I have been taking tramadol for bulging discs but now I have fibromyalgia. As I am reading posts, seems like Lot of people do not take that for pain. Can u tell me what u use for pain?
Pain meds: I have been taking tramadol... - Fibromyalgia Acti...
Pain meds
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Enos
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Hazel_AngelstarAdministratorFMA UK Staff
Tramadol is used by many people with fibromyalgia for their pain.
Thank u for your response. I thank you!
I take Gabapentin for the nerve pain caused by my bulging discs, as well as codeine & oral morphine
I take for pain Pregabalin, cocodamol, Amitriptyline but I know people who do take Tramadol for pain especially back pain.
🐼🌈
Enos in reply to
Ok thank u Panda.
Tramadol is a highly addictive opioid that can cause more problems and symptoms than it helps with. So glad I came off it within weeks of starting it.
Personally I only use amitriptyline 5/7 for a decent night of sleep now and otherwise have totally cut out any artificial sweeteners which really helped. Plus yoga and other exercise.
Same here nothing but amitriptyline and exercise.
Amitriptyline gave a nasty reaction after just one dose. They gave me nortriptyline instead which apparently is the newer and better version (less likely to upset). However this also reacts with my tramadol and makes my heart race. Fun!
Amitriptyline is the only thing that helps my insomnia but apparently it's retards your cognitive ability. So swings and roundabouts I guess, my neurologist decided it would be less damaging than my insomnia in the long run, so I just have to get used to being thicker!
That was why I was supposed to take it too. I haven’t slept properly in so many years I have lost count. Sadly the nortriptyline doesn’t really work for it either. I don’t get dreams more than once in a blue moon and usually wake at least once every night and then don’t sleep for hours. Today was typical. Woke up after 5 hours but then did not get back to sleep until some 4 hours later! Hate it. Nothing works.
Yes I would say insomnia hurts my life the most, more than my chronic migraines even. Any kind of stress or stimulation near bedtime, any kind of break in the sleep hygiene process = no sleep, or at least none for 3/4 hours. Staying in any bed that isn't my own = no sleep making any kind of holiday stressfull. The doctors will only give me 10 sleeping for 6 months, they won't extend it despite me knowing lots of people who are given more. When I don't sleep it triggers institial cystitus, so I have to get up every 40 minutes to pee, it's like being pregnant again! Sorry I could moan forever....
Thank u for sharing ladytelita. I appreciate it alot.😊
in reply to moo196
I don’t believe tramadol is highly addictive, I have been on it 5 years and never had any side effects or issues. Best thing I ever did was go on tramadol
its more true to say that it can be very addictive for some. And it can be difficult for some to come off of. Its also the case that it is better to not be on it and its not a great thing to be on in high doses for a long period of time.
But it can be useful for some and help with quality of life. It can cause constipation in some as well as some other side effects.
Pain is different for everyone and what works for one might not work for someone else. I take tramadol with no side effects and rarely take the full dose allowed I do take some paracetamol along with it as that’s how I’m prescribed, occasionally take amytriptaline if in lot of pain at night. I stay away from pregabalin as I’m trying to lose weight and these are know for weight gain as a side effect. Fibro for me means I’m never pain free but tramadol keep it at a level I can cope with.
I use the long acting (slow release) Tramadol but it’s a pretty high dose. My nighttime dose is the highest they allow but my morning one is half that because I couldn’t function let alone drive. I also have nortriptyline and a whole bunch of other stuff for my lungs but am currently lowering the nortriptyline as it makes my heart race.
Thank you for sharing with me! So thankful for that. Tramadol helps me when my back is aching and burning. Takes a good hour to kick in. 😊
H Enos, I have Fibromyalgia and knee, neck, and back damage and have been on Tramadol for the last few years and find they do ease the pain. So many fibro-warriors take Tramadol.
Previous to that I was on Pregabalin but came off it due to some side effects when dosage was increased. I was on Cocodamol for several years and to be honest they did very little for my fibromyalgia. I ended up in hospital 3 years ago with Jaundice and high liver function levels. Hospital thought it was years of taking cocodamols that may have caused this.
Normally Amitriptyline is one of the first drugs Drs prescribe for fibromyalgia and it helped me in the early years when I was having electric type shock pains in my legs. I was started back on it a few years later but it had the opposite effect, as it kept me off my sleep, and I was constantly at the loo all night and like a zombie the following day with exhaustion. It is weird how it helped me when I was first diagnosed all those years ago.
We are all so different when it comes to medication, but for me so far the Tramadol has been the best as I don't want to try Gabapentin or try pregabalin again though many fibro sufferers find these very good. My Pain Consultant doesn't really want his patients on any meds if at all possible and he was delighted that I had stopped Pregabalin and the Amitriptyline though he knows I really couldn't get through the day with the fibro and my chronic pain issues (which affect my mobility) without Tramadol. I can take 2 paracetamol along with the tramadol (2 x 50mg) if the pains are particularly hard to cope with. I try not to take my pain meds unless I really have to and I use hot water bottles and a tens machine and I am trying the Cannacares CBD oil patches just now but as yet don't feel any benefit. As with lots of meds they do cause constipation and make you a bit sleepy. Good luck!
Hi Enos, I use sustained release Tramadol. Get quite good even pain relief throughout the day, also use an anti inflammatory (Arcoxia), Topirimate, Co-Codomol & Amitriptyline.
Thanks so much for your reply. I appreciate that!😊
Hi
I take a low dose of pregabalin, because I have some neuropathy thanks to my sjogrens syndrome, but otherwise nothing for pain other than the occasional paracetamol. Unfortunately I currently live in a country where they don't give out pain meds, so I have had to find other ways to cope. I use mindfulness, positive affirmations, stretching and gentle exercise, a TENS/EMS machine, heat and recently a great hypnosis audio track for fibromyalgia that I found. Honestly I think it's been a blessing in disguise not being able to get meds, because it's forced me to change my way of thinking. It's true what the others say about it being different for everyone, finding what works. I hope you find something that helps.
How do u learn to do that? I am new at this 6 months and still need to find some Dr who knows about this to help me.Do you like the TENS/EMS? Did u get it from Dr. or on line. Did u have a counselor help u to learn about mindfulnes. ? I don't tolerate pain well! Yikes. Thank u so much for replying, I appreciate that.
It's been 10 + years now for me, so I've learnt along the way. Fortunately I've had decent doctors, and I was sent for CBT to a great therapist who recommended an app called Headspace to me for the mindfulness. When I realised that helped, I starting looking into hypnosis online for fibromyalgia and found a good source. I bought the tens/ems online, my husband thought it might help, and I find it does with painful back muscles etc but it seems to be different for everyone. The hypnosis helps me to sleep which improves everything I think. I hear people say they don't tolerate pain well, but personally I think we can all learn to tolerate it better. It just takes changing your mindset, which is hard, but not as hard as pain! I honestly never thought I'd be so into all this alternative type stuff but I was desperate and willing to be open minded. Some hasn't worked, but some has. I find the main thing is to be positive, and not fight my various conditions. I try to just peacefully coexist with them, if that makes sense. I try to give them what they need, but not let them dominate who I am. It's so easy to focus on the physical aspects of fibromyalgia, but for me, dealing with the psychological side of things, the hypervigilance, has been what has really helped. I hope you find something that makes your journey with this easier. Oh, and you might find the TENS useful for your bulging disc pain, talk to your doctor/physiotherapist about that possibility. Wishing you well 😊
I first started taking Cymbalta. I can't remember why I changed, but I have been taking Gabepentin 500 mg 3xday for a number of years. This also helps with the nerve pain I have from crps. My fibro used to be so severe, it hurt when I showered or rubbed lotion on my body.
Did taking cymbalta help with the Fibro. How long did u have that severe pain. I dont know how people do it. I am just got fibro.
Cymbalta really did help with the fibro pain. I believe I may have had it for about six months. I believe I took it until I had my knee replaced. I developed CRPS from that and have lasting nerve pain. My pain management recommended Gabapentin. Which has been most helpful.
Thank u for the info.Was going off cymbalta hard? Sorry about your knee. How is your experience with Fibro.Have u had it ling. Again thank u!
The fibro was really quite painful. It got to where just washing my arms in the shower would make me cry. It hurt very deep into the muscles and would ache terribly. My legs hurt as well, but not like my arms. I get so tired and sleepy, I have to take a nap. I got fibro I think when I was 50. My mom had it since her 30s, about 50 years. They called it myalgia then. I think the SSRS meds are prescribed as it numbs your pain sensors in your brain, or so they think. I personally don't think the anti depressants help with pain.
I have just been moved from tramadol as it wasn't doing much anymore. I now have Patentadol 100mg slow release. 1 every 12 hours. It doesn't seem to help me right now either as my fibromyalgia is having a bad flare and it's not even doing much. I am trying to ask for something else to help with the pain. Tramadol worked for a while for me but at one point it stopped working. Do you take any other pain meds?
I have previously used gabapentine and also have oral morphine.
You can always ask to try something different if you feel it's not working either putting the dose up or trying a different one altogether.
Have you tried bu-tec patches .
No I have not tried anything else. I just have had fibromyalgia for 6 months. I can take 2 a day, 50mg. I take 1 in the morning and. break the other 1 into 2. Take half mid day if needed. Half at night. How much Tramadol did u use? I do not take anything but Tylenol of the counter. Why did u stop gabapentine? Was that had to go off? Never heard of bu-tec patches. Thanks so much for info. Send more if u get more.
I think my tramadol was 2- times a day. I have other conditions also and just wasn't helping, same with gabapentine as my pain got worse they switched me onto something different. They some times use duloxatine if you have any depression as that helps with the inflammation of the joints etc too.
Some times it's about trying different meds and sometimes brands to see what helps and how much. You can also get a steroid injection in your bum or at the actual spot where the pain is it's called depramedrone (not sure how it's spelt) that can help, again all depends on what other health conditions you have and how active they are when your taking the medications.
Happy to help !
Ok. I have herniated bulging discs too through out my back, neck,, mid and lower. It is doing better its this fibro that is painful. I read most people have extreme fibro after u have it awhile. 6 months only for me. I can't imagine how I will do. Seems like is hits everyone bad. When I hurt I don't want to talk or be around anyone. I want to retreat. So I can't imagine that kind of pain. I need info on mindfulness. ect. Is there different levels of fibro people have, or all real bad? Thanks for taking time to reply! 😊
I think everyone suffers differently, to be honest when the pain does start there is no real turning back. I have had alot of pain in my neck, shoulders, upper arms and wrists. It's always be varying of when they are bad but yeah, to me no matter what meds you take there is always a underlying pain (that's my own personal experience). It can be horrible when the fatigue and pain kicks in as you are so tired but then your waking through the night as you can't be comfortable. That's what it's been like for me recently.
I think mindfulness works. There are so may websites and apps etc that can prob give you advice on that. I get like that to just retreat away from everyone. You just don't feel like talking to anyone as you feel so tired and in pain.
No problem. That's what this site is about.! X
I slipped a disc in my back when I was a teenager and I was given Arcoxia. Then moved onto naproxen. Since I got diagnosed with Fibro I have been on tramadol and sevredol
Enos in reply to
Thank u for your reply, really appreciate that!😊
People have often said that with opiates like tramadol you have to keep increasing the dose because your body gets used to it, I have been on the same dose for 5 years
Enos in reply to
I have a prescription for 50mg 2 x a day if needed. I break one in half so if I want I take one in late afternoon. I take tylenol too at night sometimes
in reply to Enos
I have never heard of Tylenol. Do you find you take tramadol more often than you don’t ?
releasethemagic in reply to
Tylenol ~ The drug is acetaminophen, known outside the U.S. as paracetamol.
in reply to releasethemagic
Ah yes of course. I find paracetamol far too weak for any sort of fibromyalgia pain
It is what also is in tramadol over the counter. Do u live in US?
I use to use it one in awhile for back pain. But now wit fibro I use it in mornings when I am really in pain more. middle of the day I feel better most days so far
in reply to Enos
I find my pain is the worst for me too and at the end of a long day
Yes my dose too.
in reply to Enos
I have been on the same dose for 5 years never had to change it
Tramadol; most days I don't take the full dose I'm prescribed
Gabapentin
Amytriptyline
in reply to Jo1960
What’s your amitriptyline dose Jo?
Just 10mg at night. It helps me sleep, I often get 5 hours + before waking up. It also helps with neuro pain in my legs and big toe. Hope you find a combo that helps
in reply to Jo1960
I am on 20mg but I have found it’s never helped me sleep. It helps my pain, and most of the time my pain is under control but it’s always there (sadly)
Im on nefopam and amitriptyline for nerve pain also naproxen for inflammation.I have degenerative disc disease and had spinal surgery last year.
Tramadol & temsgesic is my choice for fibro & back pain, I swap around but when in a relapse like I have been for 2 weeks, nothing will work
My gp prescribed me pregabalin and fluoxetine for my pain .
but I also have tramadol if needed . But I cant take Tramadol when I am taking pregabalin .
Ok thanks!
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