Tramadol and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• lon...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 18, 2016

For Pain "Tramadol is a drug that does not work for everyone. I found that different generic brands of tramadol work better than others. I have had the best luck with Teva and Mylan. The others give me a horrible headache and don't do anything for my back pain. Also, the less you take, the better off you are. I take 6 pills a day that are 50 mg. I take them 2 at a time every 8 hours. Some people have a hard time finding Mylan, Teva, and Northstar generics. You just have to do the legwork. I get the Mylan at Walmart. Most places have Amneal and Caraco because it's cheaper. I can say the brand name Ultram is the best by far, and CVS will order it for me, but 180 pills is way too much for me. If you can afford the brand name Ultram, go for it."

• Tim...
• August 25, 2015

For Pain "I've been taking tramadol for a few months because of pain in my thumb joints. The recommended dose (50 mg 3x per day) was too much for me, resulting in headaches and nausea and (if taken just before bed) sleeplessness. But I reduced the dose to just 1/2 of a 50 mg pill taken at 10 a.m. and the other half at 4 p.m., and that seems to be working fine. Pain gone and a major boost in my mood. Also, I had to reduce the dose gradually over the course of a couple of weeks as I felt a little anxious when I cut the 3x 50 mg per day down to just 1/3 of that dosage. I feel much better but am careful not to take too much."

• Anonymous
• February 4, 2012

For Fibromyalgia "I've tried so many non-narcotic pain meds and muscle relaxers for chronic pain, and Ultram is the only one that has helped! I do get extreme headaches sometimes from withdrawal, and if I've taken more than prescribed, I get nauseous and itchy."

• Iri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 10, 2016

For Back Pain "My personal experience: it helps my back pain for a couple of hours, but I just have to keep downing 100 mg every 2 hours, and I'm not doing that. You get high off of it with little pain relief. My side effects: severe headaches, nausea, dizziness. **If you are taking antidepressants, research serotonin syndrome.** Can also increase depression. Stay safe and check this site for drug interactions. Doctors prescribe tramadol for pain they don't consider severe enough for, say, Percocet or Vicodin, but severe enough that it still needs an opiate to manage the pain. Tramadol is the little brother of the opiate/opioid family. People don't talk about 'tramadol abuse,' but it is very addictive, and for tons of people, it simply does not cut it for chronic pain."

• van...
• April 11, 2015

For Pain "Over five years ago, I was told no more NSAIDs because of kidney disease. I had found naproxen sodium effective for arthritis pain and migraine headaches. Now, because of the kidney disease, I was prescribed tramadol, up to 100 mg four times a day. At first, I thought it was a joke. It was not nearly as effective as over-the-counter naproxen. But I stuck with it because I had to. Gradually, I became aware of its pain-reducing qualities. Recently, I had joint replacement therapy and had good pain relief but terrible side effects from oxycodone. I went back to tramadol, and it was enough to take the edge off. I have noticed the headache that many mention in their reviews, but it's mild and short-lived. I even take tramadol for real headaches."

• Anonymous
• May 11, 2009

Tramadol for Pain "I am a long-term Ultram user (maybe 5 or 6 years). I have osteoarthritis. Now I feel like I am taking the medicine just to get rid of the headache and runny nose that I get when I do NOT take it. I am trying to STOP taking it and maybe switch to arthritis strength Tylenol. At least I won't have a headache and a runny nose. I think it addressed my pain very well some years ago, but now it's not working because I still have arthritis pain."

• pa ...
• December 9, 2014

For Pain "Just got tramadol for pain due to a sprained ankle. Works great for pain, but a few hours after taking my 50 mg dose, I get a mild headache. Also makes me tired and hard to concentrate, and my arms and legs seem to weigh tons."

• Mig...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 17, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I've taken tramadol for 6 years for severe migraines. I've used hydrocodone too, but I choose tramadol over hydrocodone as it works better than anything else I've tried. It also helps with my depression and restless leg syndrome, and knee pain-that's 4 symptoms of relief in tramadol for me. 100 mg twice a day. The only complaint I have is that tramadol is very addictive. If I stop using it, I have really bad withdrawals: hot/cold sweats, trembling, shaking, loss of sleep, no energy, nausea, and extremely painful headaches. When my doctor first told me to take them, he said they are not addictive, which is not true. Maybe for short small doses, but for long-term use, they are highly addictive. Use caution when using for a long period of time."

• Ckp...
• May 12, 2014

For Pain "I took tramadol after carpal tunnel surgery. I usually get sick from other medications. I tried this and got a severe headache. Took it only at night the next day and woke up with the pounding in my head. Didn't take it at all the next day and felt fine. Wish it had worked for me."

• Dee...
• November 16, 2015

For Pain "I am a runner and had strained my back during training. I was taking 4 Advils at a time for weeks, and even though I was popping them like M&M's, I was still suffering. My doctor prescribed Tramadol 50mg, 1-2 pills every 6 hours, and took the pain away immediately! The side effects I had were a slight headache, and it made me a little loopy, but it outweighed the back pain I was experiencing, so I was happy with it. Don't plan on taking this long term, but it was the only thing that worked for me."

• sto...
• March 27, 2008

Tramadol for Pain "I am now on my first refill of tramadol and recognize it does decrease the pain level. The prescription is written for two pills per day, but I have done that only twice. Each time getting a headache, so I continue to take it only at night just before bedtime. My next trip to the doctor, I will ask if it has anything to do with the stomach pain which I have begun to experience and originally thought the pain had to do with consuming wheat (bread), but eliminated all wheat from my diet."

• goo...
• September 14, 2011

For Back Pain "I was prescribed tramadol when diagnosed with a herniated disc at the start of this year. I have found tramadol to be an effective painkiller, but at a price. Following my operation, I suffered very bad withdrawal, the hot sweats for the first couple of weeks were, quite frankly, awful. I was taking 100 mg three times a day. Unfortunately, post-op, I am still suffering pain and occasionally take 1 x 50 mg once or twice a day. Again, I suffer awful sickness, dizziness, and headaches. At night, I suffer from nightmares and generally do not feel myself. For those prescribed tramadol, please be cautious, as while it is a good painkiller, the side effects are very unpleasant."

• Kni...
• July 8, 2016

For Pain "Doctors prescribe tramadol for pain they don't consider severe enough for, say, Percocet or Vicodin, but severe enough that it still needs an opiate to manage the pain. Tramadol is the little brother of the opiate/opioid family. People don't talk about 'tramadol abuse,' but it is very addictive, and for tons of people, it simply does not cut it for chronic pain. My personal experience...it helps my back pain for a couple of hours, but I just have to keep downing 100 mg every 2 hours, and I'm not doing that. You get high off of it with little pain relief. My side effects: severe headaches, nausea, dizziness. **If you are taking anti-depressants, research serotonin syndrome.** Can also increase depression. Stay safe & check this site for drug interactions."

• Nen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 26, 2019

For Chronic Pain "My GP prescribed Tramadol for the severe pain I suffer. I took it for a while, it neither relieved my pain nor made me happy. Till now, I cannot understand how this medicine makes people happy. This medicine was very bad and had side effects. It made me dizzy, feel nauseous, and gave me a headache. It was really bad medicine."

• Anonymous
• January 1, 2010

For Pain "I used Tramadol 100 mg every night for 8 months following shoulder surgery. It worked great and helped with sleep. Only complaint I have is sudden withdrawal symptoms. I have had severe nausea, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and headache. I started seeing a shrink for other problems and decided to go cold turkey on the Tramadol due to the medicines prescribed by the shrink. I was NOT advised to do so and can blame only myself. It took me 48 hours to figure out why I felt so miserable. I also have terrible aches and pains in my neck and joints. If you decide to stop your Tramadol, seek your doctor's advice. Weaning off is a much better option."

• shr...
• August 25, 2009

For Fibromyalgia "I have fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. While waiting to find a medicine to work on the RA, I have been in severe pain in every joint and every muscle in my body. My doctor prescribed Tramadol to be taken with 1000 mg of Tylenol every 4-6 hours. (I didn't see many posts that mentioned the Tylenol.) It has been a miracle for me. I'm mostly pain-free but very fatigued, which could be from the diseases and not the medicine. I have a headache upon waking, but it goes away as soon as I'm up and about. Getting going in the morning is the worst part, but the medicines are helping."

• Moe...
• July 3, 2016

Tramadol for Back Pain "The first 3 days I took Tramadol Hcl tablets, 1/2 tablet in the morning and the other half at night, as per my doctor's orders. They were 50 mg tablets. Had a slight adverse reaction the second time they were prescribed for me, so had to go slow. Most of the pain disappeared for those 3 days. On the fourth day, I took my usual dose-1/2 of a 50 mg tablet with a full glass of water, as usual. Within a few hours, I began to experience some of the side effects listed: nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, headaches, itchiness, upset stomach, and lightheadedness. I also had a few extra side effects: constant belching, acid reflux, and shortness of breath. These events lasted for several hours."

• Anonymous
• October 26, 2011

For Back Pain "Caused flu-like symptoms at 150 mg. Spent 3 days in bed with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, body aches, headache. Also experienced headaches and tiny hives all over the face and neck. Discontinued medication yesterday. Having stomach spasms this morning, probably due to withdrawals."

• chu...
• June 25, 2009

For Pain "I have been taking Tramadol (200 mg every 12 hours) for several years now for chronic back pain (the side effects of polio). It only dulls the pain, but this helps me to get around from day to day. However, there have been a few side effects, such as headache, disturbed sleep pattern, and excessive sweating. I have been on various types of painkillers, but this one seems to work the best for me. One warning, don't just stop taking this medication, the withdrawal effects are quite unpleasant."

• all...
• July 26, 2009

Tramadol for Pain "A doctor gave me Ultram with Trazodone for a sprained wrist and insomnia/anxiety. I took them both at bedtime, and by morning, I was throwing up with one of the worst headaches of my life, on my birthday. I threw up all day."

• too...
• November 4, 2009

For Fibromyalgia "I started having symptoms of degenerative disc disease at age 19, and was told I would have to learn to live with the pain; since then, it has become worse and I now have other areas of my back affected, my hips, and knees, and an injury to my ankle that will not heal due to the fibromyalgia, and I keep re-injuring it (they will not operate). In addition, I have arthritis and bone spurs in various places. Tramadol is one of the first medications to help with my chronic back pain, but it gave me the most intense headaches."

• Dam...
• April 11, 2017

For Pain "Took tramadol for 15 years for a ruptured disk. I had so much pain the last three weeks I was considering suicide! These were all of my symptoms: face swollen some mornings, hands swollen, feet itch, bruise easily, lack of concentration, memory problems, hair loss, neck aches at the base of the skull, bad headaches, and head itches. Weight gain, dry skin, dry hair, cold intolerance, lack of energy, muscle cramps/burning, loud ringing in both ears, neck feels like I am choking, running into things a lot, dizzy, almost pass out, do black out about once a year or so, blurry vision, can't take a deep breath in, hurts my insides to process food! Had blood test said thyroid was not working. Stopped taking tramadol and 24 hours later, all symptoms are gone!"

• Anonymous
• October 15, 2010

For Fibromyalgia "I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 13 years ago. One of the first medications I was put on was Ultram. I am so happy that it has helped so many fibromyalgia patients, however, I found very little relief with it for my fibro symptoms. I wish it had helped me because I had to be put on a stronger pain medicine, and it's hard to get off of. I am concerned for those who said that they do notice headaches on this medicine. Seems to be quite a few."

• Anonymous
• December 25, 2010

Tramadol for Pain "I was prescribed tramadol for a severe sore throat. I couldn't eat anything or take my other medicines before taking it and was only able to drink enough to keep me hydrated. Although I have experienced headaches and nausea since taking it, I can at least eat soft foods and soup and take my other medications. The headaches and nausea aren't pleasant, but, after losing 6 lbs in 2 days because I couldn't eat, the benefits definitely outweighed the side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2020

Tramadol for Pain "I was given Ultram after an eye surgery that repaired a blown-out eye socket. Originally given Tylenol #3 but found I reacted to it with a rash and severe itching. I only used two doses of the Ultram and experienced worse headache than not taking it. It's useless for post-op pain. Doctors nowadays are careful (as they should be) when prescribing opiates, however, not all patients are seeking a high. It's frustrating to be put into a fishbowl with drug users. If a patient is seeking any kind of medication for a 'high,' then any class of opiates should not be prescribed. The possible side effects of Ultram, in my opinion, are scary, just as the side effects of Norco and such. That's why you listen to your body and watch for any side effects. For those who are increasing the dose, it is stupid as well as dangerous. But if taken as directed, although like me after 2 doses I knew it was pointless, there shouldn't be any real problems."