I suffer with Post Herpetic Neuralgia and Poly Myalgia Rhumatica, both of which cause severe pain. The PMR is controlled with steroids and the PHN with Tramadol and Amitriptyline.
With the PHN I sometimes get what can best be described as a sort of restless leg type of feeling running down my spine and when this happens I can't keep still or do anything, it's unbearable.
Today I did a mornings work and a couple of hours sailing so when I got home it started.
I took a couple of Tramadol and within the hour I was sitting comfortably watching the cricket on television. OK, so I fell asleep and missed a lot of it but I am not in pain.
I don't see why people are so keen to get off the stuff, alright, it has its drawbacks, it may even become habit forming (like a lot of other things) but without it I couldn't control the pain so therefore I would not be able to live anything like a normal life.
I would love to find the magic formula that gives me a pain free life and has no unwanted or undesirable side effects (like sleeping a lot or sometimes lethargy) but, as it remains undiscovered to date I weigh up the pro's and con's and come to the conclusion Tramadol ain't so bad.
I agree trammadol does work superbly well. I could not have managed my pain without it and if I had a long term chronic condition I might not worry too much about taking it to give me a normal, comfortable life. But for many like me it was a necessary short term fix and our problem was not necessarily the drugs effectiveness but the whole issue of managing withdrawal. I think each case should be assessed individually as we are all different and we each have differing expectations and needs. I'm glad you get the relief you need from trammadol and I hope if you do decide to stop taking it when you're ready you'll find some of the comments and tips on this forum of help.
Be well
Stephanie
fair enough with me i think and am sute it causes my day time vicious sleep pattern
But pain can be attrocious that is for sure
Cheers and thanks
Peter
Hi Steph how are you sent some emails to you
not heard back so are you ok
ann
Hi Steph think I sent reply to petter not you
sorry Ann
Hi Steve,
I suffer from bad back and have been on and off Tramadol for a while now. I don't taking them as a: I feel very, very tired and sleep a lot (which you say happens to you too!) and b: coming off of them is a nightmare!
I do recall one discussion about Tramadol and I can't find it now - but, it said about a patch you can take to help come off it when the time comes. (Can anyone think what it's called again?)
In the meantime, yes, it does help severe pain a lot. But, be careful driving.... And, don't be put off by feeling a bit "drunk" if that makes any sense.
I have enquired to find out if there are any other medications to take without the side-effects but the only one I could find was Morphine - which, Tramadol is!
I'm sorry I haven't been much help but I totally know where you're coming from!
Keep us posted,
Take care,
Zoe
YES That is what i have been having. Tons and tons of day time sleep. My own Dr said it might be nacro leepsy. i am booked into the respiratory and sleep clinic now at local big hospitall. But since i have gone cold turkey(one week) then 2 a night per DR my day time sleep almost all gone just a hour yesterday in the past have had to ;leave friends in the lounge with my wife or visitors as i fell asleep. which was all badl.have not had a date yet from the hospital and having a hip replacement as well next month
BUt i have proved i think it was the tramdaole causing the huge day time excessive sleep. Even my DR did not really believe me
cheers and many thanks
Peter
Hi Peter,
Tramadol does make you incredibly (and unsociablly) tired - one major downfall of taking it! If you had narco lepsy that would have come to light before taking Tramadol.... Do you get along with your doctor? Can't believe he/she didn't believe you about the tiredness - unbelievable! Tramadol is a fancy name for Morphine so yes, it would make anybody tired!
By the way, I found out the name of the patch that so many people are talking about (the one to help come off of Tramadol) and it's called Buprenorphine Patches. Personally, I haven't tried them yet so I can't comment....
However, stay in touch and let me know how you get on :-)
All the best,
Zoe
Thanks very much i have copied that down . we have two DR'S in the practice here. One i call grumpy: and the other one is there on a Wednesday , luaghs, we all try and go on that day. if we can How ever luck of the draw
i will try that pactch if i can
many thanks and will let you know
cheers peter
Sorry to hear about your illness and discomfort. I am not saying that Tramadol a bad nor trying to give the “drug” a bad name. All I wanted to state is that even though it has just become and controlled substance in the state of Georgia and only a scheduled 4 at that, it shouldn’t find its way into the hands of an addict. I am, straight up, an addict with an addicted personality. I have beaten the hands of meth, 16 years of meth. I beat alcoholism, I started tasting the bottle at 10 years old and I just turned 41 this month, this September 27th will be 4 years since I last drank. I haven’t used meth since the night I feel to my knees on December 22nd, 2007. Now here I am, four days without the bondage of some legal drug that was just known as a, “aspirin on steroids”, up until this past April 29th. Both of my knees are blown out and both have had surgery. One is just bone on bone and the other is held together by screws with a torn ACL. The ORTHO was trying to avoid knee replacement, but now he is telling me that the surgery has to be done. So, this Fall I’m taking time off and taking a semester off to have the replacements done. I was worried about the pain and after the fact. But freedom is much more worth enduring the pain than waking up in the morning and the first thought is taking a pill, or to have panic attacks due to fact that I am running low on Tramadol. Again, I am truly sorry to hear about your condition, I can only imagine what it may be like. Just as if you can only, at least try, to understand what it is like to be an addict, If it were to be easy it wouldn’t be a problem and all I want to do is help!
many thanks Jamieson Sorry about your condition , BUT looks like you are making it which is great news. Taken 6-7 years for hospital here to get to my hip replacement but also heart problems as well. But i am going ahead with the hip as would always be i should have done it. Tramadole is good how ever that wretced sleep Also a 40-60 chanc e of dying on the table as heart not good.
Good luck with your surgery .Kind rgds peter
My prayers are with you and thanks for your reply. I have no regrets in my choices in life. I am hard headed and, well it seems that I learn the hard way. I have three daughters, a 21 a 17 and a 8 year old and I would much rather take this lesson and help prevent them from struggling with addiction, but we can’t control the outcome of choices that have been made so long ago…if that makes any since what so ever. A choice holds power and that is something that is learned. I hope nothing but the best for you, Peter.
Respectfully,
Jamison
Jamison
I had my hip done under a spinal anaesthetic. It's brilliant. Never felt a thing. They let me take my iPod into theatre and we all sang along to my 80's mix. It was over within an hour and I was sat up eating my dinner within moments of returning to the ward. If they offer this option, take it. It's much safer especially if like you, you have a heart condition.
Good luck with everything
Be well
Stephanie
Hi guys.
I was on the buprenorphine patches 15mcg/hour, trammadol 200mgs slow release twice daily, brufen 400mgs long acting twice daily, paracetamol as needed for breakthrough pain and omeprazole 30mgs twice daily to offset the nasty effects brufen can have on your stomach.
The first time I started weaning I cut the patches out first, it was hell trying to stop the trammadol afterwards, so my GP (who is one of those rare and precious good ones) told me to stay on the patches and stop the trammadol first. I stuck my patches back on ( remember these take a good 48hrs to get into your system) then after 2days I stopped the morning trammadol and 2days later the night one. Actually I forgot to take the night one as it was unnoticeable that I'd stopped them at all. Then came the task of getting off the buprenorphine. Trammadol and buprenorphine are both synthetic opiates and so they're both addictive. I had to very gradually over 3 weeks reduce the patches by 5mcg. They come in 10mcg and 5mcg so wk1 I wore a 10 and a 5, wk2 a 10 and wk3 just the 5mcg patch. Then I stopped the patches and had to take cocodamol which is supposed to mimic the effects of the patches but is not as addictive apparently. Anyhow I still had withdrawal symptoms but not as bad as when I tried to get off the trammadol first time.
The worst symptoms for me were the inability to control my temperature I had to sit in red hot baths or lay in the sun when it was hot days, aching legs ( I've had swine flu and this was worse!) and the restless leg syndrome kept me awake every single night. Those symptoms began about 2-3 days after stopping the patches. The cocodamol took the edge off but that's all. I stuck with it, rested when I could, drank gallons of energy drinks ate healthily and walked a lot (I've had a hip replacement) all in all it's been about 10-14 days to feel normal again. I now only take a couple of brufen and/or paracetamol maybe once or twice a week for minor discomfort from my wound site and that's only if I've walked too far too fast ( 7-9k per day) plus 2-3 times a day physio exercises and 3times a wk modified yoga. I still get the odd PAWS (post acute withdrawal symptom) which can continue to come and go for several months but they're manageable with brufen and paracetamol. I know to expect them so they don't scare me I'll just work through them.
Im so glad I'm off all the opiates and if my other hip fails (avascular necrosis) I will certainly find other ways of dealing with the pain so I don't have to go through this again.
So to sum up. Yes the patches helped me get off the trammadol very easily but getting off the patches isn't a walk in the park either. That may be because I had been on them for a long time I don't know but that's my story. Hope it's of help to you.
Be well
Stephanie
Thanks stepahanie
best of luck for the future i will let people know how the operation goes and the state of the pay with TRAMADOLE
thanks all
peter
wow i had to treply to this well done. i have had two and hated each one i had very bad reaction to both that is amazing. i have asked this time for GA instead and the DR has put it down but when you get to theatre , it is the way their way, what ever they decide goes GRRRRR
that sounds great Pete
I'm sure they'll take into consideration your request and will comply with your wishes if it is safe to do so. Better to have a safe anaesthetic and live to tell the tale don't you think.
Now they know you have reactions they can prepare for it and maybe use a different induction agent that you don't react to.
Fingers crossed all goes well for you.
Be well
Stephanie
cheers for now and thanks . But twice when i have had to have ops they have taken no notice of my request for GA i am hoping they will this timne
thanks very much
peter
Good Day Stephanie,
I have been off Tramadol for a week now. Still not feeling a 100% but each day is getting better. I continue my green smoothies and green tea daily. The tramadol was good for my condition but the weaning process was hell, the sweating has stop still having some anitexity. I take each day as a new day. Keep up the good work!!!!
Peter thanks for your comments. Tramadol had a different affect on my me. Each time I took 50mg I had so much engery after my cancer surgery. The nurses never could figure out why wasn't I slepping. Now I am trammadol free. I can sleep
Take Care
Trina