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Medications & Treatments For discussion about medications and treatments for any disease or health condition, including issues of medication toxicity. |
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03-11-2012, 12:34 PM | #1 | ||
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Long story short, ten years ago, after having always been a healthy person and never taking anything stronger than Tylenol (even after childbirth for 4 children) I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. My disease course has always been a bit different than most people with MS and 10 years later, thankfully I am not in a wheelchair, nor do I need a walker to walk and my vision, bowel and bladder function is fine, however, I have suffered from intractible constant pain in my hands and feet that radiates to my entire body within a few short hours IF I miss a dose of my tramadol which I take every 4 hours, 100mg. I also have debilitating fatique and frequent migraines ( those I have had for most of my adult life however). After years of my MS remaining stable, I decided I would like to try to get off the tramadol but each time I tried to stretch out the dose to about 8 hours,the pain would worsen and travel through my whole body and leave me bedridden, along with an odd sensation inside my skull. finally, through research I realized it could be the tramadol causing the pain and not my MS and likely the tramadol is also making me so tired as well. I have tried to get off it before by doing the taper but it never works because as a mom of 5 there are always things that come up that I have to be functional for so I end up back where I started. this time I decided to take a week and go off really fast. I have weaned fast from 100mg(2pills) 5 times a day over the week until yesterday I took my last 50 mg tab at 8am. I have had terrible symptoms of WD since I got to 50mg 2xday and was hoping the worst was behind me. Now is almost 30 hours since last pill....how long will these awful symptoms last if I don't take anymore at all. Am I crazy to do it so fast? Now that it has been so long since a pill it will feel like a major step back if I give in and take one. I am afraid I will just go back on them once I feel the physical relief. I do have pain in my feet now but I won't know if that is MS pain or a lie of tramadol until I am off and I need my energy back that I am hoping getting rid of Tramadol will give me. symptoms of WD are restless agitation, restless legs at night that make me thrash and have to take some Xanax to calm and sleep, terrible runny nose and sneezing, diarrhea, hot sweats and then chilled, emotional lability and the worse is an awful sensation inside my skull as if my brain is moving around in small jerky waves...especially if I turn my head and eyes at the same time...it causes me to take a big inhalation when it happens and sends a jolt through my core. it happens to a greater degree when I am up,walking, unless I try not to move my head or eyes or make any sudden turns and barely open my eyes basically just looking at the floor...very debilitating and no way I can drive with that....I will say so far it is a bit better, but the Xanax I took last has not warn off and I do still feel it slightly even after 30 hours. How long will the withdrawal take since it has already been 30 hours since last pill? Please tell me I am almost over the worst of it! Thanks to all who took time to read this and I pray for better days for all of you, starting NOW! Blessings!
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03-11-2012, 05:12 PM | #2 | ||
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Thanks, even if no replies... |
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03-11-2012, 06:21 PM | #3 | |||
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Hi there
as you only made your post a few hours ago and it is a Sunday, when most members are spending time with family, church etc and not online as much...please don't become disheartened at the lack of responses...the forums are busier on week days Please also note that the views come from all who have read your post *not* just members here...so that includes anyone who has found it on Google and also the Google and other search engine bots So just be patient and anyone who is able will try to help you
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~Chemar~ * . * . These forums are for mutual support and information sharing only. The forums are not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. Always consult your doctor before trying anything you read here. |
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"Thanks for this!" says: | Rrae (03-11-2012) |
03-11-2012, 07:17 PM | #4 | ||
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Oh well Maybe withxanax I will at least sleep now and tomorrow is a new day. This detox is so evil though...does anyone ever know what they are getting into when they take a drug like tramadol which at first is like a life safer and then it turns on them! Thanks for at least saying something to me....I don' t feel as alone. |
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03-11-2012, 07:30 PM | #5 | |||
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that is why it is suggested to always titrate off such medications very slowly and preferably under professional supervision. It is an enormous shock to your system when the withdrawal is too fast.
Hopefully members with more knowledge about this specific drug will be along soon to offer more advice I know that when my son was being withdrawn from SSRI meds, it was a very lengthy and still traumatic experience. He found having epsom salts baths each night very helpful...2 cups epsom salts in a tub of warm water, soak 20 min Hot lemon juice (boiled water with fresh squeezed juice of one lemon, with or without honey to taste, also helped him with the nausea he experienced. I realize this is a different class of drug, but maybe those tips can bring some soothing Do be careful about self medicating as you could be opening up a whole new Pandora's box!!
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~Chemar~ * . * . These forums are for mutual support and information sharing only. The forums are not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. Always consult your doctor before trying anything you read here. |
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"Thanks for this!" says: | ginnie (03-12-2012) |
03-11-2012, 07:38 PM | #6 | ||
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Elder
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What you are experiencing does sound like some kind of withdrawl. I felt much the same weaning down from morphine. However, I read up on tramadol. and it was not suppose to be so addictive. The hot and cold, chills and sweats is what I went through too. My concern is that it is related to the MS, and not necessarily the medication. If these symptoms persist, and your doctor is not responsive to your concerns, I would ask for a referal, and see a doctor specializing in MS. Call the doc, and ask him again about the tramadol. It sounds like you are having a terrible time with the whole situation. If you feel bad enough, and this does subside, I would get to an ER. Real detox needs to be monitored by a physician, and a gradual approach is usually used. If this is the tramadol, and there really is an addiction there, you do need a doctor to help you reduce the amount in a more humane way.
I am so sorry you are going through this. I sure would act on it, misery would drive me to the doctor. I hope others will be around to give a few more ideas to you. I know what that withdrawl feels like, and my doctor went slower for me. Get some help if you can to sort out exactly what is happening to you. You will get more responces, I am here to listen to you too. You can PM me, and I will answer. I try to come back as often as time permits. You are not alone, I care. ginnie |
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03-12-2012, 06:04 AM | #7 | |||
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Wisest Elder Ever
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Tramadol has TWO actions in the body.
One is to sit on mu receptors and block pain signals (like opiates), but this is a smaller effect than opiates like morphine. Secondly, it also affects serotonin receptors, and in some people this action is what causes alot of withdrawal problems. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol This link discusses withdrawal. Are you taking an antidepressant also? If not, you could try using L-tryptophan, as this sometimes lessens serotonin withdrawal syndrome. You should discuss this carefully with your doctor, as he/she may prefer you use long acting Prozac to help with withdrawal (and tapering that carefully over time). But it has been my experience that many doctors do not understand tramadol and hence don't know how to help you.
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All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.-- Galileo Galilei ************************************ . Weezie looking at petunias 8.25.2017 **************************** These forums are for mutual support and information sharing only. The forums are not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. Always consult your doctor before trying anything you read here.
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"Thanks for this!" says: | ginnie (03-12-2012) |
03-12-2012, 10:19 AM | #8 | |||
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Senior Member (**Dr Smith is named after a character from Lost in Space, not a medical doctor)
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Yes, I think you are crazy (ok, maybe naive ) to do it so fast and without the help of your physician. There are 2 ways of doing this. One is to try to space out the doses, which usually doesn't work in early stages (as you've found). The other is to keep on the same schedule, but slowly reduce the dosage until it is low enough that it spaces out on its own without your noticing it so much. Other meds (tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, antihistamines) may help lessen the withdrawal symptoms, but care must be taken that you don't swap one dependence for another. Another factor that may come up is that once you're through all this, you may still have pain requiring medication to be able to function. This is another reason to bring your doctor in on this decision. S/he may be aware of the reasons for your doing this, and in addition to helping you stop the one medication, may be able to rotate you to another one that wouldn't produce the bad side effects, but still control your pain - often at a much lower equivalent dosage. My suggestions are to talk to your doctor about this, and while waiting to get in to see him/her, network with other MS patients who may have had similar experiences. Here is one MS forum: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum17.html Doc
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Dr. Zachary Smith Oh, the pain... THE PAIN... Dr. Smith is NOT a medical doctor. He was a character from LOST IN SPACE. All opinions expressed are my own. For medical advice/opinion, consult your doctor. |
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03-12-2012, 10:41 AM | #9 | ||
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"Thanks for this!" says: | ginnie (03-12-2012) |
03-12-2012, 04:20 PM | #10 | ||
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"Thanks for this!" says: | ginnie (03-12-2012) |
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