HELP! LOL. I am going crazy here. I am trying to taper off Tradmadol since I've maxed out the daily dosage and it is no longer working. Hopefully this will decrease my tolerance level so it will be effective until I can find a physician. I've never tapered anything before, though, so I suppose I really need some how to's to reduce my symptoms. There is one that I'm not doing very well with!!! I cannot think of any way to describe this symptom other that the name I've given it. It is a painless almost electrical zapping sensation that feels like it encompasses your entire head, particularly the inside of it and sometimes the teeth and gums. Those of you who have had it will know exactly what I'm talking about. I know of people having them after stopping anti depressants, benzos, and alcohol, but I'd never heard of them after opiates.

I am always off and on various meds because of my chronic back pain, so I'm quite used to dealing with various yucky feelings after discontinuing. I've never tapered before, but I've been on tramadol this time for so long and at high doses that I'm afraid to quit ct. I'm taking 2 50 mg tabs 4 times a day, the maximum dose per my prescriber.

The zaps are seriously interfering with life. I know I sound like a baby, but they make me annoyed, frustrated, and angry. I'm tapering right now, and often times I'll push a dose back as far as I can stand the symptoms to speed it up a little. I'd like to go much faster but I cannot take this one symptom. It is the first symptom I get, along with sweating (the sweats are terrible!) and a slight depersonalization sensation. And they last. I haven't been able to out last them yet. Mostly because they happen every 5 minutes or so, more often if I am moving around. So, out of determination to make them gone, sometimes I take more than my taper dosage, which isn't good for my progress.

I experienced the brain zaps once before, when I quit Prozac CT after taking it for a month (because it made my anxiety worse instead of better.) They were a real pain in the butt then too, but they didn't last very long. Less than 48 hours. And they must not have been as bad, because I never took another Prozac to make them stop, not like I do with the trams now.

This seems unlike a typical opiate w/d symptom to me. Have any of you ever experienced this? Were you to the point of irritability? Were your communication skills, patience, maybe even judgment diminished? Or am I just a weirdo? Can anything but completed withdrawal alleviate them? Is there anything that can help with the severity or frequency? Benzos maybe? Or would they actually prolong the process? Can you recommend a long, slow (but rigid) taper program for me?

help! Oh, and thank you for reading my 20 questions!!

Siren, I had a version of this when I tapered. My mouth felt the way you describe. So, I don't think it is unusual. Unfortunately, I don't know the answers to your questions. I hope someone will be able to give you some peace of mind.

Siren, Unless I am wrong, Ultram is very close (actually I think it is) to being an Opiod. I have gone through Hydro. W/D many times, I recently have withdrawn from Methadone which is a deadly W/D...In the course of research I found a med called "Clonidine" it is an anti-hypertensive, BUT, they have found that it takes away withdrawal from opiods, I have been off Hydro. and Methadone nearly a week, I feel fine, I have felt fine since cessation, you may want to explore this. There are also lengthy threads on withdrawal in the PW forums section,
Keep us informed!
My very best, BTW: This is ONLY my experience
It may not be effective for everyone, many people love Kratom, just never did a thing for me. You have to find what will work, our body metabolizes differently from person to person, that why "some" people (like me) cannot ever take Tramadol, (I am deathly allergic to it)
David

Oh, it's definitely an opioid! LOL. I learned that last time I had been on tramadol long term and quit ct. Though I was taking a lower dose, I decided that I wanted to get pregnant again. So I just flushed them. LOL. That was kind of a big mistake. I had some pretty obvious w/d's, like the Flu with diarrhea and even vomiting, along with the strange brain symptoms. Later research lead me to learn that Ultram has several synthetic components, one of which has an SSRI effect. You can actually get seratonin syndrome from taking tram with an SSRI. Explains why the feeling is similar to stopping Prozac.

The thing about Ultram that I've noticed is that, though it's less effective overall than hydro, the tolerance levels seem to correspond to where you become inter tolerant. For instance, I had been taking 4 doses daily of 100 mgs of tram. Before recently, if I was having my max tram dose couldn't help, and I took hydro temporarily, 15 mgs. per dose of hydro were plenty for me. Now, I barely feel 15 mgs of hydro, without taking the tram (my pharmacist told me to try both since the respiratory effects of tramadol are negligent but I didn't know if it would make any differece... would it?) and I barely felt the 15, much less get any pain relief. So now I have to try to get 20 mgs per dose, which, if you have followed my story, you will know is laughable.

Therefore, I believe that due to my tramadol tolerance being so high, my hydro has been raised too. Have you heard of that before? Kind of a cross-tolerance situation. In order to get any pain relief I suppose I'm going to have to get my daily tram dosage down. I'm feeling much better yesterday and today, so now's the time to start.

Tramadol is not an Opiad...it hits the same receptors in the brain as Codeine--it is classed as a non-narcotic and "non" addictive, however, I know many folks that take codeine that have become 'addicted' to Tramadol...there is a Codeine receptor in our brains--known as a Mu--and the "Mu" has that little squiggle line above it, but I have NO idea how to do write that on a computer---but it has been specifically identified as a 'codeine' happy one. I am not a Doctor, nor trying to be a smart-ass, I have many house guests and 1 happens to be a NASA Scientist, MD, and Pharmacologist--he is a really nice guy---so I waited a bit and asked--got more info than I needed but wanted to pass it along......he mentioned that IF a person took something like Vicodin and then took 2 or 3 of the Tramadol--the effects would be similar.......OK--all the Info Grits has for the night--ALL folks leaving tomorrow and Wednesday--some lingering until Friday--however, Rain is supposed to set in with colder weather--so we shall see--I have had enough company for a little while..Best to everyone.......Grits

Terrific post and one I am going to bookmark, thank you for posting this! Great info!!!
David

BTW: Wikipedia still maintains Tramadol as an opiod, perhaps your friend could correct Wiki on a possible wrong interpretation of the med.
David

Davie
Are you talking about what I just wrote about Tramadol? I got confused...imagine that?? I am sure this man is right--I have known him for over 15 years and he is smart--as a matter-of-fact--he even mentioned that becasue Tramadol was a non-narcotic--he could write a prescription for himself if he needed to do so........Grits

It is my further understanding ( from all I learned) that due to Tramadol making a person "feel" as though they have taken Codeine it is/can be monitored by the DEA or other presription agencies...he said that 1 is a 'usual' dose, HOWEVER. as I mentioned--2 to 3 makes a person feels as though they have taken a Tylenol#3 or Tylenol#4 All I have to proffer.....Grits

I will show it to him tomorrow....thanks Grits

Davie
Rather than ask first I went to Google--write in Tramodol and third one down= Treatment and Therapy Med=Tradodol ( aka Ultram) and you will also see the Jack Miller Treatment and Therapy for Pain Medication--it can be a bit confusing because it IS called an Opiate AGONIST--meaning changing the way the body senses pain....that makes it clear--it is and it "Ain't" I have had a prescription for Ultam with 5 refills for a long time--believe me--it "ain't" no Vicodin..be good and stay safe and sound Grits

Thanks, I would like to know more about this, I can't take it, I could die, I am deathly allergic, it is on my chart.
Hugs to you Grits

I've heard the same thing about Tramadol as Grits. DEA is still out on making this a sch III being it is not a true "opiod". Like all ya'll said it can be obtained a lot easier than lortab, lorcet, vicoden, etc. I think it just apes those meds but not really. Clear as mud right?

David one of my PM dr's that didn't give any narcotics gave me ultram witch is tramadol. I do not believe it is a narcotic.

Oh i feel for you!! I call those head shocks, and you described them better than I have ever been able to. I remember going through them when I got off of Paxil, and now Im on Effexor. If I miss my dose at the regular time, I start getting those head shocks and that's how I remember to take it. I am really worried about coming off of Effexor, but Im afraid the longer I wait, the worse it will be. I only take 75mg day, though he wanted to move me up to 150mg/day.