Tramadol

[Hapgrl]

Man.....love you girl.. Hng tough

Down to 1-1.5 a day. Mood is much better, energy is good. It's all I can do to not go up to more pills since I feel so good. Just want to feel even better. Trying to remember why I'm here in the first place, lol. The past week has not sucked the life out of me. I feel better and ready for the next steps!!!! Taking my time...waiting for my body to keep making it's own serotonin. It's working- hope this helps others out there.

 

[Guest]

Good for you! You are doing itbthe right way and are sooooooooo close! Xo

 

[Guest]

I have had T-Dol from India and they kicked my ASS!

I will 2nd this.  If you can find them then get them. 

On a side note, gabapentin is freakin awesome for kicking a tram habit.  It will take away the physical.  The first couple times you use it you will feel tired but your body will adjust quickly to that. 

 

[Guest]

Stupid me, kicked tram without it. But...that was months ago! Four and a half to be exact. One tiny slip up. Im so glad you posted this Infinity. I wish I had heeded this advice from others.

Kicking tramp was the BEST and most rewarding thing I have ever done. So.....months into it and I am still having some sleep disturbances. Keep in mind, I kicked trazadone at the same time. But I expected a LOT worse. The two year merry go round with tramp is finally over. I am not cocky....i know that for the rest of my life I will need to watch myself with tramp. The depression, for me, lasted a couple of months, the worst being in the first three weeks. Pretty much every day you have to tell yourself "this is all in your head". To be honest, the first week was the worst and it kept getting better from there. But it took awhile. I feel normal except for the sleep disturbances. Honestly, I have always had some sleep issues so..how much is actually from the tramp wd? I cannot tell you.

All in all SO worth it. Just cutting down is a success story from this devil drug! I am so proud of all of you guys trying to cut back and/or quit. Keep at it. It took me a whole year of wanting to quit before I did.

 

[evaloraine]

Stupid me, kicked tram without it. But...that was months ago! Four and a half to be exact. One tiny slip up. Im so glad you posted this Infinity. I wish I had heeded this advice from others.

Kicking tramp was the BEST and most rewarding thing I have ever done. So.....months into it and I am still having some sleep disturbances. Keep in mind, I kicked trazadone at the same time. But I expected a LOT worse. The two year merry go round with tramp is finally over. I am not cocky....i know that for the rest of my life I will need to watch myself with tramp. The depression, for me, lasted a couple of months, the worst being in the first three weeks. Pretty much every day you have to tell yourself "this is all in your head". To be honest, the first week was the worst and it kept getting better from there. But it took awhile. I feel normal except for the sleep disturbances. Honestly, I have always had some sleep issues so..how much is actually from the tramp wd? I cannot tell you.

All in all SO worth it. Just cutting down is a success story from this devil drug! I am so proud of all of you guys trying to cut back and/or quit. Keep at it. It took me a whole year of wanting to quit before I did.

Congratulations! I have a love/hate relationship with tramps. Quitting was horrible but I quit for almost 2 years before I started again. The thought of quitting is nauseating but I know i need to do it. Reading your comments gives me hope!

 

[Hapgrl]

Congratulations! I have a love/hate relationship with tramps. Quitting was horrible but I quit for almost 2 years before I started again. The thought of quitting is nauseating but I know i need to do it. Reading your comments gives me hope!

I hope so. I've spent over 4 months now at tapering. I'm treating this as a marathon. I'm not as brave as cat about going cold turkey. I was only taking 12-50's a day, but my body was really hooked. I think Its the best anti-depression drug on the "off-market". Last time I tried to quit I got so depressed I couldn't do it. I have suffered from depression several times in my life, but I can't add SSRI's until the tramps are gone. I hear it can be dangerous. With this slower taper, I think my body has been given more time to start making seratonin. I don't know for sure, but I feel like I'm balancing the w/d pain first and the depression second, then I feel pretty good on the third week. Then I drop another 1 or 1/2 pill and go through it again, only less painful each taper cycle. Christmas is my goal. Oh- lol, ben5z0's have helped, but I need them less and less each week. Don't quit, taper and then it won't seem so overwhelming. Or don't- but I support you whatever you choose. It's your body and mind. No one can decide for you. Not one member of my family knows. It's been difficult trying to explain why I'm so achey all the time😓

 

[Guest]

I hope so. I've spent over 4 months now at tapering. I'm treating this as a marathon. I'm not as brave as cat about going cold turkey. I was only taking 12-50's a day, but my body was really hooked. I think Its the best anti-depression drug on the "off-market". Last time I tried to quit I got so depressed I couldn't do it. I have suffered from depression several times in my life, but I can't add SSRI's until the tramps are gone. I hear it can be dangerous. With this slower taper, I think my body has been given more time to start making seratonin. I don't know for sure, but I feel like I'm balancing the w/d pain first and the depression second, then I feel pretty good on the third week. Then I drop another 1 or 1/2 pill and go through it again, only less painful each taper cycle. Christmas is my goal. Oh- lol, ben5z0's have helped, but I need them less and less each week.

Don't quit, taper and then it won't seem so overwhelming. Or don't- but I support you whatever you choose. It's your body and mind. No one can decide for you. Not one member of my family knows. It's been difficult trying to explain why I'm so achey all the time

That is the worst when noone knows. What a lonely feeling. I was there when i found this forum. No more alone feeling! Btw i am not brave....just stupid. I didnt have the patience for a slow taper. Nor the self control. Thank God it is over. I am here for you guys. Xo

 

[rockytop]

Just checking by.  Good to see your posts hap and cat.  Prayers are with you Hap.  It's sucks to do it, but so rewarding like cat says.  I'm about 6 weeks now off that crap and now the psychological battle....you feel so "up" and good on them you want that feeling again...and your mind tells you "just get a 30 count"  for when you really need them.  ahhhhh, the mind games our minds play!

 

[Guest]

Rockytop! Yay! How awesome to hear from you today! Hang TOUGH! You are through it! I am being weird right now and have tears in my eyes! So so happy for you! It keeps getting better!

 

[Hapgrl]

Just checking by.  Good to see your posts hap and cat.  Prayers are with you Hap.  It's sucks to do it, but so rewarding like cat says.  I'm about 6 weeks now off that crap and now the psychological battle....you feel so "up" and good on them you want that feeling again...and your mind tells you "just get a 30 count"  for when you really need them.  ahhhhh, the mind games our minds play!

Thanks rockytop, that means so much to me this morning.  Now that this thread has been moved to the A&R section, hopefully more people will join in.  The best feeling in the world right now is to not be alone.  It's good and bad that no one around me knows.  I don't want the embarrassment and shame, but I need the support.  I have the best family and I want to protect them from me and dealing with the embarrassment too. 

The mind is so weird-  any uncomfortable situation makes me want to take them.  It's not a high, just a crutch.  I just keep telling myself, "you can do this", even if it is just retreating and not doing anything social or work related but also  NOT popping anything in my mouth.  I've taken a lot of naps lately

 

[Phrenicz]

Hey Hapgrl,

Glad to hear you are doing so well... I was reading your comments regarding none of your family knowing!

I'm in exactly the same boat and know just how hard it is to explain away all the aches and pains... My family think I'm lifting enormous amounts of weights?!... I am lifting weights regularly, but not as many as they think I am... Sometimes, I am literally crippled between doses or during one of my many tram tapering sessions!... And don't even get me started on the dancing fucking legs?!

Also may I add a few other symptoms, I also have to explain away..

In my line of work, I have to rely on a lot of quick thinking and on the spot head calculations!... Well, as you can imagine, Trams are not the best cognitive aids, shall we say... In fact, sometimes, I literally find myself in a toilet, forgetting why I am there and that I actually need a piss?!.. I just explain this away to my colleagues as late nights, party's etc....

However, when I have taken more than my fair share, my head calculator totally ceases to work and my thinking becomes very slow.. Incredibly slow. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad feeling, but a pain in the arse, when you need to be 'on it'!... There is also the occasional slurred speech, not quite drunken slurred, but enough to be noticeable...

Don't get me wrong, without trams, my life would be much, much worse, but they do come with some quite severe side effects especially when you're trying to cut back on the little bastards!....

We all seem to have to blag our way through life the best we can, until We get home behind our own door, in our own houses... Only then, can We relax!...

Crazy really, that more than half of your life is an act, just so others don't see just how vulnerable each and everyone of us is?

Anyway, I think you are doing amazingly well Hapgrl and don't even contemplate embarrassment and shame, because, everybody has their demons and crutches! At least you know what yours are : )

Much love and support

~P~

 

[rockytop]

Well, this thread outta put a damper on those seeking Tr@mps!   I'm sure that's why it got moved to this section!   Maybe our correspondence will be enough to sway the temptation for some person.....

Hap, what was your dosage before you started tapering?   I'm just curious, i tried looking at some of your other posts and couldn't find it.  Then i saw about stopping Effex at same time.  That's a double shot right to the brain...literally!   That is awesome you've been able to maintain a taper schedule.  I could never do that because i didn't have the self control to just take a couple (i mean, no buzz, really?!).    When do you plan to go completely off, cold turkey?   Just curious /default_smile.png

Phrenicz, i totally hear you!  My feelings exactly on your whole post.  When i'm on Tr@m (at buzz dosage) it feels like what people say doing c0ke feel like...euphoric, like you are the life of the party.  It's almost confidence inspiring.  I would do things like go shopping with my mom or girlfriend and actually have fun!   lol

 

[rockytop]

One more thing, hap.  I know you said you are kinda doing this incognito.  Have you told your Dr?   One thing that really helped me was clonuhdyne to help with wd's and bp going off cold turkey.   With you especially going off of Effx too, probably worth checking into a sub antidep like Z0l0ft?   The poppy seeds that Cat talks about are also really popular and seem to work great.  i didn't try it, but i've heard good things about it.  I had more problems with the SSRI wd's than the 0piate wd's...the times i've quit.  When i quit, the first couple weeks of SSRI wd's cause this weird sensation with my eyes...when i look left to right or up and down i get this clicking sound/feeling in my head.  it's weird.  I have heard of "brain zaps" but i think those are different.  i think those are like brain causing body jolts.  not sure.  anyway, hope this helps!

 

[Guest]

I used effexor to help come off of tramp.

Rocky i got those clicking things too. Totally different from zaps. I go them when dropping from 36 per day to 10 a day at once. Awful. I have heard that gabapentin, (neurontin) is amazing with wds too but I have never tried it.

 

[rockytop]

so what are the brain zaps people talk about?!  I remember sometimes i'd get like body convulsions in mornings like when i'm in REM sleep)...like your leg spasms, but whole body at once....not very often, but occasionally.  But i never got that from tapering or wd'ing...so i'm curious what the "brain zaps" are all about that people get?

 

[Phrenicz]

I used effexor to help come off of tramp.

Rocky i got those clicking things too. Totally different from zaps. I go them when dropping from 36 per day to 10 a day at once. Awful. I have heard that gabapentin, (neurontin) is amazing with wds too but I have never tried it.

36 to 10 a day at once!! You should know better young Cat!! Ha!

**Bad Vixen!!**

Anyway, all's well that ends well and you continue to be an inspiration to me : )

I found the best SSRI transition from Trams, was Zoloft...

Obviously, not both at the same time, as serotonin syndrome is not pleasant, and can be fatal!!

When I attempt one of my quarterly tram tapers, I tend to get down to 50mg Tram, while also crossing over with 50mg Zoloft.... However, everybody is different and technically you should not take both Trams and any SSRI at the same time!...

However, I find at these small doses of each, it does slightly take some of the discomfort of tram w/d's away and keeps you on a level, albeit a temporary low one, but not as low as it would be with total c/t...

Mix in a few benz@'s in the couple of weeks during the transition, and I find coming out the other side, as bearable as it possibly can be?...

However, I must reiterate, we are all different and while this combination works for me, it may be dangerous for somebody else to try...

trams are a strange one really... Not like other opiates... I find them the most difficult opiate to taper off or even c/t?... And I've had my fair share of tapers...

Even from stronger opies like M@rphine & hydr@cod@ne....

Trams?... Well, they seem to linger longer? Not as linear as a normal op w/d somehow?...

~P~

 

[Phrenicz]

so what are the brain zaps people talk about?!  I remember sometimes i'd get like body convulsions in mornings like when i'm in REM sleep)...like your leg spasms, but whole body at once....not very often, but occasionally.  But i never got that from tapering or wd'ing...so i'm curious what the "brain zaps" are all about that people get?

I find the 'brain zaps' more prevelant in SSRI withdrawal... Especially from the most evil pill ever invented: Paxil!!

Horrific fucking drug!... I cannot emphasise how much I hate Paxil!!

If the devil existed and made a drug, that would be it!!

 

[Guest]

Omg i withdrew from Paxil. My doctor told me to " just stop taking it" for four days and then start effexor. Mthat was my first experience with SSRI wd. HOLY CRAP! Evil indeed!

 

[Hapgrl]

One more thing, hap. I know you said you are kinda doing this incognito. Have you told your Dr? One thing that really helped me was clonuhdyne to help with wd's and bp going off cold turkey. With you especially going off of Effx too, probably worth checking into a sub antidep like Z0l0ft? The poppy seeds that Cat talks about are also really popular and seem to work great. i didn't try it, but i've heard good things about it. I had more problems with the SSRI wd's than the 0piate wd's...the times i've quit. When i quit, the first couple weeks of SSRI wd's cause this weird sensation with my eyes...when i look left to right or up and down i get this clicking sound/feeling in my head. it's weird. I have heard of "brain zaps" but i think those are different. i think those are like brain causing body jolts. not sure. anyway, hope this helps!

So, I have not told my doctor and I'm trying to avoid that, too. Small community and I'm afraid of that. I have an appointment with a psych coming up to start taking antidepressants again. I've had multiple bouts of depression over my lifetime and I truly think the tramps were why I haven't needed them for so many years. I started taking trammies for migraines and they started to help with virtually everything I had problems with. Social anxiety, depression, and aches and pains associated with depression. I never took more than 16 in one day, but that was a heavy usage day. I really only took 12 (give or take) a day. Pretty much at mealtimes. So I never got high like some people talk about. But one day I just couldn't function if I accidentally left them at home. Since then, a few years ago, I realized how bad I needed them. I never upped the dose, never got tolerance to the dose or ever needed more to achieve the same effect. I considered it a maintenance dose to keep the pain of w/d, depression and anxiety.

I fooled myself that it was only a few pills over the daily recommended dose, so if I tried to taper it was not pleasant, so I quit trying.

When the scheduling of the tramps came along, I decided it was a wake up call to find the real me again.

I've tapered from 12 to 1.5- 2 a day, extremely slowly. 12, 9, 8, 6, 4, 2-3 and now 1-2 a day. I know the feeling of many dr>gs. Lots in my youth, sometimes for days on end. But I always had a day or two of w/d's but never anything like this. It's my mind---truly mental. But I'm not crazy or anything, just lifelong depression that always comes back. Most psychs will ask what antidepressant has worked in the past, and start with that drug first. So, I'll probably get my choice. From what I've seen on the forums here, I won't ask for the ones that people mention also have bad w/d's.

I plan on being off these trammies by Christmas...not going to risk jumping off a cliff without antidepressants onboard first. I think I'm on a low enough dose to start anytime on something mild like z0loft or Prozac.

Omg, poppy p0ds are really expensive! Plus, I may really love them- so not a good idea. I have been using b3nz0s for the anxiety, blood pressure and sleep. I am also taking Htp5. I sleep almost too much, but not from too many b3nz0s (2-3 1mg a day), but probably depression. It makes the time pass quickly. But when I'm not asleep, I am having some great days or parts of days. I'm ok. I didn't get to this place overnight, so it's going to take time to get out of it.

 

[Hapgrl]

Well, this thread outta put a damper on those seeking Tr@mps! I'm sure that's why it got moved to this section! Maybe our correspondence will be enough to sway the temptation for some person.....

Hap, what was your dosage before you started tapering? I'm just curious, i tried looking at some of your other posts and couldn't find it. Then i saw about stopping Effex at same time. That's a double shot right to the brain...literally! That is awesome you've been able to maintain a taper schedule. I could never do that because i didn't have the self control to just take a couple (i mean, no buzz, really?!). When do you plan to go completely off, cold turkey? Just curious /default_smile.png

Phrenicz, i totally hear you! My feelings exactly on your whole post. When i'm on Tr@m (at buzz dosage) it feels like what people say doing c0ke feel like...euphoric, like you are the life of the party. It's almost confidence inspiring. I would do things like go shopping with my mom or girlfriend and actually have fun! lol

Totally relate to doing things you would not want to do-- like attending a band concert at middle school. Now I'm suffering with the rest of the parents, lol.