I started Tramadol in September. Two weeks ago, I had one left. I took the last one at noon on a Friday. By 10:00 p.m., my body was twitching and I had a horrible, “restless body” feeling. I twisted and turned till 5:30 a.m.
I had refilled the RX, so I decided to take a Tramadol then. I went back to sleep till 7:30 and I needed to get up to serve at church. I went without a Tram all day Saturday. By 8:30 p.m., I was twitching badly. That’s when my husband did a ‘net search and found that I was going through withdrawals. We called our addictions Pastor. He cautioned me to wean off the Tram very slowly. He said to be careful as it is also an antidepressant, which my provider already told me.
Since then, I went from 6 pills daily to 2. I cannot break the 2 a day now. I was able to cut back and stay at the cut back level for two to three days and cut back again. I can’t do that now. Any ideas? Any experience with this? I will be blogging this in more detail
I don’t know if it is the same thing but I had to stop taking klonopin last year and it was awful. The first couple of reductions were awful as far as withdrawal effects, then it got a bit easier, and then, when I was almost done, it got worse again. The last reduction was supposed to be from 1 mg to none. Well, the withdrawal was so bad, I went back on it at 1 mg per day. I then had to reduc from 1 to .75 to .5 to .25 and I had to wait about a month in between reductions. My doc said that the last reductions are always the hardest and should be done more slowly. Maybe try that? I hope that you are able to get some answers and then to get off the tramadol, if that’s what you want, which obviously it is since you are doing this. (I am a bit slow at times- LOL)
Thank you for sharing your story! Oh yes, that is what I want! I am sure reduction is reduction. Yes, I already noticed my body trying to fight me since I came down to two daily doses. I was wondering about the .75, .5 and so forth. I will try it. Yes, I can imagine the last of the fight! I reassured my pastors at church that they don't need to pray that I want to stop! Yuck, I cannot wait to stop! I hate for something to have control over me. I've never done this before.
If you are determined, you will make it happen. It may take you longer than you want, but you can do it. When I first started reducing, it was awful and I didn’t want to deal with the physical withdrawal. But then, it evened out. When I got to the final reduction when I was supposed to go from 1 mg a day to none, I couldn’t take it so my hubby went to my stepdaughter’s and got one of hers (it was Sunday). I then went to the doc and got a new prescription and started the slower weaning off. Each time I would reduce, I would steel myself for the three or four days when I would feel absolutely crappy (but not as crappy as I had in the beginning stages) and just grit my teeth and go! You can do this. Good luck to you.
Oh I know! Trust me I have NEVER been in this situation before. This is all new, all this withdrrawal pain and not being able to stop. I am not comfortable in talking with the primary or the rheum. You know how it goes, sometimes you have to keep lookig for a primary. At this point, I am doing ok with two a day. I know, it would be nice to be able to talk to docs. I am taking my time by coming off. Yes, the negative side effects are nasty. The withdrawl pains are nasty too.
I know what you mean about being afraid to presceibe meds or try them. One of the last times I workedi n a nursing home, the charge nurse refused to even give over the counter meds for pain! My heart broke to tell them, "Sorry, the nurse said no". She could not understand an old person laying there in pain. She said, "Oh, I don't want them addicted." Right, most of them won't leave the nursing home alive! I do not belive in suffering and I may have to find another pain med. But I will go back to my pharmacy doc next time. He is very easy to talk to and very kind.
PS, After the Tramadol is out of system, I will then know what symptoms were Tram and what are not. I am in between lupus and fibro at this point. So after it's out of my system and if some of the symptoms continue, then I can make note of it. Such as rashes, hair loss, which can be lupus or Tram. I was so much better off with the pharmacy doc. I was trying to get a primary and a rhum doc under the same roof. Oh well, I am in good company! I am not too worried about blood work or anything now.
Oh I am confussed too! I would guess that the Dx for now is Fibro due to all the unexplained chronic pain. I have been in pain since I was 9. All the blood tests come back as "normal". So the primay docs have said Fibro.
In September, one of the primary docs did a test for ANA, and other blood work. ANA was negative. (This is when I started Tram). I asked for the ANA because I had new symptoms such as severe under arm pain, severe right sided tongue pain, palms of hands swelling when I go on walks. So I went to my first rheum doc. He ordered 15 viles of blood. The ANA was positive. I thought I had a Dx and reason for pain, etc. At the follow up, he said, "I do not know why you are in pain. IF it is early stages of lupus, these tests will not show". And then he said, looks like fibro and offered all kinds of anti-depressants. He said I could do a follow up ANA in about five years.
Sorry, that was long. So so far, It's MAYBE early lupus, I don't know and fibro.
I was concerned because my daughter has lupus. Also, looking back, my mom had all the symptoms. She kept telling docs her organs were wasting away. She died with no Dx.
That's why for now, I am taking a break from docs. And since the Tram is making me worse, I will get off of it. I am sure you must know how frusttrating it is when the pain is so horrific you can't walk or think and they say, "All your blood work is 'normal'.
Been completely off Tramadol since Christmas Eve. Withdrawals are hell even after tapering off. The pain is much worse than I thought. I am glad I did not know or I would have put off getting off. I am glad I am home to do this. I have my husband with me a lot. I am able to go and come as I please. I can retreat alone to the bedroom when ever. I can drink hot choctolate and take a hot bath anytime. My pups are with me all the time and they are a great nursing staff! I can text friends who have gone through this. I am so thankful I am not waiting for a free rehab place before stopping. All rehabs are full anyway. And it is going to work out better. If my friends can kick meth, coke and herione at home, I can do this too! Well, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me as the Bible says. My friends knew the same strength.
MMM been craving and eating lots of friend potatoes and red chile.
Hi graveyard! I am sorry that you have been having such pain while kicking n the tramadol but I am glad that you are off it. And it so awesome that you have th best nurses ever. I have a couple of those too. I hope this New Year brings you days filled with no pain (hey, a girl can dream, right) and much happiness! Hugs, MB
Thumbs up to you!!! I weaned myself off OxyCodone and I feel sooo much better – I was/am surprised at how much pain I am actually in – but the clarity I now have is worth dealing with the pain. Unfortunately the Fibro makes us experience all our pains with greater intensity!!! I say yey yey yey to you for getting off the Tramadol . I know it is not easy but I predict you will be glad you did it .:>}
Jackie, thank you for your cheering me on! Today is day five. I know it will get better. I do not miss taking them as I found out they caused muscle pain and migraines! I will see if I have any withdrawal pains tonight. Last night was horrific.
Right now I’m trying to wean myself off of klonopin because my neuropathic chiropractor thinks it is interfering with my sleep (or lack of). Been on 1 mg for about 2-3 years to help with TMJ and restless legs. Also does help me get yo sleep but not stay. I’ve been cutting it in half and have noticed that I’m clenching teeth at night even with my mouthguard and my leg muscles are killing me. Knew it wasn’t going to be easy but thought only taking 1 mg shouldn’t be too hard! Still taking flexeril at night or I know I wouldn’t even get to sleep. Know I won’t stay asleep, but I have to get some if I’m to work. So is two weeks at half and another 2 weeks at a quarter too soon? That was her recommendation.
I just stumbled upon this thread and want to add my support to your withdrawal from the Tramadol. Surely does sound like you weren't getting anything positive from them. And good for you for breaking free of those chains. But it must be hard to deal with fibro without pain meds. So you're a tough gal for doing this. And I sincerely hope that walking away from Tramadol helps to reduce your pain, GYN.
I've heard of people with Lupus testing negative then positive on their ANA test. Waiting for five years for the next ANA? I don't know about that. If I were you, I'd pop onto our Lupus site and ask them their experiences with the ANA test. I think it might help you and give you more information.
Wishing you NO more withdrawal pains and a peaceful night,
Hi Sandi, I guess I have to say this even though you know I am not a doctor. I was on 4 mg of klonopin at night for about 13 years. It was prescribed to me for sleep. When I found out that that was a very high dose (according to my pharmacist and doc) and that klonopin is highly addictive (the doc who originally prescribed it told me flat out that it wasn’t), my doc and I decided that it was best that I come off it. It took me about 7 months to come totally off it. The first month or so was pure hell! And then when I was down to 1 mg at night, my doc thought I should go from 1 mg to none. That did not work!i was extremely anxious and agitated. So I went from 1 to .75 to .5 to .25 to 0. In the middle of these last four reductions I had to change docs due to an insurance change. My new (and still current) doc told me that she thought I should stay on a low dose of klonopin (.5 mg) for the rest of my life basically. I told her that I had not had anxiety before (nothing other than normal anxiety which we all get from time to time) and that it was prescribed for sleep, her response was that saying I didn’t have anxiety was like an epileptic on seizure medication who says they don’t have seizures. Huh? Her point was that I couldn’t say I didn’t have anxiety when I was being medicated for it. So I did those last two steps on my own. I just let her keep prescribing the .5 until I was done. Each step took me about a month and I still had some withdrawal symptoms but not nearly as bad as the first reductions.
All that being said, I believe and from what I have been told by docs, that the anxiety and agitation and stuff like teeth grinding is rebound anxiety from reducing your dosage. What I also found out is that klonopin is the drug of choice for restless leg syndrome. So that could get worse if you have it. And the sleep issues will probably get better when the agitation and anxiety decreases.
What I have learned from this is to never take what a doctor says at face value. I was very angry at the doc who told me klonopin wasn’t addictive. I also found out that klonopin can cause, or worsen, depression. I know that I have had a better mood and have been more smily and upbeat since getting off it.
Take your time getting off the klonopin and listen to your body. You know what you can handle. Also, I started (with a doctors okay) splitting my daily dose in half and taking it twice a day instead of once at night. This helped a lot with the withdrawal effects. I wish you luck with this and I hope that you get through it okay. I believe you will feel better once you are completely off it.
I started on 4 mg a night. Maybe the doc started me so high cuz nothing else helped me sleep or maybe he was just a quack. I will never know and it doesn’t matter at this point anyway. Getting off the klonopin didn’t have anything to do with the MS Contin as I got off the klonopin before I was diagnosed with fibro and started the other meds. I didn’t want to continue taking any klonopin at all because I had already gone through hell getting off it and did not ever want to touch it again.and you are right- I was physically dependent and not addicted. However, it is sometimes easier to use the term addictive as many people use the two terms interchangeably. You say to never go off a medication without a doctors assistance in the weaning process and I agree but, as I have learned, it is very important to research any medication your doctor wants to put you on so you don’t get in a situation like mine unknowingly.