What is a replacement for tramadol in back pain management other than surgery?
Question posted by jlbyrd on 11 Aug 2010
Last updated on 9 September 2012 by barbarajean2012
My doctor is not going to allow me to continue taking tramadol as part of my pain management for my back . I have had 3 spinal epidurals which helped a bit and use a tens unit that helped at first but not much anymore. The tramadol does not take the pain away it does take the edge off.
I have been advised by two different specialist i will need a laminectomy, two disc removed and spacers inserted and spinal fusion. This does not guarantee relief from the pain or a second surgery in 10yr. I am trying all conservative measures and would appreciate any suggestions.
I just turned 53 and have a fairly physical job as a self employed contract painter, house keeper and odd jobs. If anyone could share their input on managing back pain other than surgery it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Added 25 Feb 2011:
first i want to thank all who have responded to my question and to let them know how much it helps to have the support and info provided. secondly i want to update my info for those still seeking help for relief of their pain and for those who where kind enough to ask for an update.
i have not had surgery nor have i received any new pain medications (07/2010) from my dr. who has moved from the area so i'm now without a family physician. so i now need to find a new dr. one who will be willing to prescribe medication and not just a surgical approach and work with my present wellness team but i'm hopeful because of the great people put in my path who have been helping with my current pt activities that there is also a dr out there for me.
i did find a dr. who is a licensed acupuncturist who has been very helpful both with her treatments and referring me to a great physical therapist who's treatment are based on a total wellness program, not just rotate exercise. Through my pt i found a chiropractor and have completed a spinal decompression, laser therapy, chiropractic adjustment treatment of 3x a week for the last 4 months. During this time i have reduced my work load and as long as i don't work my pain rating is a 5 and on the days i must work my normal job it is a 9. as i have had to pay for all my treatment my insurance does not cover any of my treatments the need for me to return to work is a necessity and i know that my level of pain will also return to a higher level.
but for those of you that are seeking conservative measures instead of surgery and who do not have a physically demanding line of work please try alternative treatments instead of surgery first. i have also found that the professional who have helped me the most where referred by friends and neighbors and not by advertisement. so one must actively seek, ask and be willing to go the distance to find good caring health/wellness professionals.
i do have a new question about a procedure called MILD, Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression and will post it soon.
again thanks to all and i will let you all know how things progress.
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
29 Answers
BA
barbarajean2012
9 Sep 2012
Hi jlbyrd; I am new here but thought I would answer about the tramadol. I have been on it about 10 months for advance osteoporosis and scillosis. If I take 2 it wipes the pain out but only 1 will take the edge off. I don't usually take 2 if I am going out or having company because it does make me a little sleepy. If you are hurting tho , the 2 of them sure makes a difference with pain. I am 74 and don't want any more pain in my life. Been thru alot over the years and am hoping this will keep my thru the rest of my life. Take care and God Bless barbarajean2012
Votes: +0
TH
the cleo
12 Jan 2012
Have u tried a spinal cord stimulator? I had one and it did help a little But I poped the leads off twice and they took it out.But I wished I still hd it because it masked the pain without taking meds.If u do not have ins I am not sure how much it would cost The Cleo
Votes: +0
AP
apinsley
23 Sep 2011
Have you tried accupuncture?
Votes: +0
AC
ace_rick
11 May 2011
Dear jIbyrd, You are not alone,disc is one of this generation phenomena.I am glad for the long and numerous answers for they are of great benefits, not only for you but also for me and for so many others.About this issue,first:why haven't you answer back some of the repliers' questions,for they are important!Second,you didn't state clearly why your Dr had stopped RX for tramal ?It could not be that he preferred only surgery instead.It is against the medical law for any practitioners to refuse giving pain meds for suffering patients.However,
they are allowed and free to choose and switch any meds at anytime after evaluation of one's condition.So,is it in your case after your Dr's priscription of tramal,something new that might have been developed and worsen in your back which the Dr discovered and diagnosed?If not,is your doctor who will do the surgery?If yes,aaaaaaaaaheck of law case could be open!If tramal works fine for you,and it is the this Dr who is the first to prescribe it prior to anyone,he or she caaaaaaaaaaaaan't stop writing it for you UNLESS it has reached the number of years which the law no more permits.Even though,an alternatives of meds would be advised still,not a surgery.Let me put it this way:when a patient is about to have an operation, a pile of medical and law documants must be sign as an acceptance to do the surgery with the patient's agreement of sole resposibilities of whatever the aferwards outcome could be.The hospital and/or the surgeon can not be charged for any adjuncts that might come out along with it.Hence,no one whatsoever can force you to have an operation.If you were in a coma and needed an immediate surgery,your spouse or nearest relative must sign the papers..I wish you clear these things out for me.My Dr.prescribe tramal for me without any problems!!!
Votes: +0
BR
brenda fain
20 Feb 2011
i don't know what will or can replace ultrams (tramadol)bit i have had 4 back surgeries .three since dec.27th was my second one but first on lower back .then i was gonna home from hospital when the nurse noticed i was running a fever and my blood pressure was high and i had a bulge in my back,she called the doctor who order a mri .well i didn't get to go home ,on the 29th i had my second surgery on my lower back .fluid from around my spine had collected and cause me to get infected !so doc removed fluid and drained a pus pocket !when home from hospital got staples out about two weeks later .i had went to church and every time i moved my right leg it was all i could do not to scream!!! went to er that night and was admitted into hospital .they put me on 10mg of morphine every two hours ,15mg of oxy's every 6 hours ,soma's 3 x aday and i still hurt ! needless to say i had my 3rd back surgery on jan.21st !
all the time i was in the hospital i was getting antiboics in i v ! i came home with a i v !! my hubby learned how to start a iv once a day for five days !he did a great job!!!
so now my pm has changed me from norco's to the fentanyl patch and the oxy's like i was on in hospital! she said that the narco's and ultrams wasn't nothing that i needed to be on strong pain meds !! one med she gave me has a cash price of 1,700 for 60 pills ! it is a form of fentanyl that you put in your mouth at your cheek and it desolves and will ease pain in 5 minutes ! but thank God my hubby's drug plan at work changed and i can get it for 197.00 which is still a lot but taxes has helped me to be able to get it !!
please see a good doctor for your back ! i know you don't want surgery and i hope you can avoid it ! but i had no choice with my first back surgery it was at t-11&t-12 .if i didn't have surgery i wouldn't have been able to move from my arm pits down !
and if it comes down to you having surgery know that we will be praying for you !(either way i will be praying )hopefully you can get on the right pain meds that will help you !soma is a muscle relaxer and is pretty cheap!
my pm was gonna take my uktrams away but i told her that they helped me some when the pain was awful so she's letting me keep them!please find you a good pm doctor one who will listen to you and both of you together make a choice of what to do!!
God bless !
Votes: +0
TR
tracybagnall1
19 Feb 2011
hello jlbyrd firstly id like to sympathise with you on the pain you must be suffering, it must be very difficult from day to day tasks especially working too i admire you,i have back pain and i have been going twice weekly to an oesteyopath which is helping with pain you could try this it may help; good luck from tracyanne,
Votes: +0
CA
caringsonbj
19 Feb 2011
I think what Rajive is trying to say is consider your options before you decide what to do, I agree. I think that you should be able to locate a doctor who is willing to talk with you and discuss the difference between the different pain medications and how each individual one works for different people. In the early 90's I had such terrible pain (not in my back) that my doctor referred me to the hospice program, before I started their program they had me see a doctor who talked with me for about an hour and a half, as a matter of fact he taped the visit, he said lots of times once people return home they forget about the things they have been told and he said it's a part of what I include when seeing new patients, I tape the visit and then when you leave you have something you can replay and think about.
that made a big difference, I now have problems with my back, at that time it was with my joints and severe headaches that were so bad that I could not hardly cope, he made several suggestions and then once I made a decision I returned to my family doctor and she played the tape, It was also a big help to her, I opted to go with the medications, the tramadol would not have been effective as a tool in my care, I actually went or a patch that you only had to change every 3 days and then I had a pill for pain that was called breakthrough pain, Now I have fractured 4 vertebraes in my back, last week we had an ice storm in Indiana and I fell and hit the left side of my arm and chest muscles, I am on pain medication and also on a patch but not the one I used several years ago, it is called Lidoderm, I hope whatever you end up doing that it is a choice that will be right for you, and I also wish you better pain control than you have right now, Let us know here how you are doing, I came on here in late January there are a lot of caring and compassionate people who are on this site, I feel privilaged to know, listen and learn from the special people located here, my first name is Billy, my site name is
Votes: +0
IN
Inactive
19 Feb 2011
I have just noticed you posted this question several months ago, and am wondering how & what you are doing? Have you tried any other methods than the surgery, or did you opt after 2 different opinions from 2 back surgeons to have the surgery? Been there, Done it is why I am curious. & so has my son. After my first failed back surgery in 1973, I had a sucessful one in 1980 (except the nerve damage in my leg from the 1st one), and was told I would need another in 10 years also. Well I had to work to raise my kids so I waited 14 years & suffered. Then they told me no one would touch my back because too much scar tissue had built up & they would only make me worse by maybe paralyzing me. If you are still comtemplateing the surgery, you might ask if 10 years down the road is to remove the hardware, or because usually putting in hardware, puts more strain on the next level above or below from strain & they have to move or put in more hardware.
This has happened to my husband. Things have come a long way, but they are not perfected. My hubby has had 10 back surgies since 1978 & 2 neck, & needs more because he won't quit doing the things that put strain on the next level. Just takes pain pills & plugs on. He has been on Disability since he was 32 & I have since 1990, because of these problems. Please let me know how you are doing.
Votes: +0
PF
pfcpremosgirl
19 Feb 2011
I was just put on the Butrans patch. Very few side effects at all, doesn't even feel like a narcotic honestly. And its been tremendously helpful! I do have 7.5mg hydrocodone for break through pain, but rarely need it.
Votes: +0
JC
jcurrent
28 Jan 2011
If you haven't tried Chiropractic that would be my suggestion. I was told I would never walk again a friend suggested chiro and I have been pain free for the most part for 5 years// no medicines... :)
Votes: +0
CA
caringsonbj
23 Jan 2011
this is just a quick fix and may not even be of help to you I obtain some relief just by using Lidoderm patches they are prescription and I also rotate back and forth and use other over the counter patches I have 4 broken places in the back compression fractures along with osteoporosis, I have used various kind of pain pils and I have a hard time finding ones that don't cause me serious side effects as of late there is one that has not done that thus far and it is called Opana extended release, you might ask you doctor if there are any muscle relaxers that might help like zanaflex, soma compound, prescription Motrim which as larger doses of antiinflammatory than what is found in over the counter that you can purchase, have you tried Flexeril?
Robaxin, Skelaxin these are only suggestions I know what it is to be in so much pain that you are willing to see if anyone can come up with any suggestion that might hekp, and you can also discuss this with your doctor explain that you are not getting the relief (I don't want surgery) so they told me I would most likely have to have a brace and multiple injections which would consist of anti-inflammatory medicines as well as epidurals I hope that I have at least been of some help please take care and wishing you only the best
Votes: +0
CA
caringsonbj
14 Jan 2011
I can't tell you what to do but I can tell you I have multiple back fractures (compression under right shoulder) and the pain has kept me up for 48 hours there are other pain medications first I want to tell you what will work for one person won't necessarily work for another but it's less invasive and if you don't want surgery that's one way to go, I have been on several strong pain medications but have had problems tolerating them but now that does not mean the same thing will happen to you, if you decide to do this its important to find a doctor who you feel comfortable with ask questions it is your body (you pay money wise and physically as well) as long as you are open and build a trust with the doctor then he shouldn't shy away from treating this but I want you to be the best you can
Votes: +1
TH
The Mad Man
11 Nov 2010
I strongly suggest speaking to an orthopedic surgeon. Get second opinions if needed and I do recommend this. I had C1 through C3 replaced with cadaver bones and titanium rods replaced in my L-5, S-1 area. No fusion needed. The cervical surgery was a success. I had spinal stenosis. The lower back surgery is going to need more work and a radio frequency procedure has been recommended. I am still in the process of finding out more information.
Votes: +0
SH
shchakravarthy
15 Oct 2010
since long term usage of tramadol is associate lot of side effects.now new drugs are available in the market you can try with your doctor suggestion and the drug is FLUPIRITINE CAPSULES trade name KATADOL OR LUPIRITINE
Votes: +0
JL
jlbyrd
15 Oct 2010
where can information about these drugs be found? didn't find them listed here on this site,
ME
melissab(twilightfan85)
1 Oct 2010
hi jlbyrd... i think you should find a new doctor. your dr is dead set on u having surgery. that should be your decision, not your dr's. he/she is basically saying my way or the highway! if you are not ready for surgery, i wouldnt do it. your dr should respect your decision and not refuse to help your pain until you're ready for surgery. it sounds like the dr thinks since you dont want surgery at the moment, your pain doesnt need to be treated anymore... like it just vanished until you do what they say. find a doctor that is caring and willing to help you. they are few and far between, but they are out there! i wish you the best of luck. everytime i look at this post, my heart goes out to you. you are being shafted by these medical idiots. it saddens me. take care... and hang in there. keep us updated! xoxo
