Tramadol for pain - WITHDRAWLS.

[Big Shasta]

I know a bunch of folks have issues worse than I do with injuries and ongoing pain management. My back is a mess and I've has surgeries and injections and pain management for years now. I've been on tramadol for close to 3 years with increasing doses up to the max daily of 300 mg in an extended release tablet. I've never abused any drugs and have always taken the minimum necessary to make my day productive through the back pain. unfortunately the effectiveness wore down so the dosage went slowly up to the max.
After 6-8 months on the max dose, I'm at a new pain management doctor and he wanted me to get off them. The real reason I even used them was the doctors telling me how good it is because it's not addictive and non narcotic....BS Try stopping and you'll see how addicted your body is to it.
I stopped cold turkey and WOW...I've gotten about 2 hours sleep in the last 3 nights. Horrible muscle aches, restless legs and arms...body won't stop and my mind is begging for sleep. I'm torn between going back on it until I see my doc and get some taper doses or just sucking it up and fighting through it. I have more of it but what I have are extended release max dose pills so you only take one per day. Can't taper with those. Research says 7-10 days but damn, Not sure I can take another hour, let alone 4-7 more days.
Anyone been on it and stopped? If you're on it now and have been for a while, research tramadol withdrawal symptoms. I'd suggest talking to your doctor and tapering off it and on to something else.

 

[96Pirate]

@Big Shasta Sorry to hear about your pain. I had back surgery and shots as well but never went on Tramadol so I cannot add any input on that. Hang in there and hopefully it is just the 1st few days. Here's to hoping you start feeling better soon. Keep us posted.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Sorry to hear of your issues with the pain meds. I can't help you on having experience but please know we are behind you and will do what we can to help you through this tough time.

 

[Wayloncle]

All you have to do for back pain is; stretch, build your core muscles, stretch, take this muscle relaxer, Motrin, Motrin, blah blah blah. That's all I've heard for 15 years from the Air Force Doctors. I keep telling them it is more than stretching (I do it all the time) the physical therapist always says "see how far you can go this way" I go beyond, "well, you need to work your way up to doing these planks for 1 minute to build your core" after about two minutes I tell them to tell me when I get to a minute.....
I've always told the. It felt like a pinched nerve, they say it isn't.

I went to a civilian Doc for my VA physical for my retirement, he looked at my back and said "you have scoliosis, it's blantently obvious" then he did some tests "your nerves are being pinched right here"

I've never been on much meds, I've been given all kinds of stuff but I never kept taking them even to finish what was prescribed, I hate taking meds everyday, it never seemed to help me anyway.

I hope you find relief soon!

Oh yeah, the last AF "doc" that I saw spent about 45 minutes telling me I should take up Yoga:-/
I'm sure a lot of that helps some people's pain, but not everyone has the same problem causing the pain.

 

[Bruce]

I have a friend who was taking a lot of painkillers for years after getting rear ended. He is doing so much better now that he is off of them. So I encourage you to stick with it!

 

[Britboater]

I'm right in there with you @Big Shasta , Discectomy/laminectomy in 96, confirmed three prolasped discs in 07.
As of now I'm not on, or need any medication. Over the years I've educated myself with help of personal friends, luckily some are professionals in orthopaedic surgery and physiotherapy.

What is causing your pain? Silly question you probably ask, but I mean, do you still have a prolapsed disc causing pressure on a nerve? Can this not be operated on?
Now please don't take offence, are you the right weight for your height? It's been proven excess weight contributes to back, knee, hip problems.
Exercise. Yoga, pilates are real known benefits to back problems.
Have you tried anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDS, not sure on brand names in the US, they helped me while I got fit. I always look at a pain killer as just a short term fix until the core problem can resolved. Tramadol is a opium based drug I believe, so sure you can become addicted.

The last real relapse I had was a referred pain in my hip from a prolapse disc at lower level 1-2, which is in-operable due to the close proximity to the nerves coming down my spine and parting away to their various destinations. I was put on a drug used by patients with epilepsy which suppresses certain brain functions that process pain, while the pain was being controlled I then had anti-inflammatory and hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is a wonderful rehabilitation treatment, it saved me. I also purchased a Hot Tub, really helps on those "stiff"days.
I notice your in Florida so your so lucky to have the warm climate to help you, unfortunately the US government only allows me to warm my worn out bones in Florida for six months in any year, I don't think they want me to exchange all my GB pounds to US dollars to spend in the US .

 

[txav8r]

Oh man Ken, I hate to hear your going through that. Here is to hoping the withdrawal symptoms decline and you get the rest you need. I am in the above crowd, I can't comment on the meds or getting off of them. I have never taken many because I can't in the line of work I am in. So I have had to manage from the more holistic and less invasive standpoint. I can tell you movement is life however. One of my sons is a chiropractor. He is young and of course pushes the healthy approach, eating right, exercise, and movement. When either my wife or I have issues, we are off to see him. But because we live rurally, we don't get continuous care, and it shows up sometimes. One of the best pain management tools I have been given by him, is ice. Ice will help with inflammation and it is inflammation most times that causes the muscles to pull and get you out of kilter in the first place. Ironically, heat feels better but it aggravates the problem. Try the ice pack in a towel 20 minutes at a time, it helps tremendously. I'm sorry I can't help on the med reduction, but it sounds like you have got beyond much of it.

 

[Big Shasta]

Thanks Everyone, Huge help.

To elaborate, I've been fighting back pain for 10 years. It started when I bulged a disc picking up a suitcase on a business trip. (no, workmens comp doesn't cover that but I filed it to be sure). Since, I've been to many different chiropractors , physical therapists, neurologists, orthopedics, and pain management doctors. I had surgery December of 2013 at the Laser Spine Institute in Tampa (discectomy). Got some relief from stinging nerve pain down my legs and relief from my legs falling asleep if I stood for more that 5-10 minutes. Many MRI's, they all show bulging discs, scoliosis, impingement, narrow spinal nerve space at 3 of my lower vertebrae. I had a nerve conduction study that showed my calf muscles are receiving little to no nerve signals and probably never will since the nerves are dead from being pinched in my lower back for too long. My quads are severely weakened as well. I walk very unsteady and all my weight is on the heel of my feet so I have heel pain if I stand or walk a lot.

In 2007 I was cycling a lot trying to stay in shape, this was before my leg issues but I could work through the back pain. Well, that was great until I got hit by a car from behind while cycling. I think that made my back worse but it's hard to prove when you have a history of terrible back problems but I did get taken care of for other injuries by my car insurance company since the guy was underinsured.

I used to work out at 5am 5 days a week but I'm not able to do that anymore, stopped that in 2013 when I had the back surgery. So yep, I've put on weight which makes things worse. I'm 6'4" and have a large frame but I'm up to 300 pounds. I know I need to get some of the weight off to relieve the pressure in my back. Hard to do when every physical activity hurts. I love playing racquetball and I was playing twice a week up until about 2 years ago...had to stop because it took 2 days to recover from an hour of playing.

Truthfully, I need to have 3 vertebrae fused but who can afford to take 6 months off for that recovery. I'm getting my nerves burnt soon so that will hopefully be a longer term solution than pain meds.

 

[KXCam22]

I am on my third hip replacement so I know pain killers. I was given tramadol (Tramacet) as a pain killer for hernia surgery, but only took for a couple of weeks. Tramadol is tylenol with an added psychiatric agent to make you ignore pain. What I found was that it made me extremely agitated (no conducive to rest and healing) and it gave be bizarre day-mares and visions while resting. Codeine based pain killers give you resting dreams and visions but the Tramadol ones were dark and twisted images out of horror movies. Not Nice. I now list is as a drug allergy and avoid it. My wife had the same response to it but luckily we were already aware and stopped immediately. I have had a few friend try it with about 75% having the horrible visions. My analogy of Tramadol is "up on the roof in your underwear shooting at the neigbours". Nuff said. Shasta I hope things work out for you. Cam.

 

[Big Shasta]

I am on my third hip replacement so I know pain killers. I was given tramadol (Tramacet) as a pain killer for hernia surgery, but only took for a couple of weeks. Tramadol is tylenol with an added psychiatric agent to make you ignore pain. What I found was that it made me extremely agitated (no conducive to rest and healing) and it gave be bizarre day-mares and visions while resting. Codeine based pain killers give you resting dreams and visions but the Tramadol ones were dark and twisted images out of horror movies. Not Nice. I now list is as a drug allergy and avoid it. My wife had the same response to it but luckily we were already aware and stopped immediately. I have had a few friend try it with about 75% having the horrible visions. My analogy of Tramadol is "up on the roof in your underwear shooting at the neigbours". Nuff said. Shasta I hope things work out for you. Cam.

Yikes, I'm glad I didn't have that sort of a reaction. I did a little research and it looks like Tramacet (tramadol and acetaminophen) aren't sold in the US. I know several people that have taken it and they had no problems with it but they weren't on it long term, just PRN. I don't think it should be prescribed for long term chronic pain.

Hope the new hip is working out for you.

 

[Glassman]

Ken, I'll add you to my nightly list of prayers. Unfortunately I can relate to back pain, fortunately mine was corrected long ago and I've been fairly trouble free for a while now (as he knocks on wood).

My wife, on the other hand, had surgery on her neck and vertebrae fused almost exactly a year ago. Just when things were looking up and she was about 90% she took a Dr. up on his suggestion to have acupuncture performed to try and resolve it completely. That didn't work...in fact it set her back to a state worse than before the surgery.

They have her on Gabapentin - typically used for seizures and severe nerve pain from shingles. Since her pain is primarily nerve related it seems to work quite well for her, but if she misses a pill - look out, it gets ugly. It works best when there is a sustained level in your system. Hopefully she can slowly reduce the dosage over time.

 

[GTBRMC]

Best wishes, Shasta. I don't have any advice, but do the best you can to get through.
JBNers have your back. (No pun intended.)

 

[4x15mph]

Shasta, aorry to hear about this and I think it is great that you recognize the need to ween off of the pain killers. My only experience was with back pain but that was from travel, some running and gym stuff, not enough stretching, combined with eating/drinking too much.

Take it easy

 

[Scottintexas]

I'm sorry to hear about your problems, I can't even get off soda at lunch, I can't imagine quitting the hard stuff.
I'll add you to my prayer list every morning (at least M-F )

 

[Evil Sports]

Had a L5 disc cut in 2006, in 07 I noticed my shin bone starting to protrude. Got a conduction study and the news was not good. I have lost most of the front shin muscle and have some foot drop. I am in pain all the time but Im able to block it out without meds. I keep hoping for that break though in back disc treatment/repair/replacement but Im starting to realize it may not be in my life time. Sorry Im not much help in getting off those meds Im sure theres others like you that have dealt with it, just not here. Not sure if you saw this, http://www.patient.co.uk/forums/discuss/coming-off-tramadol-175502

http://www.drugs.com/answers/long-withdrawal-symptoms-away-tramadol-583491.html

 

[Big Shasta]

Had a L5 disc cut in 2006, in 07 I noticed my shin bone starting to protrude. Got a conduction study and the news was not good. I have lost most of the front shin muscle and have some foot drop. I am in pain all the time but Im able to block it out without meds. I keep hoping for that break though in back disc treatment/repair/replacement but Im starting to realize it may not be in my life time. Sorry Im not much help in getting off those meds Im sure theres others like you that have dealt with it, just not here. Not sure if you saw this, http://www.patient.co.uk/forums/discuss/coming-off-tramadol-175502

http://www.drugs.com/answers/long-withdrawal-symptoms-away-tramadol-583491.html

Thanks for the links, I've read a bunch more just like those. It's amazing to read the issues other people are going through. Some have abused it but even people that haven't. It's crazy to think doctors are just willing to hand it over so freely and I can't understand why it isn't classified as a restricted drug.

There is actually a new procedure that hopefully will be available really soon. It's basically an injection of 2 things already present in other places in the body into the disc space and it turns into a material similar to disc material and pumps back up the disc space. It's supposed to be able to be done in a doctors office.

Found the Video. This guy is a billionaire if it works like it seems to. I just hope the guys making a mint on surgeries don't kill him off or somehow effect its FDA approval. This looks like it would be perfect for me.

 

[Mike Rock]

Hang in there...

 

[biglar155]

Wow. You guys make the little knot I've been dealing with in my back/hip for the past 18 months sound like child's play.

@Big Shasta : Hang in there. Recovering from addiction isn't pretty.

 

[Big Shasta]

Thanks guys. I have always been the guy that stayed away from the hard meds as much as possible. That's mostly the reason for using the tramadol. I was sold on it because it was supposed to be "safe" and because it's not controlled like Norco, docs love handing it out. I should have done more research. I really want to warn people, this stuff is no joke. I don't have a physical addiction in that I crave it and want some feeling the drug gives me, But obviously my body was addicted to it cause it's still pissed it's not getting it.

It's been a week, I'm toughing it out without going back to the doctor. I've always been stubborn and I refuse to let my body force me into getting more of that crap. I'm still having horrible muscle aches and restless legs especially when I try and go to sleep. I'm getting some more sleep but its not restful at all. I just all over don't feel like myself. From everything I've read, it could be a couple more weeks before I'm back to normal. I've never had an addictive personality, I stopped smoking cold turkey years ago, that was NOTHING compared to this. I feel like I'm getting an example of what serious drug addicts go through.

Thanks everyone for the support, prayers and general encouragement here and in the PMs.

 

[MikeyL]

Hey @Big Shasta : Wishing you well, during this difficult times. Shame it ain't a bit warmer, so you might "distract" yourself with kinder thoughts and actions involving boating and the water.

I ain't got no miracle suggestions.
'Jes wanted you to know that many others in this neat community are "with you" while you go through this. And may it end quickly for you.

Sending Blessings your way ........... Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA