Ultram use for chronic back pain

[John from oregon]

Back in 1995 I had an on the job back injury followed by another injury 2 months later resulting in ??L7 & L8?? discs being blown out.  Intense debelitating pain in my lower back - severe pain shooting into my left hip and on down my entire left leg.  I've been diagnosed with permenent nerve damage resulting in constant pain in my lower back - left hip & on down my left leg, my left leg below the knee is always pins & niddles.  I was put on many different pain meds at first then I was put on the drug Ultram(tramodol hydrochloride) 50mg. 8 times daily.  I was told this drug may do well with me and it was completly non-addictive.  WOW!  That sounded like my kind of drug.  Many years later hear I am in this all to familiar spot -- I am very addicted to Ultam.  The manufacturer is now saying a small percentage may become mentally addicted.  This is no mental addiction - as I write this I'm into my second week of withdrawals - last night no sleep again - skin crawling - stwitching uncontrolably - having to move arms & legs around constantly just to maintain!  What a couple of weeks.  My doctor hadn't even heard that Ultram was very addictive to some people - maybe all people.  Hear I am again -- my doctor has cut me off my pain meds -- without my meds I cannot fuction.  Two or three days in withdrawls the back pain starts up.  It is so severe the only thing my mind will think on is how can I possibly stop this pain!  There is no such thing as work or anything else for that matter.  I know this is rather long but I wanted you to get the full scope of this problem.
This whole thing of withdrawls is getting unacceptedable.  I work full time as an auto body repair man and I preach full time at a local church.
This whole thing is rather imbarishing.
Are there alternative medications - alternative therapys that will work on this kind of pain?  I'm getting desperate here!  
Give me some answers - this is something no one else seems able to do!  ARe there other drugs that work without the addictions?  What is a person such as myself to do?  
THANKS FOR LISTENING!

[TO SHARON FROM SHELLEY]

BOY, SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED HELP.  HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A PAIN CLINIC?  ASK YOUR PRIMARY DOCTOR FOR A REFERRAL AND THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.  YOU MAY HAVE TO JUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT NARCOTIC PAIN MEDS MAY BE YOUR'E ONLY CHOICE FOR DEBILITATING PAIN, ESPECIALLY IF THE PAIN PREVENTS YOU FROM FUNCTIONING.  I GUESS YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION THOUGH.  IT IS NOT EASY, I KNOW. IF YOU ARE TRULY IN PAIN, AND YOUR'E DOC "CUT YOU OFF", I WOULD LOOK FOR ANOTHER ONE WITH A LITTLE MORE COMPASSION.GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

[Me from Maine]

In Response to your question, I am not sure what other medications a person should use other than ultram.  Most doctors preach that Ultram is the only medication that will ease the pain without becoming addicted.  My friend has Ultram prescribed to him on a regular basis.  I pulled a muscle at the gym a couple of years ago and couldn't deal with the pain.  He told me to try an Ultram, so I did.  Not only did this wonder pill kill the pain, it also made me feel happy.  In addition to making me feel happy, it seemed that all of my worries about normal day life, were not as important as I thought.  I loved it.  Needless to say, I started taking Ultram on a regular basis for a while due to the "Happy" effect.  When the drug started to wear off, I would become irritated, depressed, cranky, tired, and wanted more.  I was prescribed paxil for depression, "partly due to these pills", but mostly about general life.  I was taking paxil for about a month.  Paxil didn't give me any good feeling at all.  It made me extremely tired and thats it.  Sounds kind of weird but Ultram should be prescribed as an anti-depressent in addition to a pain killer.  Just a note for all of you.....Ultram is very addicting...Once you take the first pill, you are not going to want to stop.  And its all down hill from there.  If you can avoid Ultram, I would recommend it.  Even to this day, I am still taking Ultram almost on a regular basis....just because it makes me feel good.

Hope this helps someone out there.

Be careful

[imus3]

Ultram is maby 2 steps up from an Aspren, If you get messed up on ultram, a percocet would probly kill you.

[Mike to Brighty, Brian et al]

What is your point to all this **** all the time? Do you get satisfaction from bragging about just how many opiates you can take? How high your tolerance is? No one cares how messed up you are, including yourself. Your drug intake has effected your ability to spell and articulate yourself. People's problems are theirs and real. If you think people are being trivial for complaining about their problems with Ultram and the like because they aren't strung out yet and chewing 35 Oxycontin's a day, you are the one with the problem. No one is impressed. Enjoy your day.

[M]

Has anyone ever noticed that they are eating less and/or losing weight with this med?  I took Ultram for awhile (about 10 a day).
Well last week I stepped on the scale and I was 20 pounds lighter.  I lost it over about a 2 month period, so it wasn't a rapid loss.  Anyone else notice this?

[barbara to pain and lortab]

You have a serious mental disorder, not only a high addiction to narcotics. You really should consider entering yourself into a mental hospital for detoxing and mental help.

[SA.MD WON'T ANSWER MY SIMPLE QUESTION.CO]

As a person in severe pain from multiple back fusions,I know for myself that ultram is useless.
In the start I had to throw away hundreds upon hundreds of worthless ultram. Let me inform you as to the MD trick. Ultram is almost as good as asprin. NON ADDICTING unless you think you are,but you are not. Your mind has alot of power and if it says you are addicted and you believe it,then you think you are.
The gimmick here that MD loves is that they can precribe billions of this garbage to you ((like other people on this forum has said,they have 10 refills left on their ultram)). Try that on a drug that REALLY WORKS. Maybe a few refills,but 10 refills? In your dreams. Vicodin and Lortabs 10/500,are the lowest pain medicine that works a little. Tab pure morphine helps. Perocets are what many needs but MD'S are scared of the BIG GOVERMENT and insurance crooks about giving this out. Tell you MD quack you demand a new scan of the pain problem and don't want to waste your time on FAKE MEDS like the MD who responded to your add said. If one would really tell the truth,and had the balls to do something about it you would be feeling a whole lot better.
Whoever gives you ultram,tell them you're no fool. Tell them to take it themselves for a minor headache. Or their wife for PMS. I doubt it even would work for that. Good luck. You will surely need alot of luck to find a decent MD.

[reply to What a joke. Asprin is much bet]

I am sorry to hear about your problems with Ultram.  Most likely you are so use to taking stronger drugs that a med like Ultram is useless to you.  I have never heard of Ultram being prescribed for a headache or PMS (actually Ultram can cause headaches).  I believe Ultram is a med that targets the muscles in your back.  Yes there are goverment crackdowns on stronger meds, for a reason.  Everyone is different and each body is different, what may work for one may not work for another.
I know that Ultram works for me, until my body builds a tolerance as it seems yours has.  As for refills, I don't think that any Dr. out there would give 10 refills on anything stronger than Ultram.  A good Dr. would want to see a patient if the pain persists for that long of a period.  Now on Ultram yes I was given 12 refills of 120 each.  I don't know if my Dr. actually called it in like that or if it was a pharmacy error, but I can tell you this, I have filled 2 of them so far and my current bottle says I have 10 left.  I take the ultram because of my fear of the cervical epidural.  I am suppose to go in for a cervical epidural to help ease the pain of the herniated disk in my neck.  I wouldn't get an epidural in my lower back for the birth of my kids!  I can not seems to make the appointment to have them stick a needle into my spine through my NECK!
Again I am sorry that you are in so much pain and are holding such a high tolerance to pain meds.  Have you ever considered that the pain may be in your head?  It is possible that you have built up such a tolerance and require much higher meds that you have mentally made the pain worse than it is?  Don't get me wrong, the pain can still be there, it is just that you imagine it much worse than it actually is.  I know that I fear that sometimes.  After I know that I have built a tolerance to one med I start to think that the pain is worse and I need something stronger.  When that is not the case.  Many years ago when I was hospitalized for a month and put on and off morphine drips, there was no way that ultram would have helped then.  I was too use to a much sronger med.  Then after I was sent home I was put on percocet, then weaned to vicodin.  At first the vicodin was useless to me.  I needed to get the stronger meds out of my system for the vicodin to properly work for me.

[tom to Dr Steve]

re your "advice" to John about the anti-imflamatories: After back surgery, I had a doctor like you who thought it was better that I burned a hole in my stomach than take a narcotic pain reliever. I followed his "advice" and, a year later, almost died in the ambulance from internal bleeding caused from my daily intake of such wonderful drugs as Voltairen and Daypro. Before you suggest the new cox-2 inhibitor, Celebrex, most of us can't get this very expensive drug covered by our insurance. Like most doctors, your focus is limited to your specialty. I suppose when your patients start bleeding internally you'll just refer them to an internist so he can practice HIS specialty. You sound like just another ignorant MD to me.

In my experience, most doctors are nothing more than over-educated plumbers -- but then that would be an insult to plumbers. Dr Dteve, pull your arogant medical head out of your arse and at least try to imagine yourself as one of us -- normal, decent people suffering daily, debilitating pain who just want to live and work and raise our families like anyone. We turn to someone like you for help and, for our trouble, are victimized by your self-absorption and callousness.

[barbara to pain and lortab]

My psychiatrist recently started me on Celebrex for a chronic pain problem and I found it does not work nearly as well as ibuprofen( Motrin, Advil) which she believes is bad for the kidneys. Alcohol also works better, but as you know is another strongly addicting drug.

I began curing my pain by drinking alcoholic beverages because I could not get pain meds from my HMO way back when. Now I am still fighting a severe alcohol addiction! IT SUCKS!!!!!!

[SA.MD WON'T ANSWER MY SIMPLE QUESTION.CO]

Tom...Way to tell it like it REALLY is.

Barbara...Celebrex was prescribed to me but didn't touch my pain at all. I have a question. I don't drink at all. Never believed in booze or pills. But you know when pain is a 12 in a scale of 10 you take the pills. You said you cure your pain by drinking? I would like to know if drinking really does help reduce the pain. And if so,what is best to drink?

Replier to Ultram is a joke..... Yes I had taken Ultram years ago for a short short period for a sport injury. I honestly will say even then,before I ever had anything stronger than a asprin,ultram was useless and I ended up taking Motrin that did work. Ultram didn't. A few years later had surgery and stomach cut open. While in the hospital on the day following surgery the nurse came in to give me a pain shot and I said NO!!! I was in real surgery pain but wanted my mind clear and knew that the morphine/Demoral was clouding my mind. The nurse preached I needed the shots of pain meds because it would ease the pain and I would be able to recover faster than if I didn't get relief. I said none of that ****. The next day I got up and was amazingly walking down the hall with all my hoses. I still wasn't able to eat yet,but by not taking the dope I was walking. The nurses there said they had never seen a person recover as fast as I did and go without the pain shots. I know I recovered so fast because my own body was handling the pain not the narcotics. So I was able to be more active and got strong much faster.
I know when pain is in your head or FOR REAL. I am super aware of my body and pain. I have broke my wrist and used no pain meds. I had torn all my ligaments in my ankle while playing volleyball and was in a cast for 6 months. Guess what? I used notta one pain drug. My ankle was the size of a softball within 5 minutes of injury. I didn't make a sound. I just slided across the court on my butt to the out of bounds area. And stayed until the games were over then went home. Later I had to go too the hospital for a cast.
I have had basketball,football,volleyball and baseball injuries and took no pain meds. Two knee surgeries etc... I just accepted extreme pain as a part of sports. Pain that always eventually went away and I recovered. I know pain. I know when if it's mind created pain OR the real deal something is really stabbing me big time and it is not my mind. Oh how I wish it was in my mind. That would make me the happiest person in the world. Sorry,but I know all the in and outs of pain. Take real pain meds for a period of time and then STOP,the pain will get worse "also" because your body has stopped producing it's own pain killer. But after a few months your body is producing it's full amount of pain killers. Now you know the horrible pain that is STILL PRESENT is not at all imagine. It's a no brainer,the pain is real and some MD didn't make the pain less with surgery,but instead made it much worse. I went directly from being pain free,running 8 to 16 miles everyday,boxing a few hours per day,weight training for years and my job was in sports. Coaching,directing,training others,and playing many sports immediately to no sports,walking and in much pain. All in an instant. NOW I TAKE PAIN MEDS BECAUSE NO DOCTOR COULD RELIEVE THE PAIN. I use to dominate pain with my mind. No more,I ran out of steam.
Doctors are worthless piece of garbage TO ME. That is MY own personal opinion and for ME,it's true.
One day Doctors will have balls. And HMO'S will have their's cut off.

No offense to anyone. As the old timers(Beatles) once said,"all we need is love" and enough pain relief for everyone.

[cc]

Has anyone ever tried Lodine XL? I love that stuff...non narcotic, anti-inflammatory, beats the heck out of vioxx & celebrex too, might be worth at least trying.

[Lee1]

It would be nice if I could find something to help my severe pain due to disk degeneration.  I cannot take aspirin, Celebrex, or any NSAIDs because I take Coumadin (blood thinner) since I had an aortic valve replacement.  I was told Tylenol would hurt my liver because of hepatitis C, physical therapy and chiropractic helps only a little.  I have gone to a pain clinic and they are recommending narcotics, but I am having trouble connecting with my family doctor to begin treatment.  Much can be said about the dangers of medication, but when you suffer from severe pain day and night, you will try anything.  I even considered epidural block and acupuncture, but these are ruled out because of the Coumadin intake.  Dr. Steve, I don't know you personally, but it seems that you are compassionate and helpful, and certainly don't deserve some of the negative ravings you are getting.  Hang in there; good people always get attacked in this world.

[Paul]

Hi everybody,
I had a kidney removed...My druggest informed me that I should take Ultrum over addiction  drugs for they were not habit forming. I don't know if my problem is from taking the drug or the operation itself. I suffer from depression, restlessness of  the leg on the side where  the kidney was removed, also sharp nerve pain in that leg and foot, therefore not sleeping good at night unless I take 2 Ultrams 3 hours apart totaling 4 tablets, my Dr. told me the nerve damage (which is getting better) was cause by the physian that performed the operation on the kidney...he said the physian laid me sideways to reach the kidney better, and in doing so he stretch the front nerves too much damaging them...but he said over time they will return back normal.  What I am saying is  are my problems from the Ultrum or after effects of a major operation. Its been 3 years since the surgery.
Paul

[Paul]

Hi everybody,
I had a kidney removed...My druggest informed me that I should take Ultrum over addiction  drugs for they were not habit forming. I don't know if my problem is from taking the drug or the operation itself. I suffer from depression, restlessness of  the leg on the side where  the kidney was removed, also sharp nerve pain in that leg and foot, therefore not sleeping good at night unless I take 2 Ultrams 3 hours apart totaling 4 tablets, my Dr. told me the nerve damage (which is getting better) was cause by the physian that performed the operation on the kidney...he said the physian laid me sideways to reach the kidney better, and in doing so he stretch the front nerves too much damaging them...but he said over time they will return back normal.  What I am saying is  are my problems from the Ultrum or after effects of a major operation. Its been 3 years since the surgery.
Paul

[Brian to Sick and Scared § ALL you guys]

Your depression isn't likely to be related to the operation (unless indirectly due to changes in pain and lifestyle as a result of the surgery).  Speak with your physician about it and see if an antidepressant is indicated.  If your physician diagnosed you with "nerve damage" it certainly isn't from the Ultram.  Finally, if and when you are feeling ready to try weaning off the Ultram, you may determine more answers to your questions.

[D.Lyman Layton]

Hi John from Oregon
Just a note to let you know such a pain can be delt with.
When I was 22 years old, I twisted my back while at work.
I went to two doctors, one said he did not know how to treat
such a thing in a young person. That was quite a few years ago.
Anyway, He put a brace on me. It was one with the metal shafts
in it.For awhile I could not work,maybe 3 or 4 months.
I wore the brace for 1 and 1/2 years. But it worked.
That was 38 years ago. I have not had any trouble with my back
so far.
         Good Luck
         D.Lyman Layton

[John [e-mail]]

I had begun experiencing lower back pain radiating into the right leg a few years ago as a result of heavy awkward lifting.  I tried all of the pain meds out there including narcotics which made me sick.  I tried Ultram at the recommendation of my doc who stated that this medication is safe and nonaddictive....surprise!  I have tried to stop taking Ultram with severe GI consequences as well as a very negative influence on my attitude and motivation.  Non addictive?  No, trust me and all of the others who have found out the hard way.  Didn't they do clinical trials on this med?

[wondering]

My husband's Dr.has put him on this Ultrum pill.  I have noticed a difference in my husband.  I'm not sure if it is a good change... My husband seems to sleep more and actually acts like he is drunk or something...  Anyone else having these issues...

[Ultrammer]

Please don't cloud the intent of the original post. Ultram is trouble! It grabs you slowly and holds on like a shark!!! It's obvious that some are immune. Most (like me) are NOT!

Ultram is a "below the radar" addictive medication. The body reacts to it like opium. If you take it for more then a few weeks, you HAVE to stop taking it SLOWLY. Try at first to reduce one pill for a few days. Then another pill. This will reduce the symptoms...

This worked for me. From 21 pills daily to 3. It is a physical addiction (not only mental). If I wait to take it, I start sneezing and I get dizzy. Remember SLOWLY...

Good luck!!!

[mlh340]

my dr just gave me  a script for Ultram for sever upper abdominal pain -- I've had the GI's, endoscopy, CT scan, blood work, ultra sounds etc and they all show nothing.  I have been on and off vicodin for the past 3 wks and cannot function on it, so they gave me ultram -- i asked the nurse if it was a narcodic and addictive and if it would make me loopy like the vicodin, she said no, it's much better, and not addictive and should kill the pain, but now after reading all this i'm not even sure i want to fill the script.  i'm glad i googled this drug as i had never heard of it before.

[MICHAEL_777]

Have you asked them to test for parasites?  I had a similar problem when I was younger and after all the tests, that's exactly what it was.  

[avisg]

Ultram is an odd drug for some it does nothing, for others like me it was very addicting . Do you have addiction issues, or are you just being very cautious .

[mabodine]

Today is my first perscriptoin of ultrum.  I have been on Vicadin for four years steady.  I can't take any across the calender meds because of my kidney problems. From what you all say, I should of stayed where I was, with the vicadin.  As for the one that said she felt happy after taking the ultrum, I do the same with vicadin.  I talked and couldnn't stop.  I always said that everyday with vicadin was like Christmas. ha

mabodine

[liliflower]

i believe ultram caused heart and breathing problems 4 me,and probably kidney and liver problems,use it with severe caution.i hate that drug,if you read side effects it states respitory problems,id rather be in pain than have shortness of breath.