Opioids Doc replaces Norco with Tramadol & Gabapentin...slippery slope?

[f4st0ne]

About a year ago my doctor prescribed me Norco 10/325 for lower back pain and RLS. Original script was to take 1 before bed. However over the 9 months that followed I wound up taking them throughout the day (ironically never at night.) On average, I was taking 5 per day; at most 8, at minimum 3 (when mixed with kratom.) I realized eventually that my tolerance was increasing every month so I decided to go in and speak with the doctor to get me off the Norco. He told me to taper from 5 to nil over 30 days which I did, but he also had me start on Tramadol during the taper.

Today I am finally off the Norcos but have continued Tramadol. I have somewhat of a history of seizures -- 3 x video game related -- weird right? Anyway, I am super aware of Tram possibly lowering my seizure threshold. But along with the Tramadol, my doctor prescribed Gabapentin for RLS at night. I have been taking 100 mg of Gaba for every 50 mg of Tramadol in hopes of offsetting the seizure risk.

Currently I am taking 200 mg Tramadol with 400 mg Gaba during the daytime. Nothing after 6pm because I literally can't sleep if I take Tramadol after dark.

My opiate tolerance killed my enjoyment of Norco but that drug handles the pain MUCH better than Tramadol. The 200 mg of Tramadol gives me a slight warm feeling for a few hours and maybe a slight boost in mood, but definitely nothing like the hydros and percs have in the past. It manages the pain about as well as Naproxen.

Now for my questions...

1. Do you think the tramadol is the reason for basically no withdrawal from the Norco? Am I replacing one evil with another?

2. If I stay at 200-300mg tramadol -- 3-4 times per week, will I have to deal with even nastier WD down the road?

3. Because of my history with seizures, should I just ditch Tram altogether? I don't want to go back to Norco or any other narcotic pain med because basically I don't feel as if I can control myself if they are around. My girlfriend actually had to hold my pills during the taper or else I would have blown the schedule. I tried and failed twice before to taper by myself off the Norcos.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated at this time. I am just starting the Tramadol now so it would be very easy to quit.

P.S. I was using kratom before the pills (and in between) to handle pain but my cross-tolerance got way out of hand. Now it takes 1.5 TBS to do what 1 tsp did just a few years ago and effects last half as long.

Thanks for reading and blessings...

 

[Toz]

1. Yes they are interchangeable.

2. No idea (I know nothing of hydrocodone, it doesn't exist here).

3. I would ditch the tram and find something else that works better without the seizure risk.

another word to the wise: gabapentin can cause withdrawals for some (like me) and when it does it is 100x worse than any tramadol or other opiate for that matter. If you can find one opiate that lets you ditch the gabapentin i say it's totally worth it since you are already addicted to opiates but have yet to develop an addiction to the gabapentin. There is no point in having an unneccessary addicition.

 

[f4st0ne]

Thanks for reply Toz,

I have read of ppl taking 2-3g of Gaba, but personally I have never gone over 600mg/day. It's usually 2-3 at a time. Honestly I don't feel as if it does anything. Gaba in that amt doesn't even make me tired.