Ultram versus Vicodin

[William]

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

[pat_k]

i have a number of physical problems (protruding lumbar disks, fibromyalgia, headaches, stiff neck [residual from a sub-arachnoid {brain} hemorrhage])  . i find that vicodin works best for neck and head pain, and tramadol works best for the pins and needles neuropathic pain from the lower back. a almost never take both in the same day. the moist tramadol i have ever taken in one day is 2 50mg, and the most vic i have ever taken are 4 5mg. i usually combine these with Robaxin to relax teh muscles. also take 900mg of neurontin to prevent muscle stiffness at night.
  i have expressed concern about addiction to my rheumatlogist and primary, and was told to not worry, that i ma taking them for a genuine need, and am not taking that much. Like one poster said, getting pain to a bearable level is the primary goal. If that requires using addictive substances, then so be it. Without meds, i would be bed-ridden, pissed off, despondent, and suicidal. So we have to weight our priorities.  

[road2recovery]

This is a very old post...Go to post question , then ask and that will help alot more

[newdoc]

Recently moved to different state and I am stuck waiting for my appointment with the new doc.  Ran out of vics last night and down to tramadol  lexapro and somas. I dont usually use the vicodin and tramadol together hence the reason I have the bottle in the first place.Just started the lexapro this morning. I'm NOT a doctor !!! Am I doing this right? I feel so nervous and confused and the pain level is very high. Should I try to get some kind of vitamin or something??? I need advice quick!!!  What will help me?

[amelia707]

I have only been on Ultram for not even a week now..coming off Percocet 10mg/325, I have an unusally high tolerance for meds it seems..that or just plain out addicted.  I do however suffer from serious back/shoulder and neck pain, so it a horrible fact that I need these prescriptions.  I cant tell you the horrible withdrawls I had last week coming off the percs.  I actually had my husband take me to the emergency room due to the severe pain and cramps I was experiencing.  It was to be expected considering the amount of time I had been on them.  I chose to get off the percs. myself, not the Doc.  At the emergency room they gave me a drug called Clonodine to help with the withdrawls, and they werent great but subsided the pain until I made it to my pain management 3 days later.  Because this was a decision that I made to get off I asked the Doctor to prescribe me something non-narcotic but useful, thats when he gave the the Ultram...needless to say, I am very confused about all these comments about this drug being addictive and will experience withdrawls coming off....I DONT EVER WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT HORRIBLE FEELING AGAIN!!!!  However, I dont seem to be getting the relief from the Ultram nor the Awake affect that I did from my Percs.  not to mention the not so great feeling in my belly.  I know most meds take time to get the full effect, but Im still in pain and need to function.  I have kids and a life!  Any Advise for something that will actually work without the tired feeling I have been experiencing from the Ultram?

[doodlebugamy]

I had been on ultram and gabapentin for a year. I found ultram helpful at first - it really helped my back pain (I have spodylolisthesis) but I began finding it difficult to concentrate and would sleep a lot. After a month or so I started getting immune to the ultram which is when I started on gapapentin aswel. Again, it worked for a while but the pain soon overcame the pain killers.

I tried accupuncture, tens, deep heat, massage, osteotherapy, physiotherapy and all sorts of other things including herbal remedies. Nothing worked so becoming desperate I tried hypnotherapy. After two sessions I came straight off the painkillers and my back now feels 70% better. I don't know whether I was addicted or not - maybe the hypnotherapy changed my midset and gave me the confidence to come off need the painkillers or something but now I'm not even on paracetamol. It still hurts but is bareable. I know it's non-conventional but it sounds as though many people are looking to a better solution to vicodin and tramadol/ultram. If you are getting desperate please just try the hypnotherapy. It may sound crazy but I had 3 sessions alltogether and I can't remember feeling so little pain since I was 10 years old. It's worth a try and doesn't screw you up like the drugs.
Just trying to help.

[idonea57]

Some people are prone to addictions no matter what.  It could be prescription medicine, alcohol, street drugs, gambling, or even something like shopping.  You have to ask yourself WHY.  Ultram can be addicting because it works.  I've been on it for over ten years.  It helps me have a "normal" life.  Without it I am in constant pain from chronic arthritis.  But when I take it, the pain is dulled to the point that sometimes I actually forget I have arthritis.  Sometimes I forget to take it (obviously I'm not addicted to it) and by the next day I feel like the tinman in the wizard of oz.  I can hardly move.  For all of you who are addicted to it, I would advise professional help.  But there are a lot of us who need to be on it, who can control the dosage, and who feel like Ultram is getting a bad rap on this forum.  If the "cure" is worse than the "cause" for you, then stop taking It.  But, as for me, I'll probably continue to take it until there's something better out there to ease my pain.  Does anyone know of anything any better?  With as few side effects?  That is legal?  Or as easy to get?  That actually works?