Tramadol

[Greedyfly]

I took Tramadol (slow release) for about 8 months last year for pain relief and it had some strange effects on me but they were better than all the other pain relief I had tried. I came off them suddenly and was really ill for about a week.

I am now back on them, this is my 5th day. And I am not myself at all. I know I will need a little time for them to get into my system etc. I am really shakey and keep going from being wired to knackered.
Thinking back to when I took them first time around I was quite out of it the entire time, reactions slowed, speech a little slurred. Have you had the same experience? Will it wear off? I have tried alot of painkillers and all make me sick aside from these.

I am going back to work soon and if I stay like this I won't be of much use. On the plus side the pain is a lot better and I couldn't be more calm than I am these last few days.

[Greedyfly]

Also it feels like my jaw has been wired shut. All I seem to do all day is grind my teeth lol

[237SJ]

I was prescribed them five years ago after an operation but the other patients on my ward said they made them nauseous. I was also given Co-dydramol which I found much more effective so I gave up on the Tramadol

[jackthehat]

I suffered from auditory hallucinations the first time I took them. I lasted for about 5 days, and then had to revert back to co-codemol.
At Christmas/New Year, I put my back out again and Dr prescribed Tramadol. I took them, they worked without problem (well, I got far more squiffy on New years Eve than I intended) but stopped taking them once the pain had eased.
Back to the co-codemol............
About 5 weeks ago, my back-trouble flared up, again. Went back on the Tramadol, but this time everything seemed to slow down..........including my breathing as I tried to sleep (which kept jolting me back awake !).
Coming off Tramadol gave me a twitching sensation and the occasional 'swooping' (like missing a step gives) feeling.............it doesn't last long so be prepared for that.

I felt twitchy and a little flu-ey coming off them

[Greedyfly]

The 'withdrawal' was awful the first time I came off then, mostly my fault for just stopping. It was truly terrible. See I like these painkillers because they don't make me sick and control my pain well but the slowness and grinding is just plain weird.

[daffy654]

I have been taking Tramadol for a few years now and I still have the side-effects if I take the prescribed dose, I now take 1 capsule (50mg) every two hours instead of the 2 capsules every 4 hours as prescribed and this lessens the effects.

[Greedyfly]

See mine is a slow release one. So I take one at night and it ticks over all day until the next one. So I get these waves of hyperness and complete calm.

[daffy654]

Could you ask your GP to change to the normal release ones so you can control the dosage better?

[funnygirl]

I took these earlier this year for back pain and I was so ill on top of everything else.
I just stopped taking them.

I was vomiting, had the shakes and couldn't sleep, It was not a nice feeling.

[Greedyfly]

I may do Daffy. Will give it another day or so to see if I get better. They are not even that strong really, I have no idea why they are causing me so much trouble. As I said previously I lived with them for months last time. Hey ho.