Has anyone tried tramadol extended release?

I have osteoarthritis in my entire spine, radiculopathy, etc.  The worst pain is the sciatica from pinched nerves, but the second worst is muscle pain (I think).  I do pretty well with tramadol just twice a day, but haven't found anything that works all night without intolerable side effects. 

I was prescribed tramadol ER (extended release) which lasts long enough, but gives me a headache and dizziness the next day.  Do these side effects disappear over time?  I don't have this with the immediate release at all.  What's the difference?

Thanks, Nothing.
Tramadol works for my muscle pain. Vicodin works for my bone pain. Morphine doesn't work at all on me. There seems to be a big difference in tramadol extended and immediate release forms, and I don't understand why that happens.

After a week of taking the tramadol ER at night, I am now taking it in the AM also instead of my usual two doses of the regular one. I just barely tolerate 100 mg, and am not happy with the side effects, which I do not get with the regular immediate release form. I agree that it seems to peak after about 2 hours. I notice pain relief starting after about 1 hour. The tinnitus is just awful! Tramadol ER alone sure doesn't help with sleep!

I've also started Flexeril. I didn't tolerate the 10 mg, so went to 5 mg for a week. That wasn't enough, so I'm taking 3/4 of a pill or 7.5 mg. I make sure to take it at least a couple of hours after the tramadol for fear or serotonin syndrome, which hasn't been a problem ... yet. This one helps me sleep a lot better, and even though I wake up it is not in pain and I can get back to sleep. Flexeril gave me awful headaches at first, but after a few days it seems better.

When you are taking strong ultram pain relief like that, especially ones with codeine, you have to be aware that panaedine forte can make you constipated, which is just going to stuff up your whole body in general and make your back work.

The most common drugs we use at my work are just straight panadol, panadeine sometimes forte, tramal, endone and MS contin. Sometimes morphine works as well.

Most drugs regardless of like whether they are for pain relief or what not can be addictive.

Most of our patients will go home with neurofen, panadeine, and either endone or less frequently, tramal.

I cant take panadeine forte coz the first or 2nd time i had it, i felt really really sick, but i can tolerate one forte. Though when i had the flu badly a few weeks ago, i was prescribed codeine 30mg wchih is what is in panadeine forte, just minus the panadol.

Maybe for pain, try alternative therapies such as accupuncture and stuff like that...may just give you that relief.

Post Edited (laimonas123) : 2/7/2011 5:11:59 AM (GMT-7)

Tomas,

Welcome to HealingWell.  I am sorry to read of your pain and please do talk with your Dr. re increasing the dosage or perhaps another pain medication may be needed.

Thanks for sharing your experience with Ultram ER 100mg.

Kindly,

Kitt

i recently got off of oxycodone sr 10mg three times a day and 5-325 percocet three to four times a day for pain in my low back and hip as well as hamstring on left side. It was by accident as i was prescribed Tramadol 50mg instant release by my physiatrist in an emergency and found they worked very well not great but good enough for me to finally get off the hard drugs. i had two days of diarrhea and nausea but took lotrs of immodium and got lucky my kids had been prescribed zofran for a stomach bug they never used and had some clonodine from a time before.

My real question is that the instant release Tramadol was working great then my Dr. put me on the extended release once a day 200mg at night then i take 50mg 4 times a day. I now wakew up with a headache t,hat i cannot get rid off and i get muscle spasms that i cannot get rid of. I think the original question of if it will get better after a couple days was never answered. so i ask again will it. I am thinking of stopping the er and going back to the 50mg 4 to 6 times a day