nabollocks is right to point ou the similarities in tramadol and venlafaxine. I’ve used each, both separately and together, though IME there is a qualitative difference between the two,.
I would aldo say IME tramadol is addictive (hence its similitude with codeine), I got addicted to tramadol for 6 months and stopped abruptly from a dose of 1-1.5mg per day. It was hell, IME worse WD that codeine. Similar but add in more insomnia, RLS and seems to take for ever (the binding in the gut and back took almost a month to shake).
Another occasion I stopped a two-year venlafaxine treatment (went from 325 down to 150 in a week, then abrupt start), again very unpleasant withdrawls: lethargy, rebound depression, brain zaps etc. One can argue venlafaxine isn’t addictive (I’m unsure), but it certainly creates dependence and WDs is stopped abruptly (tapering off gives mixed results). After 3-4 days, started feeling much better and had a very epiphanic moment – I realised how clearer I was able to think, regained my creativity and imagination, restarted my sex drive…in fact restared my ‘drive’ in all areas. I felt in retrospect like I’d been ‘zoned out’ whilst taking it. No highs or lows, just steady state. (I should add at this point that I have no problems with SSRI/SNRIs), though Sertraline turned me bonkers for a short period.
Effexor was effective in lifting a crippling depression that was leading me to an early grave, but here in the UK it was a last resort to acute clinical depression. I also don’t condone medication cessation without consulting your doc. It’s just my doc seemed to want me to stay on them for ever leaving me with little choice.
DO NOT TAKE BOTH meds together, you could end up with Seratonin Syndrome (v. serious), I’ve done it and encountered serotonin sickness – very unpleasant.
IME Tramadol is addictive, and Venlafaxine creates heavy dependence with prolonged use. Tramadol WDs can be worse than codeine/DHC.
CONCLUSION: As with all pharms, follow scripted dosing, but balance their effects against their side-effects (log and short term)
AN