Tramadol, this is stuff that kinda fills me with loathing.

I was in 200mg (my doctor said this was the highest dose for someone my weight, 112 lb) a day several years ago, for a chronic pain issue (since resolved).

I found it didn't help much with the pain but it did have some striking side effects - frequent hallucinations of "shadow people", severe postural hypotension, and intense fatigue were the worst.

After several months I decided I couldn't put up with the side effects, so (very, very, very stupidly) I just stopped taking it cold turkey. The result was pretty much like heroin withdrawal, every bit as bad as TV eand movies say, heh. I think the really acute withdrawal period lasted about a month (made worse because every now and again I would freak out, be unable to deal with the horrible, horrible insomnia, and pop 400-600mg) and there were some residual symptoms for considerably longer.

Anyway, fast forward to now . . .

I have very bad occipital headaches and some nerve pain, apparently due to cerebellitis. I'm on neurontin for the nerve pain (3x300mg a day), and it works quite well. My doctor also gave me 50mg tramadol pills, with instructions to take 1 or 2 if necessary, and no more than 8 a day. I try not to take more than 1 at a time and 2 or 3 a day, I think once only I have taken 4. They are very slightly effective for my headaches - they "take the edge off" but nothing more. When a headache is bad they certainly don't take pain down to a manageable level, or reduce it enough that I can think properly - they just turn down the dial a lot.

A higher dose might help more, but meh, I am just really concerned about possible dependance and withdrawal. I know if I handle it properly it shouldn't be a problem, but withdrawal the first time round was the single most unpleasant experience of my entire life and I really do not want to risk repeating it.