Opioid withdrawal syndrome – what is tramadol withdrawal?
Tramadol is a Schedule IV synthetic opioid analgesic that has the potential for abuse and is known to be highly addictive (though it has relatively lower abuse liability in comparison to many traditional opioids). Tramadol works by targeting opioid receptors and the central nervous system to alleviate moderate to severe pain symptoms both chronic and acute.
Along with its pain-relieving benefits, the drug also evokes feelings of pleasure and euphoria that, when experienced over a long duration, can be difficult to give up. Regular tramadol use can lead to a tolerance to the drug which often causes the user to take more to feel the same effects that they are used to. This is often the point at which people will become dependent on tramadol hey feel that they must take more and more to experience the feelings that they have come to enjoy and become used to. At this stage, opioid addiction disorder is a very real possibility and the need for urgent tramadol detox emerges.
Users will often be fooled by tramadol’s low abuse liability and typically won’t realize that they have become dependent or addicted to the drug until they try to stop using it altogether point they’re likely to experience a variety of negative side effects known as withdrawal. These unpleasant withdrawal symptoms are a key driver of addiction and physical dependence on opioid drugs, as they feel that they cannot face the pain and discomfort associated with trying to detox from tramadol.
When the effects of drug abuse start to take hold, the best thing the user can do is admit themselves to a detox center, where they can receive treatment and supervision from medical professionals, so that they may quit opioids in a safe environment.
Opioid drug effects – signs & symptoms of tramadol withdrawal
If you have been using tramadol for a long time and feel that you need to continue use to avoid these symptoms, you may wish to seek help from a medical professional or withdrawal detoxification center like ANR clinic.
Signs of opioid abuse, dependence, and the onset of withdrawal:
- Using larger doses of tramadol to have the desired effects.
- Using tramadol to relieve nausea, anxiety, sweating, shaking, and other tramadol withdrawal symptoms.
- Doctor-shopping to get enough tramadol for your increased need.
- Being unable to cut back or stop using tramadol despite past issues caused by the drug.
- Neglecting regular activities you once enjoyed.
- Taking an increased dose of tramadol in spite of its negative effect on your life.
- Taking uncharacteristic risks while under the influence of tramadol.
Common symptoms of withdrawal
Just like other opioid drugs like Vicodin or codeine, tramadol withdrawal can bring with it a host of negative physical and psychological side effects.
Psychological opioid withdrawal symptoms include:
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Confusion
Physical opioid withdrawal symptoms include:
- Dilated pupils and blurred vision.
- Low heart rate and/or blood pressure.
- Restless leg syndrome.
- Dehydration.
- Severe issues such as gastrointestinal pain (stomach pain), appetite suppression, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Shivering or shaking.
- Body pains such as muscle aches, bone pain, and abdominal cramps.
- Changes in sleeping patterns, exhaustion, or excessive yawning.
- Runny nose, headache, fever, and other flu-like symptoms.
- Respiratory depression.
Atypical withdrawal symptoms
While ninety percent of those experiencing tramadol withdrawal side effects will experience many of the common effects listed above, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reports that ten percent of people may experience atypical opioid withdrawal syndrome, which can have more severe side effects such as anxiety, confusion, panic attacks, paranoia, and even hallucinations.
Severe withdrawal symptoms can be deadly. If you suspect that you or someone else is experiencing life-threatening side effects of withdrawal, call emergency healthcare services immediately.
Recovery timeline for tramadol withdrawal
Tramadol withdrawal is similar to other opioids in that the physical symptoms are likely to dissipate after approximately one week. However, psychological symptoms are known to remain for several weeks or more. The seriousness and intensity with which a user will experience withdrawal largely comes down to the individual. Personal factors such as height, weight, and level of fitness can all have an influence on withdrawal periods and their effects. The treatment options (if any) that the patient chooses can also affect the timeline for recovery. The ANR treatment method emerges as the fastest addiction and withdrawal detox treatment, with patients experiencing recovery in a very short amount of time (typically just a few days).
Further factors that can affect the tramadol withdrawal recovery timeline include:
- The method used to take the drug (pill/tablet, intravenous injection, snorting, etc.)
- If the person has a history of substance abuse.
- If the drug was taken with alcohol or other drugs.
- The length of time the user had been taking tramadol and their level of opioid dependence.
- The dose of the drug the user had been taking.
- The frequency of the patient’s drug use.
Days 1-3
This is where users first begin to notice the onset of withdrawal. They will likely experience muscle pain, body aches, and excessive perspiration paired with psychological symptoms such as anxiety and severe opioid drug cravings.
Days 3-8
At this point, most patients will begin to experience acute withdrawal, where symptoms will typically reach their peak. The person may experience anxiety panic attacks, and numbness around the body, as well as severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Days 8+
While physical symptoms begin to diminish at this stage, psychologic symptoms can often take an even larger hold of the patient. They may notice continued anxiety and panic attacks and begin to experience severe drug cravings, insomnia, or even hallucinations.
Post-acute withdrawal syndrome – signs, symptoms, and long-term treatment
Although a person will typically overcome withdrawal in a little over a week, for some, symptoms can be long-lasting and continue to be felt for several weeks, months, or even years. This is known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). Post-acute withdrawal syndrome can have severe effects on mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Besides its effects on mental health, PAWS can also cause attention deficit, interruptions to sleeping patterns, indifference, lethargy, loss of appetite, and mood swings. While known for difficult to overcome, can eventually be beaten as patient learn to deal with symptoms and devise ways of counteracting them (such as through counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy). But with that – there is a high chance of relapsing.
Rapid Detox for Opioid Addiction
As the name suggests, advanced rapid detox is a medical treatment that quickly expels opioids, including tramadol, from the body. More often than not, this procedure involves naloxone or other opioid antagonists that are administered while the patient undergoing rapid detox is under sedation. This way, it can help you go through tramadol withdrawal with minimal discomfort.
While tramadol rapid detox might alleviate withdrawal symptoms, it doesn’t treat the root cause of tramadol dependency – the chemical changes in the brain caused by opioid use – and thus doesn’t eliminate the risk of relapse. While it’s arguably the biggest disadvantage of rapid detox, it isn’t the only one: it can also lead to various side effects, from sweating to renal failure.
ANR Opioid Treatment – Treating Tramadol Dependency with ANR
Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) offers a revolutionary approach to healing from opioid dependency. It is the only treatment method that addresses the biological cause of tramadol addiction and restores your brain to its normal state.
By modulating your endorphin-receptor system, ANR enables you to free yourself from tramadol dependency without any risk of relapse.
Here’s what makes ANR better than any other opioid dependency treatment, including rapid detox:
- The ANR treatment is tailored to every patient based on their individual needs, medical history, and other factors to achieve the best results and eliminate the risk of side effects.
- Carried out in an ICU setting of accredited hospitals by experienced medical professionals, the ANR treatment is completely safe for anyone, including patients with pre-existing health conditions.
- The ANR treatment doesn’t replace tramadol with methadone, Suboxone, or other opiate-replacement drugs that can also be addictive.
Ready to leave tramadol dependency in the past? Contact us for a free consultation!
Tramadol withdrawal treatment at a medical detox center
To date, Accelerated Neuro Therapy (ANR) is the only treatment that is shown to successfully restore the endorphin-receptor balance in people with dependence or addiction to opioids. Many traditional detox treatments will attempt to counteract the effects of withdrawal, whereas ANR treatment targets the roots of addiction and withdrawal by focusing on the mechanism behind dependency tramadol and other opioids. Because of this, ANR can detox patients and allow them to recover in a amount of time without fear of further symptoms or relapse.
ANR Clinic has treatment facilities to provide the -assisted detox and endorphin system regulation in:
- DeSoto Memorial Hospital, Arcadia, Florida
- ANR Europe Thun, Switzerland
- New Vision University Hospital, Tbilisi, Georgia
FAQ
There are many health risks associated with tramadol use. Tramadol is a prescription drug that can lead to addiction and withdrawal. For more information on tramadol abuse, dependence, and addiction, see here. Oftentimes, when a user experiences drug addiction and are no longer able to acquire their prescription opioid drugs legally, they will turn to illicit drugs that are often laced with much stronger fentanyl, which has significantly higher abuse potential and risk for overdose.
In the case of tramadol, a user will typically begin to experience signs or symptoms of withdrawal 1-3 days after their last dose.
The most severe symptoms of withdrawal (acute withdrawal) can be experienced 3-8 days after the last dose. After the detoxification process, there is a risk that a person may continue to feel lasting physical and psychological effects, known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). The length of withdrawal can often depend on the individual themselves and the nature of their drug use, but it can also be influenced by the method of treatment they use. The recovery period lasts only a few days at an ANR treatment center.
Mixing alcohol and tramadol or other opioid drugs can have severe negative health consequences. Not only can this kind of substance abuse cause alcohol addiction and co-occurring substance use disorders, but it can also be extremely dangerous, causing physical symptoms such as liver failure/damage, respiratory depression, a decline in brain health, and in some cases, death.
Yes ramadol is a Schedule IV synthetic opioid painkiller. It is a popular drug among physicians who prescribe it as an acute or chronic pain treatment for moderate to severe pain.
There are many signs that you can look out for to help identify opioid use disorder and addiction to tramadol. See here to learn more about the signs of tramadol addiction.
Vicodin is a inhibitor that is known to have negative effects on mental health or pre-existing mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. In some cases, it has been known to cause serotonin syndrome, which occurs when a person has too much serotonin in their body.
At the ANR Clinic, we offer an opioid addiction treatment program. Accelerated Neuro Regulation is an extremely effective treatment that treats addiction by restoring the endorphin-receptor balance to regular levels. It is a much faster addiction treatment in comparison to other detox programs such as inpatient treatment, residential treatment programs, outpatient programs, and even medically assisted detox treatments using medication like buprenorphine.
