Tramadol for depression

[matt9914]

was it hard to stop for that time period?

[ConsciousUser]

I too have battled depression, a result of PTSD acquired due to multiple incidences that went untreated for decades. I was not born with depression and I underwent a lot of extreme conditions before developing it. Antidepressants did not work and in fact some made me manic while others left me zombied and making just as poor choices if not worse than with depression alone. I began drinking while taking antidepressants, I was in my mid thirties and had never had a drinking problem before but I couldn't sleep with the antidepressants. Eye movement therapy, talk therapy etc etc - I certainly benefited from some of it yet the depression debilitated me more and more with age.
I use tramadol and I am very careful. Have used it for a year now and still do not take more than a half though I have on rare occasions of great stress. I also go off of it for a week at a time or more whenever I can. Taking asprin, exercising, aromatherapy, making sure I have enough magnesium and also taking St. John's Wart help me not overly rely on the Tramadol and also help with side effects when I do stop taking it. I have gotten a euphoric high from it but I don't like the feeling so I lower the dose if that happens.
Also, I make every effort to use it consciously and to do things while on it that trigger my depression but to be conscious of the experience so I can learn from it and hopefully thereby not need any meds ultimately.

[thatposhgirl]

This thread has been very informative and I just wanted to add my experience.

I've suffered from mild depression related to PCOS and PMDD for a number of years. I have been given anti-depressants, but they don't make me feel better, they just make me feel weird. Zoloft actually made me feel like I had no impulse control and it really messed with my head.

I've never been able to take most narcotic pain killers. They make me sick to my stomach and I feel jittery, sweaty and chilled all at the same time when I take them. It is really unpleasant, so I just avoid them.

Anyway, I had an ovarian cyst rupture recently and the doctor gave me tramadol. He said that it was mild and wouldn't cause the problems that the other pain killers caused. He was right, I can take it without feeling sick and gross. Something else I noticed while I was taking it, though, is that I just felt better, mentally. I actually felt good, which is rare for me.

I did a search to see if Tramadol is used for depression and found this thread. It's nice to know that the good feelings weren't just my imagination. I don't know if this would be right for me as a depression treatment, but it does give me hope. I understand there are risks, but isn't that true of any medication? When I was on Zoloft I almost jumped off of a roof because I wanted to "see what would happen." With the Tramadol, I just feel... zen. I suddenly have energy and feel more productive. I'm no longer sleeping all day, and I am also sleeping better at night.

I'll talk to my doctor about it, but at least I have hope that I can feel good sometimes.

[Sunny mom]

I think Tamadol for depression is a REALLY bad idea! That "zen" feeling you have will not last if you take it with regularity. You will need to take more and more to achieve the "zen" , and after a while, you will only being taking it in order to not feel bad..that's an awful way to live...and if you think you're depressed now, imagine STILL feeling depressed PLUS feeling dread about your script running out, counting and re-counting pills, arguing with yourself about whether you should take another pill, etc. You'll still have the original problem, plus a bunch more that you'll get courtesy of those nasty Trams...

[mrnobody]

I'll try to be succinct. Tramadol works for many people as an antidepressant. I am one. I have a terror of addiction and, so have quit it cold turkey 3 times - not because it wasn't working, but because I knew I was addicted. This is the worst withdrawal experience you will ever have. Not 3-4 days. 5-7 (more like 7). My psychiatrist has now put me back on and I'm staying on. It works. Ultimately, that's better than suicide. Yes, you will likely be tempted to take more than you are prescribed. Don't. There are no magic pills for depression. They all have some sort of side effect. Tramadol's is addiction. Same as with benzos. If you have true panic disorder and true panic attacks you have no choice (no matter what any all-natural joker tells you) than to take benzo's. They've saved my life. 10 years now, i've been on the maximum dose of xanax and am always working to cut back, but at least now I don't rush to the ER thinking I'm having a heart attack, or thinking I've run someone over in my car, etc.. Ok, I've begun to change the subject a bit. Any med especially one with addiction potential (and tramadol was originally thought to have less addiction potential than codeine, etc - big lie) is scary, but if your depression is otherwise untreatable and suicide looks more appealing than life, do not hesitate to ask your psych for help. Last bit of advice - Research! and when you find something that looks promising, bring your research to your doctor. If he/she is not an ass, he/she will be willing to look into it. These people can't, even if they are diligent, keep up with everything, but you know what is and isn't working for you and what you'd like to at least try. Good Luck.

[pjhumes99]

Hello Steve,
I am 68 years old and my pain doctor suggested Tramadol over Celebrex for pain. Safer than Celebrex. Anyway, I woke up this morning feeling "almost good" - the pain was not quite so intense, but still present. But at least I was able to GET UP and even do a few things before getting ready to leave the house. I feel as though I can overcome the pain and I do believe I am not as depressed. (I have a long history of depression and have tried every drug on the market. Just stopped taking Wellbutrin recently, as it wasn't helping any longer.) I am very encouraged. Like you, and so many other people in this post, I discovered Tramadol for depression by accident! A happy accident, but long overdue.

[JohnMax]

I will add my 2 cents as well. I have a really bad back, DDD, bulging, herniations, stenosis. Most times am OK, but can get bad. My neuroligist first put me on straight Oxycodone 15 mg, 2-3 times daily, works well, but started getting weaker, checked testosterone, it nosedived, so had to get off of it. He put me on Tramadol, test went back to normal, pain in decent control, gave me more get up and go than I have had in quite a while. I have been off Tramadol for a few weeks at a time, when not needed for pain I do not use it, but when I need it, it definitely improves my mood for the better and I can deal with some pain quite well. All drugs can be a double edged sword.

[kwilli31]

Hi. I used to take Tramadol too. Whenever I'm having a bad day or when I am about to undergo a slightly painful procedure (waxing) or when I have dysmenorrhea. I stopped taking Tramadol because I mistakenly took one after a night of drinking.

[Seriously Speaking]

I just got a script for tramadol and almost threw it away. I'm having severe pain in my arm from bad reaction from statins and thought ultram was a joke as my tolerance is high from taking percocet for the last year due to other pain. I did read that adding 375mg. of acetomenophen to 50 mg.tramadol sometimes helps pain relief so will let you know what happens this eve. I'm hopeful!

[Dbphil]

I was a first responder on Sept 11th. I have been taking antidepressants ever since. I have tried every med with no luck. I am currently taking Vibryd which I've been taking for a month but is not helping. Being a Firefighter I have had many injuries over the years and have been prescribed tramadol. I feel this is the only drug that makes me feel normal. I have stayed away from it because I wanted to do it the right way with an antidepressant. Well I think I give up. I can't find the miracle ant d so I think I am about to try tramadol on a steady basis. I'm sick of feeling this way and don't know what else to do.

[zack_rydell]

Just like to add my two penneth (cents) to this thread - I actually registered just to post this.

I'm 26 and have suffered severe depression for the last 8 years. Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Mirtazapine are just some of the many meds I've been prescribed to treat it. Most were ineffective; some, like Citalopram, actually made me suicidal. The only thing that has ever made me feel any better is Tramadol. It makes me feel creative, sociable and worthwhile. My deep-rooted cynicism dissipates when I take Tramadol, and I feel like I can achieve anything I put my mind to.

I'd really like to tell this to my doctor, but I very much doubt he'd be receptive to the idea of prescribing an opioid to treat depression. Has anyone else in the UK approached the idea with their doctor?

[ChristineF]

Hi Steve,
Wow, I cannot believe the coincidence of your post, with what I've been researching all day long!! Here's why I've been prescribed Tramadol for many years, along with Gabapentin (Neurontin), to significantly decrease the frequency of migraines. The Tramadol, in addition to the Gabapentin, became sort of my "maintenance plan" to prevent most of the migraines...

I have had depression since I was a teenager (I am 38 now), and was prescribed every med known to mankind. Nothing really seemed to help, and I just always remember being depressed to some degree. As I got older, it was worse. I was eventually diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, because my body is so resistant to treatment with medication. Psychiatrists often prescribe an "add-on" medication such as Serequil, etc...for people with Major Depressive Disorder- because of the resistance to just one medication. I tried Serequil, and one other med (I can't remember the name), but each one made it WORSE! I was prescribed Cymbalta approximately 3-years ago, and began to feel better. Better than usual... I had a sense of things being "ok"...this was a completely new feeling! I had a better perspective of my life, better outlook, things seemed clearer, I looked forward to a lot more, and WANTED to be involved with friends and activities, I was more productive in my daily activities, including work... etc... Overall, I had more relief from my depression...
This was HUGE! (I had already been taking the Tramadol and Gabapentin when prescribed Cymbalta).

I don't even know how I figured out that the Tramadol had a positive effect on my mood. I think I remember forgetting to re-fill the prescription, and woke up the next morning more lethargic, feeling like it would be mentally hard to accomplish what I needed to do that day. My sense of "dread" was returning. The "dread" is the only way I've been able to describe some of my depression symptoms in the past. There was never anything "real" to dread, but it was definitely a relentless feeling at times- the WORST symptom of my depression I've ever had! After I re-filled the Tramadol, and took my prescribed dose that afternoon, all of the dread, the extremely low mood, and everything else, slowly got better! It took about 2 hours, and then I was fully functioning again.

I've always felt like I could not tell my doctor, because Tramadol is supposed to be prescribed for my migraines. My therapist is the only person who I've briefly told about Tramadol connecting to my mood. I don't know why it helps, but it does, so I've always been VERY scared that my doctor wouldn't like that. I read that Tramadol is a type of analgesic, and not a narcotic. I also read that it has been prescribed on a long-term basis for all kinds of pain. It seems that there are a lot of opinions and articles that contradict each other... Either way, I've been on the same dose for all of these years, and I've never needed a higher dose to be effective. I really believe that Tramadol is that "add-on" to my anti-depressant that works for me. Like anything else in life, what works for one person, may not work for someone else...

I have been researching different articles on the web today, to try and find something that connects Tramadol to the treatment of depression. I feel like there HAS to be something out there. There HAS to be others who have the same reaction. I have a new psychiatrist. My other psychiatrist retired, and he was prescribing all of my medication- no problem at all. He's the one who changed my medication to Cymbalta in the first place, thus he is the person I am secretly grateful for! My new psychiatrist said that he has never prescribed Tramadol, and will not do it because it is a "pain reliever", and not within his area of expertise! I decided that I wanted to talk to him this on Friday... but wanted to have some form of information that indicated it COULD be within his area of expertise! Also, my regular physician recently returned from a very long maternity leave... since my psychiatrist always prescribed the Tramadol, she decided NOT to refill the prescription at this time, because she wants the neurologist to see me again- to assess the migraines, and re-look at the medication...I don't understand- I haven't had a migraine in months!! I am SO fearful overall, because now I'm at risk for the return of these horrible migraines, AND the severe depression! I have felt so much better, so I know I won't have tolerance for that....I'm seriously wondering if my stupid doctor WANTS something to be wrong with me? Since I've had these chronic problems, now all of a sudden it is NOT ok to be well???? I'm sorry for my language, but I'm actually pissed!

So... to answer your question, I definitely relate to you, and agree that Tramadol can have a positive affect on mood! And that's why I want to find information for my psychiatrist... he's my only hope, because my prescription is going to run out in the near future! Or, I will have to look into getting some Tramadol from Canada! Ugh! I've heard that you don't need a prescription for many medications in Canada! But... I'm not that kind of person, so I'd probably suffer- rather than look into that. It seems to be irresponsible of my physician to stop it altogether, because it's like any other medication- I've been on a consistent, regular dose. Just like the Cymalta, and Gabapentin. If I go off cold turkey, there will be side effects, and symptoms would likely come back... Well, I will wish us both luck. Here is a reply that I didn't intend getting into!! But, I really appreciate your comments. They really did help me.
Thanks, Steve!
-Christine

[Satch22]

I am 22 years old and have suffered severe depression for as long as I can remember. When I was 17 I suffered a severe hip injury playing high school football, which ruined any chance of a college career . Anyway, I began taking tramadol for severe pain associated with arthritis due to my numerous surgeries. As soon as I began taking in, I noticed a HUGE difference in my depression. When I got off of tramadol, I went back to my normal miserable self, rarely getting out of bed, when I went off to college, I dropped out after sleeping all day and flunking out. I became desperate and tried to think of times in my life where I was "happy" the only times I could think of were when I was on tramadol. I have been on tramadol for about a year now, and have played it very carefully due to the possible addictive factors. I will take for 2-3 weeks and go off for a week. I am the happiest I have ever been. I am back in college and will graduate in Dec. with honors. I am certainly not advertising for anyone to go out and take tramadol for depression, I am simply sharing my experience so others can have one more reference when reseaching other options. I went from taking Zoloft, Trileptal, Clonopin, and Geodon, to just taking a small dose of Zoloft and 2 50mg caplets of tramadol a day. I know that mainstream doctors have not yet fully accepted tramadol as an accepted form of depression medication, but it sure has worked wonders for me. I only wish to relay my personal experience with others so that they may have one more option to look at when searching for depression relief. I hope this helps others to certainly consider speaking with their doctors about tramadol and the amazing effects it has had on my depression.

This story is very similar to mine. I didn't use tramadol though I used lorcets. I have had serious depression and anxiety my whole life and I had tried all the AD's and therapy and none of them worked. I used them for 3 years straight with no issues.1 to 2 pills every other day was all I ever needed. I quit smoking,they helped me in every aspect of my life including studying,working. I have no way of getting them now and have been off them for 2 years and I am back to the living hell I had before. I pray that the medical community changes this someday but untill then I am forced to suffer.

[Satch22]

I seriously have tears in my cheeks. To learn that there are others like me who have found in Tramadol the only medication that somehow works, I had to register in a hurry.

I've tried too many antidepressants, well, around 8. Right now I'm on Clomipramine and Quetiapine. I found out about Tramadol due to ankylosing spondylitis.

I have told my psychiatrist about it, and he doesn't object, I have asked him for explicit directions with the Tramadol, so I could know if there was a risk or something, and he sort of said that I could keep taking it. It was not his prescription.

I keep my antidepressants, but if I don't take the Tramadol I'm down, if I take Tramadol for many days I build up confidence and motivation, to the point that I can stop taking it for 3 days.. but no more.

I'm currently taking between 100mg and 200mg. I'm using generic, which is of great help because Clomipramine is expensive AND my doctor is expensive too. I would like to use Tramadol retard but there's no generic option for that.

Well, I needed to take this out my chest right away. I'm very happy I'm not the only one who finds Tramadol useful for depression. I would like to know more about possible side effects of long term use..

See you around

I know exactly how you feel...

[martialarts54]

Sam,

I too have found NOTHING solves my depression, which has been seemingly lifelong as well as tramadol. I used to believe it was because it had always been hard for me to get a girlfriend, or find quality people who are as deep as I for me to bond with, so I went thru probably 2 out of 3 days of my life being mildly depressed. But the HOPE of achieving even 1/3 of my goals was so intoxicating, it served as my motivator to keep going,depsite that I realize now......I never had a supportive friend in my life!!! Reading Anthony Robbins books and hearing his tapes became my "counselors" and life coaches. Then at age 50 when my mother and only friend in the world died, I went into a tailspin because now the reality that I was getting too old to achieve all the dreams I had as well as financial problems accruing with no family as a "just in case" made me totally depressed and anxiety ridden. When 2 months after my mom died my regular doc gave me some tramadol for my lower back pain which was later confirmed by my mri as 3 ruptured disks, he put me on it permanantly. I have had chronic back pain every day for 25 yrs ON TOP OF THIS DEPRESSION! Being a so called "normal" person who could be in a non depressed state with only small amounts of back pain made me ask myself..............."How did I manage not to kill myself or become a "street drug" addict all these yrs??? I had my first taste of what normal amounts of depression were(yes there was some)and sadly as my usage of trams went on, my s"baby" sister of 45 became dmineering like a father to me, My father who is 87 now was treating every single idea I had for success as if I was a total schmuck! I lost every personin my life. And then one day I looked at my body in the mirror, and said to myself, "this aint cuttin it if you want to be confident and have a reasonable chance getting dates with women" and I know in my heart that at 54 there isnt a lot you can do to look 22 again. Better yes, 22 naturally?????........unlikely. So after 2 detox docs and their suboxone miracle cures and 1 trip for 10 days in the 3rd highest rated detox center in the country only to relapse on day 15 or 16 of being clean .....................I lost my will to live, had no energy to pursue my goals as USING trams makes you drowsy....detoxing OFF thenm makes you more drowsy. I was screwed. I realized 3 months ago after being into my 8th day,that with no support(and I live alone) no friends and NA after 18 months was not for me......I now would not even think of getting off of these pills unless I either had someone who loved me very much and visa versa, and.....I had a passion I could throw myself into every day. For 30 years it was horse racing, but we all know that isnt a cheap "hobby." I gave it up totally 8 yrs ago, and never had anything to replace it with. So as of now, my only buddy, the only thing in the world I could count on to alleviate my depression are trams. Now up to about 12 a day. Problem is, my doc gives me the full amount allowed by law which is 8 a day. Lets do the math. Say I squirrolled 2 months of it away for emergencies, sooner or later I must run out. Then what!!!!!? Im pretty damn nervous. I also know there is a chance I could do something very foolish and "final" if I get off of them with the same life to come home to again.

BOTTOM LINE TRUTH: Every time I tried to get off trams, whether by cold turket, or titrating slowly off thru suboxone, I was always eventually left with the depression that God has abandoned all of us and we are all just a 9 billion blobs hurling thru space and when we are gone, perhaps nature will allow the next "superior" more evolutionized species to evolve. As Albert Einstein said..."Do I believe in God? Definitely! Do I believe he cares about our individual problems? No. Albert might have had good reason tpo believe this as he never says anything he cant prove. What scares me is that, on trams, with "normal(?)" amounts of happy chemicals coming out of my head, I can "almost" accept this, so life is just slightly depressing. But without trams, the thought that this might be it,only one life and no God that actually cares, is totally overwhelming that I just stay in the house and stay on the computer from wakeup tme till sleep time.

Im praying that taking up a vigorous challenging activity like Silat, which is Indonesian style martial arts will get me wrapped up enough in something "bigger than myself" to actually not think about God...unless HE WANTS to come into my life. Then the door is always open. Maybe trams will cut my life in half. But 10 decent yrs compared to 20 yrs of horror and depression...its no contest.

[martialarts54]

This makes me think, without "faith" with just what the eye can see,which has given us a loooot of comforts, faith has given us the inquisition and the crusades, is real happiness purely chemical. Does God not even count? Can it actually be that all those happy nuns and squiatered monks you read about thru history have just thru blind faith deluded themselves into believing something so much that chemicals from their brain were emitted to give them joy...not God! This is scary as hell for me to think that if I go to church or temple or mosque, I can beg God all I want for anything and chances are way better than 50-50 I wont feel appreciably better, at least for very long. But.....lay out 2 lines on the floor I am kneeling on in the church and I can almost guarantee im gonna feel a lot better. This at age 54 is a very scary thing to look at. If its true, I just pray that in my last yrs, my happy chemicals are increasing, no decreasing(which is usually the case in old age) I guess i lost my faith because it was smashed every time I had some. I think 54 yrs is long enough before you realize something is wrong,no? Or should I be like the religious fanatics who just want to keep silencing the infidels who want them to just possibly see...."maybe things are not absolute." Hey,should we just drop bags of white powder over there and forget the bombs and .......oh wait, thats where the white powder comes from. NIX THAT ONE. lol

[DannyvUK]

You should try 2-5mg of aMT every morning. As far as I am aware there is little or no risk of addiction, and I've heard excellent things about how powerful it is as an antidepressant. Wouldn't recommend increasing the dose much past that though, or things might start to get a little strange.

[ARTIST658]

You should try 2-5mg of aMT every morning. As far as I am aware there is little or no risk of addiction, and I've heard excellent things about how powerful it is as an antidepressant. Wouldn't recommend increasing the dose much past that though, or things might start to get a little strange.

I don't know if that was a typo - what is "2-5mg of aMT"? 2.5 mg of what?

[ARTIST658]

Tramadol for depression is a very dangerous idea. In the short term, it appears to be a godsend. But there is so much more to it than the short-term relief.

Tramadol acts like other opiates; it lends itself to tolerance. That means that in time, you'll need more of the drug to gain the same effect you had to begin with. And once you get taking it regularly, that "relief" will lessen. You will need to take more and more to achieve the same "lift."

Additionally, it easily lends itself to physical dependency. In other words, our body will require it, simply to operate somewhat "normally." This mix of easy physical dependency and tolerance are the ideal set-up for addiction. In time, you will only being taking it in order to not feel bad - not to get the withdrawal effects - and that's a horrible way to live.

So this short term "fix" will result in a far more horrific depression than you have now. Just try to imagine experiencing your current depression PLUS being consumed by the obsessive/compulsive nature of drug addiction. Your life will be ruled by whether or not you have enough pills to fend off withdrawal. You will be chasing that feeling you used to get at the beginning, and will not be able to attain it.

And, as a substance abuse counselor (who treats women in early detox), I can tell you this - the withdrawal off tramadol is one of the WORST and LONGEST withdrawals I've witnessed. You will feel like you are losing your mind.

This is NO long-term solution. This is a drug that will further diminish the quality of your life very quickly. Please do not be fooled by the "quick lift" you get to begin with. That will not last. And by the time you question if it's becoming a problem... you'll already be up to your knees in tramadol quicksand.

God bless,
Ruth

[MaisieC]

I started using opiates to treat my own depression. I've used a lot of different opiates, and tramadol was by far the worst. It impaired my functioning worse than any other drug I used, and the detox was horrific. Seriously, I'd rather detox off hydro five times than get off tramadol once. I'm sympathetic to people with persistent and intractable depression, but you should be aware that tramadol will absolutely lead to physical dependence and is likely to lead to addiction.

The DEA has a new report out on tramadol as of March of this year. It describes how the drug was basically misrepresented by its manufacturer and was thus freely prescribed. It further describes the potential for abuse, stating that in 2011 2.6 million Americans were using this drug for non-medical purposes (i.e., getting high). I can't link to the report here, but you can find it if you Google "DEA" and "tramadol." The truth is gradually coming out that this drug is not benign.

[numbOne]

Hi Maisie,

You don't know me but i have read alot of your posts so feel like i sorta know you...It's great to see you post again! I have been considering Tramadol and you have been a huge help to me and don't even know it!
Thanks and i hope you are doing well.

[MaisieC]

Hi Maisie,

You don't know me but i have read alot of your posts so feel like i sorta know you...It's great to see you post again! I have been considering Tramadol and you have been a huge help to me and don't even know it!
Thanks and i hope you are doing well.

Hi NumbOne,

Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm really glad to hear some of my posts are helpful. I'm glad some good came out of my horrible experience! I hope you're doing well. Hang in there. You can get through this and get your life back!

Maisie

[Lw601]

I wish there was more research done on tramadol and depression. I too am a " miracle" product of tramadol and an the end my depression. And let me say also that I see a lot of posts relating to the dangers of taking tramadol. I can't help but smirk because every commercial on tv that claims to "cure" or treat something comes with a long list of side effects that sound so much worse than tramadol. I mean I seen one for eye drops that listed blindness as a potential side effect (although rare). Point I'm trying to make is there is very few drugs out there that dont come with some kind of serious side effects. But if they help the patients condition and the risks dont outweigh the need they are prescribed. I don't think that anyone on here that speak of tramadol working for them don't already know that there is serious risks with taking the drug. But for those that have taken anti-ds before, the risk of potentially killing yourself ( the potential side effect) sounds much less detrimental than possible addiction or bad withdrawals ( of which I've experienced and it is daunting). I say research the withdrawal symptoms of some anti-ds then make your comparison.
That being said I too am not advertising tramadol as a solution to depression. But on my own circumstances I have experienced tremendous relief from my depression with this drug. Like others gave said, simply a sense of normality that in my 27 years I have NEVER had. I have been treated for depression for 10 years. I have been treated with a long list of drugs and have been deemed nonresponsive. Encouraging right. Even more depressing is just like others have said, the fear of telling your dr. that you have found the right drug for them taking it from you. Maybe that fear is keeping them from giving drs the motivation to go ahead and make the connection. Anywho, I don't have a high tolerance to trams. 150mg is the highest I have gone for a stressful situation and 100 mg will get me through the day. I have been on them for two years for rls and scoliosis and it does wonders for both. And it has really allowed me to enjoy them more and they enjoy me more. That is my prime motivation for taking and maintaing my treatment with tramadol. When depression takes away the enjoyment of watching your children grow up it is a sharp edged sword to your heart. I haven't had any negative effects but again that's me.
This is just my story. I have so enjoyed reading the posts here. Please keep them up and keep us updated. I hope more people will come forth.

[Lw601]

I wish there was more research done on tramadol and depression. I too am a " miracle" product of tramadol and an the end my depression. And let me say also that I see a lot of posts relating to the dangers of taking tramadol. I can't help but smirk because every commercial on tv that claims to "cure" or treat something comes with a long list of side effects that sound so much worse than tramadol. I mean I seen one for eye drops that listed blindness as a potential side effect (although rare). Point I'm trying to make is there is very few drugs out there that dont come with some kind of serious side effects. But if they help the patients condition and the risks dont outweigh the need they are prescribed. I don't think that anyone on here that speak of tramadol working for them don't already know that there is serious risks with taking the drug. But for those that have taken anti-ds before, the risk of potentially killing yourself ( the potential side effect) sounds much less detrimental than possible addiction or bad withdrawals ( of which I've experienced and it is daunting). I say research the withdrawal symptoms of some anti-ds then make your comparison.
That being said I too am not advertising tramadol as a solution to depression. But on my own circumstances I have experienced tremendous relief from my depression with this drug. Like others gave said, simply a sense of normality that in my 27 years I have NEVER had. I have been treated for depression for 10 years. I have been treated with a long list of drugs and have been deemed nonresponsive. Encouraging right. Even more depressing is just like others have said, the fear of telling your dr. that you have found the right drug for them taking it from you. Maybe that fear is keeping them from giving drs the motivation to go ahead and make the connection. Anywho, I don't have a high tolerance to trams. 150mg is the highest I have gone for a stressful situation and 100 mg will get me through the day. I have been on them for two years for rls and scoliosis and it does wonders for both. And it has really allowed me to enjoy them more and they enjoy me more. That is my prime motivation for taking and maintaing my treatment with tramadol. When depression takes away the enjoyment of watching your children grow up it is a sharp edged sword to your heart. I haven't had any negative effects but again that's me.
This is just my story. I have so enjoyed reading the posts here. Please keep them up and keep us updated. I hope more people will come forth.

Sorry typing too fast. It was suppose to say I have three kids and it allows me to enjoy them more and they enjoy me more. (Kinda understand y I'm typing do fast huh lol)