Good news is that they have been very effective for pain management - i my case - tohers don't find them helpful -but the bad news and what all seem to be able to agree upon, is that they are very addicting and very hard to get off. So be careful and don't take them for too long, if you can help it. Iam struggling to get off Ultram as we speak, and it is no walk in the park.
Minnie

I dont know much about ultram other than the fact that some Dr'swill say it is not addicting but I have seen several posts to the contrary!  

Hey minnie, how are you doing with your recovery?  I took ultram for a little while in the beginning of my ailment and it was somewhat helpful for the pain. Did you tell your Dr that it was addicting and if so, did he/she agree that it was?  I've seen many people on  here that are addicted to this drug, this should get out to the public becasue it sounds as dangerous as any other drug!

Hope you have a peaceful day.
Marcie

Hey man.  Don't listen to the docs or anyone else in the med profession.  Read my posts;  I'm struggling with tramadol (Ultram) addiction.  It's been 8 days now since I've been off, and I am still having trouble sleeping although my wd's have subsided a great deal.  They're very addictive and the withdrawl is just as bad (from what people on here have been saying) as any other narcotic pain med.  I didn't hardly sleep the whole first week (still not falling asleep until around 3:30) because of the rls ****.  I had diarhea up until Thursday, have been extremely weak and sick.  Runny nose, sneezing, the whole nine yards.  I talked to someone at a rehab center on Friday (I took a friend) and they said that because I stopped c/t, I was in great danger of a siezure.  

It's all bullshit.  They (docs) prescribe them because they get paid to.  They don't care about us.  Get off of them and switch to motrin 800.  Good luck.

Hello to everyone else, hope this finds you all doing well!!

Well as I have stated a couple of times (hope it doesn't get too boring) I seem to manage 4-5 days on half as many ultram/tramadol as before. Then I have a day where I feel really bad and I allow myself to take more again, and then the next day I am back on the taper again. So I do take less than before, but I guess it isn't a serious enough attempt. I am actually thinking that it may be better for me to try c/t, because then I won't be tempted to take more all the time (if I don't have any), on the other hand it needs to be planned, I need to take time off my work, which I am looking into, I think I can take four days off in a fortnight or so, but it has to be planned in advance. I am sort of psychologically trying to build myself up to it. I am more weak than I thought, and the addiction was certainly far more serious than I ever thought, it has caught me completely by surprise (some form of denial I guess - not having been addicted to anything before), and I hope that I will have enough strength to do it. I am also considering telling my husband the whole story, he sort of knows already, but not the full extent. I realize it will be easier with the support of my family. The medical sector/doctors in Dennmark have realized that Ultram can be addicting, but still say that as it is a synthetic drug it is not quite as addictive, but at least the pills come with a warning, so....
But what happens I believe is that often you are in so much pain when you are prescribed the drug iniatially that you don't care about addiction one way or the other, you just want the pain to end, and then later, when you are better and do think about it, it may already be too late.    
I haven't given up, though, and I will beat this addiction, right now I am only cutting down, but at least it is better than nothing.
Minnie