Opioids Will tramadol prolong withdrawls?

[Amberthefrog]

I've been physically dependent on a mix of opiates, mainly poppy pods for about 3 months. So last Saturday I decided to quit it (didn't taper). Sunday was fine, yesterday was pretty rough but last night to worst of it kicked in (for me that is restless leg induced insomnia). I took some diphenhydramine to try and fall asleep but it did nothing. After four hours of hell I decided to take some tramadol, as I really, really wanted to go to sleep.

Now even when I didn't have tolerance, tramadol (up to 400mg at once) never really did much for me. Because of this I wasn't expecting anything, but it's all I had to hand and any relief is something. So I took 300mg of tramadol, within 40 minutes I was asleep. Woke up this morning after five hours sleep feeling...alright. Don't feel tired or aching, my stomach feels fine, body temperature seems normal and I'm not restless. I mean I still don't feel good by any means but the difference the tramadol made, considering my habbit, was astounding.

What I need to know is, are there any draw backs of taking tramadol for this purpose, before bed? Will what I did have lengthened the withdrawal period?
It doesn't seem logical that it would have done by any real amount, I mean 300mg of the stuff never used to make me feel 'good' to any degree. Nowadays it takes me, say 1500mg of dihydrocodiene or 60mf of oxycodone to really nod - in other words I'm amazed tramadol did anything at all, much less make me feel close to normal. It makes me feel that other aspects of it's mode of action aside from being a weak mu agonist is helping me here?

Whatever the reason, I'm happy with it - provided I don't have to endure sleepless nights for longer as a result...

 

[allalong]

Tramadol, especially in fairly high doses, will prolong opiate withdrawals to an extent, and tramadol is an addictive drug with a withdrawal that is somewhat different than regular opiate withdrawal. That being said, anything that helps you to get through withdrawals without relapsing is probably a good thing, and tramadol won't prolong them really tremendously as long as you use it safely and respectfully.

 

[hydrobliss]

Tramadol in itself is basically an opiate... you are just taking a weaker opiate to get through your opiate addiction.. similar to the use of suboxone or methadone.

I find it very helpful when coming down.. just taper yourself off the tramadol and you will be fine

 

[B25Bulas]

It can slightly relieve withdrawals but is a huge seizure risk

If you try tramadol, be wary of large doses and definitely be careful about the practice many of us have of automatically assuming that any drug thats "ES" or "ER" for extended release could be broken up and chewed or snorted. All that stuff hitting your system, especially when you're used to quicker working opiates, can cause you to seize badly. It did me, several times before I learned. Its supposed to be "non-addicting", yeah, right, I met 2 dental hygenists in rehab who were there ONLY for Ultram addiction--hard to believe, but true--especially with our buddy the Good Reverend James Beam!!
When I got off of hydro/oxy/morphine, I was prescribed tramadol and seized big time. Then the anti-seizure med caused me to lose so much blood through every orifice (thank God I was alone that weekend) that I was anemic and had to take iron for 6 months/plus a pint of whole blood. I even got on the internet and ordered some Hydro 10/325s because I was so weak and messed up from the tramadol "trauma", I almost got hooked again

 

[jamesBrown]

In a way i guess your prolonging your withdrawal...but not in a negative way...

....you mentioned tapering....well thats exactly what your doing if you take a weak opiate while going through withdrawals....its helping you taper down until you are fully off the opiates.

So in my opinion its not really "prolonging" the withdrawal....its making it much easier to endure....its not like tramadol is anyhitng like heroin and will cause more withdrawal symptoms....its simply releaving some pain.