almost 5 months off tramadol still in bad shape

[keek36]

Hi everyone.  I stopped taking tramadol on December 6th. I am nearly 5 months into this after more than a decade of being on it. I am really scared because I am still in pretty bad shape.  I feel like my doctors don't know what they are doing.  They put me on neurontin to help control my symptoms and I tried to fight them because I read that neurontin is another med that will cause withdrawal symptoms when discontinued.  However they said it was the lesser of 2 evils.  I feel dizzy and fogged up all the time.  My bodyis still crawling until I take the neurontin.  I feel super sleepy all the time.  I have terrible anxiety.   Can anyone tell me if there is anything I can do to help the affects of feeling dazed and dizzy???

[NeverAgain127]

Hello,

I am 6 months off opiates and I also take Neurontin (generic:  Gabapentin) at pretty high doses for nerve pain.  It is NOT a narcotic, and despite what many say, getting off it is a cake-walk compared to Tramadol, Oxy, etc.

You're withdrawing from an opiod and an anti-depressant.  SSRI's (the anti-depressant) have profound effects on brain chemistry and withdawals can take months.  

I'm not a doctor, but I have a degree in pharmocology.   In my unprofessional opinion, and this should NOT be construed as expert, medical, or even legitimate advice---(just one person's opinion) what you are experiencing is not from the Neurontin, but is protracted w/d syndrome from the Tramadol.

Some advice:

1. Drink a lot of water.   Once ounce for every pound you weigh..EVERY DAY.

2. Exercise: the more the better.  Check with your doctor to make sure you're healthy enough to do aerobic exercise, and he/she clears you, go and sweat as hard as you can every day.   Mall walk, treadmill, bicycle, doesn't matter.   It will rebuild your neuronal pathways quicker and help your brain squirt out endorphins (endogenous morphine.)

3.  Eat a balanced diet. No time for fads right now; whole grains, lots of dark green vegetables and lean protein.  Do not eat 3 meals a day; you're blood sugar will drop too low; aim for 6 smaller meals a day at least.  Eat a palmful of high nutrition food (1/2 banana, yogurt, walnuts, a small apple, etc.) every 2 hours.

4.   Structure:  Get up at the same time every day, even weekends, and go to be at the same time.  

5.  NO Alcohol...zero, zip, zilch, none.   Ditto for cigs, and try not to consume any caffeine.

6.  Patience:  Tramadol was a Big Pharma screw up.  Initially introduced to doctors as "non-habit forming" (by detail men; pharm reps) it has proved to be a b.itch to get off of, But you're on the downhilll side.   Just give it a few more months.  You'll feel better incrementally.  

Finally:  Have you had a complete physical lately?   The works?  EKG, Neuro eval, blood work that includes liver enzymes, electrolytes, hormones, (thyroid)?  If not, do it....just to rule out an underlying problem.

You state your body is "crawling" until you take the Neurontin.  That tells me it IS helping.   Stay the course for now.  

What are you doing for aftercare?  Meetings, therapy?  Getting out of your own head and into a group might be something to consider.

Good luck...

[BraneGame]

I took Neurontin for more than a year, and found that it also made me tired and I also got twitches all  over my body. When I got off it I had a bit of brain fog and dizziness too but nothing else. I was on 800mg 4 times a day. That seems like a lot to me but I have no one to compare that to. How long have you been on it?

[kellygirll]

if you stopped the tram on dec 6th your just shy of 4 months and I've read on here that some people still feel crappy at this time coming off them and even longer congrats to you!!! keep up the good work it will all get better with time yes the dreaded word we all hate  when it comes to this crap feel better

[mlajl]

Don't know much or tramadol, but I do know nurerton will cause some people the shakes and anxiety. Brainfog.. it did it to my uncle.. it's not common side affect.. but does happen.. may want to Google it.

[BearsFan1966]

I do not know any thing about neurontin but I do know that tramadol is one of the worst meds to get off of! I know they now have it in the narcotic category! I was given it for almost 10 years along with Norco and it was he(( to get off of. It has an anti depressant in it that you have to come off of also! I  know when I got off of all that almost 2 years ago it was pure he(( and hard to get back to myself. This time I am coming off of Norco only after a accident and it is a lot easier for me but still hard.
I am sure there are some people on here that know more about neurontin and can help you more. Time and more time and how we hate that word! We are here for support!