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Posted 3/19/2009 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
im not sure if i spelled it right, but does anyone take it for the pain? my gastro prescribed it to me for some stomach pain, not related to the fibro.

but, today, in class, i was able to write half a page of notes without any pain at all. I haven't been able to write without pain, since before the fibro.

i think i'm getting a new rheumy soon (an adult one), since i'll need one in two years anyways and my doctor now, doesn't really want to treat me anymore. so when i get one, i was going to ask for a prescript, at maybe a higher dose, to see if it will take any pain away, as all it did, was let me write a little (which was amazing)

has it worked for anyone? i heard that it is used for fibro sometimes.

thanks

-Aliza
Posted 3/20/2009 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
Tramadol is a narcotic so go easy with it. It is effective and very useful when used as a backup for bad pain, but the more you use it the less effective it will be. Aliza, read back in the posts and find some of the other ways we have found to deal with the pain. I'm not minimizing your hurt, I've been where you are and had symptoms of fibro since I was about three, but I don't want you to use up all your pain relief options. Good luck with the new doc.
Posted 3/20/2009 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
thanks. this is just the first thing that i've ever found to take away an amount of pain. nothing else has helped.

also, my doctor told me it wasn't a narcotic, it just works like one, since he said he didn't want to prescribe me any narcotics.

-Aliza
Posted 3/20/2009 4:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there, Aliza! I have been taking tramadol for years and I am happy to report that I have never, ever had any issues with dependence, side effects, increasing dosage due to tolerance; nothing but help and pain relief. If I am without it, I can tell within 24 hours by the increase in pain in joints and overall ache. Many people have tried to tell me that its addictive but I have read info that says it is not, and I could be living proof :) I take 100mg, twice a day and it helps me a great deal. I hope it helps you, too. What is your dosage?
Posted 3/20/2009 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
I was prescribed time-released tramadol (150 mg) and I take one every morning. Let me tell you, it has been a GODSEND! Finally, after being in pain for years, I can function. Also, I no longer have to watch the clock and figure out whether or not to take something. It's a true blessing.

Tramadol is a human-made opiate-imitator, so I'm not sure if it's considered a "narcotic" or not. I don't believe it's addictive. I stopped taking it for a month when I had my surgery and I certainly never noticed, let alone had any kind of withdrawl.

But ask your doctor all these questions - don't rely on info from the internet - and good luck!
Posted 3/20/2009 7:02 AM (GMT 0)
Tramadol is not considered a narcotic but it acts like one. Some people, myself included, get the "high" from it that people get from narcotics.

I personally find tramadol to be more addictive than any narcotic I've ever taken. I use it for about 1 week a month for endometriosis pain and I crave it for days when I stop taking it every month. Some people have a terrible time with withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it.

If you do a search for tramadol or Ultram on this site, you'll find a lot of posts. I agree with K-9 that you should talk to your doc but I also highly recommend talking to a pharmacist or two. Some docs aren't always as up to date on med information as we'd like them to be.

Everyone reacts differently to meds but be aware that tramadol can act like a narcotic for some people.

Also, be aware that tramadol effects seratonin so always check with your pharmacist before you take any herbal supplements or OTC meds. Things like St. John's Wort and 5-HTP can interact with tramadol.
Posted 3/20/2009 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
thanks so much for all of your answers!!!!

the doctor who prescribed it to me, does have a list of all of the other meds that I take (but none of them are for fibro)

all i have is the tramadol that my gastro gave me, which is 50mg every 8 hours. I asked my regular doctor if I could go up, to see if it helps take away more pain, but she wanted to learn more about the meds first, since she didn't know about them, so i'm going to have to wait to go up, as Im not going to with a doctor's approval.

in the mean time, my regular doctor is helping me look for a new rheumy, so then , I can have a rheumatologist prescribe it to me.

-Aliza
Posted 3/20/2009 4:38 PM (GMT 0)

I take it... but just started taking it about 2 months ago.  One thing I like about it is, I can take it w/ Ibuprofin (sp?) if the pain is really bad.  I can take up to 200 mgs a day, but I never have needed to.

I don't know about it being addictive, all I know is it has helped me with pain in my hands, feet and back.

Take care, little bear!!

Posted 3/20/2009 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
According to the National Institute of Health, Tramadol IS a narcotic.  My doctor gave that to me for breakthrough pain only but it never helped me.  My doctor says it helps about 1/3 of his patients for breakthrough pain.

 

Here is the link from the NIH about Tramadol.

 

http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=33741

Sherrine

Posted 3/20/2009 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hey thanks for that link - I just read the whole thing.

The thing I like about Tramadol (and again, everyone is different) is that, narcotic or not, it gives me NO side effects at all. I mean...totally none. I don't even know I'm taking a drug. I don't feel "loopy" or "high" or ANYTHING for that matter. I just have no pain. Literally - NONE. Sometimes I forget to take it as though I've been cured or something. That's when I really realize how much it helps me! Ouch! Very quickly I'm reminded to take it.

Oh I am lying about one thing - lol. It causes constipation. Which I never get from anything else. So I have to drink Metamucil every day and that totally takes care of it. (Something else I sure can't forget to take!)
Posted 3/20/2009 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
It's sad how alot of doctors don't know that tramadol/ultram works like a narcotic, I even had a doctor 5 years ago tell me that it was a NSAIDs, which she couldnt be more wrong. In some countries you can buy it over the counter, and in some it's illegal. But yes, tramadol can cause withdrawals, I know because about 6 years ago I had surgery on a cyst that wouldnt go away, and I was taking oxycontin at the time for my pancreas pain, but they gave me ultram for the breakthrough pain from my surgery, so I took it for about a month straight night and day, then when I stop, I had withdrawals for 3 days even though I was still taking my oxycontin. I was uncomfortable, cold and hot sweats, tierd but couldnt sit still, hardly could sleep, it wasnt fun. And it shouldnt be mixed weith cymbalta or triptans (Imitrex, Maxalt, Froa, ect) cause it can cause that seritonin overdose too like dagger said, so be careful. I even heard that some doctors use it for an atideppresant....sounds unusual to me but whatever works.

-hellokitty
Posted 3/27/2009 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
hey
i was on tramodol for over a year three times daliy and never saw results. i was afraird to stop taking it because of the fear that i would hurt wosre. i have not taken any for about a week and i was right it was not doing nothing for me and i have had no withdrawls from it euther. but like it has been said before everyone reacts different to meds. good luck and i hope it works for you.
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