I found out I have a slipped disc, which is causing bad sciatica in my left leg. I was in a terrible state, stuck in bed for 9 weeks and couldn't get around at all.
I tried so much medication over the last few months and then finally found that tramadol and liquid morphine works for me.
After a few months I managed to get myself up and about and found I was on the mend, I took myself off the liquid morphine which has made me feel better in myself. I also reduced my tramadol from 8 a day to 4.
A 6 weeks back I had a steroid injection in my spine but it hasn't helped at all. For a few week I went back up to 8 tramdol but I've now come back down to 6 (4 on a good day) but I want off them all together.
However, I have experienced the side effects when I ran out of tablets and my perscription wasn't available until the next day, I got terrible heart palpatations, sweats, shakes, anxiety and very emotional.
My fiancee and I are wanting to have a baby so obviously the sooner I come off the tramadol the better, but does anyone have any advice for coming off them?
Anything would be much appreciated.
First of all so sorry your in pain. I know where your coming from. I have 2 herniated discs an degenerative disc disease in Lumbar region. My advice is let your back heal before you become pregnant. The strain on the back is significant an more than likely you will have a significant amount of pain if your muscles in back are not in prime condition for the pregnancy. Iv had 2 sons. I had to wear a special belt around my belly to hold up the baby so it wouldn't strain as much as possible. I had to be very careful what I did like no bending or twisting etc.. Now the Tramadol part I have alot of experience on that! I'm a recovering Tramadol addict. Took for 7 yrs at normal doses until last two an was up to 15-20 a day. The longer I took it the more I needed it. Everyone is different. Some can stick to 4-6 a day or less but not me. See Tramadol also has antidepressant/anti-anxiety properties to it along with opiate properties. I was using it as an antidepressant an anti-anxiety there at the end. In May of this yr. I got sick an started having palpitations an skipped heart beat. Went ER an it was humiliating to admit to how much I was taking. Two days later I went on my own to a detox hospital for 5 days. Couldn't detox on my own. To high a dose an dangerous. Its been 6 &1/2 mnths off Tramadol. Im sooo glad I got off. I had tried in past but withdrawals were hell on earth. Here is a list of w.d. symptoms that pretty much are gonna happen but all depends on how long an how dosage....runny nose, diaherra, restless leg syndrome, coughing, gaging, sometimes vomiting, depressed, anxiety, scratchy throat, flu like aches all over, insomnia. Only way I see to get off at dosage you are on is very slowly reduce dosage. I mean SLOW. To fast an you'll have w.d. symptoms. Drop down to 5 a day like for 2 wks. Then drop a pill every 2-3 wks. If symptoms arise can half the pills an go down by half a pill every 2 wks instead of a whole pill. Like for 2 wks take 5 & 1/2 pills an then drop to 5 pills for 2wks then 4&1/2 pills for 2-3 wks an so on. Yes it will couple mnths but you will be off them so whats the rush if you dont want to suffer. If you do want to suffer go faster. Every drop you might have a little resistance fr ur body not liking the drop but wait till symptoms go away then until you drop again. Some do it cold turkey but its hell. Tramadol is very addicting. Dr's are wrong. Some have depression an Anxiety for mnths or a yr after stopping. I do. Im on Lexapro now an Klonapine(1/4 of a .5mg pill) as needed. Lexapro is 5mg @ night. I thought I was ok until 4 mnths later an mood swings started an then depressed all time. Also I believe Tramadol through me into menopause which I found out in Nov Im n menopause! Im 46!. The high doses of Tramadol caused me to not have a period for a yr or so. I didn't care as long as I had my pills. Was getting off internet. Horrible an expensive. Iv finally forgiven myself over it an just want to feel normal. Some things to help with symptoms of w.d. are anti-diaherra drugs (over the counter), electrolyte solutions, hot baths for restless legs an walking alot. Eat well balanced diet. Take magnesium, iron an Omegas, calcium. Back off caffeine, it can make anxiety worse. If you can tell your Dr you are slowly tapering off Tramadol an make sure you wont run out before your done! If he's a good Dr he could prescribe xanax or atavan or valium for the restlessness (legs to). They will also help you to get sleep. But keep in mind they to need tapering off also if taken even for couple mnths. I went to NA meetings an a therapist for my addiction. I realize you dont have an addiction. Your body has just become dependant on them. Big diff. You can do it. An just let your back heal. Lidocaine patches can help also. They require an rx. I live in US. Tx actually.
Goodluck. You can do it. Stick with slow tapering an let your dr know. He could help you.
God bless, Zio
HI Katie676. Yes, the withdrawls can be very frustrating and the effects from with withdrawls can make you feel pretty bad. I went from 4 a day to 1 a day right now. Talk to your doctor for a schedule on how to reduce your tramadol slowly. If you don't you will be just misserable. If you go cold turkey you could have seizuers, etc. You don't want that. Again, seek assistance from your doctor or a pain rehab. Good luck Katie
Such an incredible story, thank you so much for sharing.
I think a lot of people don't realise that tramadol can take over your life and depend on it for so much, especially when its perscribed from your doctor without them telling you anything. It was handed over to me without even talking about the withdrawl symptoms.
Thank you so much for the advice, it really means a lot. Being only 22 I don't want to continue with it for much longer because I know I'll become dependant on it and thats my biggest fear at the moment.
I'll deffinatly speak to my doctor.
I'll deffiantly go and speak to a doctor. Hopefully he can give me some advice too.
But thank you for your help 
Be sure to talk to your doctor about the "dual-dependency" aspect of tramadol. There are both opioid and SSRI effects to deal with. Personally, I believe that using a SSRI substitute is the best way to go.
HI ok my reply to you is why you are so concern about stopping tramadol if they do the job for you. I am taking tramadol myself now for more that 4 year and I was thinking the same because they are say it is a addictive table but if you think about all tablet are the same if you take then to long like for exempla I take tablet for my cholesterol 5or 6 year now and I have to take them for the rest of my life so my conclusion is if they make me field better all round why stop them and try different one if they don’t work on me believe me you I try so many different one and nothing works like the tramodol so I disease to stay with them this is my opining because they relief my pains make my field more active and more?
Hi.
I do know what you're saying but I feel that the longer I'm taking the tramadol the littler the affect the have on me.
I get little relief from them now and I feel the longer I'm taking them the more dependant I will become and can honestly say I don't want to be addicted to the drug when I don't need it. Also I've only been on then 9 months so I feel it would be easier for me to stop taking them now than waiting a few years and having a serious addiction to them.
Also Im wanting to come off them to try for a baby because I know they aren't safe.
Hi Katie I totally agree with you get off this drug as safely and quickly as possible. I have been on tramadol for 3years now January of 2014 massively increased my dose I now take on average 16 to 20 trams a day . I was never told of the addictive issues with this drug my G.P won,t even recognise the drug for its addictive capabilities. It was my spinal consultant that informed me after 6months of tramadol use 400mg a day at that time I was taking the prescribed dose, anyway my consultant said you do realise your addictive to trams and will have to go into a detox programme to get off them...Shocked to say the least, and now I abuse the drug and take more my tolerance to this drug is high and anykind of detox will be slow and long. Good Luck on your journey without tramadol..jx
Hi i dont i greed with that because i been on tramadol for more that 4 year and i all ways take the same amount and they still take the pain away and make me fill good and active and i only take 2x50 mg at day any way good lake on avrythink you,
In glad it's working for you, but it seems it has stopped working for me. No matter if I take 4, 6 or 8 (my recommended dosage per day) I still fell the same, I get the same amount of pain and little relief.
I just think it's scary that they hand over the tramadol to you without saying anything about how addictive it is.
I know it can happen with most meds these days but there's something about the tramadol that grips you and the withdrawl symptoms seem to be so much worse than anything I've ever experienced.
I just hope there is a safe way to come down off them before it gets any worse for me.
I'm sorry to hear about you stuggles with tramadol. I really hope you find a release soon
I agree with you Katie were taking a lot of pain meds for little relief so we need to ask why do we continue to take it............simple because of its addictive properties. Yes it makes us feel slightly better but thats about all jx
Hi jr10060 I currently am taking 150 mg a day and am so afraid to start weaning myself off . I went two days without any and the side effects were just horrible that I started taking them again to feel "normal" again. I just wanted to ask did you go straight from 400mg to just 100mg? Did you get sick at all? I'm thinking about just going straight to 50 mg a day but want to avoid any withdrawl symptoms as possible. Thanks!
I agree with you luis28539 I take the same amount daily the thing is do you want to be controlled by a pill daily . Something happens and you can't take those pills for 24 hours your going to go through a living hell . I believe in taking a medication to improve your quality of life but something that can make you so sick after not getting your daily dose has me rethinking if this is the medicine for me . Stop taking it for a few days then let me know if this medicine is right for you. I myself don't want to have to be dependent on any drug ..but now here I am taking two pills a day just to avoid being sick I hate them ! If I didn't have two small children I would take the time to quit cold turkey but I am unable to be sick for weeks . To me it's just an awful spot to me in!
Katie, dont just stop. I know what your up against. Try to stretch out the doses and eventually you will be at three a day. It has taken me three months to get from three a day down to 1/2 a tab every three days. The side affects get better in time but it has bern tough. If your serious, then do bbc t be afraid to ask for some help to get a withdrawl schedule. Hang in there. You can do it
I wouldn't want to put myself through not taking them for a few days, I can't just cut them out all together.
I've been through a day without them before and I can honestly say it was the worst day of my life, I experienced every withdrawl symptom (sweating, heart palpitations, stomach pains, depression, anxiety and sickness) my emotions were all over the place and I refuse to put myself through it again for the sake knowing if they're right for me, I already know they're not working as well as they did before.
You know how rubbish it is to have to be dependant on a drug, so you imagine cutting yours out for a few days and think how you would feel.
I won't stop unless I'm confident I can get myself off them. I've gone back down to 4 which is a huge, halved in 3 weeks which I'm super proud of.
I'm seeing the doctor after Christmas to give me a schedule for the new year to get off them. Hoping to be off by my 23rd birthday so I have 6 months which I know is a long time but I'm hoping that way I'll avoid any horrible withdrawals
Yes, it has to be very slow. You can half the 50mg when you get down to a certain mg. Im a recovering Tramadol addict. Free now for almost 8 mnths. I was up there on the mg's. Taking 15-20-25 a day. I had to go to detox facility. To high a dosage. Dangerous. Can have seizures. But your dose is doable on your own. Just dont cut down very fast. It could take mnths. You can do it! Tramadol is evil. It also has antidepressant/anti-anxiety properties so watch out for depression an Anxiety. I had to get on Lexapro an antidepressant. Been on it for a mnth now. What's funny is I didn't get depressed until 3-4 mnths after stopping. So watch out for that. Take a good multi Vit an magnesium, Omegas, & Vit.D3. Stay hydrated. Goodluck. Remember this will pass when you feel bad. Exercise.
Yes I know exactly how you feel. I know the withdrawals are absolutely horrible I did it for 24 hours once and ended up taking two to stop the sickness. I have two little ones and being sick for days for me is not an option. On the other hand though I'm sick still a little every day while I taper..so I figure I'm going to pick four days next month..send the kids to my parents and do the cold turkey withdrawl. I want to just be free of this it is honestly so hard !