Tramadol withdrawal

[Iguanamama]

I have started a withdrawal from Tramadol by myself and I am finding it difficult to say the least.
I have been reading posts on Mumsnet from 2008, Are there any more recent posts on this subject?
I am interested to hear from people who have managed to achieve their goal of giving these awful drugs up.
IG

I took them for a few days in hospital. Literally a few days. I then had euphoria symptoms and went back to codeine. Had two nights of horrific nightmares, I mean horror movie stuff. My pyjamas were drenched in sweat. I hallucinated that a balloon on a patients bed was some kind of banshee. Called the nurse twice and eventually he said I don't know what you want me to do. Which was fair enough really, I was just sobbing at him, but the doctor gave me the drugs without telling me any of the side effects. I told the doctor it was awful and I didn't know why they were giving it out.

And to top off my hospital stay, I was so constipated I ended up with hemorrhoids.

I took 2 x 50mg four times a day for 2 years, 2 months ago went down to 1 x50mg four times a day with no problems. Will probably stop altogether when I next see my specialist. Good luck.

I was in them for around 8 months last year. When the pain improved to a point where I could think about reducing, it took me about 3 attempts because of the side effects. Each time I would be sweating, tummy cramps and the runs, anxious. I took reduced very very slowly and finally got off them but the symptoms carried on for 2 to 3 weeks after my last tablet. It's so tough but also so worth it as I hated being on them and was so relived to stop!

I only took them for a couple of months. Found the last one taken at bedtime hard to give up. They were a lifesaver for me.

If you've been on them a long time, I think it's worth you booking to see a GP. They might well advise a much more gradual taper than you are attempting. How much are you reducing by? I treated it like weaning from breastfeeding - really gradual, no pressure, and cutting down justp one particular dose/feed each day rather than all of them.

It helps to go back to taking notes of what you've taken when.

I was on 300-400mg a day for a few years, and decided to come off them. I stopped cold turkey one weekend - it wasn't pleasant, but it was ok. It was very much like stopping antidepressants - felt flu-ey, brain zaps, weak - didn't drive or leave the house, but i was fine within a few days.

My father came off then a couple of years ago and had an awful time - insomnia, night sweats etc. I lent him a couple of diazepam which helped, then he got a very short course from the doctor to get him through the worst of it. Worth a try?