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Ultram Not Enough

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Posted 8/17/2010 1:37 AM (GMT 0)

  Hi, I am a 51 yr old working Mother. Here are just some of my problems.Ruptured Disc in Neck ,Spinal Canal Narrowing in Neck,Degenerative Arthritis,Spinal Arthritis ,Cervical disc degeneration. Thats just some, not all of my conditions. This has been going on for almost 10 years now. I have had So many different injections, medications, surgery and nothing gets rid of the pain. I do have to work ,which means I cant walk around like a zombie.

  As of now I am under the care of a pain management doctor. I has gotten 2 out of three sets of cervical  epidural Steroid injections every 2 weeks. Only the first actually made me feel about 20% better. The only Thing he is giving me right now is Ultram 50 mg. That doesnt ease it enough to work all day. Its hard to concentrate when I am so uncomfortable. I take it 3 times a day.

     What I am wondering is could I posibly cut them in half and take 1 and a half 3 times a day. This doctor is part of a group and trying to actually talk to him is almost virtually impossible. I only want to do this until I can see him next week and hopefully get him to give me something different that will give me a little more relief at work. My shoulder and neck kills me.

                     Please give me some advice! Right now I feel hopeless!

Posted 8/17/2010 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
I have the same as u my pain doctor would only give me ultram this was for 8 years i just had to go elsee and get better meds i did everything this dr asked then one day he saidyou have to much going on i can't treat you i just couldn't belive it but thats what happened take care hope you get the help you need deb
Posted 8/17/2010 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
I had the same issue for a year when my physicians decided it was time to send me to a pain management doctor. For some, Ultram, or tramadol 50 mg 3 times a day is enough, but for me it was not. It worked well for a time, with a boost from ibuprofen occasionally, but more often half of a Vicodin tablet. If it is not adequately controlling your pain, you should really try to contact your doctor. I have had one PM doctor tell me I could not take more than 50 mg at a time, and another tell me that once in a while I could take two at a time. Each person is different, and I wouldn't increase your dose without discussing it with them first, since they may not refill it if you run out early.

I hope your pain begins to get better and that you find a medication that gives you better pain control!

Posted 8/17/2010 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
I wouldn't take more than prescribed without talking to your doctor first. Some doctor's can get very upset when patients start playing around with medications, even to the point of kicking you to the curb. The only thing I would do is try supplementing your prescription drugs with OTC ones. Ibuprofen (Motrin) might be your best bet as to where to start as it does have an anti-inflammatory effect to it. You can also try a pain relieving rub. My personal favorite is a product called Bio-Freeze. I have also had decent luck with Aspercreme Heat.
Posted 8/17/2010 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
TWN,

My Rhuemy has given me Tramadol and Cymbalta. It does not help my pain levels at all. One of the my post earliers I was talking about being gratefull I had sciatica and herniated disc again a couple of weeks ago because they gave me predisone and vicodin which has helped with the joint pain and back.Normally I take 2 Tramadol twice a day, but i don't recommend taking more unless your dr. signs off. Especially with a pm dr. I don't have one yet but all I have read, and as to the book as they are I would suggest putting a call in to the dr. and let them know the situation. The meds are to help pain levels not do nothing and keep you miserable. I've said here before you have to remember that you are their employeer. They are there to help you same as a mechanic. This all so mighty attitude that they get  po's me off. Good luck and I hope you get some relief. I have 5 kids and have to work as well, so I know what you have to go through..just as everyone here does. I'm sure if my advice doesn't help someone 's will. smilewinkgrin Gentle hugs, Heather

Posted 8/19/2010 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
 

  Working mom.. I  can't believe thats all they will give you!   I take ultram too, my MD started me on what your taking for back pain. Then when she diags. me with fibromyalgia, she upped it to 100 mgs 2 times a day.  When I told her I was still having alot of pain, and asked her for something else, she said no, but said I could take 100 mgs 3 times a day.

I feel for you, and hope they will get it that you are dealing with alot of pain. I'm sure yours is worse than mine.

Hope you get the help you need.  I hope you let us know.

  Debbie 

Posted 8/19/2010 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
There is a 100mg time-release pill that works well. I had trouble with the different side effects, but it's worth a try. Maybe that's the one Debbis was referring to.

I don't get enough relief from 50mg immediate release. It wears off too soon. I am in pretty bad pain for an hour and a half in the morning waiting for my pill to kick in. Taking the 100mg time/delayed release at night was the answer. Taking another in the AM got me through the day. I'm going to give it another try, hoping my problem was with another drug I was taking.

It's hard to remember to take a second 50mg at noon. By the time I remember to take my second pill for the day I'm at the point where it takes an hour and a half to feel enough pain relief to function.

I got good relief from Flexeril too, but taking it in the same day as tramadol gave me serotonin syndrome - body temperature went out of control.
Posted 8/20/2010 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
Deb-
I think you really did have the same PM that I used to see in IN. Even though I got horrible hives from Ultram, he still refused to write me for anything else. He told me it was the only drug he was familiar with & he wouldn't write for anything he wasn't familiar with. What?! In what world is it okay to do absolutely no professional development?

My favorite thing though was that he thought it was appropriate to test his pain patients by giving them saline injections instead of steriod injections. Without telling them he might do so. After the 3rd time of me breaking down crying b/c the shots had such a shoddy success rate, he congratulated me that I had real pain b/c I complained of no benefit every time he used the saline shots instead of the real ones. WHAT?! Are you kidding me? I drove 3.5 hours each way to see you & you're giving me fake shots! He's lucky he had already disposed of the needles when he told me that.

What is with these crappy doctors? I don't have a problem with them refusing to prescribe a particular patient something, but to just flat out say that everyone gets the same thing just seems dumb.
Posted 8/20/2010 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
Whew!..... Frances! He was one lucky man, that he was not my Dr! Wow!.....would have been a very big mistake for him to tell me that to say the least.

I would have been all over that...like a wild Rabid Monkey! You are right, what is wrong with these Dr's!

We keep hearing the horror stories, and it appalls me to no end.

The last Dr that gave me an Epidural with no sedation, will not make that mistake again, especially since I had warned him of my extremely low pain tolerance.

He made a note in my chart, and quickly left the room, as I was giving him a piece of my mind. The nurses kept apologizing to me over and over.

I tried to tell the idiots!

SE:)
Posted 8/20/2010 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
France
I would think by giving you saline injections without your knowledge would be a huge cause for a malpractice suit!!! Not to mention that you are going to him for pain relief not to be used as a test animal!!!
Hydrangea
Posted 8/21/2010 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
Frances,

Where in In did you go for treatment. I am from IN and want to make sure I don't end up with that dr. ever. Have had enough problems trying to find a decent pr. dr. and Rhuemy that I definetly don't want a pm dr. like that!! I am so sorry he treated you like a guienny pig..that is unfair and unethical in my book. I hope you have someone different now. Heather

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