Must wean off Tramadol ASAP - help!

[cottonrichards]

I'm getting a tonsillectomy on the 28th (in 19 days) and have been taking 50mg of Tramadol 2x a day (every 12 hours) for about 6 years for anxiety.  Once I get my tonsils out I won't be able to swallow pills for a couple of weeks though, so I need to get off the Tramadol before the surgery.  Is this feasible?  Is this a doable schedule of taper:
9-11th:
50 MG AM / 25 MG PM
12-14:
25 MG AM / 25 MG PM
15-18:
25 MG AM / 12.5 MG PM
19-22:
12.5 MG AM / 12.5 MG PM
23-25:
12.5 MG AM only
26-27:
6.25 MG AM only
28:
Off

This is the only way I can imagine getting off without suffering miserably.  Any advice?

[PromisedLand]

IBKleen has a VERY good point..I gave mine to my wife to hand out to me according to the schedule and that worked very well..


Jim

[IBKleen]

Cotton,

Do you have anyone who can hold them for you and dose them according to the schedule?

[cottonrichards]

This is a little difficult!  I had the 50 MG at like 9AM, then held out until 11:30 PM for the first cutback to 25MG.  I woke up SUPER early this morning feeling very antsy and agitated and took the 50MG.  I'll make sure to stick to a rigid schedule from here on out, I hope it doesn't get any worse than this.

[cottonrichards]

Thanks Jim!  How long were you on Tramadol?  I'm very encouraged to hear that you've been able to wean off (a much higher dose than I've ever been on) of it with relatively no side effects.  It will be a very freeing feeling to not be on it anymore.

[PromisedLand]

I'm on day 3 off of tramadol...was taking up to 12 a day (4 3x day) of 39 point something mg.   I started tapering several weeks ago buy cutting from 12/day to 10 for about a week as I recall, then down to 8 for a few days, then 6, then 4, then 2 and finally took my last one on Saturday I believe it was...and generally I feel fine...I have a touch of a bug that's running around the house trying to kill us all so I feel a little flat with that and a SLIGHT touch of diareahh (sorry) yesterday and a SLIGHT case of the heebie jeebies in the evenings...I attribute that to the mucinex I'm taking for this creeping death that I have...

You might want to see your doctor and open up and tell him...I think that would be your best bet...he should be helpful to you...he/she doesn't want you on these things legal or not..and if he sees that you're sincere I'm  sure he/she will help.

AND WHATEVER YOU DO....DO NOT EVER TOUCH ANOTHER ONE..I have 5 refills of 120 of them at the local pharmacy over the next 5 months which are not going to be refilled. .If anxiety is a problem talk to your doctor..could be the tramadol..and seek after care (Narcotics anonymous or some sort of therapy)...


Good luck to you and God bless

Jim

[cottonrichards]

My doctor didn't prescribe it.  Prior to taking it I'd always had anxiety and when I got in a car accident he prescribed it for the neck pain.  I realized it fixed the problems I had with anxiety and so I started buying it on the internet.  I guess I'm an addict (tinge of denial there?  probably), but I've never abused it by taking more than I need to keep the anxiety at bay.  As far as telling my doctors, I don't want this on my medical records, so I'm going to get off on my own.  

Anyone had success with this sort of schedule?  What should I expect as far as withdrawls go?