I've been taking Tramadol since Februart of 2009. I want to get pregnant soon so I'm stopping it. Last night was the first night I didn't take it and I feel HORRIBLE. It's 4:45am here and I've been up since 12:30. I'm supposed to go to work but I don't see that happening. The restless leg is almost more than I can handle. I am hot and cold and have bathroom problems (you can figure it out) I don't know how long this is going to last but I'm hoping not too long. Not sure how long I can take this....

Suzanne,

you are just experiencing withdrawels and it's fairly typical. I also suffered from rls when i stopped fentanyl, I just substituted a really low dose of oxy everytime I started to experience it. Try taking something with a low dose of codeine, it should relieve the symptoms and then just try to lengthen the amount of time between doses. Tramadol is just a stripped down analog of codeine and hits the same receptors in the brain

Hang in there.

Eric

Thank you Eric....I have Tylenol3 which has codeine...maybe I'll try that...

I have an appointment at Fox Chase on Monday...I'm going to ask them how to ween off of this. Everything I read said to not stop cold turkey which is what I was doing. I couldn't handle the shakes, hot, cold and everything else. I was up for almost for 24 hours and was not close to relaxing. I talked to my pharmasist and she said to not stop cold turkey either, that's it;s not good for the body. So I took one and feel horrible about that. I guess if I get a plan to stop on Monday that will help...

Suzanne,

Don't feel bad about not being able to kick the pain meds cold turkey...it's not recommended and you see why. I struggled for so long attached to pain meds that I couldn't see myself without them...even though they were past their usefulness to me. I tried quiting several times only to wind up back to a familiar spot...and frusrated to boot.

Work with your medical professional closely and tell them "everything" you feel throughout the process. You can do this!

Eric

Thank you so much for your help with this Eric....I do feel frustrated and I feel like I should be able to just stop. You're right...obviously not. I took half a pill this morning and I feel fine. Normally by now I would have taken 1 or 2 so I'm happy the half is working so well. I will talk to my doc and tell them everything. I just feel more pressure b/c I want to start a family soon and I can't do anything until I'm off this medicine.

Thanks again...your support means a lot.

Suzanne

So suddenly you have Wonder Woman Syndrome where you think you can quit pain meds cold turkey ? Wake up little sister.
As an ex hippie who took percocets for breakfast along with vanilla ice-cream & wheat germ, I have to say that just quitting is less than an optimal approach. Like EricS says, just taper down. (Of course, Eric being an AlphaMale Young Frack ended up just living out Hero cabin therapy). Seriously, don't underestimate the staying power of pain and act accordingly. Don't be so hard on yourself and if it turns out you had a little more medication than absolutely necessary, it's hardly a big deal. Better safe than sorry.
good to see your posts
Charm

Susanne,

In September I was taking 30cc morphine and a fental patch. I started to cut the patch in 2/3, then 1/2, 1/4 the gone. I then started using 1cc less morphine each time and continued the taper. To hazy to remember but it might have taken a month. I also use to get the "Jitters" so I would take a smale dose of vivodine, a couple of weeks ago I stopped that. Now for the second time in my live ( Charm and I must have read the same biik when we were young) I am drug free and getting back to normal, or as normal as I can get right now.

TAPER!!!!!!

Steve

Charm..you always make me laugh. I guess I was under the impression I was Wonder Woman. When I was shaking on the couch I realized that is not so. This little sister is opening her eyes:)

Steve...thank you for your post too. It sure does help to know I'm not the only person who goes through this.

I am scared and it's been a while since I felt that way. I'm scared I can't do this and I'm not usually that way. I feel a little depressed too which doesn't help anything. Just knowing there are people here to talk to helps, as always.

I'm going to the doc tomorrow so hopefully she will give me some good ideas. I watching a show last night about a kid addicted to pain killers and he went to rehab and that was making me feel bad. My husband reminded me I had cancer and surgery and that is why I was given the meds in the first place and to take it easy on myself. The kid on the show was taking 40 xanex a day....guess I shouldn't watch stuff like that:)

Thank you again...I'll let you know my doc says tomorrow.

Suzanne,
I was with a friend of my who is a pharmathist. We were all talking of my journey with TX. Morphine came up. He said that when you use opiates for pain it is not likely to get adicted as the opiate is stopping pain, not getting you high. Maid meds are actually wonderful drugs that will help us get better.

As I said, in my previous post, I was doing a lot of pain med, and I was woried. In my previous post I did some drugs when I was young, in all honesty I did a lot of drugs including morphine and cousin heroin. I was afraid to take the pain meds initially I did not want to become adicted. My doc assured me this would not be the case and it was not.

Maybe it was a case of having more resolve to get off the opiates, this whole experience has made me tougher.

Your hubby is right, take it easy on your self. This is a tough enough experience!

good luck tomorrow

Steve