[cleubert]

Originally Posted by Drugstore_Cowboy

Ultram is definitely addictive. I take them for my back (I cracked my spine in 2 places a few years back), and after taking 6-7 a day for about a week, there's definitely some withdrawal symptoms. I was a heroin addict in my early 20's, and some of the symptoms, though less harsh, are the same. Weakened immune system, night sweats, and muscle pain are definitely there. So the companies can say what they want, but it's definitely physically addictive.

It does not dazzle me. Tramadol is an opioid and while not as addictive as others, still a force to be reckoned with. Problem is so many people order from the wrong places online they may not even get the real thing. Being a medical professional I can recommend only eztramadol.com as I know of no others. Sorry.

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by cleubert

It does not dazzle me. Tramadol is an opioid and while not as addictive as others, still a force to be reckoned with. Problem is so many people order from the wrong places online they may not even get the real thing. Being a medical professional I can recommend only eztramadol.com as I know of no others. Sorry.

If you are a medical professional then you should be suggesting that these people see a dr for their meds and not order from any of these flaky online pharmacies. Anyone who spams this forum with online pharmacy web sites gets deleted on the spot and then banned. We don't mess with ANY online pharmacy advocates here. I wouldn't expect to see anymore promotion for ANY online pharmacies here. God bless.

[bski1]

Hello Everyone,
I Am Currently Looking For The Best Way To Get off Of Ultram/Tramadol Safely.
I Am Currently Taking 5 627 m tablets in the morning just to get out of bed.
and 5 627 m tablets in the afternoon..as you all probably know you start off taking the correct dosage and then its just not strong enough anymore so you up the dosage and then soon 2 is not enough so you take three and so on so fourth. I have been carrying on this way for about 2 years. about 6 months ago i was getting so bad that i was taking 10 in the morning and 10 at night i had about 6 seizures so i tried to get off of them..it was about 1 day with out the drug that i started getting cold sweats,vomiting,depression, body aches that were so intense i felt like i couldn't move. and so many more symptoms of withdraw.
so i started to just take one a day and the what do you know now about 5 months later im back to my old habits and very scared of ending up seriously hurt or dead.
i am very serious about kicking the habit..but from what Ive heard its actually very bad to just quit cold turkey...i am thinking about taking NA classes but im just not very open to talk about my problem.
So Thanks Everyone for listening if anybody has any advice or think they can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks/Brit

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by bski1

Hello Everyone,
I Am Currently Looking For The Best Way To Get off Of Ultram/Tramadol Safely.
I Am Currently Taking 5 627 m tablets in the morning just to get out of bed.
and 5 627 m tablets in the afternoon..as you all probably know you start off taking the correct dosage and then its just not strong enough anymore so you up the dosage and then soon 2 is not enough so you take three and so on so fourth. I have been carrying on this way for about 2 years. about 6 months ago i was getting so bad that i was taking 10 in the morning and 10 at night i had about 6 seizures so i tried to get off of them..it was about 1 day with out the drug that i started getting cold sweats,vomiting,depression, body aches that were so intense i felt like i couldn't move. and so many more symptoms of withdraw.
so i started to just take one a day and the what do you know now about 5 months later im back to my old habits and very scared of ending up seriously hurt or dead.
i am very serious about kicking the habit..but from what Ive heard its actually very bad to just quit cold turkey...i am thinking about taking NA classes but im just not very open to talk about my problem.
So Thanks Everyone for listening if anybody has any advice or think they can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks/Brit

It really bothers me that you're taking so much tramadol especially after already having seizures. That is a huge side effect of tramadol. I hate it when people take so much that they start seizing.

You need to taper down off the tramadol slowly. Stopping abruptly from a high dose of tramadol can cause seizures just like taking too much. I would advise reducing your dose by about 20% every 4-6 days. Do that consistently and you'll be clean soon and safe while you're doing it. Good luck and God bless.

[MaisieC]

Originally Posted by bski1

Hello Everyone,
I Am Currently Looking For The Best Way To Get off Of Ultram/Tramadol Safely.
I Am Currently Taking 5 627 m tablets in the morning just to get out of bed.
and 5 627 m tablets in the afternoon..as you all probably know you start off taking the correct dosage and then its just not strong enough anymore so you up the dosage and then soon 2 is not enough so you take three and so on so fourth. I have been carrying on this way for about 2 years. about 6 months ago i was getting so bad that i was taking 10 in the morning and 10 at night i had about 6 seizures so i tried to get off of them..it was about 1 day with out the drug that i started getting cold sweats,vomiting,depression, body aches that were so intense i felt like i couldn't move. and so many more symptoms of withdraw.
so i started to just take one a day and the what do you know now about 5 months later im back to my old habits and very scared of ending up seriously hurt or dead.
i am very serious about kicking the habit..but from what Ive heard its actually very bad to just quit cold turkey...i am thinking about taking NA classes but im just not very open to talk about my problem.
So Thanks Everyone for listening if anybody has any advice or think they can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks/Brit

Hi Brit,

Robert is correct that going cold turkey off tramadol is dangerous. Especially if you've had seizures already! Here is a taper schedule for tramadol that you can read and use as a model to plan your own:

Easy does it getting off this drug.

I really think NA is a good idea for you. I understand maybe you don't want to talk too much. No one will force you to talk. Once you see that it's a safe atmosphere, you'll probably feel more comfortable about speaking up, and it will certainly help you more if you're able to open up a bit.

The reason I think NA would be helpful is that you have continued to take the tramadol even though it was giving you seizures. That's self-destructive, obviously, and when we start doing self-destructive things with drugs, it usually means there's a problem we need to address. NA will give you the support you need to understand why you would do such a thing to yourself and learn how not to do that stuff again. It's really worth a try!

Good luck and please let us know how you do.

Maisie

[bski1]

Thanks Guys,
Im Going To Give NA A Serious Effort.
Ill Let You Know How It goes.

[John Weelsen]

Originally Posted by bski1

Hello Everyone,
I Am Currently Looking For The Best Way To Get off Of Ultram/Tramadol Safely.
I Am Currently Taking 5 627 m tablets in the morning just to get out of bed.
and 5 627 m tablets in the afternoon..as you all probably know you start off taking the correct dosage and then its just not strong enough anymore so you up the dosage and then soon 2 is not enough so you take three and so on so fourth. I have been carrying on this way for about 2 years. about 6 months ago i was getting so bad that i was taking 10 in the morning and 10 at night i had about 6 seizures so i tried to get off of them..get some health and medical information about prescription drugs...it was about 1 day with out the drug that i started getting cold sweats,vomiting,depression, body aches that were so intense i felt like i couldn't move. and so many more symptoms of withdraw.
so i started to just take one a day and the what do you know now about 5 months later im back to my old habits and very scared of ending up seriously hurt or dead.
i am very serious about kicking the habit..but from what Ive heard its actually very bad to just quit cold turkey...i am thinking about taking NA classes but im just not very open to talk about my problem.
So Thanks Everyone for listening if anybody has any advice or think they can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks/Brit

I see... actually Ultram it's a very serious drug. I had same problems as you...after i increased dosage of Ultram/Tramadol...

You need to change something in your life at all... and in a first you need good doctor or clinic.

[aussieman]

I started using 50mg 4 times a day,then 100mg ones,then 150mg slow release two times a day on to 2x150mg and 2x50mg a day to handle the pain(400mg a day). Been on them for 8 years now .They seemed to work to kill the pain untill now.They seam to be making the pain worse. sleepless nights,mood swings when they start to wear off. Also things like milk taste and smell off all the time.I have been taking some herb tablets -Glucosamine sulfate complex 1000mg for 4 months now with fish oil tablets and that has allowed me to start cutting down on Tramadol. I have gone off them for 2 days before.You get bad sweats,sleepless nights,pain but after that you find out if you are really in pain or just in your mind.I felt like a cripple so I started taking them again,next thing you know I felt like superman!.The problem being while you are on them you don't feel any pain and you think you can do any thing. This is were you can do your self bigger harm.Anyways I have been going cold turkey for 24 hours and have taken only one 50mg table in 12 hours to get off them and 2 nurofen (ibuprofen 200mg each) for any pain. It seems to be working so far.
I will keep you guys posted.

[ballybee]

Hi all I am a new member and am having a bit of a nightmare at the moment. I have been suffering with a painfull coccyx and sacro-iiliac joints for about a year and after several consultations with rheumatologists and pain management people I was diagnosed with anylosing spondylitis, however the meds that I have been prescribed first tramadol and then butrans patches and finally transtec patches35mg anyway all came to head last week when i just felt very unwell and took off my patch and then had 5 seizures in one afternoon! went to hospital and basically got told its a reaction to the drug dont use anymore! Consequently in huge pain until i saw the pain management guy last week and he prescibed oxycodin. Took that twice and felt like ******** so went back onto the tramadol 100mg, however feeling really anxious all the time and my legs are twitching like mad and stopping me from sleeping ( had no problems like this when i was on them before) I just want to come off them altogether and just take anti inflammatories for the pain what can i do to make it as painless as possible. I have only been back on them 2 days. Am i suffering from withdrawel from the patches or a reaction to the tramadol. If anyone could give me some advice as I live in rural ireland and am having real problems getting help. Thanks
Ally

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by aussieman

I started using 50mg 4 times a day,then 100mg ones,then 150mg slow release two times a day on to 2x150mg and 2x50mg a day to handle the pain(400mg a day). Been on them for 8 years now .They seemed to work to kill the pain untill now.They seam to be making the pain worse. sleepless nights,mood swings when they start to wear off. Also things like milk taste and smell off all the time.I have been taking some herb tablets -Glucosamine sulfate complex 1000mg for 4 months now with fish oil tablets and that has allowed me to start cutting down on Tramadol. I have gone off them for 2 days before.You get bad sweats,sleepless nights,pain but after that you find out if you are really in pain or just in your mind.I felt like a cripple so I started taking them again,next thing you know I felt like superman!.The problem being while you are on them you don't feel any pain and you think you can do any thing. This is were you can do your self bigger harm.Anyways I have been going cold turkey for 24 hours and have taken only one 50mg table in 12 hours to get off them and 2 nurofen (ibuprofen 200mg each) for any pain. It seems to be working so far.
I will keep you guys posted.

Hi Aussieman
I know it's so hard to stop using are pain meds...I also was a person that needed to stop.
The person that normally does the tramadol threads has had family issues and does not have allot of time right now...
If there is anyway I can help please let me know...
The one thing I have learned about tramadol is that you should taper off of it just in case of seizures...so please keep us posted on how you are doing...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by ballybee

Hi all I am a new member and am having a bit of a nightmare at the moment. I have been suffering with a painfull coccyx and sacro-iiliac joints for about a year and after several consultations with rheumatologists and pain management people I was diagnosed with anylosing spondylitis, however the meds that I have been prescribed first tramadol and then butrans patches and finally transtec patches35mg anyway all came to head last week when i just felt very unwell and took off my patch and then had 5 seizures in one afternoon! went to hospital and basically got told its a reaction to the drug dont use anymore! Consequently in huge pain until i saw the pain management guy last week and he prescibed oxycodin. Took that twice and felt like ******** so went back onto the tramadol 100mg, however feeling really anxious all the time and my legs are twitching like mad and stopping me from sleeping ( had no problems like this when i was on them before) I just want to come off them altogether and just take anti inflammatories for the pain what can i do to make it as painless as possible. I have only been back on them 2 days. Am i suffering from withdrawel from the patches or a reaction to the tramadol. If anyone could give me some advice as I live in rural ireland and am having real problems getting help. Thanks
Ally

Hi Ally
Im going to give you a little info on the patch that you were talking about.
It would be my guess it was the patch...
The effect of this medicine (including any side effects) can last for up to 30 hours after removing the last patch. If your doctor is changing you from this painkiller to another opioid painkiller, the new opioid, as a general rule, should not be administered within 24 hours after removing the Transtec patch.


With prolonged use, the body may become dependent on this medicine. As a result, withdrawal symptoms such as feeling agitated, anxious, nervous or shaky, or having difficulty sleeping, may occur after you stop using the medicine. but tell your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms after stopping this medicine. If they occur, these effects usually disappear after a couple of weeks.

Let us know how your doing...
Melinda

[Bulldemon]

Hello , I have used tramadol for about a year due to disc problems. When I first started using it, I followed the dosage my doctor prescribed, but like so many others have stated eventually you have to use more to keep the pain down. At the worst time on these pills I was taking about 4-5 50mg tabs a day. For the last 6 months I have been taking 1-2 a day. They are no longer for the back pain but when I try to quit I go through the withdraw ugh they are the worst. Its like 99% of your energy has been sucked out and you can barely move your fingers to turn the channel up and down on the remote. Not to mention the "Freak Out" like every 10 minutes. Its like your on a roller coaster going 100 mph but last for about 2 seconds. Anyways this is my second night off of them Im trying to quit because I know im addicted and I want to be off of them for school and to get my life under control. My question is to make the depression and freakouts less of a factor my girlfriend has 2 prescriptions of depression meds. Since ive heard wellbutrin can help I was wandering if one of these 2 would help sertraline 25mg or citalopram. I have no medical insurance and no job, I was laid off so going to the doctor is gonna break the bank would it be alright for me to take one of these? . Thanks for all your time. And thank god im not the only one going through this, it makes me feel less alone . Thanks again .

God bless
Brandon

[mareke]

Originally Posted by Bulldemon

Hello , I have used tramadol for about a year due to disc problems. When I first started using it, I followed the dosage my doctor prescribed, but like so many others have stated eventually you have to use more to keep the pain down. At the worst time on these pills I was taking about 4-5 50mg tabs a day. For the last 6 months I have been taking 1-2 a day. They are no longer for the back pain but when I try to quit I go through the withdraw ugh they are the worst. Its like 99% of your energy has been sucked out and you can barely move your fingers to turn the channel up and down on the remote. Not to mention the "Freak Out" like every 10 minutes. Its like your on a roller coaster going 100 mph but last for about 2 seconds. Anyways this is my second night off of them Im trying to quit because I know im addicted and I want to be off of them for school and to get my life under control. My question is to make the depression and freakouts less of a factor my girlfriend has 2 prescriptions of depression meds. Since ive heard wellbutrin can help I was wandering if one of these 2 would help sertraline 25mg or citalopram. I have no medical insurance and no job, I was laid off so going to the doctor is gonna break the bank would it be alright for me to take one of these? . Thanks for all your time. And thank god im not the only one going through this, it makes me feel less alone . Thanks again .

God bless
Brandon

You should definitely not take an anti-depressant while taking tramadol as doing this will increase the likelihood of seizures. The “Freak Out” periods you are experiencing may well be precursors to seizures. When I was taking 400 mg of tramadol per day my whole body would sometimes twitch as I tried to get to sleep as if a jolt of electricity was going through it and I suspect these twitches were like mini-seizures lasting a split second.

On the dosage you are taking coming off tramadol shouldn’t be too difficult. The hardest part in your case is the length of time you have been on it making coming off it seem daunting because you will have forgotten what it’s like to not be on tramadol but you’ll find that after 4 or 5 days you’ll feel like a new person. I took 400 mg per day for 6 years and stopped cold turkey and while it was unpleasant it was bearable. I’m now back on tramadol after being off it for a few years and I’m taking 100 mg per day and occasionally 200 mg to help cope with pain and every few weeks I stop taking it for a few weeks going through a predictable withdrawal process. It’s the same process you are now going through.

The first day off it is relatively easy because you still have some in your system. The second day is the hardest day because all the tramadol is out of your system and you feel more pain not just because you are no longer on tramadol but also because your brain will be more sensitive to pain until it re-establishes its normal levels of chemicals. You also feel down and vulnerable and if you have any tramadol available you feel tempted to take it. You are better off resting and sleeping (sleeping is pretty well impossible if coming off 400 mg per day but possible if coming off 200 mg or less per day) and using milder painkillers if you need them and once you are through the second day you should be through the worst. The third day you feel better but you still won't be quite 100% and the fourth day is probably the first day that you are pretty well back to normal. This whole process might be a little more drawn out if you have been on tramadol for a long period like you have so the third day you may still feel low but by the fourth day you should definitely start to feel much better.

The depression you think you have is only your brain depleted of chemicals which it didn’t have to make while you were on tramadol but in a few days your brain will re-establish its normal levels of chemicals and you will feel fine. If you feel increased pain levels this will also pass because while you are on tramadol you are less sensitive to pain but once you stop you are more sensitive to pain for a while until your brain returns to normal. You’ll also find that you will feel good because you will have all your brain acuity back and you'll realise how good it is to have a fully functioning brain again.

Once you are completely off the stuff you should try to exercise doing something like walking for as long as you can each day and you may be pleasantly surprised at how good you feel and you may discover that you feel a lot less pain than you thought you would.

[Bulldemon]

Thanks mareke for replying to my post. I wont take any anit deppresants Ill just keep it in my head im not really depressed its just lack of chemicals. I appreciate the support and will stick in there.

[biztec]

I also have Fibro and take Tramadol (50 mg) twice daily. I find it takes the edge off the pain, but it's still there in spades. Also, it makes me drowsy.

[msakms]

Greetings everyone,
I just wanted to share my experience with tramadol. I started using ultram on my second year in medical school to boost my studying hours and my effort to keep up with my A's. As a matter of fact, opiods under the tramadol family cause insomnia, generalized CNS hyperactivity and certain neurotransmitters over production which explains the reasons I used it for. Some people might be wondering why I didn't use adderall or so, well simply cuz it's withdrawal is so much worse than ultram on the long term usage "characterized by parasympathetic dominance". I will briefly describe the withdrawals I had after using it for almost a year ana half, I had tremors along the extremities, typical restless leg syndrome, severe depression, insomnia "caused by pain" and not to forget the extreme weakness and tirdness. Of all these, the one I couldn't cope with was the depression that almost was going to kill me. I used alprazolam for the depression, nolfen, profin and neurontin for the pain, caffeine and a combination of both ephedrine and pseudoephedrine for the CNS depression and the flu like symptoms and finally hydroxyzine under the brandname Atarax for anxiety. After a week I was normal and ultram independent with having a feeling of being better everyday.Concerning the depression I suffered from, I could observe the progress of withdrawal through my dreams "seriously". In other words, while on ultram I had halucination like dreams "that I enjoyed indeed", during the withdrawal period I had goal acheiving dreams.Lastly, for comparison purposes "maybe", I was on 600mg daily, three 200mg of ultram equally taken through out the day.

[mareke]

Originally Posted by msakms

Greetings everyone,
I just wanted to share my experience with tramadol. I started using ultram on my second year in medical school to boost my studying hours and my effort to keep up with my A's. As a matter of fact, opiods under the tramadol family cause insomnia, generalized CNS hyperactivity and certain neurotransmitters over production which explains the reasons I used it for. Some people might be wondering why I didn't use adderall or so, well simply cuz it's withdrawal is so much worse than ultram on the long term usage "characterized by parasympathetic dominance". I will briefly describe the withdrawals I had after using it for almost a year ana half, I had tremors along the extremities, typical restless leg syndrome, severe depression, insomnia "caused by pain" and not to forget the extreme weakness and tirdness. Of all these, the one I couldn't cope with was the depression that almost was going to kill me. I used alprazolam for the depression, nolfen, profin and neurontin for the pain, caffeine and a combination of both ephedrine and pseudoephedrine for the CNS depression and the flu like symptoms and finally hydroxyzine under the brandname Atarax for anxiety. After a week I was normal and ultram independent with having a feeling of being better everyday.Concerning the depression I suffered from, I could observe the progress of withdrawal through my dreams "seriously". In other words, while on ultram I had halucination like dreams "that I enjoyed indeed", during the withdrawal period I had goal acheiving dreams.Lastly, for comparison purposes "maybe", I was on 600mg daily, three 200mg of ultram equally taken through out the day.

Interesting post. I’ve not seen anyone before saying they used it to help them study but I can confirm that it gives you an energy boost that can allow you to stay up all night and feel alert. When I was taking 400 mg daily I subjectively felt it improved brain function and helped me to focus and perform better at tasks requiring high levels of reasoning power.

It can also be used as a sporting type performance enhancing drug by the way although I’m not advocating it be used for anything other than pain relief. I’ve done 60 minute treadmill sessions while on it and I’ve been amazed at how much I can increase exercise intensity while feeling far less discomfort than I normally would. Being a painkiller I guess this is understandable but how effective it is in this respect has been a surprise to me. Because of the way it reduces the brain's perception of pain signals it makes a mockery of the no pain no gain principle that normally applies with exercise.

[rawls007]

I've been addicted to ultram for over two years now. Every time I try to stop I experience terrible withdrawals and always end up back on them.

I've been praying every night for God to just please get me off of these stupid things, they are beginning to ruin my life. I've lost weight, I feel tired all the time, and I've lost all my motivation to do anything.

Well, last night I got my answer. Last night my wife woke up to me convulsing, drooling and vomiting on myself. At one point it didn't look like I was breathing and she thought I was dead. The next thing I know I was being lifted into and ambulance and I woke up at the hospital. They told me I had a seizure due to the ultram.

I had taken around 20-30 50mg. pills over the course of the day. It certainly wasn't the first time but it will certainly be the last time. I've got too much to live for. 3 kids that adore me, a wife that loves me, a good job and a nice house.

Please don't wait until somebody wakes up to find you convulsing and near death. Get help now!

[no_more_tram]

Originally Posted by FitnessFave

I am a part time fitness model and so staying healthy is kinda in the job description. I have been doing a ton of strength training lately and I have been offered Tramadol to help with the aches and pains. I don't want to get addicted and I definitely understand the definition of moderation. I was wondering if anybody can tell me if I will get hooked off the Tramadol if I take it once? Will I have to withdrawl from this drug?
Thanks for the help!
If I do end up taking it I found this website that supplies it.
http://www.reducedprescriptions.com/
Can someone tell me if I need a prescription for this.

Ok well I had a back injury 3 years ago and took Tramadol for almost 2 year straight, I have also taken vicodin, percocet, you name it. Tramadol was the WORST to withdrawal from. I have been to 2 detox units. Finally I got on Suboxone now I am 9 days clean from that. The first day I took Tramadol it made me feel GREAT, I had energy, I was happy, nothing bothered me, it was great. But then eventually that ended, and I started upping my doses, until finally on some days I was taking 20!!!

Tram helps with the serotonin in the brain, and helps with depression. So when you get off of it you become VERY depressed.

Some people can take the same dose for years, and never have to up it, but you have to realize ANYTHING you take for a period of time your body will become tolerant to it.

If you pain is THAT bad then maybe you should try pain management. I just wanted to let you know from my experience. Some say it's non addicted well that's false, its just as addictive as any pain med. Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do, but please be careful and make the right choice you don't want to end up like how I was.

[no_more_tram]

Originally Posted by rawls007

I've been addicted to ultram for over two years now. Every time I try to stop I experience terrible withdrawals and always end up back on them.

I've been praying every night for God to just please get me off of these stupid things, they are beginning to ruin my life. I've lost weight, I feel tired all the time, and I've lost all my motivation to do anything.

Well, last night I got my answer. Last night my wife woke up to me convulsing, drooling and vomiting on myself. At one point it didn't look like I was breathing and she thought I was dead. The next thing I know I was being lifted into and ambulance and I woke up at the hospital. They told me I had a seizure due to the ultram.

I had taken around 20-30 50mg. pills over the course of the day. It certainly wasn't the first time but it will certainly be the last time. I've got too much to live for. 3 kids that adore me, a wife that loves me, a good job and a nice house.

Please don't wait until somebody wakes up to find you convulsing and near death. Get help now!

WOW, thank God I never experienced that, I also was addicted to Tramadol for about 2 years, and I went through hell getting off them, but luckily I was able to get into detox and took Suboxone, ever thought of trying that? How many days clean are you?? I hope and pray that your doing ok, I am 9 days clean from Suboxone. so I know how your feeling I also have 2 kids and
I am a single mom!! Please let us know how your feeling!

[PeterRabbit2]

All Ultram gives me is vertigo, profuse sweating and a couple hours of vomiting.

For whatever reason, it and I don't get along too well.

[painintheback]

Originally Posted by kittokat

I just don't get it. I've been on Tramadol for about 5 months now and I don't feel like it does a bloody thing. It doesn't get rid of my pain. My doc even said take it up to 4 times a day. I pop those pills like candy and I don't feel anything. I can't believe other people feel addicted to it, it really surprises me. But it works for others too? It gets rid of your pain????? I got some Darvocet now but still have my Tramadol. I have fibromyalgia and I just want the pain to stop. Docs worry so much about being addicted to a med than they do stopping your pain. Anyway, does Tramadol work? That's my question! I can't believe it works!

Message to kittokat: I have a bad back and fibromyalgia. I only take the Tramadol when I am having pain in my back. By doing Pilates for Bad Backs, I have very little pain in my back though. For the Fibromyalgia, my Dr. started me on Gabapentin, and I take 300 mg at night. I was having pain and burning in my feet, called neuropathy. The Gabapentin has helped my foot pain and Fibro pain. The Tramadol did little for the Fibro pain. If your pain is for Fibromyalgia, ask your Dr. about Gabapentin.

[_Andy]

I've had an undiagnosed problem with my hip now for over 10 years. I've been to the doctors dozens of times to the point where they're sick of seeing me. It results in almost daily pain, which at times is crippling. Over the years I've tried paracetamol, ibuprofen, cocodamol, feldene, diclofenac and countless others without any joy. However recently I was on holiday in Thailand and it flared up. I went to the pharmacy and asked the lady for a good painkiller. I was in that much of a state I didn't really pay too much attention, I just gave her the money and hobbled back to the hotel. It was only when I got back I realised she'd charged me around £15 for a box of painkillers I'd never heard of, which said it was a mix of paracetamol and tramadol (which I'd never heard of). Annoyed with myself for letting myself get ripped off, but desperate for some kind of relief I took the painkillers. For the first time in as long as I can remember I went from being unable to walk to being pain free (if slightly groggy) in about an hour.

I'm back in England now and slowly but surely running out. I've tried looking around online to see if I can buy any but with no luck. Does anyone know of a respectable online retailer where I can source them from?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[WantToBePainFree]

Like to say something good about ultracet (tramadol 37.5 with the 325 tylenol) also contray to the regular 50 mg tramadol.

Back about 9 months ago i started having pain under my rib related to my stomach. I had ulcers and hernias and also an undermined conclusive diagnosis for this. Orginally i took lortab then off it and put on percocet by the gastro. Percocet worked well but only for 4 hours. I took it for 2 weeks but wanted off of it because of needing to drive with 2 childrens. I knew i had been given a shot of a non nsaid/ non narcotic once in urgen care for hip pain so i asked if there was something like that in a pill.. They gave me regular tramadol 50 mg every 4 hours as needed. I clarified that this would be something ok to drive with which iwas assured it was. I assumed what i was getting was something like a nsaid without the effects. I can not take nasaids or steriods orally because of gastric bypass, which makes treating some things difficult, and also hard to make drs understand.

I believe i took 3 or 4 a day. At first it was okay. It cleared up some of the pain and it didnt have that drugged feeling like some of the "real" narcotics. Later tho i would hear myself talking and it was hard for me to make sentences right. One day i went to the gas station in winter to fill up the tank and i got seriously confused. I couldnt figure why the nozzle wouldnt go into the tank. I also thought the value was frozen shut. ..well i kept trying to put diesal in which ok anyoone could mess up like that but i was totally conufsed. Later on the way home it was dark and i was driving along...i lost where i was like i lost a few seconds..i dont know if maybe i blacked out or what. But i got so confused when i got out of it i pulled the c ar over called my husband and had him come get me. I refused to every take it again after that. I took paxil at the same time which i know is a risk so i dont know if i had a small seizure or what but it was downright frightening.

I suffered in pain for awhile unsure of what to do. I ended up in the hopsital cause of so much pain and when discharged i was given some lortab which knocked the pain down to a tolerable 3 or 4. After that they decided to send me to the pain clinic which i was happy about.

I figured id get some neat new age thing or something that would block the pain without drugs. This is when my nightmere began.

We got away from this all being my stomach and they turned it into it must be muscular. They took away any pain med. and had me try PT and lidocaine patches for a month. I said im sure its my stomach i dont think that will do anything but hey no harm in trying so i went with that. PT said i must have weak abdominal muscle and had me do situps..l.I was furious they wouldnt ry something to electric or ultrasound thing they did long ago for back problems. I gave it 3 weeks..all it did was make me miss being physcially active like i once was and continued in the same amount of pain. During the course of a month or two i was given prob 5 diff muscle relaxers - skelaxin, baclofen, zanflex, and i dont remember the rest. the zanflex is so strong it puts u to sleep right away so in a way i guess it helped with pain in that respect. how i could ever take any of those 3 times a day with 2 kids i dont know.

After that wasnt working they moved onto it must be nerve pain. so then came the neurotin..that too was so strong. after 2 weeks they insisted to just keep trying to get up to the 3x a day. I did cause i had my mom here to help me drive places. We went to walmart one day and i got this weird feeling between my ears and head and came 99% close to passing out. It was soooo embarassing. After that i told them that was it.. I also was to be taking the zanaflex at the same time..which i have no idea how i would have done that. I did take it occasionaly to sleep tho. Neurotin also made me gain tons of weight which added too the frustration esp after having plastic surgery and bypass

SO next was lyrica...like theres much diff. that didnt do much and also was a weight gainer but not to the extent. prob cause i only tried it for a week.

ALong the way my back and hip decided to act up (herniated disk previously) prob from gaining too much weight on the last 2 pills. SO i felt like an idiot complaining about this.

Finally after sitting there begging and crying for real pain relief she said about tramadol with tylenol ..ultracet. I was reluctant since i take paxil and told her this..but she said it should be ok just be careful. I didnt mention what happened before cause i was so desperate i just really didnt care. I done lost my active life i so enjoyed.

Finally i felt relief for everything. It works nearly 100% for my back and hip and decnet for my stomach/side pain. Ive managed to have it for the better part of the last month. Im out now and bacck in 70% of the pain. Im praying they will keep with it. Ive taken 2-3 of the 35.7 mg/tylenol. I dont have the problems i had with the regular tramaold (altho that was a higher dose)

Oh yeh and they said to add amitripilne into the tramadol about 2 weeks ago. I shurgged my shoulders as to why. I said i already take paxil and thats another antidepressant. They said it works better with tramdol hleps it stay stronger. Good lord i tried it for 2 days....i felt sooooooo depressed..i didnt care about doing anything, i stayed glued like a zombie to the pc...i felt trapped in my mind..big NOOOOO to that one!!!

[hatethefire]

Originally Posted by _Andy

I've had an undiagnosed problem with my hip now for over 10 years. I've been to the doctors dozens of times to the point where they're sick of seeing me. It results in almost daily pain, which at times is crippling. Over the years I've tried paracetamol, ibuprofen, cocodamol, feldene, diclofenac and countless others without any joy. However recently I was on holiday in Thailand and it flared up. I went to the pharmacy and asked the lady for a good painkiller. I was in that much of a state I didn't really pay too much attention, I just gave her the money and hobbled back to the hotel. It was only when I got back I realised she'd charged me around £15 for a box of painkillers I'd never heard of, which said it was a mix of paracetamol and tramadol (which I'd never heard of). Annoyed with myself for letting myself get ripped off, but desperate for some kind of relief I took the painkillers. For the first time in as long as I can remember I went from being unable to walk to being pain free (if slightly groggy) in about an hour.

I'm back in England now and slowly but surely running out. I've tried looking around online to see if I can buy any but with no luck. Does anyone know of a respectable online retailer where I can source them from?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Andy I don't know if the combo (called Ultracet in the US) is available in Europe but Tramal is a European brand of tramadol. If that didn't work you could always take it and a paracetamol and get the same two meds the combo has. You asked about an online dealer so will your doctor not give you the prescription?

But beware the tramadol...I know what you mean at first it helps well but it is VERY VERY addictive despite claims to the contrary and is harder than most pain meds to stop. I have taken it for years and had horrible withdrawal trying to quit.

[prodigyxx]

Be careful with Ultram/Tramadol. It is a dangerous drug which has underplayed side effects. In my experience, I've had a much easier time withdrawing from actual opiates (vicodin, norco) than Tramadol. They have an obsession with making sure no one gets a "high" I guess, and to make more money, they want to market it and cover up any bad side effects or withdrawals. It works pretty well when you're on it, but when you stop you're "out of sync" and feel as if something is terribly wrong but you can't remember what. Then you remember you just stopped Tramadol and realize that was it. You don't have that side effect from regular opiate withdrawals...in fact they are a lot easier to go through with. Tramadol can even cause OCD-like symptoms on withdrawals. It is another case of drug companies covering up side effects of drugs. Reminds me of Zyprexa. 2 years ago withdrawals weren't even recognized concerning this drug. Now that they finally are, they say OHH just cut down your dose gradually, which simply doesn't work! Just like Effexor. More correct information and less misinformation needs to be spread about Zyprexa, Tramadol, and other drugs like this, especially when it comes to getting people off of them.

[dawninMT]

Does anyone know if Tramadol interacts with Hydrocodone 7.5 mg safely?

[elainell]

Hi, I have been taking Tramadol on and off for the past several months due to gallstone pain. I believe I posted here at one point saying I didn't have any problems with it. I certainly didn't expect to, because I have been taking very minimal doses - at most 25 - 50 mg a day, and never more than three days in a row without a break of 3-5 days. Recently the pain left, which was cause for celebration, and I find that even at such low doses I am having the same problems coming clean that are described by people on much higher doses. For example I was drug free and fine for three days but suddenly got a very strange headache last night, racing heart and was unable to keep still - as I used to when I was taking tramadol daily and needed another dose. When this happens it is very disturbing so I have resorted to taking a very small (10 mg) dose whenever it happens, i.e. every four days or so. Even such a small amount seems to mess me up though, and disturb my sleep with lots of twitching, bad dreams et al.

My question is this: even though I was only on a low dose, should I continue weaning myself off with this 10 mg ever four days nonsense, or is it better to bite the bullet, go totally clean and deal with the side effects? I've hear about the risk of seizures and tbh that is the only reason I am bothering with weaning myself off it at all.

[elainell]

Hello, still waiting for any reply to the above question... if any withdrawers have experience with this I'd really appreciate hearing from them soon... thanks.

[barryac06]

I have been taking Tramadol for over six months now. I wish I found it a long time ago. I am over 60 and have to work. It takes away all my arthritis pain and as added bonus has cured my serve depression. It is addictive and does build up immunity but I found that is I just go lite on non working days it works just fine when I need it. Also cures my craving for alcohol but if you smoke it increases that craving. I don't believe it would be pleasant to stop cold turkey and I know that the long term effects can not be good but my belief is that a good ten is better than a painful 20 years. My arthritis pain was so bad I would get sick to my stomach. I don't feel hardly any thing now.