Hi all. I wanted to ask a question about Tramadol. I am on Tramadol (50mg am; 50mg lunch; 100mg night) and I have zero rls which is remarkable for me! I take 50mg Trazodone to try and help with sleep. My big problem at the moment is chronic anxiety which comes upon me out of no where. It is debilitating. I admit to having a stressful time at work at the moment but I have never had anxiety like this before, even when we were facing political unrest and violence in the country we lived in. I looked online and one post suggested long term use of Tramadol can cause mood changes and anxiety. Does anyone know if this could be what is triggering my anxiety? I find I can get very anxious very quickly, so I definitely seem to be vulnerable at the moment. Not sure if anyone in this forum has used Tramadol long term and had this problem?
Tramadol and anxiety?: Hi all. I wanted... - Restless Legs Syn...
Tramadol and anxiety?
Opioid induced anxiety/panic attacks are common. I had my first ever panic attack aged 57 after starting Oxycontin. Dr Buchfuhrer advised adding 50 to 75mg pregabalin- a sedating drug- to counter the opioid alerting/panic.
So you could add pregabalin and reduce trazodone.
When would you take the Pregabalin Joolsg? In 1 does or spread out?
I took pregabalin in one dose at night just before bed. It seemed to cover the anxiety /panic for 24 hours. There's no hard and fast rule. You could ask for 25mg pills and try 50mg at night. If it doesn't help within 2 days you could try adding 25mg in the day just before you usually experience any anxiety.
Thanks Joolsg. I'll start tonight. I have some left over 25mg tablets from when I stopped it. I've been getting 4 hrs sleep and then up for the rest of the night, mind racing and then bad episodes of anxiety in the day. I thought today, this surely can't be normal. Appreciate the advice .
Hi Joolsg. A quick update - I took 50mg Pregabalin last night and slept 7 hours. I felt so relaxed and had no panic when I woke up. Thanks for your advice and to Sue too. Ill see how I get on in the day today. If this works, Ill keep the Pregabalin and try and come off the Trazodone. I have a crazy heart rhythm problem and I think its the Trazodone causing it.
I do hope it continues. Perhaps wait a few days before you start to Reduce trazodone slowly. You don't want withdrawal symptoms.
Try Joolsg's idea and if that doesn't work you could ask for buspar.
Thanks Sue. I'll give it a try.
I have been taking tramadol for my fibromyalgia and it does help a little bit especially when I have a flare up, I never take it in the evening as I can’t sleep on it. Also it never gave me anxiety, if anything it makes me feel a bit better mentally, I do suffer with mental health as well so there is so many things that trigger me and anxiety can be full on, but tramadol never did. If you never had anxiety before taking tramadol it can be side effect of it, it does affect everyone differently, I’m on fluoxetine as well as my anxiety and overthinking was so bad before that I needed to regulate that, but that was before I was taking tramadol
Thank you. I also battle to sleep with Tramadol. I had reduced other neds i was on leaving me mostly just Tramadol and I had ongoing daily anxiety which I never had before. So I reckon it's the Tramadol. I have to take it at night for the rls. Thanks for your reply and all the best.
Same here. If I take tramadol to late at night, I can't sleep.
Hi, I'm on Tramadol 3 x 2 x 50mg throughout 24 hours and do indeed suffer from anxiety and depression but I put up with that as the Tramadol is helping my RLS.
Interesting - same here! All the best. Thanks for your reply.
It helps me sleep but it gives me depression, can’t take more than max 1/3 per night and preferably not every night.
Really? Its so disappointing.
I think some of us especially elderly, have poor serotonin and dopamine metabolism, and I believe that’s the reason I have this response. The more drugs I take that require such metabolism, the more fatigued and depressed I get. I also have underlying chronic illness.
Sorry to hear you are facing such a battle. I hope and pray you can stay positive.
Hi Gary, tramadol is my help also with rls. I have taken it for awhile now, probably a few years, and there are times I feel anxious but without the tramadol I cannot get any rest. I've tried several times to not take it but having no rest and having to shake my legs like I'm a cockroach on my back the only relief is the tramadol😚 I'm praying a cure can be found because if I cannot get tramadol getting no sleep will be terrible. Before I began the tramadol I was totally exhausted all the time that's why I don't mind having a few bouts now and then with being anxious.
Thank you for your reply. Its reassuring when other people have had similar side effects. Glad Tramadol works for you too.
My laugh for the day - shake my legs like I'm a cockroach on my back 🤣🤣🤣
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