Please Help me. I have been taking Ultram for about 2 1/2 years. I take too much. I take it everyday to get the buzz. It gives me energy and the will to get things done in my life. My husband and I are thinking about having another child. I want to get off of this drug before we start trying to conceive. When I have tried to stop taking it I feel: Night sweats, hot and cold flashes, muscle pain (like I have to stretch all of the time), extreme fatigue, I feel very unsocial, no energy at all, can't sleep and these are just to name some of the problems. I don't know what to do. I don't want to go into a rehab because nobody knows that I have this problem. Is there outpatient therapies available where I can go and nobody has to know about it. I really want to get off of the Ultram. I need advise on how to deal with these withdraw symptoms. If there is anything you could tell me that might help, please do. I am begging for advise. I want my life back!!!! Thank you for your time.

Hi Tari -

I am not familiar with this drug - however, would consult an MD prior to just quitting cold turkey in case there is a chance of seizures or something.

I know you don't want to go to a rehab, but maybe at least a week in detox would help you with the physical symptoms and give you some footing on where to go for help - if you are looking to a daily buzz I would consider AA or NA - after all, addiction is addiction no matter what the drug of choice is. If you really want to kick it and have your life back, you will do anything, believe me. Good luck.

Tari T--

I have not heard of this drug before but here is some info on it, I am sure you already know most of it...

SIDE EFFECTS
Call your doctor right away if you have any of these side effects:


Very fast or racing heartbeat
Hallucinations or confusion
Trouble going to the bathroom (urinating)
Seizures
If you have problems with these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor.


Feeling dizzy, drowsy, or sleepy
Nausea and vomiting
Constipation (trouble having a bowel movement)
Headache
Feeling nervous, anxious, or shaky

I am sorry...I looked in a lot of places and could not find much information at all...
Go to your GP, or if you cant confide in him, go to a new GP, someone you may not need to see again and get some information.

Good luck,
Catriona

I was addicted to fiorinal for migraines for about 2 years. I took it for the exact same reasons you are. It gave me energy and put me in a good mood. Both of these drugs work buy attatching to the opiod receptore sights in your body so they have almost identical withdrawl symptoms.

I was very young and niaeve (sp?) and went off cold turkey basically because I had exhausted all of my sources for obtaining it.
It was the most horrific experience I have ever had in my life. Anxiety, hallucinations, convulsions, sweating, you name it. I was in bed for two weeks straight. I was in college at the time and kids were coming in and out of the room asking my roommate what was wrong with me. I was so humiliated that when I finally got through this I dropped out of school and never went back.

If you're not willing to go into treatment go talk to your Dr., you have to tell a medical professional. You will need some help with this. If you are able to taper down and get off of this stuff you are still going to have to deal with depression because you're going to have to adjust to the real world again. You're not going to feel energetic and happy. People around you are going to see a personality change and start asking you questions. This was my experience anyway.

I don't want to scare you or depress you more but this is the truth. You are going to need a lot of support.

I found out the reason I was medicating myself was because I had an underlying depression. You may need an antidepressant too. Please go see your Dr. and tell him the truth about this. He may be able to help you taper down and put you on an antidepressant to help with all of this or he may say go into treatment which sucks but sometimes we gotta do it anyway.

I have been where you are and I'm very concerned about you. I feel your pain. Please respond and let me know how you're doing.

Olivia



[This message has been edited by Olivia (edited 12-15-2000).]

I WORK IN A DETOX UNIT SO MAYBE I CAN HELP. YOU NEED TO TAPER YOUR DOSE EVREY 3 DAYS...EXAMPLE: IF YOU TAKE 4 A DAY THEN GO TO 3 A DAY X 3 DAYS, THEN 2 A DAY X 3 DAYS THEN 1 DAILY X 3 DAYS. YOU CAN TAKE DRAMAMINE AND BENADRYL TO HELP CONTROL THE WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS IF YOU HAVE THEM. IF YOU GO TO YOUR DOC WITH THIS HE CAN PRESRCIBE YOU SOMETHING TO HELP IN CAES YOU HAVE WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS. MOST OF THE CASES OF ULTRAM TAPERS I HAVE SEEN DO WELL WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFICULTY EXCEPT ANXIETY. GOOD LUCK TO YOU