Tramadol

[Beth72]

Does anyone on hear take Tramadol Iv been given off my doctor and Iv google them and their are a lot of bad reviews about them not sure 🤔 if I want to try them

[allanah]

Hi Beth

I use Tramadol and and i am prescribed them. But I only use them during flares and I prefer 1 rather than 2 as they are strong and tend to knock me out. But 1 plus heat/ cold pads does the trick for me. G8vescme pain relief and rest without making me fuzzy!

I also use morphine as needed and I'm not ashamed to use painkillers as necessary within the prescribed doseto see but personally only when no really need them.

It's a step.up from some traditional analgesia but when you just can't cope they help me rest and sleep .

It's a personal decision tho . Good luck x

[FRreedman]

I would suggest that it you are querying the use of Tramadol, your doctor has misunderstood the amount of pain you are in. I am not trying to be flippant but, you should tell your GP that you would prefer not to take these painkillers, but would prefer something milder, because you don't like the side effects they appear to have. Your GP will have many forms of analgesia, which can be administered before you reach the morphine based products. Your GP will also, then realise that you are not playing around, but only want just enough to keep your pain down.

[lainie8484]

I've been taking tramadol for a long time for chronic pain and they do work great. The first time u take it it might make u feel tired n some people even feel sick but of u r in pain there great .

[helixhelix]

I have an unopened pack in my cupboard. When I was going through a bad time I hesitated many times about opening it, and each time I ended up saying “maybe later, I’ll try X first”, and managing without. I always try to use the smallest amount of drugs for the least amount of time. But if you need it, you need it!

[wishbone]

I've been taking tramadol on a daily basis for the past few years. Currently prescribed the max dose of 400mg but try to get by on less. I'd prefer not to take tramadol just like I prefer not to take any meds, but I have problems controlling my RA so it's either that or be in a lot of pain. GPs are supposed to be tightening up prescribing opiates because of escalating addiction issues, so I wouldn't have thought your GP would have prescribed them for you unless he/she thought it necessary. That said, if you think you can manage on a milder pain killer then you need to tell your GP. I'm probably addicted, but at my age I'm more concerned about tramadol bunging up my digestive tubes. Keeping my pain to a minimum is more important to me than addiction issues...should I ever need to come off tramadol then I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it.

[sylvi]

I take slow release tramadol and I have said before on here that I would take arsenic if I knew it would help. That's just my opinion and I don't read all the scare stories about drugs, if the dr has given them to me then it is for a good reason.xxxx

[Hidden]

Hi Beth, Ive been taking tramadol and paracetamol on a daily basis, morning and night, for over a year now without any major side effects. My RA never seems to be controlled and I’m constantly in pain, I find these are the only tablets that give me any respite. Like Sylvi says we would take arsenic if it would help! 🤗 xx

[Hidden]

If you google anything you will find bad reviews. I stay away from google. If you’re in a lot of pain and nothing else has worked then why not try them.. It’s the only way you will find out if they work for you😊

[Mandalou]

Hi Beth

My Tramadol sit there waiting for the flare I hope never comes.

I take them only when My RA is at that broken bone unbearable searing, gnawing, screaming agony stage in whatever part of me it fancies attacking on any particular day.

When I have to resort to them they are the only thing that comes close to touching the pain.

My Mum takes the maximum dose every day however and is on both ordinary and modified release Tramadol and she has done for years and is fine on them.

I think mindful usage is key.

Some very good advice here from other posters.

I wish you the best and hope you get on ok with managing your pain.

M x

[Hidden]

I have been taking tramadol for quite a few years now. My RA is not well controlled and I am in pain all the time, sometimes worse than others. When I was first prescribed them at a pain clinic, I was told that I could take them up to four times a day but I have never done that. I always take two first thing in the morning because that is when my pain is at it's worse. Then I try to just manage with paracetamol for the rest of the day. However, if the pain is at it's worse or I am going out somewhere I take some more. I have heard and been told all sorts of horror tales about them but so far I have been ok on them. I suppose everyone is different, but I feel that I can't cope with the pain without them. I don't feel I am addicted to them because at one time, I was feeling better and came off them within a few days.

[Gnarli]

I was given tramadol just before diagnosis two and a half years ago. Taking two capsules every four hours made the world a very strange place but painfree. I reduced the dose to one capsule as soon as possible and still have the rest of the packet 'just in case' another screaming flare hits. I suppose I'm lucky as (so far) things seem reasonably well controlled but I'm keeping all the fingers I can crossed it continues this way. Wishing you well

[Hidden]

350-400 mg of tranadol sr daily is on my script but I have managed to get the dosage down to 200mg

I found that a higher dose caused pins and needles in the groin.

Told my go I was reducing the spear myself as they are my lease favourite pain killer. Did find out if you can manage to stop them for a few days and then use again that they are a more effective pain killer rather than using every day

[RAGurl1]

Hi Beth - I'm allergic (or hyper-reactive - whatever you want to call it) to aspirin and NSAIDs, and deathly allergic to acetaminophen, so there are few choices in what I can take. Combine that with the terror everyone has had instilled in them about the opioid "crisis" and everyone is scared to give you anything at all. Fortunately I have Tramadol (have taken it for about 8 years), and I usually take it three times a day and Codeine Sulfate once a day. I have no problems with any of it, other than knocking down the pain a notch or two, and allowing me to sleep a little better at night, even with chronic obstructive sleep hypopnea.. I think it is fine as an option for pain treatment if you are in pain. Once I have my knee replaced I am happy to think I might not need it much in the future, but until then, I'm personally fine taking it.. Good luck with whatever your decide to do.

[jojom912]

My son in law was prescribed Tramadol several years ago for a bad back thinking they were not addictive, They are! he is taking a lot of them every day and still suffers from mood swings and depression

I think you need to be very aware

[jane1976]

Personally when I tried them they didn’t do a thing for me. Different drugs effect people differently. If you need pain relief for short period & they are effective, perhaps try them?

[Mall]

I was prescribed them when I fell and broke my shoulder badly, I couldn't tolerate oral morph, it made me very sick, so I was prescribed the maximum dose of tramadol to be taken with paracetamol. The two drugs appear to work well together in combination in tackling severe pain. I wasn't prescribed them for my RA which is well controlled. I had been advised to take them continuously but decided to wean myself off due to their addictive properties. whilst I was taking them I could function reasonably well without undue tiredness and I didn't have the vivid dreams that some experience. I probably took them for around 6 months.

I often experience pain at night which wakes me due to my shoulder injury so I have been considering asking for another prescription just for occasional nighttime use.

If your pain is really bad and affects your ability to lead a reasonable life then try them in combination with paracetamol. (Note I didn't find the slow release tramadol tablets as effective as the normal ones.) If your feel your pain level does not warrant taking an addictive drug on a par with morphine ask your GP for something else.

If you take them a common side effect of tramadol like many other pain killers can be constipation so drink plenty of fluids and eat a good balanced diet. If you have problems then you may need a further prescription from your GP to deal with this.