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Original poster

Does (has) anyone take tramadol? Question about side effects.

23 replies

Aimsmum · 22/10/2007 12:38

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Original poster

Aimsmum · 22/10/2007 13:45

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Sixofoneyedmonster · 22/10/2007 13:46

Hello, I had to take both of these post surgery when I broke my little finger and had to have the joint pinned (hands are SOOOO painful!)

I remember almost losing whole days dozing in and out of sleep...you know how usually, you can sit and close your eyes for 10 mins but not actually go to sleep? Well, with Tramadol you can!!

I left the Tramadol to nighttimes when I wanted to actually go to sleep properly, and then struggled by as best I could...best thing to do is try it and see, you may be lucky and not be affected?

JARM · 22/10/2007 13:48

DH took tramadol and diclofenac (still takes diclofenac) but he actually became addicted to the tramadol.

It makes you very spacey and tired, even when DH reduced his dosage to nights only, the following morning it took him a good hour or 2 to get moving.

He had to go cold turkey on it unfortunately.

Take care and hope you feel better soon

FlameBat · 22/10/2007 13:50

Psychomum was on tramadol last summer. She couldn't function in the slightest, there was no way she would have been able to do school runs etc. (In fact she wasn't doing school runs because of it)

I echo the addictiveness too

Sixofoneyedmonster · 22/10/2007 13:58

I think they give it to you because it is relatively cheap as painkillers go - there are more expensive alternatives with fewer side effects. I hated feeling zonked so tbh addiction wasn't an issue for me personally.

constancereader · 22/10/2007 14:04

My dh had this, and while he found it very effective as a painkiller he did have an unpleasant withdrawal when he stopped. It made him feel ill and anxious for a couple of days.

lisalisa · 22/10/2007 14:07

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Original poster

Aimsmum · 22/10/2007 14:11

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JARABD · 22/10/2007 14:13

if taken for short term they are great but as jarm said i got addicted to them but i had been taking them for several months

lisalisa · 22/10/2007 14:16

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4jen · 22/10/2007 14:33

I also took tramadol post surgery. I can't say I had any bad side effects apart from general tiredness. I would however stress that I wasn't capable (due to the surgery) of doing very much apart from resting. I wouldn't recommend taking them if you have to drive and look after a little one on your own. I would also agree that they could be addictive, I felt after 2 weeks I was starting to like them a bit too much and stopped taking them.

TattyCatty · 22/10/2007 15:28

Just to reiterate what others have said - I took Tramadol and Diclofenic for 4 weeks after birth of DD, due to a haematoma on the site of my episiotomy, which then went on to become infected. I was pretty much out of it for most of that time, with DD being cared for by Daddy and Grandma. Can't even put it down to the newborn sleepless nights, as DH did all the night feeds.

I was warned by the midwife that I would have to come off it gradually rather than trying to go cold turkey, which I guess underlines the addictive nature of the drug. Also gave me splitting headaches, which resulted in me having to take paracetamol as well to curb the head pain (on advice of GP). I would go back to your GP to discuss other pain management options, potentially a codeine based alternative.

Original poster

Aimsmum · 23/10/2007 12:11

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StIncognita · 23/10/2007 14:44

I bloody loved it, and I have days when I wish I could have some again. Which probably indicates I shouldn't..

Squiffy · 23/10/2007 15:14

If the diclofenix doesn't work you can try naproxen instead, no side effects with that one.

FWIW I reckon if you have severe pain then tramadol are fabulous for getting you to sleep at night.

Pickie · 23/10/2007 15:22

DH took tramodol as well after he no longer needed morfine (which he hated as it spaced him out a lot) and was ok withit but as soon as he could get off it he did as he felt he wasnt in control (he was just resting in bed 24/7 so not much control anyway :-)

black31cat · 23/10/2007 19:23

I was given tramadol and diclofenac when i was in hospital with a massive kidney infection. It was fantastic for pain relief but gave me hallucinations and irregular heartbeat, which lead to a scary night hooked up to heart monitors and drips. I was told I'm never to have it again because its not meant to give that sort of side effects!

dyzzidi · 23/10/2007 19:40

Ok so I have been taking tramadol for about 5 years and It is fantastic for my pain relief. I function very well on it and it doesn't make me that tired in fact it kind of overstimulates me so when I am taking it I tend to doze rather than properly sleep.

I take it when I need it as I have a large fibroid very severe endometriosis and bowel problems. I take the maximum dose when I take it and tends to be for about 5/6 days and then it could be three or four weeks before I need to take it again.

I do appreciate they can be addictive but honestly I don't have that side affect. It is the lesser of two evils for me as If i don't effectively manage my pain when I am having a flare up I end up hospitalized.

My Dh works overseas and my little one is nearly two so I have to look after her and drive and go to work etc.

If you are in pain and have someone around to help if you feel unwell/woozy after taking them I would recommend you give them a go (short term). Not everyone suffers from every side affect with any medicine so I suppose it is a bit pot luck.

I am also under a pain team at the hospital and over the past 14 years have tried everything for my pain including hypnotherapy, acupuncture and 1001 different medicines.

Tiggerish · 23/10/2007 19:47

I have been on tramadol since June and have had none of the side effects you mention. I found co-codamol a total nightmare and begged for something else! I agree that when you reduce the dose or stop for a while it does make you feel a bit strange at times but it doesn't last for long. Fab stuff imo

BettyBatShapedSpaghetti · 23/10/2007 19:50

I've had Diclofenic and Tramadol in the past after knee surgery but I don't remember any side effects TBH. I presume it affects people in different ways.

Bewilderbeast · 23/10/2007 20:00

DH takes tramadol, they affect him quite seriously to the point where he cannot be trusted alone with DS. He i definately not himself and I can tell by his behaviour when he has and has not taken them.

Pickie · 23/10/2007 22:09

tiggerish- Dh reacted same to cocodamol, I totally forgot, he got terrible headaches and dry mouth from it! Tremadol was better option for him!

ginnedupumpkin · 23/10/2007 22:14

I haven't read all the replies to this but I took tramadol and diclofenac when I broke my arm and had to have an operation and it was hideous. I couldn't stay awake, and when asleep I had horrible nightmares.
I stopped taking them in the end because the side effects were worse than the actual pain in my arm.

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