Tramadol works

[wildlegs]

I’ve had RLS for 30+ years and suffered through many different medicines. I’ve been taking Tramadol for 20 years and it’s worked. My biggest problem is finding a doctor who isn’t afraid of opioid scare. Tramadol works and was not even considered an opioid for years. Now all of a sudden it’s dangerous - not so.

[Joolsg]

As you're in the USA ( this is a UK based help forum) you should join rls.org.The US foundation has help groups and will direct you to an RLS doctor who will continue your tramadol prescription.

We do have some names of good US doctors. For example Dr Andy Berkowski who operates in Ohio and Florida.

[wildlegs in reply to Joolsg]

thanks for the info but he won’t take clients from a different state - the law.

[SueJohnson]

If you give me the city and state where you live I might be able to give you the name of a doctor that will prescribe tramadol and other opioids.

[wildlegs in reply to SueJohnson]

GREEN BAY, WI

[SueJohnson in reply to wildlegs]

Who is your current doctor?

[wildlegs in reply to SueJohnson]

Unfortunately my doctor (who presently gives me the tramadol) is retiring in December. I hope to get a referral when I see him in October.

[SueJohnson in reply to wildlegs]

I have 3 names for you in Green Bay and I would recommend them in that order Dr. Sophos Geroulis 715-732-8000 - who also does Telehealth, Dr. Todd Rave, MD 920-272-1610 and Dr. James Napier Jr [phone]. I would call them and explain you need a new a new doctor because yours is retiring and that you have RLS that is controlled with Tramadol and ask if they would be willing to prescribe it.

[wildlegs in reply to SueJohnson]

thank you very much I'll be checking these guys out. I appreciate your help because even though I'm 79 it doesn't look like RLS is going away by it self

[SueJohnson in reply to wildlegs]

Unfortunately it doesn't.

[wildlegs in reply to SueJohnson]

Thanks for the names

[Joolsg]

You may be able to see Dr Andy Berkowski at Relacs clinic in Ohio. He is excellent.relacshealth.com/

Photo

[johannasuar]

hi Wildlegs, I too have been on Tramadol for over 12 years,, I loved hearing that you have been on it so much longer without problems because I don’t have any problems either, I also haven’t experienced any augmentation but once in a while when I have a cocktail the RLS gets a bit stronger so then I take another 1/2 of a pill. May and ask how much you take? I do one 50mg pill at 5:30 pm, I set an alarm on my phone so I don’t loose my schedule, and another at 10:30 pm and I’m good to go for the night. Stay well.

[wildlegs in reply to johannasuar]

I take 50 mg around six pm and another fifty mg at 8 pm plus one mg of pramipexole. About a year ago My doctor added the pramipexole because I thought I needed a little more. So far so good. I tried to get another fifty mg of Tramadol but no go.

[Joolsg in reply to wildlegs]

Oh, I didn't realise you were on Pramipexole as well. The max dose in 0.5mg. If you're on 1mg, the risk of drug induced worsening (augmentation) is very high.Please read up on it and be very wary of staying on it.

sleepreviewmag.com/sleep-di...

[wildlegs in reply to Joolsg]

I was taking 200 mg of Tramadol for years when I lived in Florida but 3 years ago we moved home to Green Bay, Wi and I couldn't find a doctor who would give me 200 mg so I took what I could get and that was 100 mg. It worked 75% of the time but I needed more. My doctor suggested the one mg of pramipexole and it's been working great.

[SueJohnson in reply to wildlegs]

I agree with Joolsg - at 1 mg you are on twice the maximum dose of pramipexole and up to 70% of people on it will suffer from augmentation. I would at least suggest you try to wean down to .5 mg. You can get an inexpensive jewelry scale that measures down to .01 gram from Amazon ($11 ) and shave off a bit of the tablet and measure it. Then reduce by that amount every 2 weeks. That way you probably won't even notice the reduction.

[wildlegs in reply to SueJohnson]

I’ve been taking one mg of pramipexole for a little over a year now (Tramadol for 20+ years). I have an appointment with my retiring doctor (David Kohls) in December you can bet I’ll be asking questions about pramipexole . He is lining me up with another doctor who I will have similar questions about pramipexole. I thank all the people who have given me advice.

[Joolsg in reply to wildlegs]

It does for the first few years. Then it turns on you and RLS becomes much, much worse, starts earlier and moves to hands, arms, back, trunk, face. Hell on earth. Take SueJohnson advice and at least reduce to 0.5mg. The top RLS experts no longer prescribe these drugs.