Tapentadol and Dizziness: What Users Say

• geo...
• January 5, 2014

Tapentadol for Pain "I have numerous chronic conditions but I will speak about my pain. I have been attending the pain clinic for approximately 5 years and have tried every conceivable pain medication that I could get including a ketamine IV, nothing has worked until now. I am on 500 mg of Palexia/tapentadol/Nucynta and it works. I have nerve damage due to an undiagnosed neurological condition with symptoms mimicking Multiple Sclerosis. It has taken about 8 weeks for it to work but it has made a big difference. Side effects are lack of sleep (chronic), dizziness (goes away), and mood swings. I want to stay on it and hopefully my doctor can help with the sleep. So, anyone just starting it or considering it, please give it some time."

• Lau...
• February 13, 2020

Tapentadol for Pain "I've never had more side effects with any other medication. I ended up in the ER, I'll get into that more later. Blurry vision, can't read off my phone. Can't focus my eyes, they feel strained. It causes this 'psychedelic effect' where things look like they're moving with slight colors. Chest pain. Went to the ER. They gave medication to slow my heart rate, which was 150 bpm. Heart pounding, tightness in chest, fast heart rate, low blood pressure. Unable to concentrate/poor memory. Forgetting mid-sentence. Dizzy, the room is spinning. Uncoordinated. Depressed breathing. Hallucinations. I thought I saw a red bug on me, but it was just my birthmark, I was hallucinating! I've never hallucinated before. Restlessness. The skin on my hands and feet turned blue. Anxiety/depression. I have slight anxiety, but not like this, it made me depressed. Urinary pain (from the coating on these pills made to prevent people from misusing them). Heaviness in limbs. Trouble swallowing. Severe constipation. Indigestion. Low energy."

• gra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 10, 2014

Tapentadol for Pain "I could not deal with the side effects of OxyContin or hydrocodone. Too much dizziness and severe itching. Unable to get restful sleep. Nucynta ER 50, 2 times a day has been MUCH better for me. Very little side effects and only for the first couple of weeks. I sleep better too. Only objection is that it wears off after only about 5 hours. So I have to take hydrocodone occasionally."

• Maj...
• June 24, 2019

Tapentadol for Pain "I am on a trial of Nucynta medication 50 mg every 6 hours. I have been on several different pain medications, and lately they have not been working due to a worsening condition. I have fibromyalgia, DDD (degenerative disc disease), and arthritis in my cervical and lumbar spine, as well as a tumor that caused me to have a near-total mandibulectomy, which is now the main source of my pain. The first few days I felt very dizzy, but surprisingly my pain level is so much better, I cannot believe it! I hope this continues. The only downside is the cost. My co-pay was $53, and that was for 7 days' worth! If this works, then I have to pay another $53! So this works for me, but the cost does not, so I am not sure how this will all work out."

• Pea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 31, 2019

Tapentadol for Pain "Nucynta is the worst! I've suffered from chronic pain for years and have tried many different pain meds. Long-acting, short-acting, brand, generic, tabs, caps, patch, etc., but nothing I've tried has ever made me feel as lousy as Nucynta! Nausea, fatigue, dizziness, headache, and achy. It didn't suppress my pain the way I had expected it to considering it cost $1,071.69 for 120 tabs! Thank goodness my deductible was met so it cost me $0, but I'm feeling some kind of way about my insurance paying this much money for something so useless and ineffective! I feel a refund is in order! I'd much rather go back to my Percocet 10 mg × 4/day, which was way more effective and less expensive! If you're prescribed this drug and are unable to tolerate it, be sure to have a standby available! Plus, this drug is not readily available at any pharmacy and has to be ordered. A prior authorization from the insurance is required, and there is no generic equivalent. Kudos to those Nucynta IR provides even minimal relief, and congrats to those it actually works well for!"

• Hor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 1, 2016

Tapentadol for Pain "I was put on this medication and taken off hydromorphone. It was horrible! I was given 50 mg three times a day. I had hot flashes, restless leg syndrome, headaches, and blurred vision. The blurred vision was so bad it was making me dizzy. It also made me so weak and washed-out feeling that I could hardly make it through the day. I went back to my pain doctor to complain about this medication, and she put me back on the hydromorphone, which was working perfectly in the first place!"

• 51a...
• July 1, 2017

Tapentadol for Pain "Serotonin syndrome!!! I take an antidepressant, Cymbalta 60 mg, Trazodone 50 mg, gabapentin up to 900 mg because I have CRPS and literally cannot walk due to a surfing accident that almost paralyzed me 10 years ago. DO NOT TAKE THIS MED IF YOU'RE ON any kind of antidepressant!!! It will cause you to start shaking, your heart pounds, you're dizzy, sick, and you could actually die from this! This med does nothing for my pain! If you do take it with an antidepressant, make sure you have a Narcan kit!! God bless us who depend on these doctors!!"

• Mta...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2018

Tapentadol for Pain "I was taking 15 mg oxycodone and 15 mg OxyContin ER. My doctor just switched my meds to Belbuca film and 75 mcg Nucynta ER, which is outrageous! My insurance company doesn’t pay for it! $100 for 14 days of it! Neither of the meds work, they make me very tired, dizzy, and have headaches. The doctor said I wouldn’t have withdrawals, but that’s a lie. I have zero pain relief! Complete waste of money! It has more bad side effects than good things about it! Especially when you read on it, and that’s what it first says. Please be careful."

• TN ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2016

Tapentadol for Pain "After 10 years of a combination of treatments that included fentanyl 100 mcg every 72 hrs and dilaudid 2 mg 4x prn daily with injections, facet, and nerve block. I was diagnosed with MS in early 2014 on top of a major back injury and a decade of chronic pain. I moved to a different state and was taken off these meds without taper, so I not only went through withdrawal but was sent into an MS relapse. I was put on Nucynta and was experiencing major headaches, disorientation, flushing, dizziness, and more. After my husband thought maybe my blood pressure was elevated, I took my blood pressure and discovered it was dangerously low, 75/35! When between doses, my readings were normal at 110/72, but no more than 15 minutes after it dropped again!"

• ram...
• November 7, 2009

Tapentadol for Pain "My experience with Nucynta was very disappointing. Did not relieve pain any more than a few ibuprofen. And it made me feel tired, sleepy. I have been on many pain medicines in the quest to find something that allows me to function. This one will be at the bottom of my list, mainly due to its poor performance for me in easing the pain, combined with sleepy, tired, and a little dizzy."

• MrP...
• September 15, 2014

Tapentadol for Pain "They had me on this combination of 100's & 150's at different times in the day. Sometimes I would take my meds just fine; other times I would take them, my head would feel like it was going to explode, the white part on computer screens would dance around, giving me wicked vertigo. I don't know why it only worked for me on a pick and choose kind of bases."

• Ugh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 11, 2017

Tapentadol for Pain "I was prescribed Nucynta, 75 mg, for chronic pain. I was instructed to stop tramadol, 300 mg XR, and take Nucynta instead. Doc said I would not experience withdrawal symptoms because the two drugs are in the same family. I’ve been taking it for five days and have experienced these side effects: nausea, headache, frequent urination, shakiness, feelings of worthlessness, fever and chills, irritability, diarrhea, occasional dizziness, withdrawal symptoms, stomach upset, and no difference in pain levels. Is this normal?"

• Maj...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 20, 2019

Tapentadol for Pain "I cannot rate this yet because I just started yesterday, 50 mg every six hours. I am trying this for 7 days to evaluate the effectiveness for my chronic and acute pain. I have almost complete mandibulectomy due to a tumor, fibromyalgia, and herniated disc and arthritis in my back. I was upset that my copay was $53 for a 7-day supply! So far, I have taken 3 doses. I have been extremely dizzy and felt a little 'foggy.' I also started experiencing loose stools after the 2nd dose. This is my second day, and I hope things get better. I will also provide an update."

• Ups...
• August 28, 2017

Tapentadol for Pain "Good pain med, took a few days to get used to it. I'm on the max dose 600 mg/day. I got quite dizzy at first, trying to figure out when to take my breakthrough meds. Very little highs and lows for me, that is important, not like the Percocets I used to take."

• Ita...
• July 22, 2016

Tapentadol for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "My stepdad was using this medication for less than two weeks before the pill itself killed him, proof is in the death certificate. He was not abusing either. He complained from day one of taking it of many side effects. Sleeplessness, dizziness, trouble urinating, hallucinations, still felt pain, couldn't stand without falling, etc. He asked his doctor to be off the pill, and they told him to wait until they see him the following month. Also, fault in their practice too."

• Ang...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2016

Tapentadol for Pain "This medicine made me dizzy and didn't help me with the pain at all. I was vomiting after about six hours. This is nothing like I'm used to. There is something in this medicine that isn't good, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone."

• Anonymous
• May 9, 2012

Tapentadol for Pain "I'm a 47-year-old female and was born with spina bifida, also, my spinal cord is tethered. I have scoliosis as well. I don't even remember a day of not being in pain. I have been on just about all the typical narcotic medications. In June 2011, I finally had to quit my job after 24 years because of the severe pain. My family doctor prescribed Nucynta until I can get an appointment with PM. I've been on Nucynta for 3 days, and even though the pain relief seems better than any of the other medications, the side effects are making me evaluate whether to stay on it or not. I've been getting waves of nausea, headaches, dizziness, and feeling as if I am overheated. I'm going to keep taking it and hope that the side effects will subside."

• Bus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2015

For Pain "Excellent alternative to oxycodone/hydrocodone-based pain killers. Eliminated the pain very effectively once I got home from my ACL/MCL left knee surgery. I used the 75 mg IR version as needed every 4-6 hours, but the pain relief routinely lasted the entire 6 hours. I experienced no nausea or stomach discomfort of any kind. Most importantly to me, while I did feel the usual significant euphoria associated with most prescription narcotics, it was not overwhelming, and no dizziness or disorientation accompanied it. This gave me the confidence and therefore the ability to drive safely only three days after my surgery while taking the tapentadol. Just needed it for 7 days and was easily able to switch to only ibuprofen and start physical therapy."

• Bra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 17, 2022

Tapentadol for Pain "My husband started taking 75 mg, which I think is a low dose considering all that I've read, it is for his CRPS. I assume they started him so low to see how he would react. This was the worst medicine he has ever taken. It had made him irritated to the point of aggression, disoriented, dizzy, and that's just to name a few of the side effects. He was eating and began choking, and he couldn't figure out to stop choking, he had to quit eating. This is the scariest medicine he has ever been on. This did nothing for his pain, but even if it had helped him, he would still refuse to take it simply because of the severe side effects. Maybe others had good results, but this is definitely not for everyone. If someone is taking it for the first time, be sure to have someone with you at least for the first couple of days to see how you will react."

• Lac...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 6, 2020

For Pain "I cannot tolerate a whole 50 mg tapentadol immediate-release tablet, so I cut them into halves or quarters, but I do find them really helpful for migraine and endometriosis pain. They do nothing for fibromyalgia, though. The side effects I experienced include extreme dizziness, itchy skin, and dry mouth. The dizziness is the most debilitating. However, these side effects are eliminated by lowering the dose."

• Lau...
• September 11, 2011

Tapentadol for Pain "I have a lot of pain issues. Mainly replaced C4 C5 disc, then fused, and C6 C7 disc replaced, then fused, and Fibro. I have a high tolerance for medication, my body adjusts very quickly, and suddenly I am on the highest dose, and then it doesn't work. Last month I weaned myself off of 160 mg of Methadone a day in like 3 weeks. Anyway, Nucynta is new, it is my last hope. I am very scared about this because I am already on 100 mg 3 times a day, and sometimes I take an extra just to get through the day. I CAN'T afford this, but I don't know what else to do. It does cause nausea and dizziness, a little disoriented, but those symptoms are fading."

• Anonymous
• February 28, 2011

Tapentadol for Pain "I was in a car accident a year and a half ago and suffered from lower back and sciatic pain ever since. My pain management doctor prescribed Nucynta, which worked great for the pain but made me extremely dizzy and sleepy, which affected my ability to take it since I need to be alert and work and be with my kids. I just recently switched to Vicodin, which is working for the pain and only have mild sleepiness. Work with your doctor to find the right fit for you."

• inv...
• May 29, 2011

Tapentadol for Pain "I have had many back surgeries for degenerated disc disease and was put on Nucynta three days ago. My dose is 50 mg three times a day. It makes me feel high, gives me a severe headache, diarrhea, agitation, insomnia, dizzy, confused, and it only helps for an hour. I was taking methadone 5 mg two times a day, three on bad days, and that worked great, but this doesn't."

• sic...
• March 10, 2010

For Pain "I was prescribed 1-2 of the 75 mg every 4-6 hours as needed for severe shoulder pain, due to rheumatoid arthritis and an undiagnosed muscle disorder (something similar to fibro, but not yet diagnosed officially). I took 1 pill, and after about 45 mins, felt no relief, so I took another. After about another 30-45 mins, I started to feel really messed up in my head, fuzzy, dizzy, not too bothersome until I started having heart palpitations, very scary! I went to bed about 2 hours later and had major hallucinations (this has NEVER happened to me on any other drug). I have taken many painkillers, both narcotic and non-narcotic, so my experience is vast, and I have never encountered side effects like this. Back to Percs."

• mtr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2025

Tapentadol for Pain "Nucynta was so very effective on my peripheral neuropathy pain. Nothing else ever came close, but the price was exorbitant ($$$.00 on Medicare!!). Patients on commercial or private insurance are eligible for a manufacturer's coupon, making it less than the proverbial Starbucks coffee every 2 weeks. But it was a game changer for me. I do have a very dry mouth that has persisted after 4 months. However, although prescribed every 6 hours, I commonly sleep or nap through that time. I have been battling increasing pain over 12 years with less and less relief. Although I experienced several side effects, drowsiness, dry mouth, and dizziness with initial use, I also had immediate pain relief."