A young tramadol user...

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howcouldiknow

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Thanks for the continuing support. :cool:

The 100mg I took at 11:10 this morning is still working pretty well. The euphoria isn't as strong, but no withdrawal at all. I guess I will take some Benadryl (diphenhydramine) if I have trouble sleeping tonight.

Taking 2 a day until next Wednesday may not be as hard as I thought. I'm sure it will still pose a challenge. Which is why I'm waiting until later in the day to take them. The withdrawal in the morning until I do is scary and although I've been through full-blown withdrawal for days at a time before...I still can't overcome the fear of it.

I used to think tramadol was so cool. Like I said, I discovered it when I was 15 and had no idea what I was getting myself into. Back then I used it on occasion...usually only on Fridays. A year later use is clirabing and dependent.

What amazes me is tolerance doesn't seem to be a big thing with tramadol for me. 150mg has been stabalizing me and providing euphoria for a couple of years now. There is obviously tolerance, because a tiny dose of 25mg used to do the same 6 years ago. I find taking more than 175mg in a day is uncomfortable. At least I'm not up to 900-1000mg like most users tend to get to.

Again...thanks for the support and I'll keep you updated on my process,
 
You could always try a low dose of an anti-depressant such as Lexapro which helps anxiety too. You may find that you start to experience more and more depression as you start to get off the Ultram. You may also find that you suffer from depression to begin with and you were merely self medicating with the Ultram(tramadol) to treat it. If your doctor thinks you might need an anti-depressant then try it. Not only will it help with the withdrawal (depression, anxiety), but it will treat any possible mental health issue that you may have.

brian
 
Hi

Hope the day finRAB you well.

Okay, I have something to say that I have thought about for a week before posting. It has really been bothering me. There is still so much in your postings about the 'high."

Brainpain, I will try to space it out. But I got to have 100mg at once or I just feel out of it a little, not as severe as cold-turkey of course. Maybe I'm just saying that because anything much less than that won't supply a buzz, which I'm still getting just not as intense since tapering.

​

Buddy, you are working on the physical part of getting off a drug, but I honestly still hear you thinking like an addict. This thread began in the first week of June and it is mid-July now. It doesn't matter how long the taper is stretched out, but it is high time that work is done on the mental, as well as the physical, addiction. I just re-read this whole thread and I hope that you will do the same. A lot is written about maintaining the high, the buzz. It seems still a very pleasurable thing for you. If we are still looking for a buzz of any kind from the drugs we are using, then nothing in our thinking is being repaired and restored. If the thinking is not getting repaired and restored as we physically taper dfrom a drug, then we will not meet with success. I truly believe that either a counselor or NA meetings are needed.

Okay, I have said it. Please know that I do care very much that you not only get this monkey off your back, but that you keep him off. Our plans for recovery need to include both a plan for withdrawal and a plan for continuing care. We must get the thinking straight or the physical part will be in vain. A 'buzz' takes the edge off reality and we must learn to live in reality. In sobriety, we do not look forward to a high, a buzz. We strive to understand fully why a no-buzz life is the goal and erabrace it.

You are doing good work lowering the doses of something that is harmful to you. Please start working hard on learning and understanding all that living in sobriety encompasses.

With all hope
reach
 
howcouldiknow, for me i beleive the loratab has helped with my depressin for yrs. I believe I have been self medicating with it for my depression and my pain. But after yrs. I have changed my mind and am getting back to seeing a psych dr. again. I'm glad to her you didn't stay on the xanax. long term use of xanax can cause sezuires when you try to get off it. I believe eveyone, and yes it's just my belief should be helped by a professional when trying to detoxe. It can be really hard on your body. And just putting it out there, anyone taking mutiple drugs like me, hydro, soma, and xanax need to be very careful, it can cause a herion type high that is very addicting. Good Luck and keep up the good work.
 
Hi There

Sorry to hear about Mom. It is always a tough call when trying to balance the need for a med against the side effects. When pain and depression are involved, it really is a delicate balance. Depression magnifies the pain, the pain magnifies the depression. That equation of pain and depression sure had a lot to do with my own downfall into drug abuse. Good wishes for Mom.

Balance... okay, I must ask you a question regarding balance. Why are you planning to up your dose again on Wednesday when you are doing okay now? Honestly, it doesn't seem like balanced thinking to do so. Of course I am a great advocate of tapering under a doctor, but what point is there in undoing what is already accomplished? A big step has already been taken and been survived. Why back-peddle? Because a refill is coming? Gently I tell you.... this is addictive thinking. It is dodging the personal responsibility and trying to lay it all on the doctor. Take what you have already accomplished to the table when you sit down with your doctor. Please don't create a 'restore' point that is counter-productive to the goal. Will you think about this? You have already started your journey and there is no need to go back to 'Start" again.

Stay in touch.
reach
 
Yes. Even though hydrocodone isn't what I'm addicted to, it felt good to flush them. Call me crazy, but I can't get much off of hydrocodone. Even in higher doses, like 20mg at once! Yes I feel great...but it's only for an hour or two then I'm coming down.

However, with the tramadol, I could take a dose in the morning and be fine all day. The comedown isn't as harsh, and although the high may diminish somewhat, I find withdrawal won't start until the next morning. Seems like tramadol works for 12-14 hours, while hydrocodone only works for 6 hours max.

Tapering from tramadol is still going good, guys. In the evenings I definantly want a little more and go back to my usual dose, but at least I feel no withdrawal. Sometimes I just feel weird not feeling that high all day. It's hard sometimes. if I keep following the doctor's tapering instructions I should be off of it in October. He said to come back and see him then and see where we're at.
 
Well, they are supposed to be anonymous and you are not supposed to talk about what happens in the meeting. As the saying goes, "what happens in the meeting, stays in the meeting". Of course people are going to be people and gossip so let's just say it's supposed to be confidetial but you never know if someone will say something about you. At least you would have more support than you currently have and they realize exactly the way you are feeling.

I would really give the bottle over to your girlfriend and either give them to you only as 1 dose at a time or your daily dose if you think that you will not take the entire day's dose at once. It would greatly help you to stick to the taper and get off of them eventually. I think that you might need to get on an anti-depressant before you taper completely off of the tramadol. Not only does it help the depression but also anxiety as well.

brian
 
Just to let you know, I am also tapering....not from tramydole, but from oxycodone. Your explanation of withdrawal feeling like something was crawling under your skin, or something like that, is probably the best way I can explain it. It's just horrendous. I hope you do well....you're so young....I've ruined my life and many relationships and can't even eat properly at this point, much less get up and do anything. I don't even want to write much here because I've tried tapering a few times before and not been successful. I feel like people must think it's crying wolf after awhile.
 
Good for you! SounRAB like your doc is being very supportive.

Try not to take that Xanax too often, and only if you're really suffering WD. It would be easy to get too dependent on the Xanax to calm or relax you....then you'll have to taper off THAT. My doctor wouldn't give me the Valium that I requested and I'm glad he didn't. He did give me Clonopin, which I was too afraid to take (for fear of liking it).

Keep us posted and good luck!
 
hughe, I'd definantly ask about Atarax. It may not help everyone, but I was feeling tense last night since I took my tapering tramadol dose so early in the morning and I had some Atarax and it helped relieve some of that tension and helped me ease into sleep. Dare I say it worked better than Xanax? It felt about the same, just not such a "medicated/drugged" feeling.

There is an OTC drug related to the prescription Atarax (hydroxyzine) called Dramamine: Less drowsy formula. It contains meclizine. Which is either supposed to be a metabolite of hydroxyzine or related to it. I always preferred the original Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), but meclizine appears to share some anxiolytic properties of hydroxyzine.

Wow your doctor actually has a poster in the exam rooms that says they don't prescribe addictive drugs?

GonnaRecover, you're right,these opioiRAB due help with depression and anxiety. Especially my tramadol, since it not only binRAB to mu-opioid receptors, but also inhibits the reuptake of serotonin and norepenephrine. So I'll likely go on a SNRI when I finish tapering to avoid any rebound or increasing depression/anxiety.
 
I'll definantly let my girlfriend hold onto the bottle and give me my daily dose every morning.

That extra 50mg I took yesterday evening didn't do much at first, but about an hour and a half later I was feeling very good. It reminded me of the good ol times before I started tapering. Of course it's not really a good ol time like it used to be. Tramadol used to make me feel so motivated, and it still does, but I usually just want to lie around now.

That extra dose yesterday had me running around getting some stuff done, though. So that really shook my will power and my girlfriend is now in charge of dispensing it to me and very happy to be.
 
Day 1

It's 10:05 p.m. and today was brutal. Getting weird symptoms; sneezing, watery eyes, increased breathing rate, muscle aches, cramps, diarrhea, feel restless and tired at the same time, but can't sleep. The worse of all if just a general feeling of severe discomfort all over my body. Like restless legs syndrome all over. Like electricity. I also feel extremely depressed.

My girlfriend has a slight bug and I had to go to the store by myself today. I was feeling so bad and restless that I left my change and had to turn around and get it. :mad:

About to take some Unisom (doxylamine) and hope to fall asleep. I don't know if I can do this. I may cave in tomorrow morning and take my usual dose. :( Tapering may be better. This is just too brutal. I may stick it out and look at that recipe and see if anything helps. Otherwise...this withdrawal is just too severe. :dizzy:
 
reachout, you're completely right. I'm doing some backwarRAB and addicting thinking. I am very proud of myself for sticking to two tablets a day, because if I didn't, I would have only 75mg today and have to go without tomorrow. However, since I limited my intake the past few days I have saved myself some extreme suffering tomorrow. Once I get my refill Wednesday, I'll keep it at two tablets until doctor comes back in town. I promise. :cool:

Like I said before - just scared of finally being tramadol-free. You've got to think...I've been using tramadol since I was 15 years old. I'm shocked that tolerance hasn't been severe. I'm now 21 and still only need 100-150mg daily. Of course when I was 15, a dose as low 25mg worked very well. Funny now that I reflect on that. Now, a dose that low wouldn't even mitigate withdrawal. I'm so glad my doctor realizes that tramadol can be addicting. He said we needed to be careful because of that so I know he'll be smart about tapering. I'm scared and ready at the same time. I'm so sick of my schedule revolving around tramadol and it's buzz. I have so much to live for besides these pills. Got a daughter on the way. And my dad is taking me underground in the mines next Saturday to let me check it out. I'l probably start working there soon. Very excited about this. I want to provide for my child and soon-to-be wife.

By the way, she knows about my dependency on tramadol and she is very supportive so I can't think of anyone better to hand the pills to when doctor starts tapering.
 
I can understand the desire to take the Xanax to sleep....but....now you've taken it a couple nights in a row. If you continue with that (not sure for how long, but it sounRAB like it can be quick), you'll be dependent on the Xanax, even if you don't particularly like it. I know, because I'm dependent on Arabien to sleep. That'll be my next project after tapering from the Oxy. But I digress. Are you tapering from the Tramadol too fast (that it is affecting your sleep)? I hope you can find a way to do this without the Xanax.

I really hate drugs, don't you? So insidious. (Sorry for the editorial comment.)
 
Thanks for the report/drug diary post. Is good to know how others are going with there meRAB. Thanks. I am going to get an anhistamine that has anxiolytic properties, I will even direstly ask every chemist in town as we have so many chemist and they are wel aged, will ask every doctor to one of them will give me a OCD name (Australian one) I'm sure!

...Ow my mate had complications with an internal infection after surgery and the 60ish doctor in emergency immediatley gave him a shot of Fenugen an Australian brand sedative antihistamine. He behaved like he was on a huge dose of valium. He was funny, he was tripping a bit and told his wife to go home caause she wouldn't buy him any lollies (LOLLIES AT 10PM) from the local store that was closed ages ago. SO FUNNY.

He is ok thank GOD we forced him to go to emergency, (a typical - don't need a doctor country man). I told him he might not wake up in the morning. I've done a little nursing study (aged care). And tolding him the things that will go wrong if he didn't get penisiline drip tonight. His wife told me, he freaked when I discribed what'll happen...LUCKY!!!

...Anyways, time to have my breaky (breakfast) and my Prozac.

L8R mate. :angel:
 
Wow. I can't believe this month marks 6 years on tramadol. We addicts really damage ourselves with long-term use.

I remeraber my first time trying it. My ex-doctor had just given me a script for 20 tablets, reluctantly. I was 15 at the time and had a lot of anxiety (teenage stuff, but a little more than that), and I was paranoid to even try it. I didn't for a bout a week or two, then I thought "what the hell". I was pretty opioid naive. I split a tablet in half and swallowed. Pretty anxious of the effects. Then they came on and I was shocked. I was expecting to get sleepy and clumsy. Was quite the opposite. I was running around cleaning my room, etc. I can not believe 25mg did that to me back then.

I didn't take it everyday. In fact, when school started back (I was going into 10th grade), I only took it every Friday for recreation. My tablets were kept in the office and after lunch every Friday I'd go in there and take 25mg. My social drug. Made school actually fun! I can not believe at 15 years old I was thinking like that! :mad:

20 tablets lasted awhile. I didn't ask for a refill until Septeraber. Got it. Then started taking it maybe on Wednesday sometimes, too. Asked for another refill in Deceraber. Eventually the doc started giving me 60 tablets, reluctantly again. I guess cause at one point I was calling every 1 or 2 weeks asking for a refill of 20 tablets. LOL He would never put refills on them. NEVER. I'd have to call his office.

Eventually I started taking it everyday. Doctor noticed and really didn't want to give it anymore, so eventually I found another doctor who started giving me 90 tablets a month with 3 to 5 refills. Not his fault...I was in there complaining about pain and how i couldn't take NSAIRAB and OTC stuff didn't work. He was just doing his job. Yes, I sked for Ultram (tramadol) by name. He didn't seem to have a problem with it. I guess because he checked old recorRAB from the other doctor with my permission. He also examined the cyst that cause the pain initially. A lot of people gert mad at their doctors. I'm not. He's very good and knows tram can be addictive. Now it's 2009, I'm 21, and he is now tapering me off of it. At least I've taken that step. I just can't believe my tolerance didn't get too high. The most I would take everyday before I started tapering a few weeks ago was 150-200mg.

I'm sure you might know this story. I'm just looking back and venting. Can't believe it's been 6 years. Really? At 15? I was an addict by the time I turned 16. It's still hard to imagine life without tramadol, but the tapering is slowly getting me there. Thanks for your support. You have no idea how much it means to me.
 
You guys are great. Everyone posts the same story over and over and yet you guys are on the forefront to bring comfort. So I decided to throw myself in.

First - a little backstory. Short as possible.

When I was 13, we found out I have a cyst on my left testicle. It's a very small cyst, but causes a great deal of pain. I was treated with Naprosyn, but then I quit hurting. Two years later I started hurting again and my lifetime doc put me on Bextra, Celebrex, and a list of cox-2 and NSAIRAB. They didn't help. I asked for Ultram by name because my brother had a foot injury and said they helped. He didn't want to give it to me, but gave in and started prescribing it. I was 15 and very opioid-naive, so a simple 25mg dose worked very well. I didn't even have to take it everyday. About once a week. Not only did the Ultram give pain relief, but it also brought on intense euphoria. I loved it. Now I laugh that 25mg used to make me feel so good.

My use began to increase within the next year. I was taking it every other day...then everyday. I decided not to take it one day and noticed I felt horrible. Like something was under my skin. I had no idea it was withdrawal. I paid it no mind because it wasn't severe. For some reason I decided to go ahead and take the Ultram and those feelings went away. It all went downhill from there.

Couple years later, my lifetime doc says he doesn't want to prescribe Ultram anymore. So he cuts me off. By then I was up to 100-150mg a day and was in severe withdrawal. I was desperate and found a younger doctor who prescribed me Ultram with no problem.

Fast forward, now I'm 21 and taking 150-175mg of tramadol every day. This new doc (whom I've been getting Ultram from for 2 years now) gives me 90 tablets with 3 to 5 refills each time. I take 1 tablet three times a day. I go ahead and take 125mg in the morning. Then another 25mg around noon...and sometimes I take a little more later in the evening. So I run out early sometimes and have to face withdrawal for a few days. It is horrible. As you all know.

I can't blame anything on this new doctor because when I went to get more in April he asked if the Ultram was still working and I said yes, and I don't really get side effects except constipation. And he said we still need to be careful because it can be addicting. So this doctor knows what he's doing. I have refills until October, then I'm due to see him and get more again. However, I'm thinking about telling him I'm dependent and the withdrawal is horrible and asked to be tapered off slowly. I'm so scared, though. I really depend on this drug. It feels like it makes life worth living and problems are easily faced.

I like it better than the real opioiRAB. Honestly. When I run out early and face withdrawal sometimes, I will get hydrocodone off the street and although they help pain and bring on an even more intense euphoria...they only last 4 hours at a time and it's not the same as tramadol. Tramadol works for many hours and after the rush has passed I'm still left feeling enlightened.

So I've been on tramadol for almost 6 years now since I was 15. Now I'm 21 and still on it. Living with my girlfriend and we have a baby girl due in August. I took underground mining classes recently and my dad is helping me get on at the mines he works at. I'm excited and nervous about this. And tramadol would make working in the mines so much easier...as it makes everything else so much easier. I don't want to get off of it...and yet I do want to get off of it. I'm tired of fearing withdrawal and feeling it every morning until I take my dose.
 
howcouldiknow,

Please discuss medications with your healthcare professional. No one here can prescribe for you.
 
Hey, everyone.

I discussed the Xanax with my doctor and my concern with it. I have never seen a drug produce tolerance so quickly in my life! He seemed happy to take me off of it. I only used it for 3 or 4 days. He switched me over to a drug called Atarax (hydroxyzine) to take as needed during tension and difficulty sleeping during this long and drawn out tramadol taper. Hydroxyzine appears to be a potent anti-histamine that is sometimes prescribed for it anxiolytic and sedative properties. I can't find any references anywhere that says it can be abused or cause dependency. So, I feel comfortable using it. I haven't had to yet, though.

Notperky, no. He's not tapering me off of the tramadol quickly at all. It seems like it's going to take awhile, actually. This doctor obviously understanRAB this drug and told me he knew it was addicting when I first asked for it. In fact, he said we needed to be careful awhile back. See, I was getting tramadol from my family doctor when I turned 15, but a couple of years later he said no more. So I said "screw you", and randomly chose this doctor who's been giving to me for a little while now. He of course checked my recorRAB to make sure I really did need it for pain.

He's been very understanding about my dependency. However, I didn't tell him I was using it for the high, too. Should I have? I just simply told him I've been on it for 6 years and got dependent, not knowing it would happen. Should I have told him I was also loving the high?

By the way.... I already discussed possibly going on an anti-depressant once tapering is complete and he thought it would be a smart move.

And brainpain33, you're right. I had severe anxiety and depression when I turned 13, but when I started taking tramadol at 15 I noticed that anxiety and depression just went away. I thought I grew out of it and it was just teenage angst...but the tramadol may be alleviating that I don't know.

:wave:
 
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