching than the medical or pharmaceutical industry would like us to know. I would like to add that I am a big fan of cbd oil, black seed oil, and turmeric. I can also attest to help of fish oil in fighting nerve and joint pain. All of which you can use while tapering off tramadol. But would not take at the same time as taking tramadol. It would be a few hours apart.

I know this is l long but I hope it helps.

I would share a couple tramadol horrors that I experienced but don't want to give people any ideas. Wishing you the best.

[Seraphina56 in reply to MissyLynn]

Thank you for all this good advice. I’ll have a good read of it

[Sydney04]

Hi there, I've very recently gone from taking 400mg prescribed tramadol a day to 50mg a day and as of next week I'll be off this awful drug completely.

I have been through exactly the same withdrawal symptoms you've described - they're awful and they being your life to a complete halt until they pass. It took about 7-10 days for the hot sweating, nausea and extreme fatigue to subside - I reduced the tramadol by 50mg a week.

I went to see my GP I was so concerned - thankfully I had booked leave off work and i spent the week fighting off withdrawal symptoms.

It's a truly awful drug and I don't think it would be prescribed as often as it is if the prescriber appreciated how awful it is when you want to stop taking it.

You've come this far with coming off tramadol, I would perhaps visit your GP and discuss tapering off the medication at a slightly slower pace?

[Allanboy]

I was prescribed 400mg a day for severe back pain, reduced this to 200mg after 3 weeks and then 150mg for a week, stopped taking them 5 days ago and have felt very "out of sorts" since. Doc thinks I've got a virus but after reading your post, I'm now wondering if it's the Tramadol, or lack of it?

After day 5 I'm still feeling nauseous and "fluffy headed" can't really describe it any better, also having diarrhoea, hope it clears up soon. Don't think I'll be taking Tramadol again.

[Seraphina56 in reply to Allanboy]

What you describe are typical withdrawal symptoms. My 'fluffy head ' (good description) and all the other horrible symptoms went on for a week without getting any better. I felt truly awful and very worried. Eventually after consulting my GP, a pharmacist and a withdrawal specialist, who all said the symptoms could go on for weeks, I went back up to 250mg a day, within 24 hours I was feeling almost okay. Such a relief. I've been on a slow taper since then. New dose and old dose alternate days for a week, then new dose daily for a week. Then new dose and old dose alternate days for a week and new dose daily for a week. So it takes two weeks to drop one capsule. I'm now on one capsule a day. It's definitely worth doing it slowly, even though it is frustrating. If you have any return of even slight withdrawals, stick at that dose till all symptoms are gone, before going to the next reduction. Beware impatience. You cant hurry it, it's not a race.

Theres little information about this on the net except in forums like this. But all the professionals i spoke to thought my experience was typical. God knows why they dont warn you when they prescribe it and use slow tapering.

I should say that if you don’t feel too bad and can put up with it, persevere and just drop the dose by a cap a week. I felt too bad, in bed most of the time, like the worst hangover and drunk with bad flue all at once. Tearful, depressed, no appetite, some diarrhoea and nausea. All my limbs were weak and limp.

[Allanboy]

Thanks for your reply, I'm also having huge difficulty sleeping. I'm surprised that something could cause so much upset when stopping, tbh it didn't seem to help much when I was on it and certainly not worth feeling this bad after using it. Don't think I'll use it again.

[Seraphina56 in reply to Allanboy]

It did help my pain. But a lower dose might have done just as well and taken half the time to get off it.

[dreamingofnopain64]

Hi , Thanks for your posts, i have been on roughly 300-400 per day over the last few years after knee replacements, previously i had a bad reaction and was often sick, prior to covid restrictions btw making GP advice even harder to get, however i was put on 24 hour patches which appeared better , only to result in my upper torso looking like a patch work quilt due to blisters. so once again back to tramadol, i too wish id never entered that dark tunnel, the flushes , the sweats, feeling like a hangover in a morning and crawling like a 90 year old after waking up. I've tried to get a referral for a pain clinic only to be told by my GP that i must get it in writing from my surgeons orthopaedic secretary that they can do no more, is that as i work in the NHS that they are trying it on perhaps? Sorry rant over but at present im on 150mg a day and stressing on a night when the restless arms (which i want to cut off) are coming due to not enough tramadol, i live in hope.