Tramadol withdrawal side effects

Tramadol withdrawal can include effects such as muscle pain, sweating, agitation, and panic attacks. More on withdrawal effects of tramadol and how you can treat them here.

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Tramadol is a synthetic opiate agonist. Unlike many other opiate and opioid medications, tramadol is not a scheduled medication and is a popularly prescribed pain pill used to treat chronic pain. It’s also a popular medication to use for people who are abusing stronger opiate and benzodiazepine medications. But what is withdrawal from tramadol like?

While tramadol has a lower rate of dependency than other similar pain killing drugs, you can become dependent on tramadol and you can still feel the side effect of withdrawal. Here, we explore the effects of tramadol withdrawal and which side effects you can expect when you go through the withdrawal process. Then, we invite your questions or comments about tramadol withdrawal help at the end.

Withdrawal effects of tramadol

Tramadol has both opioid and non-opioid properties and is widely used because physicians have thought of it as having low potential for abuse and dependence. While tramadol does have a low potential for dependency, both physical and psychological dependence are still possible. Why do withdrawal effects of tramadol occur? And tramadol withdrawal symptoms last how long?

Withdrawal happens because after daily dosing over the period of a few weeks or longer, the body develops a need for tramadol. In order for the brain/body system to behave normally, tramadol needs to be present. Take away the tramadol from the system and your body reacts violently. In other words, withdrawal is a way of the body trying to regulate homeostasis within the body. And while symptoms of withdrawal tend to peak in the first days after cessation, they generally even out in the first 7-10 days after you stop taking tramadol.

Effects of tramadol withdrawal

You can begin to see the sings of tramadol withdrawal side effects shortly after your last dose of tramadol has worn off. There are over fifty (50) reported tramadol withdrawal side effects. Part of what makes withdrawal tricky is that everyone is different and effects can be impossible to predict. Still, the following effects of tramadol withdrawal seem to be most common:

  • agitation
  • anxiety
  • chills
  • convulsions
  • dizziness
  • depression
  • muscle pain
  • nervousness
  • panic attacks
  • sleep disturbances
  • sweats
  • vomiting

Side effects of tramadol withdrawal: Treatment suggestions

There are several ways you can help minimize the severity of tramadol side effects. These include:

1. Taper down your tramadol dose

One of the most solid suggestions experts recommend is to consult your doctor and have your medication tapered. Tapering off tramadol over the course of a few weeks gives your body plenty of time to reach homeostasis without the severity of side effects of withdrawal.

2. Get professional help

One way that doctors help treat tramadol withdrawal is to monitor the process. So, you may consider going through withdrawal at a detox facility. These places are designed to monitor you though the acute withdrawal over the course of 72 hours. Medications like clonidine, naltrexone, and/or buprenorphine may be administered specific withdrawal symptoms.

Detox can also help complications that arise like; shortness of breath, panic attacks, anxiety, hallucination and insomnia. All of these complication make withdrawal difficult and hard to treat on your own and many time will drive you to the hospital anyway to take care of. You may also need temporary medications for your anxiety so that you can get through the worst of your withdrawal.

3. Use over-the-counter aids

Tramadol withdrawal side effects will also be like if you have a severe flu. It is important that you get lots of fluids and are treating your flu like symptoms as best you can that occur are you are withdrawing from tramadol. Thankfully there is a lot around your house and at the local pharmacy that can help you to take care of these symptoms without the help of a doctor.

Tramadol withdrawal side effects questions

If you still have questions regarding the side effects of tramadol withdrawal, please ask. Leave your questions about tramadol in the comments section below. We will get back to you with a personal response as quickly as we can.

Reference Sources: NCBI: Withdrawal syndrome after long term tramadol
Daily Med: Tramadol
NCBI: Recommendations for the Pharmacological Management of Neuropathic Pain: An Overview and Literature Update
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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