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Tramadol Tolerance

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Adam000

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Jun 12, 2016
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I've been experiencing chronic pain for the first time in my life for over a month now. The doctors are prescribing Tramadol 50mg 4 x day. When I first started them I experienced a nice buzz after taking about 200mg (I followed dosing instructions I found on bluelight - first dose take 100mg the re-dose with 50mg every hour) which would last all day. But for the past week I am not experiencing any high. I think I've gone up to 300mg without feeling anything. Since I was taking more than prescribed I was out for a couple of days and I was hoping that would lower my tolerance if I had any, but still nothing after 250mg. I've tried potentiating with grapefruit juice, DM, cimetidine, which increased the effects in the beginning but noe since I haven;t been able to get high. One doctor prescribed hydrocodone and I was on that instead of tramadol for a little over a week. I'm wondering if I have built up a tolerance but it seems odd that I still didn't get high after taking more. Any suggestions on how to get back to the place where I had a nice fuzzy buzz all day? Thanks!
 
Adam000 said:
I'm sorry, I don't know what that reply means. I don't use forums like these often, maybe never. I'm not really an experienced user, I've just always liked the way opiates make me feel when I've had them prescribed.
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The reply means that he moved your thread from one subforum (Drug Culture) to this subforum (Other drugs) because your question seems to be more suited for OD

To answer your question:
1. Taking more than 300 mg of tramadol can be really dangerous as it lowers your seizure threshold, meaning that if you take too much you could have a seizure.
2. Yeah, sounds like tolerance. Only a break will help resetting it.
 
Thanks! How long of a break should I take? Obviously two days was not enough. Also, if I can find another pain killer (opiate) can I take that for a break of tramadol? I heard that tramadol isn't really an opiate
 
400mg Tram is the ceiling - e.g. you will not get 'higher' than the high you obtain from 400mg of tram.

Tramadol binds damn quick to that receptor - and you'll no doubt be feeling some little electric shock type feelings/feeling light or leavy/temp changes - providing on how long you've been using it.

I use Tram as an A.D. (anti-depressant), as I have a lot of slow release 100mg's - also have 50mg IR (Instant Release) - which I can get euphoric off if I dose correctly. I have a huge tolerance - up to 1200mg some days just because I want something in my mouth (jokes aside). Point being, 18-24 hours. Empty stomach. Dose up 100mg - followed by 100mg 25 min later - as you've been doing. Or try taking all 300/400mg at once.

Remember, tram is one of those drugs that works VASTLY differently for EVERYONE. Personally, I get more of a stimulant effect. Makes me want to get stuff done - get the dog out for a walk - clean up the house - I can still comfortably lay down and watch some T.V. eps in bed tho.

Hope this helps.. PM for any other questions, yo.
 
its a tolerance issue. you'd need to take a considerably break, like weeks before you'll be able to get high from them again. you can't expect to take something day in and day out and still remain to get the same high you did in the beginning. it sounds to me like you're off to the races and if i were you I would just stop now. don't take them daily, maybe like once every other weekend otherwise you're just asking for a habit and withdrawals.

good luck
 
Thanks everyone. On the days I have not taken tramafol (after taking daily for 3.5 weeks) I have felt very tired and a little depressed. Are those typical withdrawal symptoms of tramadol?
 
Adam000 said:
Thanks everyone. On the days I have not taken tramafol (after taking daily for 3.5 weeks) I have felt very tired and a little depressed. Are those typical withdrawal symptoms of tramadol?
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Sounds like typical WD. I had similar WDs until I started taking it daily for about 6 months at which point they became exponentially worse.

I agree with customs about tramadol affecting everyone significantly differently, so pay attention to what your own body is telling you. Also, be very careful. I'm 90% sure that I had serotonin syndrome after taking less than my doctor prescribed... there seems to be a cumulative affect if you take your doses too closely together. Some of the psychoactive metabolites have very long half-lives.
 
Is your pain treated by the tramadol? Maybe try just going for pain relief for a while. Developing an addiction and then dependence on opiates is a powerfully bad influence in one's life.

The high that one gets from opiates does not last. You will never feel as good as you did the day before.

Even after a considerable break you may not feel the same way you did the first few times. It is just the nature of the beast that is opiates.
 
Adam000 said:
Thanks! How long of a break should I take? Obviously two days was not enough. Also, if I can find another pain killer (opiate) can I take that for a break of tramadol? I heard that tramadol isn't really an opiate
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Actually, Trams are in the opiod family.
 
The problem with taking a break or simply quitting is that I will be very uncomfortable until I see a specialist next month to figure out what is going on and what is causing my pain. Is there a rx (hopefully a feel-good one) that I can ask my Dr. For that I could possibly alternate with the tramadol to provide relief, and preferably would help from building up tolerance for either drug? Otherwise I'll just take enough to ease the pain. While takng just enough for the pain, how long do you think it would take to lower my tolerance as mentioned above?
 
There are a variety of pain medications you could switch to for the purposes of decreasing your Tramadol tolerance while still assisting with pain management. As said above in one of your previous replies, you were prescribed Hydrocodone for a week at one point? This is an option.

Vicodin (hydrocodone & acetaminophen) and Percocet (oxycodone & acetaminophen) are the common two options for pain management. Many patients switch to just Oxycodone by itself because they require so much pain relief that Percocet bypasses the safe amount of acetaminophen. There's also Methadone, Dilaudid, hell you can even get Tylenol #3, or Tylenol with codeine, a more subtle opiate than the others I just mentioned.

What you should do is find the amount of Tramadol that JUST takes away the pain, instead of looking for a buzz. Cold turkey quitting isn't a good idea, as you already mentioned a few withdrawal symptoms. It could get worse just abruptly stopping the medication. Until, or if you can get prescribed something else, I suggest to take the minimal amount you require for pain relief. To reduce the uncomfortable feeling of not having any in your system at all. Seizures can result at doses above 400mg (I've witnessed one in a person WITH tolerance) so please be careful.

Discuss your options with your doctor.
 
I second, or third, finding an alternative medication for pain management. Tramadol can cause seizures in dosages exceeding 400mg, so if you're not getting off on 250mg, tramadol is probably not a good medication to chase a buzz on. Usually opioid tolerance raises very quickly. One day you'll get blasted off 2 7.5mg Hydrocodone's, the next day you might need double that amount. I remember times when I first started doing heroin and I was sniffing it, that I would sometimes have to triple my dosage to get a buzz. So adding an extra 50-100mg probably isn't enough with the tramadol, but unfortunately raising your dose even further could be really dangerous.

Also, Tramadol is literally one of the weakest opioid drugs available through prescription. IMO, anything is better, in terms of recreational effects. If you can get hydrocodone instead, then go with that. I imagine it would provide far better pain relief, and it is also a stronger narcotic with a safer profile (just don't mix with other CNS depressants).
 
Tramadol was practically my first real "opiate" experience, believe it or not. I remember taking 200mg or so and feeling good all day, as OP described.

But yeah say goodbye to that...once tolerance is established with most drugs..that's it as far as any "High" goes. You can chase it all you want, but you'll end up wasting all you're pills. Thus starting a viscious cycle of abuse/withdrawal.

I eventually got a decent Rx for Hydros(10's thank God...got some free 5's this morning tho lol) now my tolerance to THEM is through the roof....10-12 a day, sometimes on top of 400mg tramadol, sometimes on top of 30mg Ritalin.

If you continue to use opiates/opioids you're tolerance WILL go through the roof, and unless you're a tough motherfucker, you're gonna wish you didn't do that.

The only time I really use Tramadol now is for withdrawals though....8-11 Trams and a 6-pack...smoke some Grandaddy..keeps me straight till refills usually. If I don't have a shitload of trams, like 120 at the very least, for withdrawal till refills(1 week) , I'm really worthless.

Believe it or not I actually prefer tramadol over several opioids including; Methadone, Demerol....that's pretty much it, they're both piece of shit drugs IME.
Mixes especially well with Suboxone, hydros, any benzo. Haven't had a seizure yet...but I've really pushed the boundaries. Like serioiusly if I was an epileptic...I could really have died many times over lol.

But yeah if you're younger than like 30....man too bad you couldn't just tough that shit out. You've got a long road ahead of you...these doctors, man. They really hate giving pain meds, I feel like a ni--er every time I'm there. It's crazy, the stigma. There for a good reason though, I guess.

P.S. if you choose to continue using Opiates for chronic pain, you WILL become an addict, and you WILL have to deal with it by yourself with no help from anybody.....because that's the way it is. Seriously you may be in pain, but to any doctor in the world you're just a drug-seeker piece of shit....like being a jew in Nazi Germany, except less violent.
 
Tramadol isn't addictive? Okay. Since it's considered such a weak painkiller, many people think it isn't addictive. The truth is, any drug can be addictive, no matter who you are. Not even physically, but mentally as well. People have to wean off anti-depressants. If Tramadol wasn't addictive, there wouldn't be withdrawal symptoms. People wouldn't have physical dependency on it.

I'm sorry, but just because a select few of your patients never reported being addicted doesn't mean it isn't addicting for everyone else. Plus, what patient wants a big ol' junkie mark on their record for abusing their script?

Bottom line; anything can be addictive
 
Cheezy said:
err just getting it out their but according to the substance medical guide lines Tramadol is said to NOT I repeat NOT be addictive or possible to develop a tolerance these are also the same experts who make these drugs in the first place so i dont know where tramadol being addictive has come from NONE I REPEAT NONE OF MY PATIENTS HAVE SAID TRAMADOL IS ADDICTIVE NONE so i dont know where this crazy rumour that it is addictive has come from but it is made to NOT be addictive its the only opiate i truly feel comfortable prescribing.
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That is completely not true.
Tramadol is just as addictive as other opioids, plus it also acts as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor making it even more addictive for some people.
There are enough threads about people being addicted to it.
 
Cheezy said:
err just getting it out their but according to the substance medical guide lines Tramadol is said to NOT I repeat NOT be addictive or possible to develop a tolerance these are also the same experts who make these drugs in the first place so i dont know where tramadol being addictive has come from NONE I REPEAT NONE OF MY PATIENTS HAVE SAID TRAMADOL IS ADDICTIVE NONE so i dont know where this crazy rumour that it is addictive has come from but it is made to NOT be addictive its the only opiate i truly feel comfortable prescribing.
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So far off base it's disturbing. A number of studies on the NIH have clearly documented a classic opiate discontinuation syndrome after cessation of tramadol. The FDA in cooperation with Jenssen Pharmaceuticals has also documented that Ultram can cause physical withdrawal symptoms and addiction.
 
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Thanks everyone for your comments! I think I can get by with 100mg to take are of the pain.

As far as tramadol not being addictive, that's what my doctor said too. He said something about it not crossing the blood/ brain border and that it's basically like Tylenol and won't cause withdrawals. That's obviously not true because here I am trying to chase the buzz I got in the beginning. Thankfully your comments have made me aware of how addiction can start easily and I think I know now how to avoid that.
 
Adam000 said:
Thanks everyone for your comments! I think I can get by with 100mg to take are of the pain.

As far as tramadol not being addictive, that's what my doctor said too. He said something about it not crossing the blood/ brain border and that it's basically like Tylenol and won't cause withdrawals. That's obviously not true because here I am trying to chase the buzz I got in the beginning. Thankfully your comments have made me aware of how addiction can start easily and I think I know now how to avoid that.
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If tramadol did not cross the BBB (blood brain barrier) it would not be used for chronic pain. Let your doc know that the FDA has repeatedly shown tramadol to be physically addictive at regular therapeutic dosages. APAP and tramadol are two different types of drugs.
 
ask for gabapentin for pain relief, but it's really great for taking breaks from opioids. i use it all the time for when i don't have any heroin. it takes away like 90% of my withdrawal symptoms. just take like 600mg and then in another hour or hour and a half take another 600mg and you'll start to fell it kick in. it's sort of like being drunk but not really. gives me a good lift as well and motivation which is always lacking when going through opiate withdrawals.
 
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