tramadol - Experienced - 60 Days Treating Anxiety and Depression

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I recently took Tramadol for 60 days straight to see how it would function as an antidepressant/antianxiolytic. My dose ranged from 50mg-150mg per day as needed. I was not combining it with any other substance during this time other than the few occasions noted.

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The first week went well. I got a very nice hybrid sensation from the Tramadol that was at once energizing, euphoric, and emotionally calming. I felt inspiration to get work done, and enjoyed relaxing afterward. I felt a drastic improvement in mood, and a nice decrease in anxiety. Side effects were minimal at the lowest dose, but quite apparent at the highest dose. I noticed that if it was taken within a few hours of sleep that I would have nightmares, and occasionally sleepwalk. With the sleep problems came some brain-zapping as well, and some jerking which felt like a minor seizure. My appetite decreased slightly, and my body temperature fluctuated a bit from being chilled at the onset to sweating an hour later.

By the end of the third week my tolerance was starting to rise. The euphoria and energy subsided and the antidepressant effects started to dim. My moods and anxiety remained in a stable state of improvement. As I began taking higher doses on a regular basis, I decided to experiment with some GABAgeric substances. I tried alcohol first and the experience was unpleasant although there didn't seem to be any strong interaction. I tried phenibut next and found it equally as unpleasant. Both substances seemed to create too much cognitive blurriness, as well as increasing the brain zap side effect.

Around 45 days in, my tolerance had completely eliminated any pleasurable buzz from the Tramadol and the antidepressant/antianxiolytic effects were becoming very subtle. The remaining 15 days were used to taper off. On the last day I decided to combine with 50mg MDMA. I had a weak roll but I felt resensitized, and quite cold. A raging headache developed lasting for 6 hours.

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So in conclusion I would say that Tramadol does not seem to work well over the long term, although you could binge for a week or two in order to get through a rough time. I cannot comment on withdrawl as the 60 days has just ended. I will report back on that element of the experience.

substancecode_tramadol

 

[catfishjake]

i develope tolerance to tramadol incredibly fast it seems compared to you. after two days of taking recreational doses it just stops working for me. no buzz or anything. i havent ever really noticed any anxyiolotic effects from it or anti depressant. just an opoid buzz which usually gets rid of anxiety anyways.

 

[Xorkoth]

Thanks for the report. I hope you've escaped withdrawal.

Tramadol seems to really be variable. Of course all drugs affect everyone differently, but tramadol seems to really show a lot of variation.

 

[TheTwighlight]

For me, the antidepressant effect gets better the longer I take it. I always get a great mood from taking it, and I use it as a stimulant as well for recording sessions (making my music) or work. Or anything really. The painkilling effect for me lasts as long as I keep taking it, and for me its better than hydrocodone in this area. Tramadol doesn't seem to ever wear off completely so long as I take it 2-3 times a day regularly. With hydrocodone or other opiates, I would go to sleep and wake up in pain again. With tram I wake up starting to feel the pain come back but it's still bearable. I usually take my first dose as soon as I wake up anyway. Just for reference' sake, I like to take 600-700mg a day, usually.

I am on 50mg hydrocodone with no tolerance right now, and my back pain is not gone completely. On 250mg+ tram I have NO pain.

 

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follow-up regarding withdrawl:

so the taper was 50mg for 5 days, 25mg for 5 days, a crumb (aprox 10mg) for 5 days. 15 days to come off avg 100mg/day.

it went very well. i had no physical withdrawl at all aside from a few zaps here and there. i had trouble sleeping and relaxing my back and neck muscles but a little diphenhydramine and cariprosodol took care of that no problem. there was some depression when cutting down to 25mg, but it was over by the time i cut back to the crumbs.

i did feel a bit foggy mentally, and i actually crashed my car (first time in 5 years). i don't blame it entirely on the withdrawl, but ime you should give yourself some leeway in terms of concentration and focus when coming off this stuff. i didn't feel 100% until about a week after coming off completely.

overall not bad at all. was worlds easier than my clonazepam and venlafaxine tapers.