Tramadol?

Well, after the last few days of taking Lyrica and having my pain sky rocket to a steady 9 (out of 10), and horrible night sweats where I just wasn't able to sleep or get comfortable...
The nurse at the clinic agreed for me to stop taking Lyrica and then prescribed me Tramadol. 50mlg 3 times a day, and after a while I could possibly take it up to 100mlg 3 times a day.
I took one right after I picked them up from the pharmacy, my pain has gone from a 9 down to around 5-5.5, which is still not down enough to be comfortable, it's down enough where I'm not almost in tears from bumping into a wall.

I was wondering if anyone has used tramadol and what their experience with it was.

I generally will give medication more time to have the side effects wear off, but with the lyrica, the pain was just too much, I had to leave work early because just standing hurt, I started crying on the drive home because I bumped my thigh against the steering wheel while I was trying to find a comfortable way to sit. I could handle nausea and all sorts of other side effects for a couple weeks (I suffered through a lot of side effects with my cymbalta and then it evened out), but having my pain upped so much, I already don't sleep well, but I think I may have gotten about 5 hours total sleep over the last 4 days. I can't handle that, or function like that, and I don't want to lose my job, it's not much but it gives me enough to pay for my medication.

As for the amount of drugs they have me on. I just got off the lyrica today and the remeron (the remeron was prescribed to help me sleep, but after over a month, it still wasn't doing anything so I stopped taking it).

That leaves me with Lamictal, and Cymbalta nightly, and now starting up the tramadol, and clonazopam as needed for panic attacks. I talked to my pharmacist (who I honestly trust more than the nurses at the clinic) and she said that the chance of getting serotonin syndrome with the tramadol and cymbalta was slim, but explained all the symptoms I need to watch out for, so if I notice any of them to stop taking the tramadol immediatly.

I still want to get weaned off my Lamictal but I have to wait until I can see the lady who put me on it, and that isn't until next month.

I understand the concern as well. I don't like being on so many harsh medications and I'm thankful to be off the remeron and lyrica. I just need some sort of relief, I can't remember the last time I had an actual pain free day, last year sometime before I was on all these medications, I was doing so bad that I was in tears every night, and it was around finals time, so a good friend of mine who has lupis got tired of seeing me in pain and gave me a perkocet for the day (yes I know it isn't good to take stuff not prescribed for you, but at that time I was so tired of hurting that I didn't care). That was the last truly pain free day I had.

The tramadol hasn't gotten rid of the pain, but I'm doing better right now than I was 4 hours ago.

I'm also working on weaning myself off of energy drinks (which I take to get through work since I don't sleep at night... it's a horrible cycle). I'm trying to learn to like tea, because the lady at the clinic said if I'm going to have caffeine, that having it from tea is better than from an energy drink. Caffeine doesn't do much for me unless in huge doses because of my adhd... (thus the energy drinks). But I've heard that caffeine can make the fibro flare ups worse so I'm getting that out of my system. I'm also going to start keeping a pain/symptom log daily, to keep track of things, I want to try to get into the habit of doing it first thing when I wake up, then around mid-day then before bed. I don't know if this will help me or anything, but I've been reading through the forums and I've seen suggestions on how keeping a routine, and writing things down can help with the forgetfulness that sometimes accompanies fibro, and also, journaling might help so I picked up a journal to use.

I don't know what will or won't help yet, so all the stuff I can do for myself that doesn't cost me to go to the medical clinic, I'm trying (my mom just bought me a beginner yoga dvd that I plan on trying out)

Hopefully between the tramadol, and all this other stuff, I will start doing better over-all.

That's what I'm looking for, something to give me at least some relief so I can function. I have enough issues, and when you lump majorly bad pain on top of them, it's just too much for me to handle =(

I will call the nurse and ask about taking tylonal with the tramadol... or maybe I'll call the pharmacist. One way or another, it's worth a shot.

I was actually able to sleep last night, not enough but better than usual since I wasn't being woken up as often from the pain (I took a tramadol about an hour before bed), so when I woke up, I felt a bit more rested and my pain was down from a 9 to about a 5. After taking my morning dose of tramadol I'm down to a manageable 3.5 now. It almost brings tears of joys to my eyes because I feel so much better. I can play with the puppy and not hurt too much, and I don't bump into things and want to cry from pain. My pain isn't gone but it's manageable and I'm ok with that.

The only slightly frustrating thing is I had to call out of work today because after I took my tramadol this morning I ended up getting super drowsy, and having a hard time focusing on things or staying alert. I'm hoping by Monday that has gone away, but I plan on waiting until after the hour and a half drive into work, then I'll take the tramadol when I get to work. I'm a little afraid of losing my job because I've had to call out a few times due to bad flare ups, and now because of the medication.

Thanks Debbie,

I'm happy to have something working finally, but just in case the nurse at the clinic decides to take me off the only thing that has worked so far, I am trying to find other helpful things to do for myself. I'm taking a daily (at least 3 times a day) pain log with symptoms and stuff that could be causing added stress.
I'm also trying to do regular journaling every night, I'm also going to be trying some very beginner yoga.

But I'm happy to finally have some relief.

Shoot! My doctor told me it was a narcotic.... :)
Well, I try to keep from taking pain medicine unless I just can't tolorate the pain anymore.
I have a very high pain threshold.

I don't have the highest pain tolerance, on the bad days, I just want to curl up in bed and not move, not even to eat or drink or anything.

As for what you're saying Fibro$ux, I trust a pharmacist more than I trust a doctor to give me information about medications. My pharmacist told me there is a small chance that taking tramadol with cymbalta can cause someone to get saratonin syndrome. But it's rare, and she explained the symptoms I need to watch for in case I get a reaction between the two.

My pharmacist informed me of the symptoms to look for =) I wrote it all down to keep it on hand, so it isn't out of sight out of mind.
I may look for another anti-depressant, but for now, I'm taking it one day at a time ^.^

I have taken tramadol for over a year. I am up to 100mg every 4 to 6 hours. I prefer this to other things I have taken over the years. I don't get tired and don't get that fuzzy brain problem with tramadol. Since I started this med. I have been able to cut the rest of my pills out completely. I am down to 3 meds instead of the 6 I was taking before. Of course I don't do anything with my meds unless my doc says it's okay.