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Original poster

Talk to me about tramadol

24 replies

Borderscotch · 03/02/2019 21:14

DH had a life changing leg injury in August last year. He is off work and will be for at least another 6-12mths. He had a shattered femur, tib, fib , heel, ankle some of which were open. Also some minor back fractures. He is still on a large amount of pain relief, including tramadol. Have discussed with GP who said try to reduce if possible but if its needed then it's needed. I have read the info on it but just wondered if anyone had any real life experiences of it?

OP posts:

Qcng · 03/02/2019 21:17

I've heard it might be a bit addictive but it does sound like he needs it. Sounds awful.
Are you worried about the side effects?

hopeful31 · 03/02/2019 21:18

Hi. I was on tramadol 200mg for a year and a half. I tried to come off it cold turkey and it was the scariest experience of my life. I honestly thought I was dying. It is an addictive drug and it took me another year to come off it. Tell him to not depend on it if he can get away with it. I became depressed with severe anxiety, sleep problems after I came off it.

Delboy1964 · 03/02/2019 21:21

Your poor dh. If he's finding it helpful and the gp isn't unduly worried I'd keep taking it for now. Tramadol is a weird one though - one tablet used to absolutely wipe out my very tall and heavy dh, used to make my dm sick as a dog, and used to have no effect on me at all. Hope your dh improves.

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Fstar · 03/02/2019 21:21

If he is on oxycontin or oxycodone id be more worried. My dog gets tramadol everynight for arthritis pain, dp had it too after major op but was fine coming off.

Original poster

Borderscotch · 03/02/2019 21:21

I guess I'm thinking of what's next, there will be a time he will come off it and I just wondered really. Its just another bloody thing to face. Just preparing my mind, I cope better if I have full info

OP posts:

Felicia3 · 03/02/2019 21:22

Coming off tramadol was one of the worst experiences of my life!

Original poster

Borderscotch · 03/02/2019 21:24

Not using it now is the question really, he's in considerable pain still even with tramadol, morphine, pregabalin and paracetamol. We did reduce it but increased physio and attempts at mobility have seen pain increase. I am a coper but feel so sorry for him at the moment and it wasn't even his fault.

OP posts:

unicornsarereal1 · 03/02/2019 21:24

I took Tramadol for years for a back injury - finally had it operated on - and had to wean myself off of them slowly .....

They're very addictive - my gp said they're opiates so we're highly sought after on the streets and to not sell them
They're great pain killers, not great when you're trying to come off them.

Slowly is the key

CMOTDibbler · 03/02/2019 21:24

If he needs the pain relief, then he needs it! I had a life changing arm injury 8 years ago, and I still need tramadol sometimes (on top of my nerve pain medication). I don't have any side effects from it, and had no problems stopping taking it when I stopped using it all the time when my bone pain reduced to bearable

Original poster

Borderscotch · 03/02/2019 21:25

Is out the question that should say

OP posts:

Original poster

Borderscotch · 03/02/2019 21:28

Thanks, it's tough for me to see him in so much pain but must be so awful for him. The pain concer, coupled with dealing with solicitors, benefit people (that's a whole other thread), trying to balance the two DC (one with SEN) and is taking its toll on us both

OP posts:

Original poster

Borderscotch · 03/02/2019 21:32

CMOT do you mind me asking how long it took for the bone pain to be bearable? He has delayed union too. I just assumed it would be easing by now

OP posts:

Ollivander84 · 03/02/2019 21:32

It didn't help me. I'm 18 months post spinal surgery and still take naproxen and dihydrocodeine every night

AutumnCrow · 03/02/2019 21:34

I agree that slowly is the key, when the time comes.

LilQuim · 03/02/2019 21:41

I was on tramadol for years. Still take it occasionally. I was taking 200-300mg daily. For me, it was much more effective & no side effects, compared with codeine-based opioids. I stopped taking it so much as I'm under a neurologist for severe migraines & had to trial taking as few meds as possible.

To come off them, you simply taper, as with many other meds. I stopped abruptly (as I'm impatient) & had a couple of fluey days.

I would say, if they are prescribed & they work, don't worry. The number of serious injuries he has had will warrant pain meds for some time, I would assume. They can be addictive, but GPs, in my experience, are keen to reduce your dosage when they can.

CMOTDibbler · 03/02/2019 21:57

I was having surgery on and off for the first year, but once I'd had a joint fusion and that took, the bone pain was a lot better. I have CRPS which is another matter, but doing my physio diligently and doing stuff like swimming even though I can't use that arm as the physio specialist said that getting your blood going was important has really helped.

Pain management is so important in being able to do physio properly, and that has to be the priority now - so he shouldn't be shy on asking to try other things, or making sure that he takes all the medication super regularly

Original poster

Borderscotch · 03/02/2019 22:00

Thank you for that, there are likely to be more operations here too, back to see the specialists this month. He starts hydrotherapy this week too.

OP posts:

CMOTDibbler · 04/02/2019 09:24

Hope the hydrotherapy goes well. I love being in the water, and the physios tell me its great at getting your limb 'integrated' again as you feel the water all around it, and the sensation helps you feel where everything is which is important when theres been nerve damage

DaisyDreaming · 04/02/2019 11:35

It landed me in hospital and had to stop it straight away, I had no withdrawal despite being on a high dose of it for years

PRoseLegend · 04/02/2019 11:43

I can only speak for short term use.
I had Tramadol prescribed for post-partum pain, as I had several 2nd degree tears needing stitches.
Took tramadol from the day I gave birth to 3 weeks post-partum, along with a regular schedule of diclofenac (long lasting ibuprofen) and extended release paracetamol. I used the tramadol every 4-6 hours for the first week, then only took it as needed (e-g every 8 hours or so), until I was only needing it every 2nd day.

I have used endone before, and tramadol was a lot better in terms of being able to focus, not feeling high, etc, and it really helped with the pain.

makingmiracles · 04/02/2019 11:57

I took it for around 4 months after I broke my coysx, no problems coming off them as the pain decreased, just took less and less each day then none. Also has it last summer after abdominal op for around a month and again no problems coming off that and oramorph.
slowly and gradually as pain decreases is the key.

my mum had been on morphine and tramadol for years for pain and had sepsis the other year, the drs took her off everything due to her breathing and wouldn’t put her back on the morphine after discharge and a much lesser dose of tramadol(around half her normal)
She said the morphine withdrawal was terrible, she had shivers and flu symptoms and pains for a good month or so and said it’s one of the worst things she’s experienced.

fantasmasgoria1 · 04/02/2019 12:18

I had a prolapsed disc which gave me horrendous sciatica. Nothing would relieve the pain so the doctor gave me tramadol. It did absolutely nothing for my pain. I was then given morphine which did take the edge off.

YouCantTourniquetTheTaint · 04/02/2019 12:18

As long as he is taking it as directed and not taking extra, then its ok, he is in pain and needs it.

I have been taking opiates for years. If my spine and nerves ever get better then I will need to cut down slowly.

There is a difference between dependence and addiction.

xWallToWallBastardsx · 04/02/2019 13:02

I've been on it for years. I worry about running out and feel sick and shaky if I miss a dose. Even though I need them I don't want to need them. I have sciatica and depression. I take so many tablets a day (Sertraline and Gabapentin ) too. I would love one day of relief. I was also on Zapain but asked if I could drop that for something else. They were bad enough to come off.

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