Is Tramadol withdrawal hard?

I took Tramadol for over year for nerve pain from June 2012 until recently, when I stopped taking it with no taper.
I was taking 100mg daily in the evenings.
I had no adverse effects from stopping it at all.

I think a lot of it depends on how long and how much tramadol you were using. My first time abusing I was taking as many as 60 of the 50mg tablets a day. I know, terrible. I'd start the day with 20 all at once when I got to my worst point. It was a continuous buildup over a two year period. I finally quit cold turkey and it was hell but a great feeling to know I would have myself back again. The withdrawls were like most have said here, no sleep, feeling like having the flu, ect.. When I would get a couple of hours of sleep I'd have nightmares and wake up soaked in sweat. The sweating part can linger past the withdrawl period.

I noticed after a few days that everything was more clear to me, I enjoyed music and other things that I had lost interest in. I'm an athlete and was in top condition prior but lost most all of it and my interest in working out. One of the first things I did was start back slowly and within a few months I was back in top condition. My first couple of workouts were nothing but I felt like I was going to collapse !

Fast forward 5 years. I am feeling great, great shape, when suddenly hit with something very disturbing. I ordered the pills again! I figured I could get through a bottle and be done and past the issue.. Big mistake! This time in the two year period the abuse was less but still a ridiculous and dangerous amount, anywhere from 25-30 per day! I stopped working out and fell to rock bottom. I've finally decided that this is it and quit cold turkey. I'm on day 3 now, the withdrawls have been there but not quite as bad as before. I've been exercising lightly, push-ups , squats, and a 2 mile walk run. I ran 2 miles in 9:27 a while back when competing in triathlons. It took everything I had to do it in 22 minutes to do today..

I know that I need help and am an addict. I'm going to look for a narcotics anonymous group or something to help. I don't drink, smoke or do anything else but this has been more than enough. I know of one seizure during all of this, surprisingly it wasn't during my first round when taking much more.

Oh well, the nights are always fun, ugh.. Tomorrow is day 4 and once I'm past that its all down hill.

I have been taking (abusing) tramadol for about 6 months.  I was taking 200 mg a day, sometimes more.  I have been addicted to alcohol, and to opiates, but I can tell you, withdrawal from tramadol was worse than any other drug I've quit.  I experienced sweats while freezing, couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, diarrhea, ringing in the ears, skin crawling.  I appreciate the insight here, since I was unaware of seizures related to withdrawal.  Now, I am trying to slowly wean off of them and the advice here on how to do that is so helpful!

I don't have experience with the taper method. I've heard that it works for some. I tried it but for me dragging it out was too hard and I went back up. I've gone cold turkey and it worked best for me. Day one through three is bad, I think it hits a peak though around that 3rd day and you can feel yourself coming back again. Knowing that the worst is over helps a lot and every day becomes better. I find myself becoming happier knowing that its getting better and almost over. There is a lot of great advice as to what helps withdrawl here. Use some of that and if going cold turkey batten down the hatches for a few rough days. The storm starts to clear and you have your life back in a week. The symptoms can last but the worst part is hours 24-72 in my experience. You are not alone in this, get support from a loved one or friend. I'm on my own with it this time and find talking about it here helps. I expect to feel much better tomorrow , day 4 .

Day 4- didn't sleep but maybe 2 hours last night. Felt rough this morning and was able take a nap for an hour. Nausea is gone, feeling about the same as yesterday otherwise. My biggest complaint would be a headache. It's mild though. No hot and cold feelings. Went to the gym. Other than being a shell of myself 6 months ago it felt great to train and sweat. Tomorrow will be day 5, I'm seeing the clearing ahead now.

i have been on Tramadol for almost 2 years i think, with what my pain doc told me was the highest dose, of 50mg, 2, 3x a day, for back pain.....i had missed a few appointments at my pain management doc, so i was trying to wean myself off them, i had a friend that couldn't take hers, so gave them to me...when i first started taking Tramadols, i lost wieght, which was fine with me, i needed it! it supressed my appetite. but i noticed i couldn't take them too soon before bed, they gave me an "up", some say they make themm tired. i would have to take them first thing in the morning to get me motivated. i asked my doc if they could be addictive, they told me, "no, they shouldn't be. " this was last year sometime..WELL, low and behold, i found out they were making them a controlled substance as of February, 2013!! HMMMM...i wonder why!! so i made an appointment to return to my pain doc after 3 months, which they were very upset that i hadn't been there, but because of personal reasons, issues and car problems, i haven't been there, and its a 2 hour or more drive. but i quit taking them because i wasn't sure if they would pee test me and find it in my system and wonder how i got them with no script. well let me tell ya, i feel like i am dying!! i had the runs, stomach pains, and the worst is the pain in my spine that i experienced the first day of going cold turkey!! i was in such pain i could have cried or went to the ER. i wasn't sure if i had the flu in my joints or what! but it was just my spine area...i was sneezing, runny nose...i had tried to wean myself off them before and felt like i had NO energy!! i haven't told my pain doc this, but i think i will be telling him i AM NOT going back on them, it will be a week by time i go for my appointment. i do not want to be dependent on these!! wow!! i had some tylenol 4s here, that i took 1 of because of the pain was intolerable...so i am hoping it gets better, soon!! its funny how they were giving these to people coming down off opiates, and giving them away like candy...guess they found out different!! wonder what they will use now!!???

I don't understand dude, I have been on Tramadol 200 for over a year now, and I take 2 a day. I stopped taking them a week ago cause my script ran out, haven't had any problems, then again, my wife says I got a cast iron stomach.

ive been on tramadol since 3 years. around 350mg/day  2pills per dose , and one before sleep    

now ive quit, but didnt really experienced the super bad withdrawals,  i just had bad sleep for a day or 3 - 4 , and after a week it was all over.

 

but i do miss it... nothing give me the same pain relief. but def no unbearable withdrawals for me ....  

 

i went from 350 in a week , to one pill right before bed, because my nerves were really irritating, i couldnt lay still without one pill , then after 2 days i said **** it, i want to get rid of this, and i quitted cold turkey   

i guess the really bad withdrawals is person bound, but during the day i dont feel allot from the withdrawals, just a little depressed feeling, and diarhea. it gets worse in bed

 

i think its the 3th time i quitted ... when i get allot of pain, i tend to reach for them... thinking "well just this one time" and then i just keep on going the next day, and keep on building up

i have been on tramadol for.six months i have just stooped.using it still.take.endep some.times.to sleep i feel sick agitated.cant.sleep nausea restless.ness cant get comfortable feel like.c**p its.been about ten.days.nowwas taking 150 slow.release.and.two 50 single.caps a day 

my name is Alan & for over a year I've been taking tramadole just to help me sleep & relax as I've never been described them, bought them of a friend anyways I know its a serious game, play with fire & all. Anyways im withdrawn after taking 500mg each night from 7pm to 11pm, as I never take it during the day as just at night to help me relax. im going cold turky & no-one knows im withdrawing as the pains in my stomach & depression kicks in, my children around me & family I love them so much but feel like running away till I can ride this out. Personally tramadole has change my way of thinking when under the influence from this to feeling happy to depressed:( im kicking for good as I've change my details so my friend can contact me as I want to focus on life without tramadole taking over.

I have been on low dose Ultracet since neck surgery(ulnar nerve crushed) and carpal tunnel surgery in left hand.  I have nerve damage pain in my right hand from the injury in my neck, and my carpal tunnel surgery is not healing as wel as I expected.  Including the 2 levels operated on in my neck, I also have had a lumbar surgery for a herniated disc.  The first 2 surgeries were 6 mos. apart.  I also take Klonopin for anxiety which I have had since childhood.  I recently ran out of the Ultacet and now find that I am taking more of the Klonopin to ease the worsening anxiety.  I am a retired RN and know all about withdrawal.  I feel so stupid to find myself in this position.  My doctor keeps a tight rein on these medications, as she should.  I am 63 and sometimes feel 83.  Any suggestions out there?  Thanks!

I have noticed some of these people say it isn't that big of a deal to come of the Trammie, and they had only been taking them for a few moths, etc.........try taking them for 2 years straight and see your answer change on the severity of the withdrawl. 8-|

Im sorry to hear of all the pain you go thorough, or have in the past. Since you are a retired RN you know ALOT more than me on some matters, but I will give an in site in what helped me. My hubby was prescribed the devil little pill two years ago and I had bad periods and NOTHING was helping so I took just one. I was hooked from that one little pill. I know it was bad to take someone else med, but I was miserable. Anyway the next day I woke up, I wanted that happy little burst it gave me the day before and to find out my husband said he didn't like them and didn't need them! I took the rest of the bottle and then went to my own dr and got put on them as I told him they worked wonders for me. He said they were non addicting etc. I took them happily and basically skipped myself to the pharmacy that day. I was prescribed 1-2 pills 3 times a day as needed. Didn't take them as the bottle said for a few months then I noticed aches and little pains here and there so Id up the dose. What I didn't know those little pains were from my body wanting more of the drug, so I medicated to shut it up. Anyway 2 years later I started at 140lbs ended up 105. It took my appetite out the door which i loved and made me feel like i could do anything. I ignored what was happening. The hardest thing was I thought i'd be ok to just quit, if I wanted to but why? CT isnt the way for me after 2 years use. I was up to 8 50mg pills a day (which dont see much at all but that many years even on one tab, youd have issues stopping) for bout the whole last year and dr kept handing them out. I have ASD Heart Disease and had developed SVT and lots of palpitations during that last year. Dr didn't know why. I did. And I kept it quiet scared they'd stop giving them to me. Well My big time to make a change was when i found out I was preggo... I cried for the first few months and took them still....felt so guilty. I tried cutting back, no go. Had to be honest with my OB and he sent me to an out patient rehab and I got put on Subutex. I did wonderful. 3 months without tram and no desire to have any. Then it was time to come off the Sub, and I was clean for 7 days, and I relapsed thinking one wont hurt. Yea right... it was the emotional part that has over ridden the withdrawl symptoms this last time getting off the tram again. I took them again for 3 months and the withdrawal wasn't as bad as 2 years use, but just the same it was some form of withdrawl. I did tho, weam myself off them. People can give you a taper plan all they want but you really have to go by how your own body signals you... And pray. I am now 32 weeks pregnant, and off Trams, and the sleep is still HORRID, but that it. I had sweats the first day but a clear sharp mind. And I dont even crave one. My wee little one, is gonna have a clear headed mamma, and in my 24 young years, I will never take tram again. Also my heart SVT, gone, double beats, fast heart rate, gone, brain zaps waking me up in the middle of the night, gone. The depression, none as to I have this baby to help me through. Sorry this is long but what Im saying is, you need to find that one thing that makes you want to lay down your own life for it, and the human mind and will power is amazing! I was a zombie when I took that first pill, but felt like superwomen bc no pain and it made me happy and I didnt know it was none of that...and now I actually feel again. It may sound weird, but I feel normal and I forgot what that felt like. :D You need to be honest with your dr and tell him you need weaned off them and see what they say. If they are like my old dr who said non-addicting and thinks you can just stop with no issue, call dr offices today and describe your situation.. Dont even give them info bout yourself just see how they act over phone and if they basically shrug it off we cant help you, keep trying. Alos, all the pain issues you have had in the past will probably present themselves again and you will HURT....its your bodies way of screaming give me what I want as you should know. Every hour past is an hour gained to getting off these and it may not seem like it, but its our bodies way of re-booting as to say....it does take time...and its worth it in the end! If you have any questions as to how I managed the symptoms just ask... didn't completely get them gone but good enough to get day to day till I was myself. Good luck and YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

Sorry so long!!!

It really depends on the individual and the amount they are taking. For me, it was hell. I had all the symptoms of withdraw with the  added severe depression on top of it. It took about a month and I did the worse way, cold turkey. My husband kept and eye on me but that was all. It really does need to be labeled a narcotic and it angers me that it is not. Your friend might do ok but have them talk to a doctor about it and let the doctor know if there are problems.