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What Can Be The Effects Of Abruptly Stopping Tramadol?

Posted on Fri, 10 Apr 2015

Question: I am a 56 yr old man . Have been taking six 50 mg tramadol a day. Quit tramadol cold turkey 3 days ago. Am a little lethargic and a little down. Am sleeping n eating ok. No flu symptoms. Am sneezing some. Would like to continue cold turkey. Have been clean n sober for 30 years other than pain meds after knee replacement a year and a half ago.Have been taking this amount of tramadol for a year. 150 mg twice a day. Don't really need it for pain so much as feeling of well being it provided n slight pain improvement. Am overweight but otherwise healthy. Can I safely continue cold turkey. Don't want record of this with my primary dr

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You may have withdrawal symptoms

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have studied your case. It is good that you want to stop taking unnecessary tramadol.I think stopping Tramadol suddenly is not a good idea. Though Tramadol is a safe medicine and there is no addiction potential. Chances of withdrawal is also less. Still it is better if you get rid of it gradually . So i would suggest you to decrease doses day by day and complete stop it in one month.Also I want to add following.
1.Watch for few symptoms like breathlessness, headache, anxiety. If any of these are present than meet a psychiatrist. You may need a low dose of Tramadol also.
2.I do not think that you should hide it with your family physcian as he knows your medical condition and can be helpful.
3.Your family members also should know that you are stopping it. In some cases of emergency they can be great help.
I hope this answer will be helpful for you. Let me know if there is any other followup questions.
thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (4 hours later)

Am wondering what a reasonable dosage per day n per week would be to stop in one month as you suggested. Also I neglected to mention in my original question that part of the reason for stopping is that i have had some headaches lately and I've rightly or wrongly associated them with taking the tramadol with energy drink. Am doing well withdrawal symptom wise but don't want to be stupid either.please advise. Thank you for your help.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (9 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You need to take 50 mg Tramadol daily

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have studied your case and i would suggest you to take Tramadol 50 mg daily. It should be taken for fifteen days and than alternate day for seven days and than every 3 day for next seven days. If there is no problem than it can be stopped after that.
I hope by tapering in this manner your withdrawal symptoms will not be there.
thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (22 minutes later)

Can drinking energy drinks along with tramadol cause any adverse affects like head ache? Thanks for the good feedback you have been very helpful

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (10 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No there is no harm in drinking energy drink with tramadol

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I do not think that there is any harm in taking energy drink with Tramadol.It is safe and can be taken. Still taking tramadol for long time with out any indication is not right. So it is better that you have discontinuing it.
Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar