Hi,
Before and following surgery for a disc replacement I have been taking a cocktail of drugs for aprox 5 months
2 x 50mg Tramadol every four hours
2 x 30mg Nefopam three times a day
1 x 500mg Naproxin twice a day
1 x 50mg Cyclizine three times a day
2 x 500mg Paracetamol every fours hours
Now I think I've done something really stupid by going cold turkey without medical advice and stopping them all in one go. I know I've done wrong so please don't tell me off :-(
I've suffered tirdness, sickness, stomach cramps, upset stomach, nightmares, tearfulness and other problems. I'm now on day five and most of the side effects are well on their way out but I just cannot stop feeling sick and gagging (not actually being sick) and my stomach is very sore. Does anyone know if that is typical?
Has anyone else tried to stop their meds this way? I'm too far along to go back onto the drugs and I really don't want to but I'd be glad and greatful to hear from others who went cold turkey.
Thank you to anyone that replies
Kate
Hi Kate,I used to take 2 x 50mg four times a day with paracetamol I am on other bowel meds which dosnt effect these meds,over Christmas I was so ill & forgot all my meds,but then realized I had forgotten them,I was feeling really sick,had the shakes,breathing was really heavy,hot & cold,couldn't relax at all & had terrible hallucinations I called the doctor & was told to take my Tramadol ASAP so I did everything went away within 20 mins! I am now reducing the Tramadol very slowly I'm trying to do 4 one then 3 the next,I would want to go through that again I thought I was dying!! I know it will take some time but that's what my doctor recamended as coming off them straight away can course strokes,heat attacks,So please be be careful Kate I would go & see your doctor just to see what he says,take care hope you stay well 😊
Hi, just wanted to say I'm sure all your symptoms are from the Tramadol withdrawal.
you have done five days usually first week is worst I know some people say about
seizuers but I think it's when people take really high doses. It seems a shame to go backwards and start them again as they are the addictive ones. Maybe your GP or
pharmasist could help with the symptoms you are suffering with. I myself went cold
turkey from DH which was hard but after first week everyday got better.
i don't blame you for wanting to stop these as reading other people's stories the
longer you take them the harder it is to stop.
good luck hope you get some more good advice Ann
That a big cocktail so I will go through one at a time.
Tramadol: Opiod and SNRI pain killer. This will give the worst withdrawels, just search tramadol withdrawel and you will find lots of people having trouble with this. Best to taper off this one slowly.
Nefopam: Pain killer. I dont know much about this one, sorry.
Naproxin: NSAID pain killer similler ti Ibuprofen. You should be ok stopping this cold. You may get breakthrough pain though.
Cyclizine: Antihistamine. Probably given this to stop you being sick from the cocktail of drugs your've been on. You may get nausea from just stopping this one but it shouldn't last more than a few days.
Paracetamol: You should be able to just stop this one.
OK all this said. For the sake of pain management maybe only want stop one pain med at a time so that you can keep your pain controlled while you withdraw.
As another user has said though after 5 months on that dose Tramadol will give you the most problems. This is the main one you should taper off from as you will feel rough coming off it. That said, some people can cope with it and after a while are fine others really struggle.
How long have you been off the meds now?
Sorry I just saw your on day 5. You probably are over the worst of it now but Tramadol withdrawel can last a lot longer for some people. I agree with the poster above thatat day 5 most of the rough feeling is the Tramadol withdrawel. How is your pain? Is it under control?
Hi honey
first of all you brave girl and well done I know what you have gone through and unless you've been through it no one could understand. I was on the same tramadol as you plus amytripaline, pregabalin, zopiclone and diazepam, for a year for 2 prolapsed discs. Did as you did and quit everything cold Turkey apart from the diazepam. For me the restless leg was the worst along with a very unsympathetic husband!! The worst is over, you've done it, couple more days tops!! be proud, it is hell!! I quit tramadol about 3 weeks ago and still have almost daily nausea. I am living on bran flakes (which I don't even like!) because for some reason that's all I can stomach!! Some days are better than others but remember that to will pass. My nausea may be lasting longer because I am still trying to taper the diazepam. I am now on 20mg a day from 40 so have dropped 20mg in 2 weeks, probably way to fast and I am slowing down now because it is getting harder. Everyone is telling me go slow but I just want off the stuff!! However I don't think I could go,through restless leg again just yet. The nausea will go, your body has been through so much. How are you mentally, I was very depressed at first. What made me laugh was when my doctor said who Put you on this lot, ummmm you did!!! Keep in touch and if anyone has any advice with the diazepam please let me know. Just want to be drug free as I feel I've lost the real me somewhere along the way..
Hi, well done for keeping strong. I beleive diazepam can be a difficult
one to come off so I'm sure your right to taper from that.
i think this site helps a lot of people going through all different types of
drug withdrawal, don't really think doctors understand how difficult it is.
keep strong good luck Ann
Thank you very much for all your replies. I really thought I'd get a lot of "how stupid are you" from people but I'm overwhelmed by the advice and support everyone has given.You really are such lovely people and I'm so grateful xxxx. I can't believe how many people are in the same boat. It's sad to know that there are loads of you suffering too but it has given me comfort knowing that everything I'm going through is quite common and normal. Thank you everyone for that x.
It seems to me that the docs are very quick to prescribe all these drugs but there is very little talked about coming off them. At the height of my pain I would have taken anything they told me to. I had my surgery nearly two weeks ago but coming off the meds has never been discussed at any time. I think if I'm really honest the nightmares and palpitations have been the worst. I can't believe I even had the mental knowledge to dream the vile and scary dreams I have dreamt over the past couple of nights. Makes me shudder.
I'd like to wish you all, all the very best. My goodness it's not easy is it xxx
Well done Kat1e! I'm withdrawing slowly from Tramadol as when I went cold turkey I lasted 37 days and had to go back on the drug as I couldn't stand the withdrawals any longer, but we are all made differently and you could be fine! I'm opening up the 50g tabs and dividing the powder I to 3 and reducing by that weekly. I'm on 200g now (4x50g) and beginning to feel sick and withdrawals already! :-( I really hope you will feel well in the next few weeks! Best of luck x
Thank you for your in depth reply tony15730. Seems like Tramadol is my main problem then. For the first time in probably two years I have no pain whatsoever. Long may it last :-)
Hi jo61533,
Thank you for your lovely reply. Me a brave girl? I don't think I can even be compare to the bravery you're showing. I think you are amazing and to also on top of everything else to be quitting diazepam too. Phew! well done you. I was on diazepam for a while but didn't like it so was came off it pretty quick.
I also didn't want to prolong coming off the drugs by going slow but in hindsight I would if there was (God forbid) ever a next time.
Mentally like you I feel very down at the moment. My daughter came over the other night and I just sat there and sobbed. She said we'll laugh about this one day mum and she's probaly right. Tears are more under control as each day passes though.
Are you pain free now?
Thank you ann03972 for all your support and kind words. It's really help to know I'm not the only person to have gone down this road xxx
Hi amanda 40624,
Thank you for taking the time to reply. You have eased my worries. I would so love to start the Tramadol again now. To feel better again in 20 minutes wow but I won't. I must nearly be there surely. If no better by Monday I will as you suggest go see my doc. Good luck with your plan I hope it goes well. I certainly wouldn't go cold turkey again x
hi kat 1e well done-its a hard road you chose to take- i was taking 20x50mg Tramadol and 20x30mg codiene a day i quit last september-it was rough- ihave de-toxed from alcohol many times and from codiene before-but this was far worse-after 10 days i had to see my doc about something else but told her i had quit the pills and how many i was taking-she hit the roof-tore me a new one-wow it was painful ha- she put me on librium for a week to cover the last of the wds- this certainly helped- i stopped taking them after 5 days- i wouldnt take Tramadol again no matter how much pain i was in ( i have two prolapsed discs). The Dr's dont know enough about this drug-it has just been re-classified in the US-it used to be sold over the counter-wtf- anyway at last they are realising how many people are getting hooked on this drug and how hard it is to quit-well done - after 5 days- dont go back on this crap- you dont want to have to do this again- all the best- stay strong-
Thank you Ruth86511,
Can I ask how long you had been on them? I'm really hoping I can stick this out. xx
Thanks pmcg21. That's whopping doses. My God! Your withdrawal symptoms must have been horrendous. I agree that I never want tramadol again but then I go back to how much pain I was in and the tramadol kind of helped and I would have done or taken absolutely anything to get rid of that pain. I don't think it was ever available over the counter here but don't hold me to that. I hope things get better for you x
Pain wise.im ok. I had 2 epidurals which have done the trick so far!! If only they'd d that sooner but I had to practically beg for the Mri scan in the first place. You're daughters right you will laugh about this. She sounds lovely, my daughters been great but not so much my soul and husband. They seem to think I'm invincible when maybe im not as strong as everyone thinks I am and sometimes I just need a hug. Anyways enough self pity we will be fine. Remember what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and it's gone midnight so that's another day you've done. Keep going xx
thanks Ann never sure if the longer you are on it the harder it gets and I hear hotter stories of tolerance etc so I then think do I bite the bullet and get it over and done with. Got doctor Monday so will ask him, mind you he just seems to google everything anyway!! Oh dear what a state to get in!! Xx
Tried the cold turkey. Thought I would die. I started again, but this time was different. I cut back one-half tab every three weeks. Sometimes maybe 4 weeks. Had no side effects. The half tab would have been the one before bed.
It has been almost three months since I finally stopped. I still have the crazy dreams, sweats. Itchyness. Etc. It could take up to a year for your body to readjust. It is challenging at times, but the alternative is not good. I also attend a substance abuse program which teaches you a new w ads y of thinking.
I was on it for 18 years. It did no t begin over night, and will not end overnight, but atleast
Im almost 1/2 way there.
Don't give up hope. I know it is hard, but d I g down deep and you will win. Good luck.
Hi jr10060,
Thank you for sharing your story. If I had known at the beginning what I know now I wouldl never have gone cold turkey. Though a lot of the issues I originally had are under control, two weeks later I still feel very sick with an upset stomach. I'm going to try and see my GP today.