Is Tramadol withdrawal hard?

Weaning off is the best and safest way to go! I was on tramadol for about 4 years. The last year I was taking 10-15 50mg tablets a day. I was also told it was not a narcotic so not addictive. It was a rough process but I weaned slowly. I did have withdrawal from weaning but it was nothing like when I tried to quit cold turkey. I was able to work and function. I have been off the pills completely for a few months now and feel good. I do miss the feeling I got from them but am so happy to be free of them. I have also heard that quitting cold turkey can cause seizures. If you are able to wean slowly that is the best thing you can do. My doctor gave me enough pills to slowly cut back, hopefully you are also in a position to do this. Stay strong! You can do it and will be so glad you did!!!

Thank you so much for your reply and support. I definitely made the mistake of cold turkey..won't try that again. It's so good to hear that someone has gotten free from this poison..at the moment I'm taking 1 of the 100 mg tabs in the morning and 2 of the 37.5 mg ones late afternoon...I guess I will continue with this and then go down by one of the 37.5 in a few days (?)...a big concern i have right now is work...I am definitely going thru withdrawal symptoms (shaky, diarrhea, anxiety, depression, insomnia (even with sleeping meds))...went to doc today and told him...he gave me Respiridol and Gravol for the withdrawal. Don't trust the doc so I don't know if I should take it..
Again, thank you.

sorry..it's Risperdal...not Resperadol...does anyone have experience with this drug...especially for relief of withdrawal?
thank you

Tramadol is the devil indeed. I can not believe its a non-narcotic. Its ruining my life . I even called for help using detox and the volunteer addict stated "but isnt that a non-narcotic"? Wow.

Tramadol is a very insidious drug.  I had become numbed out to the point that I couldn't figure out how people could have the energy to do things like go to a party or cook a meal or go to a movie.  Nothing excited me, nothing stirred any passion in me.  I couldn't figure out how my best friend could be so enthusiastic about a theatre piece...I couldn't understand how my daughter could be excited about going dancing...I began to detest music...I began to detest everything...my neighbours, my home, my life.  I can't wait to be rid of this poison.  

four months clean aug 8, went cold turkey, after eating the med all day for a few months. Popped a few times, after being clean two months. withdrawal lasted a while and was ferocious. I was coming off lyrica at the same time so hard to tell how long it would last if you're not taking other drugs. Withdrawal much worse than Oxy, hydro, methadone, etc. and that seems to be the consensus around here. I recommend taking Trazadone, 50mg, it's a light SSRI and sleep aid, not a big deal to get off of. Also exercise a lot, work muscles and cardio, works wonders really. be aware of your body. the high is not worth the damage and it is actually kinda gross poisoning your body like that. I will say that when I took it a few times after I quit I played tennis and did stuff I cant normally do because of the pain I'm in, and that was nice. Good luck everyone, stay strong. I'm off this board for good.

I was on Tramadol, the second time, for over 6 years.  I tried numerous times, with the help of a doc, to wean off but could not do it.  I finally came to the point where I had to just quit cold turkey.  I knew it was risky but I also knew if I didn't do it, I would not ever get off this drug.  I know it's not recommended by some to do that but it worked for me.  That was only after I'd tried to go through withdrawal and couldn't but then got sick and tired of being sick and tired.  It's been nearly 2 months since I've been off of it.  I feel so much better and grateful for the freedom of not having to go to bed or wake up to this drug. 

 

 

I have a question too.  I don't take that many. I take 200 mg a day and I am running out.  I've tried to stop and seem to be fine thru the day but as soon I go to bed my legs and knees get anixety and I can't get to sleep.  I feel sleepy because I also take Tynenol PM.  It's the worst because my head wants to sleep but my body doesn't. I'm going to try not to take them again tonight and try to take some Xanax to see if I can make it thru the night. I'll let you know.  Does anyone know what else I can take to stop the feeling of anixety in my knees and legs.  I really want to get off of Tramadol.  Thanks

Trazadone at night 50mg, it will help with the lack of ssri, that the tramadol was giving you too. Xanax is way more dangerous. You'll make it, just stay strong, it will pass.

how do you find the strength to do this....please....i need friends someone i can talk to everyday to keep up the strength...i couldn't handle one night of withdrawals....i was up at the ER this morning and got some....i can handle the pain....but cant handle the pshycalogical and depression part of it....every doctor i went to says it is not addictive and refuse to right anymore for the fear of getting in trouble i guess....they got me on this c**p they know i can't quit cold turkey...they did this to me and they don't want to deal with me....im going to a new doctor.....how do i talk to this doctor without him thinking im a drug atict....i have never been addicted to anything ....im embarrassed i feel the lowest i have ever felt in my life..and i am ashame to admit i crave these not so wonderful pills...so how do i talk to a doctor....please someone email me for moral _[removed]_ thanks and god bless and i hope everyone can cope with this mess....if there is a class action law suit....i do want in on it.....

i i was using heroin 5 y,but more than 6 y i quit using that drug but im now in tramadol more than 6 y.

I am post benzo withdrawal and am now tapering off Trams. When I got down to 3 pills, I started cutting all of the pills in half. I also would extend time between pills at least by an hour. This has worked for me because my brain thinks it is getting the full doses!

Stretching out the dosage bit by bit seems to be a good strategy ...working for me as well...also I am decreasing by now only using the 'short-acting'(37.5 mg Tramacet) and breaking them in half as I decrease, but very slowly...like 2 weeks between decreases. Doing a big decrease is definitely NOT the thing to do...the withdrawals are severe...small increments, spreading them out is bearable.

take potassium suplement and eat lots of bananas, help me through my withdrawal

I have been on and off Tramadol for years.  My first experience with it was back in 2003-2004 when I had whiplash from a car accident that ended up being diagnosed as a cervical spine injury as well as a painful knee condition.  Thank you military!  It was prescribed as "non-narcotic nor habit forming."  I didn't think much of it and took it several times a day (maybe 4 or 5...50 mg tablets...can't really remember) until I ended up getting pregnant with my daughter in 2006.  I cold-turkeyed as I did not want to take any medication while I was pregnant.  Even this many years later I remember it being horrendous.  I called my orthopedist (prescribing doctor) AND my gynecologist who both assured me a low amount (2 per day) was safe.  At that time I could not find any evidence online that contradicted that.  They both said 100mg a day would be less harmful than the stress of trying to quit cold turkey.  I believed them because I just didn't know.  Thankfully my daughter was born full-term as healthy as can be. 

Then Tramadol stopped being effective for the pain and I was switched to hydrocodone (vicodin) then oxycodone (percocet).  This is when I became "hooked" to pain killers.  I then battled a 2 year addiction with these medications (at my worst taking 10-12 super strength 10mg percocets each day).  I was buying it from a friend because my scripts would run out quicker than I could refill them.  In 2009, my family discovered the abuse.  My husband and I went through a divorce, I moved in with my parents with my two children, and entered an intensive outpatient substance abuse program.  My job was suffering.  Trying to detox while all of these negative life experiences were going on was horrible.  I ended up being admitted to psychiatric wards on two occassions for severe depression and suicidal ideations.  After about a year, I was doing great.  I got my own apartment, my job was going well, and the kids were doing great.  I then got a better job and met the man of my dreams in 2011. 

Unfortunately, while my neck was fine, my kness were getting worse and worse.  I was too young (32) to have replacements so I began physical therapy and Tramadol...again.  And it has helped SO much...I am finally able to go about my daily activities with no pain and no depression (which I had from being inactive).  In my mind I believed it was better than vicodin or percocet.  I've turned those down every single time I've been offered these last few years.  For the most part, I've adhered to the dosage regime.  This last month I had more pain and ended up taking one or two more a day than usual (4 or 5 of the 50mg tablets each day vs. the prescribed 3).  As I go to the VA for care, prescriptions are ONLY refilled through the mail and are NOT delievered before they are due (filled 2 days early to arrive "on time").  I knew last week I'd be running out this Monday.  I prepared myself mentally, telling myself it'll only be 10 days before I receive them...you can do 10 days.  What's 10 days?  A drop in the bucket.  I was a little cranky over it but nothing terrible.

So, right now I'm into hour 40 since my last dose.  About 4-5 days before I knew I'd be running low, I adhered to only 3 per day to get as close to possible to the refill date.  I noticed a little malaise and weepiness going from 4-5 to 3 but no other problems.  Monday (the 20th), I took one in the early morning, one in the early afternoon, and the last pill at 4pm.  I had no problems at all Monday evening and slept with no issue.  Yesterday was not that bad during the day either.  I found myself a little sleepy but nothing coffee and mio energy couldn't fix.  I made it a point to eat healthy meals.  I had a little sneezing and runny nose that I took my flonase and day quil for.  Treated the nausea with pepto.  I am VERY busy this time of year at work (end of financial year) so the day flew (without much thought to my physical self).  I noticed at a smoke break in the 3:00 hour that I was feeling achey and had a tiny bit of chills (23 hours since last dose).  I took some ibuprofen and went back to work.  I got off work, got the kids, took more day quil and pepto for the symptoms and proceeded to keep myself INCREDIBLY busy all night (hours 24-30)...not a moment to sit type of busy.  I felt like c**p but I just kept going.  I cooked dinner, did the dishes, laundry, got the kids ready for today, etc.  The more I moved, the better off I did.  I made sure I was drinking orange juice (for the potassium) and NO CAFFEINE as I knew that would help the restless legs I was familiar with during Tramadol detox.  When they were in bed, I sat down around 9:30 pm exhausted.  I then noticed the chills and aches a bit more.  My upper body (upper back and neck) felt restless so I decided to take a long HOT shower.  Before taking the hot shower, I drank a cup of Celestial Seasons Sleepy Time tea.  When I got out of the shower (10:15 pm...30 hours in), I was tired so I went up to bed.  I had trouble getting comfortable and while my legs felt absolutely fine, my upper body felt restless.  Until my boyfriend came home at 12:30 am, I may have gotten 2 periods of brief sleep (15 minutes or so).  I sat up with him for a bit and smoked a cigarette.  When I went back to bed I slept a little better until he came up at 2:30-3 am.  Thankfully I was able to nod back off fairly quickly and didn't wake up until the alarm went off at 5am.  I was not as exhausted as I expected to be.  I got myself ready, the kids ready, and off to school.  It was hard because I did have periods where I felt SO exhausted but I just kept going...what choice did I have?

Here I am at work...some 40 hours since my last dose.  I feel halfway decent...not great but not horrible.  I took day quil, flonase, and pepto for my symptoms...I figure treating the symptoms was my best bet since there is NOTHING else I CAN do.  I haven't noticed much restlessness or chills.  I have some body aches and sneezing but will take some ibuprofen (600mg) at 10am (4 hours after taking the day quil) and more day quil this afternoon.  I am drinking coffee slowly and just trucking along.  I want to keep myself busy while I'm going through this.  It SUCKS and is REALLY REALLY hard to do that sometimes but I KNOW myself...I know sitting at home will keep me thinking and obsessing over how bad this is.  Keeping busy at work keeps my mind from going there.  I know each HOUR...it gets just a little bit better than the last.  I did all the stuff I could last night so that tonight (while the kids are with my ex-husband) I can rest.  Dinner is in the fridge for me and my boyfriend, clothes and house are clean.  I can take cat naps all night if I need to.  I can take a shower ever hour if I need to.  I will baby myself tonight.  Because of the kids' back to school schedule (my daughter doesn't start kindergarten until Monday while my son's already back), I took Friday and part of Monday morning off.  I just have to get through today and tomorrow at work then I have 3 days off.  I can't leave with taking Friday off...I just can't.  I HAVE to suck it up and keep going...so I will.

I'm not sure if it was a lower dose, lower duration (I only began Tramadol again 2 months ago) or positive attitude but this time detoxing has not been NEAR as bad as any time before.  I have a very happy home and work life so that is probably helping the emotional part of it.  However, I know the physical symptoms will give way to the emotional ones and I'll have to keep giving myself pep talks to get through the doom and gloom I'm certain will come...because it always did before. 

My advice is if you are committed to doing this...DO it.  Whether it be a weaning schedule with your doctor or cold turkey...commit to it and be DONE.  Don't turn back.  Give yourself a pep talk every time it's needed...sometimes you will need it constantly, other times not so much.  Lean on family and friends.  TELL yourself you are OK...this too will pass.  Even if you don't BELIEVE it...SAY IT...I WILL BE OK.  Think in minutes or hours...NOT in days or weeks.  Expect some discomfort but don't freak out over it.  It will come and you will get through it.  Pray.  Treat your symptoms.  Keep up with your life if you're able...or take a break if you're able.  But DO NOT OBSESS over it.  DO NOT.  Find SOMETHING to do if you take a break at home...TV, read, errands, household chores, writing, cook, bake...whatever it is you like to do that passes the time.  Even if you don't do it well this time or can't concentrate very well...just do it.  Who cares if you can't remember what you just read or if your cake is a little flat...the key is to keep yourself busy mentally.  Physically too.  I think I really helped with the restless legs by the potassium intake, treating my symptoms as benign "illness" and by keeping physically busy.  Mentally, going about my normal routine, talking to coworkers like nothing is wrong (pretending if you will), talking to my boyfriend for real...is really helping this time.  I feel stronger.  I feel better as each minute goes by and I have HOPE.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!  And you WILL...and next thing you know it'll be a week, month...whatever.

Good luck and GOD BLESS...you got this...and SO DO I!!!