Tramadol

Hi there, I actually get more done and am MUCH more productive on Vicodin (as I was on Darvocet) too and thats because it takes away the pain and allows you to get on with the business of work and the joy of life.  When I was in the hospital I was on Morphene after I had an operation (almost croaked).  I was getting it through an IV and I've never had a headache that bad other than the one Tramadol gave me.  I told the nurse to get that drug as far away from me as she could get it.  I was leery about Hydrocodone because I thought it might do the same thing but in an oral 7.5mg dose, it just works but I do eat to avoid feeling lightheaded or to avoid nausea.  I'm absolutely baffled how Tramadol works for some people.  I may just be an odd duck, lol.  I totally understand why some people can't take Vicodin or codeine and or hydrocodone-based meds but for me it allows me to forget about my back and focus on life, family and work.  I think thats the goal of anyone who is experiencing pain.  If it gives you back control of your life again and allows you to live and function normally and enjoy life, its worth the effort of hounding your Doc until he puts you on SOMETHING that works. 

I think that the maker of Darvocet should have had a tested and FDA-approved reformulated version of Darvocet as a replacement rather than leaving everyone who was paying them millions a year twisting in the wind.   I'm sure they saw the possibility of them having to remove it coming years ago when the UK pulled it off the market.  They should have been working on a reformulated alternative even before that for the UK patients who were their customers.  It wasn't the best pain killer but it did well for me for 25 years and I've never had one episode or incident from it and my heart is strong as a racehorse.  I don't believe there was anything wrong with that drug and it helped millions who took it on a daily basis without incident.  If anyone here is in the same boat as me, please chime in.  If you can handle Vicodin, and have had it in the past and it worked, its worth taking if Tramadol doesn't help you!  Just take it responsibly and you'll be fine. 

I'm still on regular instant release tramadol for fibro pain. I've tried adding just about everything for breakthrough pain, and 3 Advil helps a little. Flexeril helped too, but I got such a bad episode of serotonin syndrome! This morning I didn't want to get up, but didn't want to wet the bed more, so I took 2 tramadol. After an hour I was able to function part way.
Vicodin helps with bone and surgical pain, but not, for me, with fibro muscle pain. It stops working after a couple of weeks or so too. I have to save that option for post-surgery.
I've tried neurontin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, etc. ad nauseum (literally), to no avail. I felt much better after getting off all of them. The side effects weren't worth the little, tiny pain relief.
Percocet helps a little, but I have to take Zofran with it - nausea. I already wrecked my stomach surgery from vomiting caused by Darvocet-N (now off the market). I'll probably have to have that re-done sometime because symptoms are slowly getting worse.
The best thing for fibro pain is just not to do any work. Too bad that's not an option!

It takes some hounding to get ANY KIND of an effective pain medication.  I didn't care if my Doc got annoyed, I've known him for 30 years and he annoys me enough as it is.  The way I see it, he is not the one going through my life in pain, I am.  I tried other meds to replace Darvocet but they all did more harm than good and none were effective.  Vicodin is very effective.  It may be addicting but to is hugging kittens, not to mention just about every drug having the possibility of being addicting.  Its the people who party with drugs like Vicodin and even Tramadol and Xanax who screw things up for the people who TRULY need the drug.  If you are in pain, don't stop hounding until your doctor takes your condition seriously.  Doctors have hundreds of patients in their care, they forget quickly and charts don't express how you feel, only you can so if hounding is what it takes, a hounding I will do! It paid off for me.  I did what I had to and gave everything a try and finally got to the point where I said enough....look at my chart, tell me if there is any point in my life where I have shown signs of abusing so much as an elderly greeter at Wal-mart (who also happens to be the same person who tackles you in the parking lot when you walk out the door with a package that hasn't been unswiped properly at the checkout and the bell goes off) and give me something that WORKS.  I've tried your "alternatives" and they are useless and Tramadol actually hurt me more than any drug I've had, I NEED something that WORKS.  I think he just got tired of me and it was taking his time away from his golf game.  He never has liked me much anyway, lol.

I took it ,but had a unpleasant response to it, but I can take Ultracet, Tramadol with Tylenol.

One didn't do anything for me either, but after my second one then I start feeling better. Except it does make me a little dizzy and I can't take it on an empty stomach.

Vannie, what is Soma?Is it used for pain?

I really liked Darvocet, too. But now I'm taking Tramadol (only twice, so far) and I'd say it's a little less effective for my pain. I may end up having to fill my Vicodin prescription, too. We'll see.

Debbie

Tramadol helped me for a few years but eventually I quit taking it when it quit working. I was in menopause during some of the time I took tramadol, and let me tell you, it makes you sweat! If you are taking it, notice if you have more sweating or night sweats.

Hi I use tramadol on an as need basis (today it's a need..lol)..have used it for 3 years that way. takes the edge off my pain.

I was given Tramadol Because I hurt so bad all the time but hadn't been diagnosed with Fybromialgia and CFS until just a few months ago. My doctor upgraded it to one to two tablets "as needed" at 50mg's. In a bottle of 90 ive taken maybe a handful over the past few months. I hurt all the time and do not understand the conditions yet. But I hate Feeling like I just woke up from a 2 day drunk fest! It makes me groggy and disoriented. I'm not on anything else yet though either. Migraines have been unbearable and body aches but I truly hate taking pills.

It helped me when I was in pain. When I would have a bad flair, I took it 3x a day. I would only get tired after my last dose of the day 7pm, which was fine with me. It would ease the pain, I had no other side affects, actually I had to be careful not to take an extra dose because I felt not side affects (tiredness etc) so sometimes I wasn't sure if I remembered to take it. But I knew that if I wasn't in a lot of pain, then I must have taken it. When I was just having daily pain with no flair, I would take it at 10 am and it would last for he rest of the day. Hope that helps.

I too take 50mg of Tramadol with 200-400mg of Advil. I find that they work very well together. Many times I try to take just the Advil and 30 minutes later HAVE to add the Tramadol. I find that if I just take Tramadol (my Dr. says I can take 8/day) I get a little "speedy" and anxious.

I also take Effexor daily for the fibro. I took Cymbalta with better results for @ 1 month, but my insurance would not approve it >:-(