Tramadol

[annieigma]

Been to the doc today,
He said from x-rays your neck is knackered ( his words) so all your arm pains etc. is from that. nothing can be done, so pain killers are the only answer, but you will have good times and bad. Pain killers for night use are Tramadol, and day use is co-codamol 500/30.
Tramadol worry me, as these are also used as a leisure drug, so i am told. whats the problem with them?
I tried googling it, but so many contradictions. Bit concerned, as last time i took them, about 5 years ago, after two days i had a mini stroke, but the cause may have been excess salt intake ( I couldn't get enough salt, just wanted everthing excessively salty) or because I fell out of the loft and crushed my chest and possibly caused a blood clot.

[boxtops]

I would not be worried about taking Tramadol on prescription, as it's for a specific purpose and will ease your pain. The risk (as I understand it) with taking any analgesic tablets recreationally is that they can't ease pain you haven't got, thus giving you a high instead (or other unintended results). Presumably your doctor knows about your previous mini-stroke and will have prescribed accordingly?

[furrypusscat]

Tramadol caused me to feel dizzy and nauseas. I am on pain patches at present which apart from making me feel tired seem quite good.

[annieigma]

Hi Boxtops,
I doubt if the doctor even looked at past history further than a few months.
A mini stroke i could bear, no after effects after about twenty minutes of being paralysed down one side and unable to talk, but a full stroke would the worst thing in the world i could think of apart from losing one's sight.
I always have the attitude that pain that is not terminal, must be bearable, but some of this pain has been a bit severe to the point of tears.

[Jackdaw33]

Tramadol have caused me to be sleepy and mildly nauseous at times. That is probably why your doc has prescribed something else for daytime. I wouldn't worry about taking them just at night; you will get a good sleep if nothing else.

[maggiebee]

I took tramadol and paracetamol following my hip replacement and found that very effective.

[Daffy6543]

I'm surprised Tramadol have been prescribed for night time pain relief, one of the known side effects of Tramadol is sleep disruption.
I have been on them for years and can't take them anywhere near bedtime or i'll be awake most of the night.

[annieigma]

Daffy,
i'm awake most of the night with pain, but I do remember last time i took them i would wake up in the night and think "what a wonderful world this is"
So I can see why they sell on the black market, take two or three of them and goodbye. Doctor prescribed 500 x 500 para/30 codeine, co-codamol, and They said they only had 30 tramadol, the rest would be in the surgery tomorrow, so how many of them are coming I don't know, but enough to put me in a state of euphoria i would think. I hate pain Killers, so will try to overcome the pain without tablets if possible.

[nailit]

Im on tramadol for back pain. I dont suffer from any sleep disruption daffy (although I am also on Mirtazapine which has a slight tranquilizing effect and I take them at night). The only difference ive noticed with tramadol is that they constipate me.

[nailit]

never noticed that they get me 'high' either :-(

[Jackdaw33]

Most, if not all, opiate analgesics will cause constipation. The same is true of codeine which, like tramadol, is derived from the poppy, although beit in a weak form.

[alavahalf]

I'm currently on a concoction of painkillers including Tramadol and Paracetomol after knee surgery.
The side effects after taking these over a long time is constipation. The most effective solution I have found is Lactulose, It was prescribed and was immediately effective and solves the problem completely.?
I'm afraid I can't do without the painkillers, so needs must.

[Peter Pedant]

Ask your GP for a chronic pain consult ?

There should be someone at the local hospital doing a chronic pain clinic and it might be worth it to set up a visit

Tramadol isnt widely abused and I am not surprised
Nausea is a big problem

[nailit]

//Tramadol isnt widely abused//
Surprised it isnt if its got a reputation for getting you 'high'.
It doesnt in my case.

[Dizmo]

Annie: 30/500 (mg codeine phosphate/paracetamol) are also used as 'leisure' drugs.

Nailit: I didn't realise Mirtazipine had that effect - I know at large doses it can make one very agitated.

[Daffy6543]

I don't get high on Tramadol either, it does cause nausea but that is solved by only taking it with or after food for me.
The sleep disruption to me is a similar feeling to amphetamine except I still feel tired (anyone who's had amphetamine will know what I mean), my brain won't stop coming up with the most random thoughts, I'll be yawning my head off and unable to fall asleep because my mind is racing.

I also suffer horrendously with constipation but my GP told me not to take laxatives of any kind.

[alavahalf]

Methyl ... I was given a rather complicated 14 day medication plan last week and it keeps me comfortable. It was prescribed by the surgeon.
Only one problem is ... earlier today I had been wide awake for 30 hours. Have had a few hours since.

[Dizmo]

When used to 'get high' it is taken in large quantities. You aren't going to get high by taking 100mg of tramadol every 4 hours - you might get a little light headed if you're not used to taking them.