thanks, this is muc more helpful....now i only need to find the strength to quit....

Well first of all, it is killing your liver. I know someone who is addicted to Lortabs, ended up getting cancer of the liver and STILL can't quit. In your post you say "i got sucked into the tramadol isn't really addictive concept, and now i need four a day to smile" Well, that statement makes it sound like you didn't need 4 a day before and now you do, meaning that you are building a tolerance to it. I don't know, that's just what iot came across as to me. The longer you take it, the higher your tolerance will be and eventually you will be taking a redicualus amount harming your liver way more than you already are. Not to mention that although your depression SEEMS to be all better with this drug, you will be way worse off when you run out for even a day. I know this because I took Lortabs for my depression, and yes it seemed like a miricle what it did for me. No anti-depressant could touch it. I also thought that I could get it any time I wanted but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. After a few hours of running out I would get completely desperate to find more. And if I couldn't, my depression would get so bad that I would become suicidal. And just as fast as I would get that bad off... One pill could take it away, just like that. This stuff is very dangerous for you physically AND mentally. ESPECIALLY if you are a depressed person. I hope that you are able to understand this because I would really hate for you to have to go through what I went through just because I was too hard-headed to listen to what people had to say about it, because believe me, I was warned about it too. And like you, I was stubborn and paid very dearly for it in the long run. I hope this post doesn't make you mad, I just want you to know what you may be getting yourself into before it gets any worse.

Good Luck,
~Riki

ok, i really do appreciate everyone's attempt at helping, and i know that everyone truly means the best....but please read the original question, i feel lik it was completely ignored....i think what sometimes makes this hard is that everyone says get off it get off it, it will rule your life, but won't tell me why it hurts me....i admitted in the original that I KNOW IT IS VERY ADDICTIVE AND I AM ADDICTED, and everyone responds by sayong get off of it....thanks, but i want to know why...i take 4 a day and love it, it makes me feel good, makes my writing and work much better and overall i am a happy person, who just happens to be an addict, i can afford it, get it easily, and want to know....WHY SHOULD I STOP, opiated were VERY common in teh late 19th century, and i want to know what i ame doing to my body.....i well known write once said that it is the dream drug "if you don't mind being constipated and impetent," well, what if i don't???? is this much worse for me than caffeine or not???....i understand when people say it will rule your life, but i have been doing it for years and never need more than 4, i really want someone to tell me how this is hurting me, please don't play the game and say i need to stop

I have to agree with I Hate Loritabs.  Painkillers are a false promise.  Sure, if you've had surgery and truly need them for a short duration, fine.  Other than that, they do rule your life, they're bad for your body, you end up hiding your dependency from people, and what happens when the doc cuts you off?  Also, in general, opiates go from making you feel really, really good to just being necessary to function.  It's not worth it.  

SWJ

PLEASE get away from the pain pills ASAP! They WILL ruin your life if given half a chance too, believe me. I don't know you but I do care about people's wellbeing in general and I went through the Lortab addiction thing and just about lost everything that I had. And I didn't even realize I was addicted until it was too late. If you are already too addicted to get off on your own, please don't feel too embarrased to seek professional help. It's more than worth it. If you have anymore questions just ask ok? And please keep us posted.

~Riki

Once addicted, you will be a puppet on a string and the opiates will rule your life.

tramadol is non-narcotic.
it has properties as such, but is considered non-narcotic.
It is supposedly comparable to morphine- but I think they lied about that one-
or else had really crappy morphine heheh.

They are a Godsend if your an author, painter, etc. Then you can work at your lesure and damn the drugs. On the otherhand if you  are a mediocre member of socitiy toiling away at a nothing job no no no, these are not for you. Bad boy.

I never heard of tramadol until I read your post.  I have been on Darvocet for almost a year, though it has been 10 days without and I have experienced no flu like symptoms.  Only headaches and crankiness.  I don't think I am an addict because I don't spend my days preoccupied with thoughts of them and don't try to get them once I am out.  I am prescribed them monthly for fibromayalgia pain.  Darvocets are synthetic opiates and I can totally relate to your feelings.  I am happy when I take them, I enjoy life more and I am so much more patient with my children.  No to mention motivated, full of energy, etc.  However, I recently read an article about how dangerous the acetiminofen in each pill is.  Its a deathly amount when I take 8 of them a day (they don't come in more than 100mg pills) and I am scared thinking about the damage they could cause to my liver.  I am only in my early 30's and my line of work is such (government employment) that I know I shouldn't abuse the meds.  I have never liked any drug as much as the synthetic opiate and don't have an addictive personality.  I know I am on tangent here, but I just wanted you to know that I understand the sense of well being you are speaking of.  Apparently, tramadol and darvocet are both just narcotic analgesics, both highly addictive due to the sense of well-being it gives.