OUR resident specialist and NHS GP, Dr Zoe Williams, shares her expert advice.
Today, Dr Zoe helps a reader who has been using tramadol for lower back pain.
Q) I AM a 58-year-old female, and I have been on tramadol for lower back pain for around ten years for a squashed disc.
I have recently seen a gastroenterologist for worsening IBS symptoms, and I have lost a stone in weight.
He is sending me for a CT scan, a colonoscopy and the test where I swallow a pill containing a camera.
However, he thinks tramadol is worsening my symptoms greatly.
He told me to see my GP to get help getting off it, as I’d get withdrawal symptoms if I did it myself.
I can’t get an appointment, though.
A) Tramadol withdrawal needs to be done at a slow pace over several weeks or months, depending on your current dose.
After ten years of use, your body is dependent on tramadol.
Sudden withdrawal can cause anxiety, restlessness, sweating, insomnia, nausea, diarrhoea, muscle aches and ‘electric shock’ sensations.
Because tramadol also affects serotonin and norepinephrine – brain chemicals that play a role in regulating bodily functions – withdrawal can also cause mood changes or even flu-like symptoms.
If your GP practice has a pharmacist, they might be able to support you with this tapering down, and also make recommendations as to what painkillers might be best to use in your specific case.
They can also liaise with a GP to ensure that any new pain relief medications are prescribed in time.
TIP
Avoid sharing medications with others.
What works for you might be ineffective or harmful for another person, especially due to medical history or their own medications.
