I have had numerous side effects with tramadol (nausea, heart ski...

Hello. I toohave been on tramadol. it has worked great on my shoulder and knee pains. i have been a nurse for 13 years hence shoulder and knee pains. anyway, I am now not working due to my husbands work relocation. I decided to go off tramadol as i didnt have anything strenuous in my life anymore. within 24 hours of ceasing the tramadol i developed unbelievable pain. not just my usual areas but my whole body. my doctor tells me that i am going thru withdrawal symptoms similar to a drug addict on heroin. i was absoluetly stunned and embarassed to be associated like that. as a nurse i have always believed in good pain management. its been my job for 13 years. any good medical person would tell you to recognize symptoms of pain and commence asap. Never let it peak. Well when I was on Tramadol it did all that. One a day 200mg. Today I even feel like I am going thru menopause. Hot flushes constant. ! week ago I developed a condition called chronic uticaria. Look it up on the net. It started with vague itchy skin. Now for 1 week I have no specific shaped patched that usually range in size from 5cm to 13cm across and nearly 5mm in height. So its interesting after reading all the posts that some ladies have developed itchy skin. My feeling today is to keep taking the Tramadol to stop the withdrawal pains. My fear is that if I stay on it, and one day end up in a nursing home nobody will understand why I have restless legs< extreme pain and cant sleep. As a nurse they will put me on sleepers at night and give me panadeine forte every 4 hours. Sad hey!!