Tramadol Addiction

TRAMADOL=DECEPTIVE POISON. this drug is one of the nastier little secrets of the painkiller industry. from my experience it is highly addictive with all the standard withdrawal symptoms plus severe interference with the logical thought processes, more so than other opiates. and to think that this drug is advertised as a safer alternative to other painkillers. I work with numbers as part of my job and I was unable to function once i ran out of my supply early. put myself into a long term suboxone rehab program. am almost ready to "graduate" from the program. (yipee!!!). this nightmare has cost me about $450 a month for doc visits and meds. TRAMADOL = DECEPTIVE POISON

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Sorry about the problem you had from taking Tramadol.

And yes, it can be very deceptive. Since it is classified as a centrally acting analgesic, many people don't realize that it does have the potential to be habit forming/addictive.

Tramadol actually came to be, because someone thought of taking an opiate narcotic and playing around with the chemical structure to try to remove all the nasty side effects and habit forming properties, but keep the pain relieving benefits….what they actually ended up with was the opposite. It doesn't relieve pain as effectively as the opiates, but can still cause all the same issues.

You aren't the first person to complain and I am sure you will not be the last, as long as it remains on the market.

How are you feeling? Are things any better?

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I took Tramadol for about 10 years for back pain. I have a herniated disk, and the doctors don't want to operate on me. I took an average of 1 or 2 50mg pills per month, for those days I really needed it, and it was a life saver. I would get a new RX every couple of years, and I rationed the pills for the days I really needed them. Typically I got them when I was in a lot of pain, so for the first week or two I would take a couple pills a day, till I was feeling better, then the rest of the rx would last around 3 years. I found them to be a life saver. And making 60 pills last 3 years to me is not abusive at all. But these days the doctors act like I'm a junkie if I ask for pain meds.

Two years ago I tore my labrum (hip cartilage) and I was in massive amounts of pain, and they acted like I was just a criminal trying to get a fix.

The last time my back went out (it goes out about once every 5 years) the DR told me he would give me an rx, but I had to submit a urine sample first. He billed my insurance $11,000 for that U/A, but never told me it would cost a dime. The insurance company only paid $3000, so the lab tried to come after me for the balance of the bill, but they waited until a month after I could have filed an FSA claim for it, so they were basically going to force me to pay $8000 for 15 pills!

So yeah, I sympathize with your dilemma, but because of people becoming addicted, old people with severe pain like myself are no longer allowed to get any relief at all anymore. To get any relief with NSAIDs, I must take them almost continuously, and that is really hard on the body to do that. I'm not a junkie, and I don't think it is right that I'm treated like one these days. So not I have to limit myself to one or two pills a year, and once those are gone I'm forced to poison myself taking NSAIDs continuously. Naproxen RX strength is great and all, but it is the same as taking slightly more than 2 alieve every day, all the time, that ie like taking 700 OTC alieve every year. This is supposed to be better than being able to take 15 to 20 pills a year of something that actually helps?

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I was asked to follow up.

I don't have much to add, I don't get to take any pain meds at all because nsaids will kill me, and the narcotic options I used to take 12 to 20 doses of every year (on average) are not available. I've never been addicted to opioids, even during times of severe injury I stop taking them when they stop working, or when my ankles start to get swollen. I get it that opioid addiction is an epidemic. But there are those of us that suffer because other people can't be trusted not to abuse their meds. All I can do is wait for the FDA or the law to provide alternatives, and just suffer pain in the mean time.

On a trip to Colorado I got to experience using cannabis for pain, and it actually worked better than I expected. It didn't stop the pain, but it made the pain bother me tons less. Not a perfect solution, but better than the alternatives. I live in Texas, the state where drugs are frowned upon for any reason, but alcohol is considered a desirable recreational "right", instead of the toxic, harmful drug that it is. So in Texas the available solutions consist of sudden lead poisoning, or manning up and grinning through the pain... ;P

Bad Back

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The brand name drug is ULTRAM, and it does not have a good CARDIAC profile. I believe some European countries have black boxed it.

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Curious as to how much you were taking of Tramadol per day? I try to never abuse a medication. Back injury last March. Tramadol really was a God send. Even my Vet prescribed Tramadol for my Cairn. I take Aleve to save my RX of Tramadol unless the discomfort becomes intolerable.

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Re: Bad Back (# 3)

If you get a chance to try a strain high in THC-A you may get better results. I have a bad neck that disables me, but when I use THC-A I can garden. Last summer I finally got rid of a pricker bush I thought I was stuck with. It was amazing. Otherwise, I agree that cannabis takes the edge off, it helps with my muscle pain, but it doesn’t do much for the bone pain.

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I have used tramadol daily for about 5 years as part of an arsenal for my chronic pain due to 2 spinal surgeries resulting in failed back syndrome and dibilitating migraines and post herpetic trigeminal neuralgia . No it doesn't work as well for pain as my norco , but those along with gabapentin can make my life tolerable at times. As we chronic pain patients all know, pain management is a haphazard , very individualized process. However, since tramadol has been found to have a selective seretonine reuptake inhibitor effect also it can have a two fold benefit for those of us who have some depression and or anxiety from our situation . Like all medications, tramadol has side effects that must be taken into consideration, especially when stopping the medication. If I go off of gabapentin , norco or even my blood pressure med I will have to taper as advised by the professionals. Therefore, tramadol having the two actions it would even be more important to have a long taper to avoid any major problems .

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Unfortunately, My father is addicted to Tramadol. He's been taking it for years, definitely before it was classified as a Narcotic. I've known several people to say some of the same exact things you said in your post as well. I worry about the danger & harm it's probably doing to his health.

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I agree with you totally if happen to me when it came out in the late 80s I did the same ran out early and did not know what was going on.Dr said this was not a narcotic. and was not additive wrong I was waiting at his office first thing told him what was going on well there was no help like what they have now but going in hospital on detox floor and mental issues I was so scared I was given some kind of blood pressure pill can't think of it right now but they give it to you for withdrawal and given Librium and yes it's a nasty drug just like the rest..happy to know you will finally be free ffrom it..

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I totally agree with you. I was on tramadol for 5 or more years and if I would even go one day without it I would start going through bad withdrawals. My story is too long to tell but I was on opiates and I’m on Suboxone now and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I have been clean for three years now. I am disabled because of my addiction. But life is so much better now that I’m clean. I have been on Suboxone for two years now.

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

I have taken 3 50 mg of tramadol for 5 yrs each day. I can go over a week without them and feel no side effects. Maybe because i take oxycodone each day. Don't know but they do help my pain.

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Re: Allison (# 10)

Suboxone is just a legal way of keeping one high. A gold mine for doctors who sell it on the side for ridiculous prices and treat you like a slave. God forbid you cancel because of sickness they won’t see you again. I watched a young man in his 20's that could not get off of Suboxone had to go to rehab for it. You'll be on that the rest of your life. Harder than heroin withdrawal. And as for Tramadol, gave me energy but blurry vision. 50 milligrams, one a day. Caused me anxiety but everything I take causes me anxiety. I just stick to Xanax and I’m good. Never over did it with anything. Good luck.

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Re: Allison (# 10)

Me too. 1 year off opiates, what a nightmare! I can see light at the end of tunnel!

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Re: Bella (# 12)

I totally disagree in certain situations. I’ve been on it for two years and I don’t get high off of it. It keeps me from shooting heroin in the veins in my hip. I am disabled now because of that. If it weren’t for Suboxone I would be dead right now.

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Re: Allison (# 14)

I am happy for you. I’m not sure how old you are, as I am a senior and I have dealt with many kids who have had to go into rehab with it. You have to eventually wean off of that after a time it stops working. Get into an inpatient program where there are other things that are new now. Why not take the shot? There is a shot for addiction as well. I never frown upon an addict as my nephew passed away from it. And he was on suboxone 21/2 years but he didn’t like it after awhile. I guess as long as you keep on it and it works for you then great. I know these doctors out there are profiting big time from it. I wish you well and prayer works too. Ask God to help you and he will. Best to you. Be proud to even take the step to get well, just saying my experiences seeing it.

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Re: Bella (# 15)

Hi Bella I am 39 years old and I am disabled because of my addiction. I have pain every day and that is why I will be on it the rest of my life. They do not allow me to have narcotics/opiates. This is the only thing that helps my pain and controls my Cravings. I live in an elderly and disabled apartment complex. I have been through drug court and I have been to jail as of my addiction. I stayed clean for 4 1/2 years and relapsed and now I have been clean for 2 1/2 years. This is the first time I have been on Suboxone I have been on it since my hip surgery October 2016. Before he even knew tramadol was is addictive. I was Dr. shopping and everything before they had everything on computer. But long story short I am doing so much better I don’t crave opiates and I am alive. I was in the hospital for six weeks on IV anabiotic’s because of the MRSA in my hip. I am very fortunate to be alive. Everybody story is different

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Re: Bella (# 15)

Oh I forgot and as far as the shot goes it doesn’t help for pain so it’s not good for me. God bless you also! I pray for everyone! Have a wonderful day.

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Curious about taking Tramadol and going to the bathroom regularly. I seem to be doomed using any meds.for pain .Tylenol #3 will mess me up but not a problem as no Doctor wants to prescribe any longer.

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

I totally agree with you. Tramadol was the “GO TO” pill that Drs would prescribe when they didn’t want to give you pain killers like Vicodin or Percocet. Little did they know back then how nasty it really was when trying to stop. I was prescribed 2-4 times a day. Instead of taking 8 a day in total, I went down to 7, then 6 & so on. I would reduced it by one every week or sometimes longer as I got down to 1-3 times per day. Finally got down to one, then I would skip a day. I do remember a few times after I was totally off them for months where I would start trembling for no reason. I would take just one pill & the shaking would stop. After about 6 to 10 months without incident I was done with them. Everybody is different. Go at your own pace. I wish you good luck & be careful.

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Re: Allison (# 17)

Talking about the Vivitrol shot. It’s not researched enough but hear it can help. Have you tried getting off Suboxone yet?

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Re: Bad Back (# 3)

Thanks for your comments, they're very insightful. I really hope you're doing ok. I hope you can keep looking around and find a Dr that will help you with the meds you need.

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Re: Allison (# 10)

WAY TO GO!!! Do NOT let the IGNORANT NAYSAYERS put you down for what IS working for YOU. I cannot stand hypocritical ppl that state suboxone users are just " staying high" ESPECIALLY the one that is EATING XANAX!! lol Functioning is not being high,

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Re: deedee (# 22)
I so agree with you.I'm fortunate to have a wonderful nurse practitioner since 1986 so she knows I don't abuse drugs.Don't like taking meds but there are times we all need a bit of help in the pain department.

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You know what? I'm so sick and tired of what's going on with pain killers I have been suffering from severe pain / anxiety / panic attack when my daughter just started college now I'm a grandmother I can't even enjoy the children. They took away my norco then my valium at least I was able to function the only thing that helped my panic attack was valium it was like putting water on the fire & of course norco helped my pain a lot. So they put me on those horrible psychiatric med talk about side effects? First of all, they did not help my panic attack one bit secondly I was dizzy all the time I didn't know where I was not to mention the depression unbelievable why is it fda doesn't talk about these crazy med their feeding us? They keep talking addiction or dying what the hell is going on I think someday we'll all find out b's this is all bunch of bull if somebody is addicted they are also addicted to other drugs and that's what makes it bad for people like us we have to pay the price and suffer b's of bunch of drug addicts, & drug dealers instead of making our life miserable they should have strict rules for dr's to evaluate all their patients before giving out the med so we don't have to pay the price. And now they are going after tramadols I mean really?? I've been ordering whatever herbal med they are selling for pain and panic attack so far nothing has helped. The only reason I started to write today b's I was soo angry when I saw they are talking about tramadol I couldn't believe it. Anyway, I wish all the pain / panic attack people well just know their are a lot of us out there. Shame on fda for what they are putting us through for some reason?

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Jobird, I was taking as many as 4 per day on really bad days, but normally I take 1 or 2 per month.
I haven't had any in a year. I have some I keep just in case, but I haven't had a bad enough day to use any for a while.

I read that in Europe, they have a pill that is half tylenol, and half ibuprophen, and it is supposed to be just as effective as opiates. The ibuprophen and tylenol have different ways of working, so they compliment each other. So I have a supply of those for when I need them... but I'm avoiding them as well as they are hard on the liver and heart. I'm in pain constantly, but I use back cushions as the main source of relief.

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