I have Tethered Cord Syndrome and GP wants me off Tramadol (400 mg/day) and Diazepam (30 mg/day)
Can I have some suggestions as gto safely do it as Cold Turkey is unpleasant and I cannot tolerate Gabapentin, Pregabalin or Baclofen. I really need a muscle relaxant of which there are few without side effects and I have been round the houses on Wild Goose chases which I have logged on Thyroid UK in part due to the problems my wife is having with medication and medics.
I am no expert but maybe gradually reduce your Tramadol first, slowly and only after weaning off that tackle the Valium. To do both at the same time does not seem realistic. Good luck
What has your gp recommended you do to come off and why does he want you to as you say you cannot take the other equivalent meds. All I know when I came off Gabapentin (my choice) gp told me how to reduce very very slowly.
I was dependent on prescription opiates, my GP worked from a chart that she showed me, lowering the dose gradually over a period of weeks. She did mention the possibility of referring me to a specialist but it wasn't necessary in my case. You really need to talk to your GP.
no good he’s as much as given up on me.
I've felt that way at times, not about this issue but others, it always turned out there was some misunderstanding. But if it really is the case then you seriously need to get another GP. Are you sure it's not you that's giving up? I've had chronic pain over many years, I know what it's like, but you have to keep the medics on side, and if you can't with one of them, switch. What about the pain management service?
Hi helenshubby.I bought clear empty capsules from Amazon.
Then split the tramadol caps in half. It didn't take long for that to become boring but it did work.
That was years ago.
This time I took an extra venlafaxine and stopped the tramadol with little problem. Except extreme anxiety.
It has to be done slowly and think you should look it up online at the tests and length of reduction.
Give ur wife extra hugs and foot massages😍🤗
Good luck sweetie Dawn 🤗
I agree with all the others.
Very slowly and by very small increments is the mantra.
Good luck.
It could be worthwhile speaking to a pharmacist about different medications. They should be able to advise what is available. Book an appointment to speak with them. Either at you surgery or your local chemists.
I agree with others that coming off those medications should be done very slowly.
I was on Max tramadol a day and still had problems. My GP put me in a course that was specifically for the purpose of getting off Opioids and its derivatives! Now I must admit with the 20+ that attended there was some there that could not get themselves to fully believe the process. I am completely free of any Opioid medication now. I also feel mentally more alert!
I am not pain free by any means however I am in control of it! In my case I reduced my Tramadol over 6 weeks to zero. The one key factor is the use of Distraction and Mindfulness techniques.
Distraction is a doing something that makes your mind concentrate on something Painting, Drawing , Suduku Etc. Keeping the brain focused on the task in hand.
Mindfulness is clearing your mind of the need for the pain relief. Think of a room that is dark but you then go into a room that is darker and each time you do that it will black out the thoughts. Now if you can? soft slow music and a controlled breathing by slowly deep breath in and a slow breath out will help this process. (We had people fall asleep)
As I have said this worked for me and the fuzzy head has gone and I am in control I rarely take a paracetamol let alone even thinking of going back to Opioids.
Links below that may help?
Why does he want you off and what is his recommendation after you manage to stop them.
Concern about future dementia due to concurrent use of Diazepam. Propagated by Pain Clinic but Neurologist doesn't seem bothered by use! What the Hell do you make of that?
I think you need a new GP.
Do you use Diazepam during the day or only at bedtime? Do you find yourself forgetful? Do you start talking and then forget what you’re talking about?
I used 20mg Valium to stop severe rectal spasms for 14 years. I had pudendal nerve entrapment and I waited years to get the surgery I needed. I only used it at bedtime.
I successfully weaned off of it but in the manner everyone else has suggested. Slowly.
I’m the meantime what are you supposed to use for pain if you do wean off the Valium? I don’t understand the GP’s logic of just live with the pain. If it’s affecting your range of motion and your everyday life, you deserve pain control. Good luck,
Tramadol is one of the milder Opiods but have you asked your Gp about slow release Tramadol which might help you to come off the drug or at least reduce the intake maybe. Preferrable to cold turkey. Face the Diazepam later as that is a small dose and some people take small doses of these drugs to relax the muscles anyway. Good luck what ever you try.
I have decided to keep going with the Diazepam. 20 mg day tho I was on 30. I tried switching to Baclofen last year while reducing diazepam to 25 mg/day and managed to get Tramadol which is all slow release down to 150 mg. One of the main problems I've had since 2018 is that I had a colostomy in Dec 2018 and continued pain in the stump during 2019. I discovered all people with a spinal cord injury (traumatic or medical should be referred to a Spinal Cord Injury clinic in the UK within 48 hours of the injury which didn't't happen til 2020. They got me walking with a stick but while I was at Stanmore I had a rectal bleed and ever since I've had these intermittent discharges. In October I had two weeks of multiple daily discharges when I got to 20mg Baclofen 25mg Diazepam and 150 mg Tramadal which prompted me to reverse course & go back to what I was previously taking.which made mobility worse and increased the pain. Because of the way I've been treated I have tethered cord syndrome, which would you believe, was diagnosed by a specialist at Stanmore after my GP wrote to them about the pain I was suffering. No one at Addenbrookes or Norwich even thought of it. My lower Spinal Cord has been trashed by a combination of Medics not listening to me, diagnosing me with Back Pain, (a symptom not a condition), and a fruitless chase for rectal fistulas Radiologists seem to be able to see but the Premier Proctologist in the UK (we had to pay) couldn't find after a 3rd Exam under anaesthetic with Botox which left me in agony for a month.
Sounds like you have been through the mill, its very difficult to know what is best but you do need to have a GP working with you in UK because as much as we would like to believe our medical history is stream lined , it is not,every dr has there own opinion so does every hospital and surgery. I'm currently being shovelled between GP and hospital but not sure what either of them is doing which leaves me having costly tests for the NHS and no result for the patient. I agree with you many times we have a test result but no diagnosis of cause of pain. I have to go for a CT scan on 18th of March but need kidney function test but nobody has sent a blood test request and the next available blood test at GPs is 25th march. I can't have a test done without a request form which causes extra problems for me and the GP surgery. My pain is a new pain not the one I take tramadol for. Do they not understand the stress all this causes, which adds to your capability to control your health issues. Every best wish. I walk with crutches etc and have no transport to go to hospital , drs , dentist physio or other medicals . I can't carry my own shopping ,lift or do many heavy jobs around my home. Best wishes hope you find a treatment to ease your pain soon. Take care
Thnak you. I'm still waiting for a response to my suggestion about coming off Tramadol. I'm on Diazepam too.....
I just wanted to say hi because I was looking at your responses and see you have support from Stanmore Orthopaedic hospital. I hope you are getting the help you need from them. I am also under Stanmore and have found services very helpful and useful.
Stanmore are keeping me at arm’s length at the moment due to the distance I have to travel. I’m in Norwich and our other Spinal Injury centres are in Sheffield, which is a worse journey than to Stanmore or the Walton Centre/Stockport. Neither of which are helpful.
I don’t think that my local pain clinic has a clue how to deal with me. One of the patients on the spinal cord stimulator pathway could ride a bike!
All our clinic seems set up to deal with is mindfulness & well being if they can’t succeed with Gabapentin, pregabalin, baclofen, duloxetine, tizanidine etc. I desperately need something to relax my muscles which is the cause of the pain which has been caused by TCS and the malfeasance of those who wouldn’t do the investigations I needed in a timely manner and when they screwed up the operations because of not following the guidelines then not listening to me and going into denial.
It took so long the damage has been done and I’m virtually housebound due to the inability to mobilise.
When I came off 150mgs of Tramadol Slow release I opened up a 50mg capsule and tapped out one of the balls and sealed it up again - I did this every 5 days or so in order to reduce dose at the bare minimum. It took 3/4 months to get off it. Mine were specifically MAXITRAM so not sure if yours are exactly the same or not. It was still a terrible experience and temazepam helped as did epsom salt baths. I wish you luck x
I have read to 1st lower strength then extend interval. For example if 100mg taken 4x day. Then lower one dose by 50mg, 5 days later cut a 2nd dose to 50mg etc. Then after all doses lowered extend time between doses from 6 to 8 hrs etc.
Advice needed on medication 
Am I being ripped off?
Pregabalin - from 50 mg to 300 mg on my own.
Really need some help now
so much pain and lack of sleep 
