Visit to the ER

Last night the pain in back reached a point where I just needed some relief..alleive, etc wasn't touching it..wound up
in the ER..Same ER I'd gone to in Sept when I needed help getting off of vics. (they gave me clonidine at the time which helped immensely)..I wasn't going looking for opiates..just *something* that would give me some relief..after
an exam they beleived me that I was hurting, however, the doctor pointed out why I was there in Sept and could
not prescribe vics, or opiates..I was quite relieved, and explained that I didn't want them..she wound up giving me
skalaxin (sp?) and Ultram and medrol dose pack. I'm not too familiar with ultram, but have since done some reading..
It definitely helped, and I was pain free all night..sounds like I need to be careful with those, however.


Jim

[confused456]

Yes be careful please. Good luck with the pain.

[road2recovery]

Great job on not getting opiates...Yet ultram is a very addicting drug...I have taken it several times in the past and it never did anything , not even for the pain...But after reading horror stories from getting off it , i am so glad now...If u take as persribed, u should be ok...just be carefull..
I have found through taking many different meds for my back that zanaflex worked really well...I have used skelaxin but never helped...BUT everyone is different....
I am so glad u were pain free all night...Back pain is the worst!!!
Hope is gets better!
r2r

[faith_hope_love]

Hi Jim, I hope you feel better soon.  I have degenerative disk in all 3 lumbar,cervical & thorasic so I definately can empathize with you and I also just stopped taking lortab which is same thing as vicodin really.

I bought this cream from Walmart called ArthRID-IT MAX arthritis relief with Celadrin and this stuff works so well.  Where most creams have either one or the other ingredient in it, this one has both, menthol (like you would get from the blue mineral ice) and Trolamine (like you would get in aspercreme.)  I just wanted to mention it because it does help.

I too am trying to find other ways to deal with pain.  I am new to this forum and also know nothing about Ultram except what I have read here and it is not good at all.  I think, I am not sure but two people here, avisg and malenurse, I think ultram or tramadol is what they had to withdraw from and it was very hard and painful so be careful and maybe even ask one of them about it.

Lyn

[fedup4now]

Please be careful with ultram - I have been on it for back pain for 2 years now.  My doc is anything opiate based , so was given this as a non addictive alternative.
Well it gets rid of my back pain - but for me it is addictive.  While it doesn't give me the high, or rush I get from oxy, it does give me a nice warm feeling of well being.  If I am not in a lot of pain - the feeling is a bit more intense.
I really notice if I don't take them during the day, and now need to take a lot more than I should to just feel okay.  
There are a number of people here that have had some nasty experiences with Ultram - hopefully they will post to give you some more information.

[GoingToMakeIt]

Ultrams are a big no no. Even on their site it says to not use if prone to opiate addiction. There are a bear to get off of. So you are right to be cautious. Sorry about the back pain.

[Beargizmo]

Thanks for the info, folks...after 8 or 9 months (with a brief relapse a month or so ago) of
being off vics, I do not want to be back on them...but I'll watch the ultram and am taking
ONLY as directed and ONLY when needed.


Jim