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Tips for tapering Tramadol


mammaP

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Tramadol is a pain killer and is now being considered for use as an anti depressant. It is a dreadful drug that has 2 modes of action, a synthetic opoid and anti depressant (SNRI)  The difficulties with tapering SNRI anti depressants such as Effexor and Pristiq are well documented and the same difficulties with Tramadol are just becoming obvious thanks to the internet and people talking about the horrors of withdrawal on internet forums. We don't normally cover pain killer tapers, but because this one has the snri part and is being considered for use as an anti depressant for depression, OCD, social anxiety etc we will no doubt have many people here trying to taper it. 

 

We don't advise people to taper more than 1 drug at a time, because when there are withdrawal symptoms it is hard to know which one is causing them. However with Tramadol there is no option and you are tapering the opiate AND the anti depressant at the same time. As usual we recommend tapering no more than 10%  of the current dose with at least 4 weeks between cuts.

 

I started to taper tramadol recently, and in my experience it is best to use the micro taper. Cutting 10%, from 50mg to 45mg led to insomnia, nightmares, sleep paralysis, sweating, restless legs, brain zaps  and nausea.  They are settling now after a week but still have nausea, brain whooshes, dizziness and insomnia.I will wait until all these symptoms have stopped then cut by 5%, and assess how it goes before deciding when to make the cuts, it may be 5% every 2 or 3 weeks rather than 10% every month.  

 

Micro tapering guidelines  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2878-micro-taper-instead-of-10-or-5-decreases/

 

Tramadol has a half life of only 6-7 hours and withdrawal sets in quite quickly. For someone who takes multiple doses it may be best to reduce each dose very slightly, so that the total % is spread out. 400mg per day with 100mg 4 x day would mean 5mg from each dose to get a 5% reduction. 

 

Tramadol is available in tablets, capsules, oral solution and drops which make tapering easier if doctors are willing to prescribe. They can be made into a liquid with water or a suspension that can be bought at the pharmacy. 

 

There is a topic on how to make a liquid here... http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

If taking multiple drugs it would not be advised to taper tramadol alongside another taper.  After my experiences tapering effexor and now tramadol, If wanting to taper tramadol and SSRI or SNRI I would suggest tapering tha tramadol first because you would be protected to a degree from the SNRI withdrawal, and maybe the opiate withdrawal will be less intense than both together. If anyone has any differing thoughts about that please share them, this is only ny experience. 

 

 

Info from Drugs.com.  http://www.drugs.com/tramadol.html

 

 

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Thank you, mammaP. Well done.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 1 month later...
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From:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2714818/

Tramadol (Ultram®) is a commonly prescribed analgesic because of its relatively lower risk of addiction and better safety profile in comparison with other opiates. However, two significant adverse reactions are known to potentially occur with tramadol—seizures and serotonin syndrome. These two adverse reactions may develop during tramadol monotherapy, but appear much more likely to emerge during misuse/overdose as well as with the coadministration of other drugs, particularly antidepressants. In this article, we review the data relating to tramadol, seizures, and serotonin syndrome. This pharmacologic intersection is of clear relevance to both psychiatrists and primary care clinicians.

 

except that it's "lower rate of addiction" than opoids does not include withdrawal.  You can come off opoids in a month, with diligence.  Tramadol needs to be slow tapered like any antidepressant.

 

I had to prove to my doctor that tramadol had serious interactions with all antidepressants (he didn't know!).  I showed him the MIMS that said it was contraindicated in my case.  They think it's an "addiction free" painkiller, but it is anything but.

 

and

 

Tramadol abuse/overdose. With regard to abuse and/or overdose, tramadol’s neurotoxicity is speculated to be related to the reuptake inhibition of serotonin and norepinephrine, rather than its opioid effects.16 Patients with an existing seizure disorder appear to be most at risk for adverse effects. To illustrate the risk of excessive dosing, in a study of tramadol abusers, Jovanovic-Cupic et al17 found that 54.4 percent of the sample reported at least one tonic/clonic seizure during the three-year study period.

With regard to seizures in genuine overdoses, Thundiyil et al18 examined all such cases logged by the California Poison Control System in 2003. Of the 386 identified cases of seizures with drug overdoses, tramadol accounted for 29 (7.5%). Likewise, Spiller et al16 examined 126 tramadol overdoses that were documented by seven poison control centers and found that eight percent of the victims experienced brief seizures.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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Yep, I put this one in the 'devil's workshop' category of bright pharma ideas. Great pain killer, yeah,  and how many docs even know it affects serotonin, that red herring for 'treating a chemical imbalance'? That it's also an AD of sorts?

 

Get 'em dependent on it then tell them oh just stop taking it and then act all mystified when wd syndrome rears its ugly head.

 

Never heard of the drug affecting neurotransmitter actions (affecting serotonin) till mammaP started trying to reduce hers.

What happened and how I arrived here: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4243-cymbaltawithdrawal5600-introduction/#entry50878

 

July 2016 I have decided to leave my story here at SA unfinished. I have left my contact information in my profile for anyone who wishes to talk to me. I have a posting history spanning nearly 4 years and 3000+ posts all over the site.

 

Thank you to all who participated in my recovery. I'll miss talking to you but know that I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines, suffering and rejoicing with you in spirit, as you go on in your journey.

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It is now a category 3 controlled drug in the UK, benzos are cat 4. Many deaths have been reported due to tramadol. 

 

http://www.ggcprescribing.org.uk/blog/tramadol-and-changes-controlled-drug-legislation/

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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  • 1 year later...
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Putting this here for reference. https://www.drugs.com/pro/tramadol-tablets.html

 

This is proving to be much more difficult to taper than effexor was. However small a cut is I have withdrawal symptoms. I am never sure whether it is the opiate or SNRI, I feel it is the opiate but can't risk increasing reductions because if it is SNRI then the withdrawals will be more severe and longer lasting. At this rate  I will be tapering for 14 years! 

 

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

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  • 4 years later...

Does any one know how to make a liquid from tramadol 50mg capsules? Is it water/alcohol/saline/PG soluble? Thanks.

2014-2019: Clomipramine 12.5mg to 50mg and Tramadol 100mg twice a week, 2019-2020: Clomipramine 50mg and Tramadol 150mg alternate day
2021-2022: Clomipramine 50mg and Tramadol 150mg-200mg daily, 2022 mid-April: Stopped Clomipramine and Tramadol cold turkey
2022 mid-May: Started Amytriptaline 50mg and tapered over 2 weeks, 2022 mid-June: Took 40mg Cymbalta for 2 days and stopped
2022 mid-June: Taking Clonazepam .25mg to .5mg for sleep and anxiety for about a week., 2022 early July - present: Taking Clonazepam .25mg.
2022 Aug: Escitalopram 2.5mg titrated to 10mg (over 3 weeks), 2022 Aug: Escitalopram 5mg for 10 days, 4.5mg for 10 days, 4.25mg for 5 days
2022 Sep: Escitalopram 4.25mg for 5 days, 4mg for 5 days and then CT, 2022 Sep: Fluoxetine 10mg for 5 days
Sep 2022: Fluoxetine 20mg for 9 days. | Oct 2022:  Fluoxetine 30mg for 20 days. | Oct 2022: Fluoxetine 40mg for 46 days
Nov to Dec 2022: Clonazepam(0.25mg morning, 0.5mg afternoon and 0.5mg night; TOTAL of 1.25mg) for 36 days
Dec 2022: Clonazepam 'tapered' over a  week. Replaced with Etizolam. Etizolam(0.5mg) for some days and then Etizolam(1.5mg CR and 0.5mg), Quetiapine(12.5mg) and Mirtazapine(7.5mg). Vortioxetine(10mg) for 6 days, Vortioxetine(20mg) for 22 days.
Jan/Feb 2023: Admitted to psych ward for a month for excessive anxiety and suicidal ideation. Stopped Vortioxetine, Mirtazapine & Quetapine CT and started Venlafaxine 37.5mg, Olanzipine 2.5mg for weeks and then increased to 5mg and Etizolam 2mg. After 3 week, Venlafaxine CTed (due to random body jerks) and replaced with Clomipramine 25mg (due to new diagnosis of OCD). | Mar-mid 2023: Clomipramine gradually increased to 50mg & Etizolam slowly tapered to .75mg
Early-mid 2023: Taper of all three started. Currently at Clomipramine ~42.5mg, Olanzapine ~3.382mg, Etizolam .75mg | 
Sep 2023: Clomipramine ~42.5mg, Olanzapine ~3.382mg, Etizolam .625mg, Valium 1.25mg

Feb 2024: Currently at Clomipramine 30.667mg, Olanzapine ~2.055mg, Etizolam .388mg, Valium 1.773mg

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I don't know. In my country tramadol is also available in liquid in pharmacies, and the bottle gets out the liquid in drops. That allowed me to do a slow and gradual taper. Every cut I reduced by 1 drop. As I made each reduction, each reduction took more days. I tapered tramadol successfully in a 2 year taper. Here is my tapering plan which made me get off completely from tramadol successfully. The only thing that is not there is the cut of the final drop:

 

Mar/12/18 at night started 15 drops of tramadol. Each drop = 2.5 mg of tramadol. Mar/13/18 to Mar/19/18: (7 days) 15 drops twice a day (15 drops in the morning and 15 drops at night = 15-0-15). 

Mar/20/18 (1 day): morning 15 drops, night 12 drops = 15-0-12. Mar/21/18 (1 day) 12-0-10. Mar/22 & 23/18 (2 days) 12-0-12. Mar/24/18 (1 day) 9-0-9. Mar/25/18 (1 day) 6-0-6. Mar/26 and 27/18 (2 days) 9-0-9. Mar/28 and 29/18 (2 days) 6-0-6. Mar/30 and 31/18 (2 days) 4-0-4. Apr/1/18 - Apr/5/18 (5 days) 6-0-6 . Apr/6/18 - Apr/10/18 (5 days) 5-0-5. Apr/11/18 (1 day) 4-0-4 . Apr/12/18 - Apr/18/18 (7 days) 5-0-5. Apr/19/18 (1 day) 4-0-4. Apr/20/18 - May/3/18 (14 days) 4-0-5. 

May/4/18 - May/18/18 (15 days) 4-0-4. May/19/18- Jun/1/18 (14 days) 3-0-4. Jun/2/18 - Jun/18/18 (17 days) 3-0-3. 

Jun/19/18 - Jul/7/18 (19 days) 2-0-3. Jul/8/18 - Jul/9/18 (2 days) 2-0-2 . Jul/10/18 - Aug/6/18 (28 days) 2-0-3. 

Aug/7/18 - Sep/3/18 (28 days) 2-0-2. Sep/4/18 - Sep/13/18 (10 days) 1-0-2. Sep/14/18 - Oct/18/18 (35 days) back to 2-0-2, Oct/19/18 - Nov/16/18 (29 days) 1-0-2. Nov/17/18 didn't take neurovit (multiingredient supplement for the brain) and ginkgo biloba. Nov/18/18 - Dec/6/18 (19 days) 1-0-2. (total in 1-0-2 49 days) Dec/7/18 - Jan/29/19 (54 days) 1-0-1. Jan/30/19 - Feb/1/19 (3 days) 1-0-2. Feb/2/19 back to 1-0-1. Feb/2/19 - Mar/29/19 (56 days) 1-0-1. Mar/30/19 started 0-0-1 

In 2008 I was 16 years old. 2008 - 2010 paxil, clonazepam & semisodium valproate. 2013 - 2017 many psych meds with cold switches and CT's prescribed by psychiatrists.

Nov/30/17 started quetiapine IR tablets 100mg 0-0-1. Dec/1/17 started pristiq 50mg tablets 1-0-0. Jan/14/18 started 1.5mg melatonin 0-0-1

Tramadol: 2 year well done (slow and gradual) taper: from Mar/12/18 to Feb/11/20 

Pristiq taper: Jun/15/20 Converted from pristiq 50mg to efexor xr 75mg for 57 days (felt good).  Aug/11/20 weaned to efexor 37.5mg and stayed there for 2 months with 26 days (felt good). Nov/6/20  CT 0mg of efexor xr (felt good). Total time in tapering pristiq 50mg by converting to efexor xr 75mg: 4 months with 22 days: Jun/15/20 to Nov/6/20. (felt good)

Efexor 0mg and quetiapine 100mg (Nov/6/20 to Dic/11/20) (felt good being without effexor and taking 100mg quetiapine)

Dic/11/20 quetiapine 75mg, so 75mg from Dic/11/20 to Jan/4/21  25 days. Jan/5/21 quetiapine 50mg (1 day in 50mg).

Jan/6/21 1st CT of quetiapine. Mar/1/21 CT melatonin. Felt terrible so Mar/25/21 reinstated 100mg quetiapine. 

100mg quetiapine 19 days (Mar/25/21 - Apr/13/21) Felt good while in quetiapine 100mg. 75mg quetiapine 55 days (Apr/14/21 - Jun/8/21) the 55th day (Jun/8/21)  felt hellish so CT'd quetiapine for a 2nd time on Jun/9/21. 

Jun/9/21 - Nov/16/21 1st days insomnia, anxiety, took cbd and felt very good many days (healed insomnia & anxiety), CT'd ginkgo which made me felt terrible so reinstated ginkgo. Started intolerable back pain (spasm) so tried other herbs along with cbd, then started derealization, panic, indecisiveness, nostalgia & others. Stopped taking cbd & herbs, reinstated quetiapine 75mg Nov/17/21, immediately after taking it, had severe heart palpitations, so Nov/18/21 back to cbd (no quetiapine). Nov/20/21 reinstated 75mg quetiapine (stopped cbd & herbs), severely couldn't breathe for 5 seconds after taking quetiapine 75mg so reduced to 50 mg on Nov/28/21 had new and worse and very severe adverse effects, got indecisive if CT or keep taking quetiapine because I was terrified of CT, but since the new severe adverse effects were very severe I CT, and because of indecisiveness and panic to CT, I reinstated again, then CT'd and reinstated many times, last time I was taking quetiapine it was 25mg and had severe TD, hellish anhedonia, suicidal, intrusive thoughts of imagining myself running into a wall and crashing into it and I was feeling the pain as if I was doing it in real life, involuntary thoughts of punching my face or head and shashing it against the wall and some times I did punch my face, and when I didn't, I also felt the pain just by imagining it, so definitive CT on Jul/15/22. 

Free from quetiapine and psych meds since Jul/15/22.

MY BEST ADVICE: FOLLOW SA'S GUIDELINES, DON'T CT BECAUSE IT IS HORRIFIC AND BE PATIENT TO WAIT A LONG TIME TO DO VERY SLOW AND GRADUAL TAPERS IN ORDER TO GET OFF OF YOUR MEDICATIONS, IT IS WORTH IT. THE ONLY MOMENTS WHERE IS RIGHT TO CT IS AFTER YOUR 1ST CT THAT YOU DID BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE OR IMPATIENCE, IF YOU REINSTATE AND FEEL SEVERE ADVERSE EFFECTS LIKE TD, ANHEDONIA, FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DROWNING, OR THE ONE'S I HAD, IT IS BEST TO CT IN MY EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WHEN I REINSTATED I GOT MUCH WORSE THAN WHEN I WAS IN THE PREVIOUS CT. I'm not a doctor.

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12 hours ago, dangerous7 said:

Does any one know how to make a liquid from tramadol 50mg capsules? Is it water/alcohol/saline/PG soluble? Thanks.

 

On 3/11/2016 at 11:20 AM, mammaP said:

Tramadol is available in tablets, capsules, oral solution and drops which make tapering easier if doctors are willing to prescribe. They can be made into a liquid with water or a suspension that can be bought at the pharmacy. 

 

There is a topic on how to make a liquid here... http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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