Tramadol. What's it like?

[Saltire]

Been prescribed it and naproxen for pain!

I was prescribed the same (Naproxen being an anti-inflammatory, yes?) for severe back pain a couple of years ago. The anti-inflams were great. The Tramadol was horrible!

I was prescribed 1-2 tablets every howevermany hours. Took 1 in the morning and it had no effect. So I took 2 before bed in the hope that I'd get a good night's sleep. When I woke up in the morning I felt sick and horribly dizzy, like I was drunk, and had to walk the kids to school and take the day off work because I didn't trust myself to drive. That effect lasted until the evening, so almost 24 hours after I'd first taken them.

After that I went back to codeine and the anti-inflams and that was much better.

Hope you feel better soon!

Doc said she didn't like co-codamol (which is what I've been on for years) so was going to try something different.
When i say I've been on co-codamol for years, i don't mean every day for years, just during flare-ups.

never had either before. I only take painkillers when i get flare ups, so can go weeks without any then need them 4 x a day for a month a week whatever.

She never gave any indications of any effects, never said not to drink or take paracetamol etc.

I might take one at bed time and see how I get on!

Pure, straight codeine is where it's at for me. I will never take Tramadol again.

You can take paracetamol with it. Tramadol doesn't work for everyone, can cause nausea, dizziness, feeling drowsy etc, but if it agrees with you then it's fab! The reason many doctors hate codeine is because it's so constipating!

iamabadger - I'm willing to give it a go. The co-codamol never stopped the pain, it's alwyas just made it easier to cope with.

herbie do you take it every day? I plan to only take it when i ahve a flare up, (which is actually every day ATM) but then I could go weeks without one.

So (possibly a stupid question) is it ok to take now and again? I'm not going to get withdrawal effects if I take it say 4 x daily for a month then stop for 3 months then start again? Is it ok to take for one off pain flare ups too?

We use it loads at work, and most patient's like it. Some do get nausea, but it's an abdominal surgery unit so could be down to loads of other stuff! If codeine doesn't completely work then sounds like you def need something stronger. Good luck! Maybe start off taking 50mg, and build it up to 100mg (obviously only if your doc has prescribed 100), might reduce the chance of the drowsy effect

Cross post, yes you can just take it as needed.

I have taken it daily for pain and it was very effective combined with other anti inflammatories and benzos
I had no problems stopping usage

If you are used to co-codamol, you probably wont find it too harsh or drowsy.

I very very occassionally take for severe migrane but as its only once in a blue moon and I am not really used to painkillers, I find it knocks me out (100mg dose and being knocked out is the general idea).

Whilst I believe its a codeine based painkiller, it feels much stronger to me than codeine (pure codeine)and its what I try for a serious migraine if codeine has failed to have any impact.

I have only ever taken it with anti-sickness medication (vomiting with migraine) and have had it both by injection and tablet form.

Need to add that I think I have a low threshold when it comes to painkillers knocking me out as I feel very tired and sleepy from codeine too.

hth

It's not codeine based.

Tramadol made me very very sick - I was prescribed it after having my appendix out last year. I couldn't keep anything down at all for 24 hours - inc other painkillers. Continual vomiting without pain relief after having an operation on your abdomen is one of the worst ways to spend a day!

I have taken tramadol for severe back pain.........The only problem is that it is not a drug that I could "function" on.
Great for pain, especially severe, and to be honest I couldn't walk so no probs there, BUT I took it one evening at a later date due to a flare up and couldn't even get myself off the sofa half an hour later!!
If you need to be zonked out, take it at bedtime and you should sleep IMO

i can function on it and have taken it and been able to work
i know that some people can and do abuse it for highs but I've never been high from it
i thought it was effective and better, in terms of side effects, for me than codeine

I have quite a reaction to anything codeine based, actually anything slightly stronger than paracetamol hits me like a brick.

A few years ago I was in agony with back pain while waiting for an op and for about 2 months I had Diazepam and Tramadol - and something to stop the sick feeling continually.

I liked it - killed the pain, knocked me out so I could sleep. There is no way I could have driven a car. I did some online shopping while 'stoned' and my husband laughed his head off. Normal brain function resumed after the op and I didnt need to take them any longer, but the withdrawal was quite horrid. Nobody told me about that part!

I'm currently on tramadol, dosage of 2, four times a day for pancreatic pain. I have found that the more pain I'm in, the less of a 'high' I get from it, and I haven't had any nausea yet.

I have found that I sleep poorly when I'm taking it, sleep doesn't seem as deep, I'm woken more easily and have very weird dreams.

If I take it for an extended period I can experience mild paranoia, so I have had to tell my work collegues about this side effect.

On a slightly more adult theme, tramadol can make you feel more in the mood for sex, but completely wipes out the ability to orgasm.

I was on naproxen and tramodol for a long period of time, max dosage and I was able to work and function normally but eventually even that didnt touch my pain some days. Saw a chronic pain specialist and he explained some people don't respond to it so the high doses didn't effect me or control the pain he also said other people could overprocess it so were more suscptible to the side effects. I had no withdrawal and stopped cold turkey when I found I was pregnant. I am now 3 months post pregnancy and my pain returned with a vengence 6 weeks ago (surprisingly pain free during pg), I am deliberately trying not to start any meds again until I have seen my specialist and had my blood results back.
Tramodol is one of those drugs that either works for you or it doesn't

Thanks everyone. I am going to take first dose (only as doc suggested) in aobut 3 hours. That way i ahve the wekeend to see how I feelw ith it. Typically, my flare up apin has eased slightly, but that could change tomorrow.

It says no drinking - is that not at all?
I take amitryptiline, which also says not to drink (20mg a night) and I know (having taken it a lot) that I can have no more than 3 glasses of wine with it - each night- not that I drink every night but you know what I mean

I was given it in hospital for back pain. It helped with the pain as I couldn't move but it made me feel totally out of it (had also been given morphine and gas and air). Then told me to get a taxi home.

I don't remember getting into bed that night and the next morning I felt dreadful, sick and dizzy. Never again.

how are you feeling today saltire did the tramadol do the trick?