vicodin and tramadol

[Rezee]

I had brain tumor surgery in June and have been on Vicodin. In the last month i have been alternating (every 4 hrs) both Vicodin and Tramadol on a daily basis.I thought it would be a good way to decrease the Vicodin. I read the "precautions" for tramadol and it states "do not take with narcotics or other opioids". Then I realize that tramadol is just as addicting as vicodin. So why would a physician prescribe tramadol to try to get off the vicodin? I have cluster headaches since the surgery and now I think it will be twice as hard to try to discontinue either of those. Looking for some input.

[nikki1975]

I am in themedical field. Pharmaceutical sales Manager selling In chronic pain area--selling tremadol. Its a opiod and it has the same potential of abuse but low rates of abuse because people prefer hydrocodones and oxycodones. But tramadol is a little weaker opiod and it also works on your seratonin levels so its little different. So treat it as the vicoden if you are looking at tolerence and addiction.
I have bad headaches, migraines and neck problems. No tumor but its pain that debilitates me and i am often left feeling lifeless and sorry for myself.
One more thing-when it comes to headaches and migraines incuding cluster its the best not to use opiods because they are a sure way to get more and more hedaches...
sorry to say we have to stay way and i know it helps and numbs the pain---but not long before the pain is back. works for 30 mins for me then i got to take more.

I am out of this cycle.

[f1swede]

I would stay away from the Tramadol. I had a accident in 2004 and finally ended up on Vicodin 5/500 and happend to run out one day. I was pretty weird over a weekend and thought i was addicted. Never been around any type of drugs like that i thought i was in deep trouble. So i went to my Doc and told him what was going on and asked him if there is anything out there not addicting and he told me Tramadol is not. I was on Tramadol for 7-8 months and they did not do as well for pain as the Vicodin did also felt very detached from everything. Of course i ran out one day with the Tramadol and was now up to 6tabs. daily. I went in severe whithdrawl could not sleep stay warm keep warm and the shakes. Went to the clinic my Doc was out and talked to someone else. He told me sounds just like the flu come back if not better in a couple days. I did not get better actually got worse and finally saw my Doc and he ran every test in the book hepatites,HIV,Thyroid scan and found nothing wrong. After 3 weeks of intense whitdrawls i saw a internal medicine Doc and she told me you are whithdrawing from Tramadol. I thought the worst was over but i was very wrong had the mental stuff to go thru still. I was crying for no reason and extremly deprssed. Took me about 6weeks before i started to feel normal again. So that is my story on Tramadol. I been on different drugs after that but none of them had the side effect the Tramadol had. So i will never take Tramadol ever again. Vicodin was a lot easier to come off compared to Tramadol. Just my opinion so be very careful with Tramadol. Good luck, f1swede

[nikki1975]

The reason its different with tremadol is because its opiate and atidepressant in one like. More an OPIATE acting on m1 receptors-opiate receptors but at the same time inhibiting seratonin and nonepeneprine reuptake.
Hope it makes sense. I had a hard time getting off LEXAPRO. 20 days of all sorts of weird withdrawal symptoms.

[avisg]

I assure you the tramadol is most likely making your headaches worse ot better .It is known for rebound headaches .It is just as addicting ad the wd is worse for many.

[Rezee]

Thank all of you so much for your opinions re: tramadol and vicodin. I dont know whats worse--getting more headaches from taking tramadol or not taking it at all.
Thanks again