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Ultram versus Vicodin

Has anyone had any experience with Ultram for lower back pain?
I've been trying to find information on Ultram.  
Does anyone know anything about the drup Ultram?
I am suffering from servere lower back pain caused by multiple colasped and bulging disks.
I have had four epedural injections in the past year still without relief.
I've been taking 30 Vicodin HPs a week for a year now, but I am still suffering and I am finding it difficult to concentrate after taking Vicodin. I want to stop taking Vicodin before I become more dependant on it than I already am.
My Dr. has suggested switching to Ultram in the past.
Some pharmacist say that Ultram is addictive while others say it is not.
Before I switch to another medication I would like to know what I am getting myself into.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
William

112 Responses
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Avatar universal
I agree no one should live with pain. Hi my name is Tracy (Australia) I have just stumbled across its site..its very interesting, I'm glad I'm not the only one out there with pain probs.I've been in 2 car accidents wich led to multiple injury, now 30yrs later I have scoliosis, and degenerative bones and arthritis. There isn't much I can do anymore physically.. but I do take alto öf pain meds. Celebrex 3dy, Lyric 2day,Endep 2day,Derilin 2day,Tramadol SR100 1day,Tramadol 3-4ay,Cymbalta 1day,osteo panadol 2 4xday, Norspan patches 20 1wkly,Panadine forte,Oxcycodone 5, Oxcycodone 10, Oxcycontin 20...wow looks like a lot..I've had inj in all corners of my body, plates, screws, bones shortened,.. now Drs say its just pain management time....I am surprised no mention from anyone about taking antidepressants,( Cymbalta) and is no one on any morphine patches (Norespan) I swear by those.....Have a pain free day all
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Avatar universal
I think one's reaction to Vicodin or any narcotic depends on the individual.  I've taken Vicodin for 10-15 yrs. I'm prescribed 4 Vicodin ES (7.5mg) a day as needed.  Sometimes I'll take 1  but generally no more than three unless I'm experiencing terrible pain.  I think Vicodin is addictive for some and not for others.  I feel the same is true fro ultram.  You can't generalize how the drug will react to a particular individual.
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Avatar universal
Lisa, I concur with you 100%,however, I am a disabled nurse who, like willem has had to face this problem with lower back pain.  I have been to orthopedic surgeons who have grabbed me by the hand and pulled me out of the chair, almost slinging me across the room saying that I was faking.  Radiographic imaging revealed multiple compression fractures, bulging discs and a borderline spinal chord compression.  I have also been to a pain management specialist, have undergone numerous facet injections as well as utilizing electricity (much like that provided by a muscle stimulator) with no significant reduction in pain.  I am taking Hrydrocodone/apap 10/500 mg orally twice a day for severe pain.  I went back to pain management and he stated that he would put me on a duragesic patch/fentenyl 75 to 100 mg which is applied to skin over an area where fatty tissue has accumulated, normally the back, before he would up the dose of the oral anelgesic.  I refused the patch and came to find out that they had had several fentenyl patch related deaths.  Folks like us understand that the body undergoes drug dependence, however, I don't know of anyone out there with actual pain who enjoys having to take narcotics just to start or finish the day.  Alot of times, we need physicians who are empathetic to our pain.  It is hard to get them to realize the intensity of the pain when they themselves have not experienced it.  Sincethen, I have been prescribed Ultram 100mg four times a day, I am also on the Hydrocodone.  If I do not feel relief after the first two doses, I resort back to the narcotic and I am ever present of watching out for significant events caused by drug-drug, drug-food interactions. I don't know, Willem definitely needs to see a pain management specialist to follow him, determine the pros and cons of specific drug regimens and most importantly, a doctor, one who is not afraid to include the patient in the determination of what treatments to try to see if they are affective, because pain management is done by trial and error. There are those out there who are hell-bent on going from one facility or one doctor to another in search of the drugs, and that it is their initial response to a person who is encountering legitimate pain.  

Mike Lebleu, LPN, disabled
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Avatar universal
I have taken tramadol for severe sinus pain only when I need it . As I am reading this post I realize I am going through withdrawl. I took tramadol for 5 days straight now stopped & now my whole body hurts , moody , severe headache (not in sinus area) I feel like im going through withdrawl. i feel like i have severe Pms . (which i do not)  i was just abt to take more when i read this. I have to admit I want to take them . I want these symptoms to stop but i will push through it.  I also noticed Im happy & great mood when I take them I guess now I say im high . I think this drug should be a controlled substance. It needs more warnings.
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Avatar universal
I know this post was in 2009,but I am hping that you see this and there would be someway I could get a message to you. I have felt this way about the doctors and so fourth for 8 years now and so wish there would be just one more person that would get together with me about this..I am so outraged at how all they care about is instead of helping and talking with us now instead of take this antidepressant or this pain med and call me in the morning I could puke..and yes I have the same problem.It started when a had a brain aneueysm 10 years ago and almost died and now I will die because of them putting me on so much stuff that I will probally not make it because of their stupidity and lack of concern for any of us these days.I thought for a long time it was just in my small town but reading post and talking to people from all over the country it is everywhere and I think its time we take a stand,march,scream whatever,just stop this before more of use die or wish we were dead..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
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Avatar universal
I absolutely agree drevans140. The effect is great for Ultram and it does give you that "top of the world" feeling. I Have been taking it now for 4 years for chronic back pain. The withdrawals are fierce, I have gone thru anxiety, sleeplessness, sweats, and depression.
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Avatar universal
Vicky i feel your pain. About s year ago i was strongly addicited to oxycodone and Opana witch is fairly new and 5 times stronger than oxycotin. The withdrawl symptoms are and have been provin to be worse then getting off heroin, it also takes about 3 weeks longer then heroin or cocain. I went through some of the worse withdrawls that anyone could imagine. Constant diaria stay near a bathroom or you will crap the bed, vommiting even water, itchy and sensitive skin, it was painfull to have anyone touch me. You cant sit still you get angry and just want to scream sometimes i did. You will experience many weird feelings inside and outside your body. Its almost like you could feel the hairs on you arms and legs poking you it drove me crazy, and the whole time the only thing i could think about was wanting the drug so it would just stop. Pain medications are nothing to joke about. I started not being addicited to anything but then i slipped two disks and my life took a crazy and dark turn, thou now it has all come back together it was a long and painfull road and I dont just mean physical pain. Anyone can get hooked on these medications i dont care if its oxy, vic's, perks, opana, whatever treat them like and invader, like a relative that is only gona be around for a short period of time, I live with pain without any and i mean any medications at all. it can be done and i have disks that are gone and have a gap in my spine nervs shooting down my *** and legs, and i love my life still, you all can do it get off the pain meds as soon as you can, they are not meant to be taken for life.
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Avatar universal
The risk associated with high doses of Tramadol is due to the risk of seizure, and this risk is directly correlated to ones seizure threshold. Some people are more prone to seizures in general, and some people are more prone to seizures from tramadol. It depends on the individual, but doctors are weary at first to prescribe high doses because of this.
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Avatar universal
Ultram aka tramadol has a ssri component similar to some anti depressants. The withdrawal is a depressing and anxious one no doubt worsened by the ssri component. The drug gives you energy, confidence, and makes you feel everything is great. But in reality your just taking a weakened vicodin that makes you less sleepy and has a small amount of anti depressant in it. I found tramadol to be a harder psychological challenge to withdrawal from than hydrocodone. They are equally addicting, though.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
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Avatar universal
The reason a doctor only prescribes a certain amount of Tramadol to a patient is not due to paranoia. Tramadol can be as addictive as opiates like hydrocodone, even though it is a synthetic opiate. I have been taking Tramadol 50 mg 3 times a day for about 8 months for chronic back pain. I was originally prescribed hydrocodone apap 5 mg/500 mg by the first doctor I saw for my back. I stopped taking it when my new doctor prescribed Tramadol. The Tramadol didn't seem to be helping the pain very much. The other day I took 1 hydrocodone to see what would happen. From my personal experience, hydrocodone, (Vicodin, Norco, etc.) is a much better pain reliever. BOTH TRAMADOL AND HYDROCODONE CAN BE ADDICTIVE IF YOU TAKE MORE THAT THE PRESCRIBED DOSE, SO DON'T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR DOCTOR'S PERMISSION!!
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Avatar universal
nothing is good for u when pregnant but when i was and had a bad tooth they did prescribe me tylenol 3 it worked and did no harm to my now 2 yr old my suggestion is to not take regularly but take only when in extreme pain try to ask your doctor  and if u want to get pregnant and are taking something now its time to start weaning yourself off i did 3 months before i got pregnant and was so happy its so hard to wean off all at once which you will have to do if you get pregnant!!! hope you have good luck its hard to wean but do it slow and remember its for the baby not you it works im proof!
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Avatar universal
nothing is good for u when pregnant but when i was and had a bad tooth they did prescribe me tylenol 3 it worked and did no harm to my now 2 yr old my suggestion is to not take regularly but take only when in extreme pain try to ask your doctor  and if u want to get pregnant and are taking something now its time to start weaning yourself off i did 3 months before i got pregnant and was so happy its so hard to wean off all at once which you will have to do if you get pregnant!!! hope you have good luck its hard to wean but do it slow and remember its for the baby not you it works im proof!
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Avatar universal
Read your post.  I've been taking Norco on and off for years.  I've gotten a prescription, only to find out that it's never enough.  I always want to go back and ask for more, but get scared my Dr. is going to start bringing up addiction.  So many people don't look far enough into their future until one day it's staring you in the face.  You people don't realize you are getting older and this pain triangle you are stuck in with the opiates will not work.  Why do we want to take a pill in the morning?  We don't, but we are addicted if we have to take something first thing in the morning to get moving.  I have a 12 year old who will one day start having kids of his own.  I don't want him to look at his parents as addicts, but what else would you call it?  I find the older I get, the less likely coming off the meds it seems.  Tramadol is what I was looking at getting back into.  I took myself off all pills before by doing this.  Brian, sorry for the long story not related to you, but can you tell me more about the shot you had mentioned?  I'm in pain right now, just ran out of my last Norco, and I'm feeling nervous because I'm a single mother who cannot afford to miss a day of work.  I need all my pay.
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Avatar universal
Hi Tam.  First, I pray for your strength and that God would give you wisdom as you seek to navigate through a very trying and tough circumstance.
I want to tell you some very truthful yet difficult things and hope that it will help in some way.  I speak only out of my own life and experience and can only tell you how things progressed for myself and my beautiful wife and children. I no longer live in the same house as them and My wife filed legal papers to divorce me.  I want to assure you that Tramadol is addictive. It is much less potent than Vicodin or oxy type drugs. But it is still very addictive. I was addicted to vicodin and used Tramadol to bridge the time between scripts of opiates. The major issue is seeking to find a way to get your husband to be honest about the extent of his use. How long have you been struggling along with him in his addiction?  Does he have the desire to change?  The Tramadol is much less in strength and will keep him from going into withdrawls.  Just that fact alone is confirmation that Tramadol is addictive and an opiate.  It just is.  The Tramadol also known as Ultram, can be used to take the level of addiction down a notch but the truth to face is this: If he stops tramadol and is not taking any other opiate..He will go into withdrawls.  I have gone through Tramadol withdrawls 2 times.  It is a very difficult 3 to 4 days with all normal withdrawl systems. They are no less then the symptoms faced with coming off of Vicodin.  
Here is what I suggest.  I know that each families and people are dfferent so my advice, although saved my life, may not be exactly the right plan for him and you.YOu need to google suboxone Dr.'s in your area.  Suboxone is a temporary treatment that will allow him to come off of the opiates.  Suboxone if an under the tongue medicine that melts and dissolved into your system. When starting it He will have no withdrawl symptoms and will fin that he can function normally. It truly is a miracle drug that gave me back my life, my job, my self=confidence and my stability that allows me to take care of my family financially. Unfortunately my wife, after going through this with me 4 times..(detox and rehab) on the last time, which happened to be Rock bottom for me and that has brought complete live change..she saw the 4th time as the last time. She isn't willing to deal with it ever again.  I can understand her position from a very elementary understanding but from the Spiritual side of this...I just wish that we could have worked through it knowing that God truly has delivered me.  After 4 times...she still thinks that I am finding ways to sneak drugs... Just not the case.  I am done with all of that and have moved on.  Please please ask God to grant you the wisdom to know how to deal with this situation without giving up on each other of the marriage.  It is so very hard to to look thing.  To answer your question. Yes it is addictive no matter what story him or others try to make you think.  Lastly, Please dont give up on him.  The hope is there and right around the corner. I know that I felt helpless and like I would ever find a way out. When I found the suboxone clinic, I found a way to quit and get back to my life and this specific medicene gives hope in a hopeless sitution. He can use the medicine as a bridge to walk between hardcore opiates and complete sobriety and normal living.  He must be commited to quiting and to be sick of wasting the funds that you need to care for the family. The worst thing you can do is give him room to remain addicted.  I am sure that you love him so this will be the most difficult thing you may have to do right now.  Addicts can be very convincing, they will find any and all excuses to stay addicted.   I have said too much probably in answer to your simple question.  Tramadol is addictive...very.  Take care and God bless you.        
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Avatar universal
My husband was addicted to Oxycontin and Percocet and has been slowly going down in doses over the last year or so. He has been completely off the Oxycontin for a while now. He is down to five 15mg Percocet a day. He went to the doctors yesterday and he didn't tell me, but there's a Rx in his pocket for Ultram. 300mg, 30 tablets. Is this really something he needs?
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Avatar universal
In 2004, my twin brother died of an Oxycontin overdose while in the hospital. He had been using (and abusing) it for years for chronic back pain. The day he was to have back surgery to install a morphine drip into his back, he injested 100mg of Phentinel (?) because he was afraid of being in pain after the surgery. He did not tell the doctors as he didn't want to appear weak. After the surgery, he was administered Oxy via drip. Not knowing the amount already in his system, he stopped breathing and immediately went into a coma. He was on life support for 3 weeks before we pulled him off of it. I wish I could bring my brother back more than anything. Whoever you are, whereever you are - please be careful with pain meds such as these. Is it the pain or the fear of pain which drives your dependancy? Once you answer that question, you may be on the road to redemption.

- Paul
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Avatar universal
I have heard that kratom helps with opioid addiction (research it online, but make sure the seller is credible), it is legal in most areas and helps with certain types of pain - it is natural. I have used it for pain and it does take the edge off. I currently take Ultram as needed for pain, but I don't really like the way they make me feel so no chance of addiction for me. I also don't like hydrocodone and it doesn't really help my back, the Ultram does, but I only take it when I absolutely "have" to.

If you are dependent on opioid and want to get off, please check out kratom. I have heard of many use it with great success and no withdrawal symptoms.
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Avatar universal
There are many people who can take Tramadol for their pain and have relief. One thing about Tramadol that I have not seen mentioned here, is that it does have SSRI properties to it, so it can be rx'd to have A/D relief as well. Many people including myself have been able to take this medication without abusing or misusing it because of it's A/D and pain relief.
I am fearful yes of becoming addicted, however I'll be honest, I feel much better taking this over any Hydrocodone combo, any morphine, Oxy, Fentanyl, etc. I know it might seem odd, but it's not just about the "high" that the others would potentially give, but Tramadol for me just makes me feel better. The pain is treated enough for me to have a relatively productive day. My overall quality of life has increased in such a positive way and I am thankful that I have found a med that doesn't tear up my liver or require me to misuse it in order to find any relief.
The problem with chronic pain is, many people feel that they should be able to go through their day with zero pain. That's not always the case, there will always be pain, but being able to control or subdue it enough to live, is what's important.

I think everyone is different, I think posts telling anyone to stay away from it "because it sux" is non productive. Each person reactes differently to it, just like any other medication. It might not work for others, while it works great for some. I've helped treat people who were severe drug addicts and are able to use this for their pain without misusing, or abusing it, which is very rare and very positive to share.

I do believe it has addictive properties to it, but any and I mean ANY true opiod that others preach of and any SSRIs all have the potential to cause someone to become addicted to them as well as having withdrawals from them.
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Avatar universal
I am 57 years old. I have been on class1, and class2, for over 15 years. going to rehab never worked, meetings too, never worked.
so i decided to try, ultram. this drug has opiod properties. ask your pharmacist to give you the page that comes in the bottle, itself.
when I started ultram, I felt a small chipanzee on my back. then the chimp turned into a, silver back.so I played doctor for myself. after taking 4 ultram all in one time, the monkey left me.
so if that does not tell you it is addivtive, nothing will.
withdraw takes, 7 to 10 days. and it's a, *****!!
getting off of class 1, and class 2, was less painful, then, ultram.
my advice to anyone is, DON'T GO THERE. Ultram use, that is..
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Avatar universal
Ultram is the worst! Stay away
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599071 tn?1300068702
I'm sorry to hear about your pain & I wish I had an answer for you rather than a warning.  My experience with tramadol is that I never craved it or increased my dose but I totally developed tolerance.  By not increasing the dose, I was in constant withdrawal with insomnia, weakness, increased pain.

If you read Emily Post's journal, you will see that my experience is not unusual.  Getting off tram was also not "just a week" of gradually feeling better.  Symptoms can come & go for weeks as the antidepressant part of tramadol which is just like effexor, strings out the withdrawal for many people.

Some people do report taking tramadol for extended periods without tolerance issues but watch out if you find yourself increasing your dose as people on this website have found themselves taking 20 pills a day.

Best wishes to you.
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1494729 tn?1304881080
when i was a pill head i don't know i was all about the vics and painkillers i did take the ultrams a time or two but thought they were just garbage but after reading some of these i guess there just little devils like there  narcotic painkilling friends vickey and perkey...
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271792 tn?1334979657
Hi & Welcome,

You are tapering off of what?

In the upper right hand corner of this page are the health pages. In there you will find The Thomas Recipe as well as the Amino Acid Protocol. Both contain very helpful supplements.

I hope this helped. Keep posting to let us know how you are doing, and ask any questions along the way.

Also, if you go to the top of this page and hit the green Post A Question button, you can start your own thread which is easier to follow. This one is 11 years old and may get lost in the shuffle.
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Avatar universal
i just  want a home remedy to stop withdrawel i am on 3rd day and i need something i really dont want this anymore but everytime i do this icant take the systoms and take it so i wont go thru it again   and it goes on and on i just need something to stop the withdrawel and i know i can do this    ,,,ANYONE help
Helpful - 0
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