badnights wrote:Interesting that you might have (do have?) IBS. There is a much higher incidence of WED/RLS among IBS patients (also Chrohn's patients) and it's thought to be because absorption of iron is impaired. I would suspect, though, that it;s more complex than that, because absorption of everything is impaired. If you could magically fix one thing and one thing only, choose the IBS. Neurological and psychological issues can be caused by gut issues, so everything youve got going on might conceivably be fallout from gut issues: the circadian mess, the WED/RLS, the anxiety, even in a way the previous drug abuse if it was a form of self-medication.
From what you say, I would guess you're dependent on tramadol, not addicted. Addiction is when you crave more of a drug for a direct effect on your mood, and use ever-increasing amounts of it in attempts to satisfy the craving. Having withdrawal is not a sign of addiction, it's a sign of dependence. Dependence is the state of your body being so used to the drug that it gets sick without it, at least until some time has passes and the body resumes its former state of non-dependence. You can be addicted and dependent; you can be dependent without being addicted.
Tolerance is also not to be confused with addiction - it's a state in which more of a medication is needed to achieve the same effect.
Possibly the heightened anxiety and mood disturbance is something you'll experience until the Tramadol withdrawal is over. Kratom seems to be well tolerated among the people on this board who use it, so hopefully you'll get relief without side effects.
Totally with you regarding the importance of fixing the acute IBS
And yes, I have become increasingly aware of the heightened incidences
My IBS is not chronic, and only has been present a few times in the last 5 years (and never prior)
Each time it occurred it was directly related to a very stressful event, which in turn led to very little sleep
I have now had it for 9 weeks straight
SLEEP is the common denominator in my opinion
(........... if of course, the IBS isn't related to tramadol or the actual rapid removal of mirapex )
Either way, sleep itself is paramount
I literally moved three bags to my parents house 2 nights ago (one including my new weighted blanket)
I left my wife and 2 daughters temporarily in the hope I could get more sleep in my parents basement .
I come back to my house overnight
.... in fact , although there was no butter, no gravy, no cranberry, I did just go to town on my wife's Thanksgiving turkey
It was actually a very bland meal, but larger than my recent chicken noodle soup and crackers I've been so accustomed to lately
I put my foot down on the sleep and skipped out on the rest of the family while they had Thanksgiving at my house
(I should definitely add that my wife is fully supportive)
Addiction wise :
You appear to be bang on with your breakdown
I felt the craving
I knew what it was and yes, I felt it
I had quit the 100mg ER the night before and for the first time in my life I craved an opiod
I had never done opiates/opiods , but I felt a nice little high when I took the tramadol
I knew there would be a potential for me to want to chase that high (like so many others do)
... I've had heroin explained to me for what its worth ...
I have yet to feel that high again
.... I did feel relief once I took more tramadol , but never that high
And I dont want to because it is not sustainable.
I would need to take more and more in order to sustain it.
When I said I was addicted to tramadol, I was expressing my profound craving
It has since decreased significantly over the past few days to the point I barely feel it .
(I speculate it had to do with the ER variety of tramadol leaving my body, but I'm just guessing there
.... although I never felt the craving feeling prior to taking the ER variety , which I only took for 3 days, then went back to tramadol IR)
Kratom helped alot and I continue to use it
Anyway .... I'm going to work on sleep
A bit more kratom and a bit less tramadol for a couple days
Or likely a switch to codeine, but I only have a script for 60 mg ER or a bottle of 15mg that is nearly 3 years old (I'm unsure if it's potency might be affected ?)
....plus I'm not sure if I'd do a straight swap in one night (25/50/25 tramadol to 15/30/15mg codeine )
Back to the turkey I ate couple hours ago ... I think that was a mistake