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22 Days Tramadol Free (still having some symptoms though)

bamadoll

bamadoll

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Joined
May 7, 2020
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I was too scared to post until I knew I was on the other side...I told myself if I made it to 21 days I would post about it and although I can't believe it, here I am! :)
Was on high dose tramadol for years and had the hardest time getting the dose low, tapering was so hard. I tapered off of gabapentin over 2 years and stopped it a week before stopping tramadol, so basically withdrew from both together. The pandemic was a major factor in facilitating it. I was so scared at first but now I am thankful. Looking back, it really was a perfect time for me personally bc I couldn't work anyway. I got a prescription for clonidine and tried the high dose vitamin C and my doctor kept a check on me throughout (he was worried about the dose of Vitamin C causing kidney stones, but so far I haven't had any). I struggled with profound fatigue - worse than I remember, possibly due to the hypotensive/sedating effects of clonidine in addition to regular wd fatigue - but it's gradually getting better and I'm so thankful I told my doctor about it. Here are the symptoms I'm still struggling with:

*cold sweats (mild to moderate, they ramp up anytime I get to doing something, and they were controlled while I was on clonidine, but now that I stopped clonidine, I notice them and they get me down bc they're my most hated symptom)
*chills & goosebumps - (had these the whole time, and they're greatly diminished, but still happening off and on...so ready for these to be over too. I HATE THE SKIN SYMPTOMS)
*restlessness - sleeping some, but not great. I still get restlessness but not nearly as bad as the first 2 weeks. I can tell it is improving.
*fatigue - trying to just keep going and make myself busy, but that gets the sweats going and I end up back on the couch
*mental drive - this is still hard, but more from a perspective of getting basic daily things done, like cooking and cleaning. I have a hard time staying motivated enough to get a routine bc it brings on the sweats.
*pain - I ache all over, especially since stopping the vitamin C. I'm trying to reprogram my perspective on pain so I can find alternative ways to deal with it.

I just wanted to offer my story in case someone is looking to read other accounts. I will try my best to post updates, regardless of my failures or successes. I'm determined to stay away from that drug and to find other ways to deal with my chronic pain. Love this group...received a lot of motivation reading other peoples' stories and feel so happy to be where I am.
 
I'm 24 days post-tramadol and about 30 days post-gabapentin and still experiencing cold sweats, chills, and goosebumps. Does anyone remember having symptoms this far out and if so, how long it lasted? I'm not sick, the sweats are mostly mild, but all the skin symptoms have maintained at a minor level instead of progressively lessening like I thought they would by now. Somewhat discouraged but staying the course. Would like to hear about anyone's experiences with temperature/sweating/chills specifically, thank you.
 
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Please try to stay the course. What you are accomplishing is nothing short of a miracle...with a lot of chills and sweat thrown in:) I believe you will take a couple steps forward in your recovery and then
a few steps back. PREVAIL!!! DO NOT LET IT STOP YOU FROM YOUR END GOAL!!! You really have come so far. I am really proud of you. I have my own hell to deal with shortly....yet again.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
 
lovemissile66 said:
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Please try to stay the course. What you are accomplishing is nothing short of a miracle...with a lot of chills and sweat thrown in:) I believe you will take a couple steps forward in your recovery and then
a few steps back. PREVAIL!!! DO NOT LET IT STOP YOU FROM YOUR END GOAL!!! You really have come so far. I am really proud of you. I have my own hell to deal with shortly....yet again.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
Click to expand...
Thank you, Lovemissile66. I did stay the course today...I keep having to remind myself that this is not a perfectly linear decrease of symptoms with tramadol. Symptoms seem to pop up randomly at times which is discouraging. This morning was rougher for symptoms but tonight has been much better. Hoping tomorrow will be much, much better. Thank you for your kind response.
 
well done!!! great job!!! i have never been addicted to tramadol but i found similar with heroin withdrawal, with the peaks and troughs.

i am always in awe of people who can detox outside of rehab. i just couldn't do it at all. well done. are you getting some psychological help? it took me way too long to learn that there is more to stopping taking drugs than stopping taking drugs.
 
chinup said:
well done!!! great job!!! i have never been addicted to tramadol but i found similar with heroin withdrawal, with the peaks and troughs.

i am always in awe of people who can detox outside of rehab. i just couldn't do it at all. well done. are you getting some psychological help? it took me way too long to learn that there is more to stopping taking drugs than stopping taking drugs.
Click to expand...
Hi Chinup! Thanks for your kind words. I used the pandemic to detox bc I wouldn't be working anyway. And in trying to quit this drug I have tried and failed so many times - I never could find a long enough stretch of days to slow down enough to really get through it. The pandemic has been a blessing in that sense. I don't have a counselor, but I'd like to when things open up more. I do have someone who's been through it that I talk to daily. I'm held accountable and it really helps to talk to someone who's been through it multiple times. This group has been uplifting as well. I really benefit from hearing about other people's struggles and successes. I was never one to really use recreationally - it was for chronic pain and I started it at a time when it was thought to be non-addictive (thanks big Pharma). Thanks for sharing your wisdom. I see what you mean about "more to stopping taking drugs than stopping taking drugs." Learning how to build new habits and change my thinking is the new goal and tough to do. I'm starting to see just how ingrained this drug was into my daily habits and such. I'm at day 27 and really seeing now that I have my work cut out for me.
 
oh i totally see what you mean about the pandemic being a blessing in that sense, i certainly used having to work as an excuse not to try doing a rattle many a time. but really i just couldn't actually do it, i tried sometimes, got to day 3 and gave up.

i sympathise with ending up addicted to something due to doctors. i was prescribed benzos, obviously they were known to be addictive but i ddin't know they were addictive and i ended up abusing the shit out of them.

have you tried any online meetings? like NA or SMART? its not ideal but you can get an idea of what works for you so you can make a plan for after lockdown ends. i'm really glad you have someone to talk to who understands though, that will be a massive help.
 
Thanks for the suggestion Chinup, I'll look into online NA meetings, great idea! Today was a breakthrough symptom-wise. I had a few chills and sweats this morning, but definitely less than the last few days. I spent all day up on my feet and made it till about 5:30 when I realized I haven't noticed any chills or temperature symptoms since this morning...that was such a motivating feeling. I made myself cook for the first time since starting withdrawal but it kept my mind off of things, especially how tired I still am. Sleeping much better. For anyone lurking I'm on Day 28 from last tramadol and about Day 34 since last gabapentin.
 
Today is 30 days tramadol free (and about 35 or 36 days gabapentin free...yay!). I'm sleeping much better, and feel almost normal now except for lingering fatigue. I still have episodes of very mild cold sweats when I get moving or try to get stuff done (I really hate those). Today, I'm attempting to clean the house and I still have no real energy or motivation. I sit down every 20 minutes or so then mentally will myself to get back up and do a little more. That's frustrating because the house is a disaster and the clutter really messes with my mind. This weekend will be focused on putting the pieces of my life back together that fell apart while in withdrawal (cleaning house, laundry, going through emails, etc...). I'm very grateful to be a month clean and wouldn't trade it for anything, just ready to feel some energy and get back in a routine. Everything's messy and cluttered. I'll be so glad once I have some of my day to day goals accomplished. I've been walking 4-5 afternoons a week and enjoy doing it but feel totally drained once I get done. Next week I'll add a little more exercise, as I want to do what I can to get endorphins going as soon as possible. It's all just a slow process. I really love not worrying about waking up in minor withdrawal bc I need a dose, or wondering if I'll run out again, and I love knowing that if I stay the course mentally, it only gets better from here. I have a counseling session set up to help me stay motivated throughout the PAWS portion and looking forward to that. I will continue to check in and wish everyone also going through this the inner drive to stay with it and fight through the temptation to give in. I'm taking it day by day...
 
Idk why but today (day 31) was H.A.R.D. I had a lot of pain-back, neck, hands, wrists, and knees. For the first time I felt tempted to take a gabapentin (and probably tramadol), but I didn’t. I ended up finding a chiropractor and got some relief through that. He did a new set of xrays and found several areas that could be contributing to the pain. We came up with a plan and I was so thankful to make it through today without using, although I’m scared of what might happen if I had several days in a row like this. I went walking once I got home and then took an epsom salt bath. Who knows how much they help but mentally I’m dealing with it a little better. Thankful for this group.
 
Today was a little better (chronic pain-wise) from yesterday, but still a rough day. I'm not sure if I'm still in the stage where I'd be having enhanced pain from lack of endorphins or if this is just what my average pain levels will be without opioids and gabapentin? Today is 32 days free of tramadol and 38 days free of gabapentin. I'd really like to take a gabapentin to ease the symptoms for just a little while, but I still haven't given in (yet) in hopes of seeing what's really going on without meds...just hope I can tough it out. Still having a few cold sweats and chills, but very minimal and seems to resolve by nighttime. Going to try cutting more sugar tomorrow to see if it decreases the inflammation (ibuprofen and NSAIDs haven't worked). Willing to try anything...well, anything that's not an opioid lol.
 
Day 35 of no Tramadol, feeling a *little* more energetic, but still having cold sweats and chills in the mornings and anytime I get busy. So tired of that. Had a bad attitude yesterday about the neck and back pain as well as the sweats, but today I tried to reset myself and get my attitude back on track. Not sure how long it will last. Saw a chiropractor today and it's helping some. My house is still a wreck and gets worse everyday, but today I got a little bit done, proud of that. Going to try to push myself a little more tomorrow in hopes of working out the sweats and getting more energy flowing.
 
well done!!! thats a huge achievement qand you are right to be proud of yourself. getting on top of house work is good too, its much nicer not to be living in a shithole and is something you can break down into manageable chunks.

are you looking into getting any psychological help to identify why you got addicted to tramadol and meet those needs in a healthy way?
 
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