Tramadol

drewfromrisca

My GP recently prescribed me this to help with pain relief from my ongoing back/hip problem.

Has anybody else taken this or taking it at the moment?

I've looked up the side effects and so far the only one I've had is light headedness occasionally.

redddraggon

My dad used to be prescribed it (don't know whether he still is) but he always felt quite nauseous and drowsy all day when he took it.

I think a lot of the time he never used to bother taking it and just suffers the back pain.

Splottboy

OMG! Tramadol, eh? HA-HA!!!

You'll be seeing fairies and goblins soon...they give me the weirdest hallucinations whilst sleeping. I take 2 at night occasionally, but wouldn't think of driving on them.

My older ones used to knock me out, and I'd sleep soundly, if weirdly.
My newer ones make me drowsy, but my sleep is much lighter, and I remember the weird dreams more vividly. ( It's like being in a movie and watchin myself in it. Spooky!!! )

If I take them after 10pm or so, they sometimes make me feel ight headed til noon the next day. ( Makes you feel like you've had 2 - 3 pints on an empty stomach.)
So, 9.30pm is the latest I take them now.

They contain Opium Salts, so can addictive.

Be careful...

cee

theres an interesting table here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol

about the probability of occurences of the various side-effect of tramadol....

what brakes

Ive used tramadol on a couple of different occassions and have had absolutely no side effects! well apart from the correct ones of relieving pain.

If you read the warning labels everything can give you lightheaded ness, nausea, headaches etc etc and thats from table salt to petherdrine! (if spelt correctly)! Its just a case of try.

The best thing for painkillers or any meds is not to take them too regularly. as all you end up doing is highering your tolerences which mean they become less and less effective and ultimately means you need higher and higher does. I just take them when i really need them.

drewfromrisca

yea i think thats what i'll be doing from now on, just using them when needed. i just took one and already feel little spaced out.

Splottboy

Spaced out?

Many a time at night, I've tried to walk across the bedroom to go far a pee, and walked into the wardrobe!

Walking like a crab describes it well...

Tramadol are strong, so I take them only a couple of times a week, as needed.

seataltea

Having suffered intense spine problems three years ago I ended up on 16 tramadol a day, I was off my head most of the time and became somewhat immune to a drug which I use now very occasionally in doses of two, in my view the effect of one tramadol is similar to a pint of weak lager.

I ended up on a truly fantastic pain killing drug designed to treat diabetic pain and prescribed by a consultant much to the surprise of my GP whos words to me were ' do you know how much that costs ?' he still let me have it. If you suffer with long term back/hip/leg pain and your Dr thinks it is suitable then get Lyrica aka Pregabalin.

A relative who is a real live scientists for Glaxo summarised Lyrica as turning off your pain receptors but still allowing you to feel.

Don't stop on Tramadol too long, it can be addictive but it's cheap for the NHS to prescribe, there are better drugs but they cost more, I know which one I'd want again.

drewfromrisca

Tried Lyrica and it has given me massive sores on my face, ulcers in my mouth and lips, the shakes, vomiting and the shakes! Not great to me it wasnt!

tyskie

I was on Tramadol whilst in hospital after being run down by a car. It gave me quite horrible nausea and vomiting. Changed to codeine which was much better for me although probably addictive for longer term use.

markmod

Codiene has a side effect of constipation (sorry it had to be said)... I had my tonsil out and actaully remember constipation pain more than throat... Ladies I take my hat off to you all at childbirth, I can now see 'what all the fuss is about' !!! :oops:

Tim jenkins

Before the surgery on my prolapsed disc I was on tramadol and diazepam at the same time. Don't know which caused me to be off my head but I certainly was. Probably both I guess. Pretty certain it was the tramadol that had the hideous constipation side effect.

As others have said - try not to use it for too long or too much.

Having said, it was better than not being able to put up with the pain.

System_1

I've been on Tramadol for a couple of years now for sciatica. Used to take it in conjunction with diclofenac but I'm not allowed that anymore due to a recently discovered bleeding disorder. So it's paired up with paracetamol during the day and amitriptyline at nights. To be honest I try not to take any of them if I can help it. It's strong stuff with addictive qualities and not something I want to be taking regularly. Most days I can manage, but 2 or 3 times a week I really couldn't live without it.

As for side effects I've not had many. The higher dose tends to make me a bit drowsy but nothing that I can't handle, and most of the time the lower dose takes the edge off enough to go about my day anyway. The Amitriptyline however properly knocks me out and gives me weird vivid dreams.

drewfromrisca

I've decided to knock it on the head unless I really need it. I feel grim today and my guts are rotten and in knots!!! I swear I'm straining like an eastern european weightlifter!!! The wind is horrific as well. Even the dog can't take it anymore.
I would rather deal with the pain at this point to be honest and having suffered with it for past 3 years I'm sure I can hold on till something else can be done.
I've been taking diclofenac as well but think that is screwing me up as well.

Tim how long was the recovery on your prolapsed disc and what did you have done? I have 2 of them but the specialist is not keen on surgery.

fatfreddy

I've just had surgery to removed a bowel cancer tumour and was given Tramadol. It made me so sick I had to come off it. My wife had a chat with the pharmacist at our local Boots and he suggested paracetamol with codeine. Worked fine - and I got my GP to prescribe it.

Both tramadol and codeine are addictive so be careful.

FF

markmod

Hey FatFreddy hello from another Cancer fighter (throat) watch the codeine and paracetmol as I had bad constipation as I said in earlier post, I found Movicol did 'the trick' as it were. Obviously speak your GP about suitability in your case. I hope you have sorted the free prescription card.

Had my first chemo and radiotherapy yesterday and it went ok. Just radiotherapy today and rest of the week till next Monday when it's chemo time again.

Don't know if you saw lance and the guys in their 28 jerseys at the weekend... They are all thinking of us mate... I'm gonna open a can of whoop ass on this cancer as I hope you are to Freedy

millimole

Tramadol knocks me of my face so much I now have an alert in my hospital notes that I can't take it. Hallucinations, wandering, itching - don't do it kids!
I also take low dose amytriptiline daily (15mg AFAIR) for chronic gut pain, this knocked me out for a week when I first started taking it, and again when I temporarily tried upping the dose (slept like a baby for days at a time!), but now it's 'in my system' it's OK and works for the pain - the problem is, is that I think I'm addicted to it, as if I forget a dose I can't sleep and start itching!

Tim jenkins

Drewfromrisca - my L5/S1 disc was prolapsed. It played up on and off for quite a few years causing sciatica now and again and then went big time last July. Never known pain like it (passed out from the pain). After this I was pretty much incapacitated until september taking tramadol, diazepam, diclofenac and paracetomol. I couldn't walk, stand or sit - cycling (if I could get on the bike) was the only thing that wasn't agony. I had an MRI in early September, saw the consultant a week after that and went in for a microdiscectomy (keyhole surgery to remove the offending bits of disc) a week after that.

I was in hospital overnight and walked out (very, very slowly!) 22 hours after the operation. Three days after that I walked to the shops, and from then on, with physio, improved every day. I was back at work and on the bike 4 weeks after the operation. Haven't looked back since!

Hope yours recovers soon.

DrewDubya

Is back pain/issues so common with cycling - or do cyclists start because of issues with other sports and cycling is more suitable?

As a general comment from a real live scientist on this board...

...the efficacy and side effects of any drug will vary from individual to individual. If your Doctor has advised that painkillers will help you then they often know what they are talking about. If you find the one they are giving you is either not effective, or has unpleasant side-effects for you then go back and talk with them to try different options. It may take 2,3, 5 or even more different attempts to find the one that is best suited for you in terms of pain management and minimal/acceptable side effects.

Also - remember listed side-effects are just something that has been identified as a potential risk. As posted earlier you can normally find out the likelihood of this happening.

I've been on drugs in the past where a listed side effect was "Death". I'm fairly certain I didn't suffer from that.

billysan

Ive been prescribed 4 x 100mg dose of Tramadol a dy for my back problems at the moment. Ive found it to be the only pain killer that works. I dont want to get to dependant on it, however am continuing to take it as it allows me to work a full day.

Some of my work is safety critical, and Im not allowed to do that while on this according to the doctor at work. Something to do with side effects. But to be honest Ive not had any. Not any more tired than usual, do dizzyness etc. The only thing I have noticed is the constipation :oops:

Tramadol is supposedly safe to take with ibuprofen too, which seems to work for me.

(disclaimer - always see your GP for medical advice, do not take my word for anything!)

drewfromrisca

Thanks Tim,

I've had to come right off it. The stomach pain and light headedness/dizziness was just too much to handle, more so than the pain! My guts these past 2 days have been horrendous and on more than one occassion I've almost repainted the bathroom walls! (as if you wanted to know that) I feel a lot better today from not taking it although the back pain is still there but to be honest the meds weren't touching the pain anyway so bit pointless.
I'm really looking at having an op now and will discuss this with GP when I see him in 2 weeks again.

Drewdubya, my back pain started from what I think was running when I collided with a local resident when I was doing the Snowdon marathon few years back. He took offence to the race running past his house and decided to walk out in front of me causing a collision and tearing my hip flexor in the process and my back was never same since. It died down till I was surfing in Mexico few years back and hurt it again on a monster wipeout but then really fudged it up when I slipt in work on some papers left on the floor and fell down the stairs landing on my hip and back. The only thing I can do these days is cycle and in fact when I sit on the saddle I'm almost pain free and in relief for some strange reason.
(wow long post alert)

nadir

DrewDubya wrote:

I
Also - remember listed side-effects are just something that has been identified as a potential risk.


as a nurse id have to agree, and would advise that folk should work with their gp in finding the right analgesia,
oh and avoid reading the BNF or other literature searching for side effects, their gp will advise on any likely side effects of medication (it takes a bit of professional expertise), cos if you just read the BNF side effect lists you would see that they give about the same list for just about each and every medication, simply because these symptoms will have been reported at least once by someone who has been prescribed the medication, regardless of whether the "symptom" experienced had anything to do with the medication. its just big pharma covering their arses, and has reduced the relevance of the side effect list as a source of advice on what you are likely to or possibly could experience when taking any particular medication

Moontrane

I was prescribed Tramadol after separating my shoulder. It did nothing for the pain that I could perceive, so I complained to my Dr, who said to take two. It put me to sleep.

No adverse effects; heh, no beneficial effects. I’ll take Vicodin over it anyday.

paulorg

As someone who works in a pharmacy I have to say that DrewDubbya's scientist has it spot on, every drug has side effect but not everybody suffers from them.

Tramadol and Codeine are opiates, the same family as Morphine and Diamorphine (Heroin) (but they are a long way down the ladder from those) and thier side effects do include mild addiction and constipation so are often better used when pain becomes unbearable rather than all the time but again that depends on the level of pain being felt.

Amitriptylline and Diazepam were first used for mental health issues but it was noticed that the side effects included pain relief as do quite a few other drugs.

Diclofenac and Ibuprofen come from a class of drugs called NSAID's and a side effect of this type of drug can be stomach bleeds and ulcers BUT this is massively reduced by taking them with or after food as the directions tell you

Nadir has a point, you should get information from your GP and talk to them about your medication if you perceive it not to be working or if the side effects are untolerable, a Pharmacist is probably the best person to start with because they are the experts in the field and will tell you to go and see your GP if its not a simple fix by education.

My last point is to pull Nadir up about the comments regarding the BNF and other written sources, the BNF's problem is that it's a specialised text written for those Healthcare Professionals that know what they are talking about, not members of the public and as such is not written in laymans terms which is what makes it so difficult to understand, it's side effect profiles are simllar because it's printed in classes of drug which means that those drugs will be quite similar and thats why they have the same side effects, not because its a generic list it's not about the pharmaceutical industry covering it ass because its written by pharmacists and doctors not Big Pharma, it's about the law that says they have to inform people about the side effect even if it is a rare one and patient safety and it gives information to prescribers about the drugs they are using, for example if a patient had high blood pressure you would give them a drug that increases blood pressure if another drug didn't. IT's a very useful tool for those it is written for but like I said it's not written for the general public. Anyway I'm tired and I'm going to bed.

Anonymous

I was on 8 a day when I broke my leg. Made the mistake of stopping taking it all in one go.
I now know what cold turkey feels like, it was freakin' awful!
Had to go back up to 6 and ween myself off slowly.

Splottboy

Risca eh? I used to run the Tae Kwon Do club in Risca, and Bedwas etc, yrs back.

I used two Tramadols Friday night, as I was up Sat early, to help me sleep. But, I used my older stock, and they kicked in about an hour after taking them.
Felt a bit "chatty/hyper" sorta floaty, then tired, but not sleepy.

Sorta kept dropping off/waking up listenin to Up All Night, Radio 5 live and MP3 music etc.

Had some weird dreams - can't recall it all - and the lightheadedness lasted til about 11 am.

They are a bit of a godsend to me, with self-diagnosed insomnia sometimes, but Mrs is Sister/Night Nurse Practitioner, so use her 27yrs knowledge to keep me in check.

( Lately, they've given me vivid dreams of my Mum, who passed away afew years ago.
I'm talking to her in the dreams, asking where she's been etc. Not upsetting, more an underlying need to see her again perhaps. SOOOO REALISTIC. )

drewfromrisca

Splottboy - I did both of them classes, at the leisure centre in Risca and in Trethomas!

emjayjay

I took tramadol for about 6 months, for sciatica, along with pregabalin, paracetamols and ibuprofen for sciatica. Had absolutely no side effects at all!

No real problems at all, apart from the pain didn't start to go for about 2 hrs, and the pain subsided a bit for about half an hour. Not great. however, as I'm sat at a desk all day it's not too bad.

Codeine did absolutely nothing for me at all. apparently 1 in 7 (I think) people are immune to it completely), and so i went back to the doctors for something else.

Currently taking solpadol (paracetamol and codeien), ibuprofen and pregabalin.

Just waiting for an appointment to have surgery on my back. Not mad keen on having an operation, but can't wait to be able to walk, and get out on my bike again. Not ridden since June 2009, I've forgotten what my bike looks like!

emjayjay

Splottboy

You probably knew Lyn Evans, and Tony Massay then.

There was also a club in Bishop Hannon School, Fairwater.
Later, I opened clubs in The Eastern Leisure Centre, Llanrumey, and St Mellons Comm Centre

Moved to London in 85 so club was run by Tony, who also opened about 4 more.

Wish I'd know about Tramadol back then. Board breaking and sparring without protective kit takes a toll on your body, but I was under 30yrs, 10.5 stone and as fit as Bruce Lee !!!
( Ok...nearly as fit.)

drewfromrisca

Yea knew Lyn well and Tony. Think Tony got potted for some sexual offence with kids though few years back so haven't heard about him for years. No idea what all that was about!!!
Haven't done it in years, got my 1st dan then had to give up cos of work. I have small recollection of Eastern Leisure centre doing comps and extra training for the black belt exam.
Agree on the tramadol then. I remember breaking those white boards then thinking I was hard enough to break a black board at 11 yrs of age and having an elbow like a balloon for few days...never again at that age!!!

FeynmanC

I wouldnt want to have to do anything important on tramadol.

I tried to complete an expenses claim form for a couple of items whilst on it after an operation.

The form was rejected for 5 seperate reasons, all of which were my errors.

It was gooood sh*t as co-codomal didn't seem to do anything for the pain in my case, but did leave me spaced out of my box.