Tramadol

[rlsidaho]

Hello fellow RLS/WES sufferers.... Can anyone provide me with feedback on their experience with Tramadol for the treatment of RLS/WE'D? I have been off Requip for a few weeks now due to augmentation and I'm while my are still active 24-7... I'm looking for a daytime alternative to hydrocodone, as I would like to find a non-narcotic med to take during the work day. I am in need f something that helps to alleviate both traditional RLS symptoms as well as pain in my lower legs.
Thank you. As always, I appreciate all advice

[ViewsAskew]

For daytime WED/RLS, I think it's the bomb. No sleepiness, slight mood enhancement, knocked out the symptoms completely. It can cause physical dependence VERY quickly - think a few weeks. So, if you take it every day for awhile, don't stop it suddenly. A taper works great, however, and it didn't take long to taper off of it.

[Polar Bear]

I have been using Tramadol for 2.5 years together with Requip, taking it 3 x daily and the total daily dose is 200mg. The requip on its own isn't quite sufficient.

For me, there are no negative points from the Tramadol for WED that I am aware of.
Some folks say it causes constipation but I have been fortunate in that respect, and indeed if constipation was a problem I would deal with that rather than give up the benefit of the Tramadol.

[rlsidaho]

Thanks, both of you. That is helpful.

[jrowley]

I am sorry what is WED...never mind i figured it out WED= Willis-Ekbom Disease...my bad duhhh

[Beck1]

Tramadol works well for me too- 100-150 mg/ day. ...I am also on Requip and neurontin and really struggle with the side effects but am able to tolerate the Tramadol very well. For me, Tramadol takes about an hour to kick in and provides about 6 hours of relief for the pain that comes with this...although it does not help with the other symptoms (legs/ arms), I have no complaints, it has provided consistent relief for 9 mos now. I have also stopped it for a period of time when starting other meds to better assess their efficacy ( independantly) and haven't experienced withdrawal symptoms.

That's my 2 cents...good luck! hope it helps you too
Beck

[rlsidaho]

Thank you, Beck. I'm headed to the Mayo Clinic in March to have a complete evaluation and hopefully a course of action for the long term...

[ViewsAskew]

Beck, so glad you didn't experience issues stopping it. I hope you never do in the future, either.

For anyone who reads this and thinks, "Oh, great, not a problem to stop this drug," I want to share the flipside of Beck's experience. My purpose isn't to scare anyone, rather to make sure everyone knows what can happen and hopefully suggest that everyone have a contingency plan whenever stopping any of these drugs.

I took tramadol for a few weeks - not sure exactly as I wasn't keeping track, but it was under 2 months and could have been as short as 3-5weeks. I decided not to take it anymore - I believe we were trying something new. In the late evening - 10 or 11 PM - I starting urinating a lot. If I'd taken it as I had been, I would had my first dose around 3 to 4 PM - so it was about 30 hours after my last dose. About 1-2 AM I wasn't feeling well, so I read and drank some tea. By 3 AM I had the chills and was very nauseous; soon the vomiting started. I actually figured out around that time it was withdrawal, but couldn't keep anything down to stop it from happening. It's also possible that I'd not refilled the script and didn't have any, as I'd known I was going to stop it. By about 6 or 7 AM I was dehydrated from the continual vomiting and it showed no signs of abating. I couldn't even keep down ice chips. I went to the ER; they gave me intravenous fluids (two rounds, IIRC), anti-nausea meds, and a shot of tramadol. The cost? $2,000 US. I was there about 2 to 2.5 hours and had no health insurance at the time.

On the other hand, I stopped methadone without ANY issues after taking it regularly for several years. When I stopped a benzo - clonazepam - it took 8 months to taper because I was so sick and was only on it for 5-6 months. I also stopped a couple other strong opioids with no ill effects. Go figure.

My best guess is that there is no way to tell if we'll have difficulties or not, but when they happen, they can be very nasty.

If I'm smart, lol, I'll never stop any opioid, benzo, or opioid like substance without 1) more of the drug available if there is a problem 2) a list of withdrawal symptoms for that drug that I can watch for 3) knowing the timing of when withdrawal symptoms might occur. If I'd have taken some tramadol when the urination starting, I would have been OK, but I wasn't thinking it could happen after taking it for such a short time. It probably doesn't happen that often like that, but it clearly can. If I'd been prepared I could have saved myself a lot of misery and a financial burden. For something like tramadol, a short taper is usually all that's needed; in the future I'd just to the taper and not even see if I had withdrawal symptoms.

[rthom]

Maybe we should make a thread about medications to assist with withdrawal sometime? In case folks aren't aware of their existence. What do you think?

[Calgary Cowgirl]

Hi I have been taking Tramacet for about 2 years and i have found it works quite well, and my legs have been good. Once in a while they kick up but on the whole it's good.

[Polar Bear]

Calgary Cowgirl: excellent that you have found good relief and that it continues.

[Calgary Cowgirl]

Forgot to add that along with the Tramacet I take .50 mg of Mirapex around 5-6 each day. Also I take 400 mg of Vitamin D as well.The Tramacet was originally prescribed for knee problems, (no knee cartilidge) so the combination seems to provide relief