Where Can I Find Help with Tramadol Withdrawal Symptoms?
I started taking Tramadol after a back injury. It was prescribed to me by a doctor with whom I had a long history and I felt comfortable following her instructions. Unfortunately, I found myself spending a lot of time at home during my convalescence because I couldn’t go to work and the discomfort made a lot of activities too difficult to participate in.
To pass the time, I did a lot of drinking, which certainly wasn’t recommended by my doctor. In fact, it was actually against the prescription rules. But, I felt safe at home and I liked the buzz I got from the combination of liquor and medication.
Before long, I was definitely misusing my Tramadol and I had become dependent upon using it and alcohol. When I stopped taking it, I had to deal with a lot of withdrawal symptoms, so I kept taking it and I kept drinking, even after my pain had been largely managed.
If you, like me, are dealing with tramadol withdrawal symptoms, you probably feel obligated to keep using just to avoid the terrible symptoms. But, there are people who can help you end your destructive relationship with the narcotic pain reliever.
The best place to look for help is a professional drug addiction treatment program. Withdrawal.org can get you started. Call 888-602-1971(Who Answers?) and speak with an expert who can answer all of your questions and connect you to the help that you need.
How Do I Know It’s Withdrawal and Not the Flu?
You might want to deny the symptoms you are experiencing are even withdrawal. A lot of people insist they are under the weather or fatigued. It helps to avoid confronting the reality of tramadol addiction. And, that makes sense because some of the symptoms overlap with the ones for flu. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the following are symptoms of opioid withdrawal:
Don’t suffer through withdrawal alone; get help today!
- Tearing
- Runny nose
- Yawning
- Muscle and bone pain
- Goosebumps
- Muscle spasms
- Enlarged pupils
- High pulse rate, blood pressure, and body temperature
- Insomnia
- Heightened reflexes
- Sweating
- Increased rate of breathing
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal cramping
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety
When these symptoms appear every time you stop using tramadol, you know that you have a larger problem than a case of flu.
How Will Addiction Treatment Help with Withdrawal?
The first stage of any rehab program is detoxification, the period during which you stop using and the drugs and alcohol in your system are filtered out. You have probably tried to detox on your own before. But, most people go back to using quickly to escape the withdrawal symptoms. When you undergo detox in a professional treatment program, the staff works to alleviate the discomfort associated with the process.
In the case of opioids, like tramadol, detox will include the use of medication. “Management of withdrawal without medications can produce needless suffering in a population that tends to have limited tolerance for physical pain.” Given that I was using tramadol to treat pain, I was incapable of dealing with the severity of withdrawal symptoms. I needed to be given medication to move through withdrawal.
The medications most likely to be used to help with withdrawal symptoms are methadone, clonidine, and buprenorphine. These are all used for specific symptoms of opioid withdrawal. However, you may be given additional medications to deal with symptoms not treated by other medications. You might get Benadryl for insomnia or Tylenol for headaches.
Look for a Dual Diagnosis Program
If your tramadol use started via prescription because of a verified medical pain issue, you should look for a treatment program that is considered dual diagnosis. That means your addiction will be treated, as well as your chronic pain. Because one naturally affects the other, the treatment of one will likewise affect the treatment of the other. By entering a treatment facility trained to address both issues, you will receive a more holistic level of care.
For help finding a dual diagnosis tramadol addiction treatment program, call 888-602-1971(Who Answers?). Don’t let your fear of withdrawal symptoms prevent you from getting the help that you need and deserve. It’s time you regained control of your life and we can help you to do it.
