Tramadol For Severe Refractory depression.

[Hensley258]

As you all probably know, I like to do constant research on any new advances in Psychiarty and Pharmacology.

In the last several months there has many studies done regarding Tramadol for usage in Very severe cronic Refractory depression that simply no longer fully responds to even the most powerful AD medication.

Again this is only being used by some Psychiatrist when all other forms of antidepressant therapy fail to give full relief to specific resistant patients.

The feed back I have gathered from nearly 100 severe Refratory sufferers online is astounding to say the least.

Tramadol is NOT sanctioned as a controled substance by the FDA, like Xanax and diazapam are.

The feed back I am getting from EVERY severe resistant suffer is VERY positive. Many have been taking Tramadol for their Resistant Severe depression for over two years and if prescribed and taken responsibly it is no doubt 100% effective in almost every case no matter how cronic and severe the patients level of depression is.

It is NOT a conventional Opiate, but rather a synthetic form of very mild Opiate that mildly binds to opiate receptors in the brain.
It also happens to have proven Neorephinepherine and Serotonin Reuptake action that are proven much more effective than traditional SSRI's and SNRI's.

It is not a Benzodiazaphine like Xanax or Clonazapam. Studies show it to actually be a bit less addictive also.

This profound effect on Severe Depression was accidentally discovered by many Very severly depressed people (NOT FORMER DRUG ADDICTS) when they were prescribed Tramadol for unrelated back and other pain. To their supprise they found that it was much more effective for their resistant depression than it was their back pain.

I'm talking about perople that have true severe Refractory depressive dissorder, not mild to moderate depression. These people were having to take combinations of Psycotropic AD medications just to get partial relief of their cronic dissorder. Guess what? It really works and most people find the side effects much more tolerable than dozens of other AD meds they were taking previously!

Now I will tell you the downside. As you know there is no medication that is not a give and take balance.
Tramadol while not a full blown Opiate like Vicodin or Oxycotin or Codine has much less risk of addiction, BUT it can still be addictive IF not taken properly.

Like other medications already approved for severe depression, a sufferer using it can in time develope resistance to Tramadol, But here's the good news. You know how after taking an SSRI or SNRI for long periods of time it's effectiveness can fade and eventually for many become completly non-effective? Same is true of Tramadol WITH ONE VERY KEY DIFFERENCE. When and if resistance is built up to Tramadol then one can stop it for only 3 days and then resume at a lower dosage and gain back effectiveness in a very short period of time.

As many here know when you have built up a resistance to traditional antidepressants like Zoloft or Effexor, going back to them will never again produce a response. Not the case with Tramadol.

IMPORTANT: I AM NOT SAYING THAT TRAMADOL IS A CURE, NOR DO I THINK IT SHOULD EVER BE TAKEN BY ANYONE THAT IS NOT AT A VERY ADVANCED LEVEL OF REFRACTORY DEPRESSION THAT SIMPLY WILL NOT EVEN RESPOND TO MAOI OR EVEN ECT.

Tramadol is also NOT advised for ANYONE that has past addiction problems. or Bi-polar 1 dissorder.

I know your asking, "yea, but I don't want to feel high or uporic." This is the wonderful thing about Tramadol unlike natural Opiates because it will not get you High or make you feel high.

Of the many Severe cases I have talked to that are currently utilizing Tramadol for their untreatible Severe depression. ALL of them report no high feeling.
They describe it's effect to be exactly what they felt like before becoming severly depressed. No more, no less.

AGAIN: This is not a call for ANYONE here to just go out and take Tramadol. It should ONLY be considered by the 10 to 15 percent of us long term sufferers that have absolutly exhausted all other forms of therapy and medication to treat the kind of Refractory depression that simply doesn't respond to anything else.

NEVER take Tramadol without first consulting your Psychiatrist. Like I said, as with meds like Xanax it can be addictive for some people and should be treated with caution.

Understand that I realize this is not a standard treatment. It has risks, but for those of us that for years have only experienced partial relief from regular AD medications and that are completly non-functional as a result, Tramadol can offer life again. It is proven to be extreemly effective for Severe Depression combined with severe Anxiety.

Will I risk potential addiction with Tramadol? Verses the fact that I have tried everything for 17 years and have now become imminently suicidal because I can no longer fuction? You bet your *** I will take the risk.

Even if it only provides me with two years of complete remission, I will take that over my imminent death. My family and doctor also agree.

Will I take it before subjecting myself to ECT? I have done a full year of non-stop research on ECT and I can tell you that while it can be effective for a very short time. It has great risks associated with it. In some cases it can result in perminent brain damage and permenent loss of memory. I have direct experience talking with ECT patients and almost none of them got any sustained relief from it. In some cases their memory was permenenty damaged.

Will I risk Tramadols proven results, over risking ECT brain damage. Oh yes I will.

Tramadol has risks, but IF taken responsibly the reports of complete remission of symptoms is phenominal.
100's are online reporting of it being the ONLY treatment that really 100% works for them.

Don't believe me? Just Google "Tramadol for Severe Depression"

You will see hundreds of direct reports on depression forums from people that even modern Psychiatry has written off as Cronic and nearly un-treatible. These people with Tramadol have almost all experienced the gift of simply feeling NORMAL and free of the fear, doom, and dread that sadly causes many of us to end our lives.

Is it mainstreem yet? No, but the facts are in and for people on the absolute edge of death, Tramadol is working and working well.

I know many of you may see me as controvercial in my search for our absolute ability to live, but when the condition is mostly non-responsive (like mine) then we MUST sometimes think outside the box and look at alternatives that really work.

I want my life back. I deserve my life back and if Tramadol can provide that then sign me up.

Regards.

[bbaggins]

This post is from 2008, nearly six years ago.

That being said, while Tramadol has the ability to work with anxiety/depression as an SNRI, it's not really made for it. Tramadol is mainly for pain.

I have taken it in the past for pain, but also suffer from depression. While the Tramadol did affect my mood positively, it didn't last very long.

[r0ck01]

please PLEASE direct us to the facts that you are saying! about the studies of this! i truly believe this but my pschiatrist says it's bull! Please direct us so I can print it and show her!

[thirdeye33]

Happy I read this, thought it was just me, but I really feel my Tramadol helps w/ my severe neck/back pain and my horrible depression.

Thanks for posting!

[Hensley258]

Sorry, but had to bump this post to the to again. It is too importatant for the 10% of us that have exhaused all other forms of viable tretment.

Could save a life IMO.