Tramadol

Hello All. Happy Hump Day. I have a Dr's appt this morning to touch base with him about meds and side effects. I am finding even when taking the max dose of tramadol does nothing for me when having bad day. I notice some of you are prescribed Vicodin or Percocets with the tramadol... Is that for when the pain is severe like mine. I can't handle it on those days and nothing is helping. Some days can't even get out of bed. Any input would be appreciated.   Btw , this message board has been a Godsend. Thanks to all that have responded to my posts.

Julie

tramadol done absolutely nothing for me. It was like drinking a glass of water to help your pain.....Nada zip
Then they started me on percocet. It works good for the pain so does vicoden. Then I started my Opana WOW does it work like magic!! I take the extended release twice a day for the maintenance and the instant release for the break through pain. I am allowed 30 mg a day of the instant and 40 mg of the extended. It works great!
Then for the days where the break through pain hurts but not BAD BAD I take darvocet. It works OK.....

Birdlady-

What is Opana?  Is it like Oxycontin?

Opana the best way to describe it would be like a synthetic form of morphine. Works GREAT!!

Tramadol has done nothing for me either. I moved to Arizona back in 1997. I have noticed that my Fibro has gotten much better than  when I was in Michigan. The hotter it is the less fibro flares I have. But if I am under alot off stress or something like a injury will set me off big time. I really like the Duragesic Pain Patch with Darvocet for break thru pain. Thank god I can do water aerobics year round because the pool is heated in the winter. That really helps me with the pain. But some days I am useless. I wish I could go back to work some day but I can't count on myself so I volunteer the best I can.

Does the extended release form of these drugs work on us post ops? I have definetly found the opiates wear off faster on me then expected. :( The percocet is a great help for pain but people are so wary of getting addicted.

The extended release works really good for me. I had RNY July 29Th 08. I do not go by the rules but my doc knows what I do to make it work. I am NOT advising ANY of you to try this, this is only what I do.
I crush half of my extended release and swallow the other half whole. what it does is the one half automatically releases into your blood stream and the other half releases slowly. I do this twice a day. Boy does it help too! My doc is aware that I do this and my dosage is low so it will not hurt me if I get all 20 mg at once. I would not recommend you doing this with a large dose of narcotics though. My system is use to getting up to 40mg of opana at one time so 20 does not hurt me.
Percocet I took for years. It does help with the pain. I never became addicted to it, I honestly think I just do not have an addictive type personality. I smoked from the time I was 14 yr old till I was 27 and quit cold turkey and never looked back. Yeah it was hard an my body wanted that nicotine but I just did not give in.
NOW I DO NOT THINK I could let go of my Opanas......LOL....not because I am addicted but because I would be in so much damn pain I would not be able to stand.
anyhooo the extended release works really good for me........You should try it and see if it would help you any.

Tramadol does absolutely nothing for me and when I told the doc he said to take more. Needless to say I have a new doc. I also have Vicodin, but it is only good for headaches. Nothing helps with the pain. When it gets so bad that I want to run in front a moving bus, I go to ER or my doc's office to get an injection.

I'm on medical leave now and nothing's helping. I think I'm having a lupus flare as well. So I have a feeling I'll go back on Plaquenil any day now.

Have you tried a higher dose? There has to be something to help the pain. I know the pain can get to be a bit much, but there has to be something.
Have you ever thought about talking to your pain specialist about a pump implant? That way it can send a steady stream of meds into your system at all times? I am still trying to talk my doc into it but she says I am to young. I am 32.
What do they give you in your injections? Have you tried morphine? or anything similar? Something strong to cut the pain. I am using Opana and I LOVE it. It helps more than anything ever has. The fentanyl patch is OMG great!! If that does not help the pain I do not know what will. I was highly allergic to it. I hope you find something.

Tramdol does nothing for me either. Like water. My percocet is starting to not get all the pain and I wonder what my Rhumey's next move is? When I had my flare two days ago I was taking a percocet every 3-4 hrs instead of taking two together. I just need something more. She also just increased my Cymbolta to 90 mgs instead of 60. I sure hope I notice a difference soon!