Feedback on Ultram Side Effects and Usage page 11
About Ultram
If you have used Ultram, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell your best friend about using this pain medication?
Subj: Ultram story
Date: 5/16/2006
Back in 1996 I was given Ultram for Degenerative Disc Disease. I was also told that it was non-narcotic and was prescribed 4-50 milligram tablets per day. I began to feel great. Started doing more physically active activities, etc. However as time went on, I was building up a tolerance to it and felt myself needing more for the “pain” I thought I was having…which I think it was caused more by the Ultram. One day I ran out…didn’t call for a refill because it was not suppose to be addictive and the next thing I know, I’m lying on the floor with cold sweats, anxiety, tremors, bowel problems, calling the doctor non stop until they filled another prescription. When I took the first dose and felt more like “myself” again I knew I was addicted. But I was not ready to admit it. A year later I found myself having a conversation with the doctor that the Ultram was no longer working, so he prescribed me Oxycontin, another drug I knew nothing about. Soon I was addicted to that and ended up in residential treatment. The only reason I feel they let me into treatment is because I was addicted to a narcotic by that point. I went through alot of months of treatment and did manage to get completely clean.
Recently I was given Ultram again for Kidney stones and my thinking was, “this time I won’t get addicted because I won’t be on it for a long period of time.” 3 months later, I’m addicted again….what a nightmare! I tried doing cold turkey but it’s not as easy doing that again as it was being in a lock down facility around other people with the same problem. I have 6 – 50mg. tablets left and am going to attempt to wean myself off by taking one per day. I hope this works but this is a nightmare to have to do this all over again. If it doesn’t work, I’ll have to get help again somehow. I never thought I would have to go through this again. I attend NA meetings now and I have not yet heard anyone say they were addicted to Ultram, but they may be afraid of the response if they say they were, or are…just my guess.
Don’t take this drug if absolutely not necessary. I too had Vicodin last year before taking the Ultram and it was much easier to get off the Vicodin than the Ultram.
Missy
Subj: Word of advice
Date: 5/26/2006
I have been taking Ultram for one year. It alleviates my pain. I have a slight scoliosis and two bulging discs. With out Ultram I could not work all day at my job. Reading others testimony has enlighten me about the side affects of the drug. Positive word of advice drink lots of WATER. It helps me!
Maggie
Subj: Discontinuing Ultram
Date: 6/7/2006
I have been on ultram now for over a year. I too am trying to stop taking this drug. I have read that you should cold turkey stop and I have read taper off. If you cold turkey stop, how long will I suffer? I have read that tapering only prolongs the withdrawals. Please help because I don’t want to be on this med anymore.
Skeeter
AskDocWeb: Please talk with your doctor before you stop taking Ultram. Everyone is different as far as how long it takes for it to get out of your system completely. It also depends on how long they’ve been on the drug.
Subj: Ultram story
Date: 6/11/2006
I have taken Ultram for over four years. Started slowly but it finally came up to 2 Ultram w/2 Tylenol twice in a regular day(Four in 24 hours). All of a sudden last year I began to have terrible night sweats which then moved to days also. My body was terribly hot and I had cold chills too. This year I had an epidural for the back pain that precipitated me taking Ultram. It worked! Then I cut down the Ultram to half or more and I went into big-time withdrawals. Be your own advocate and be aware of what addiction of any kind feels and acts like. I have talked to my Dr. repeatedly and he never did blame the Ultram. Listen to the others on this webpage and be careful getting off this crap!
Pat
Subj: Dry red patches
Date: 6/12/2006
Hello, I take tramadol (generic for ultram)….for chronic headaches and back pain (too many car accidents and sports injuries). I have noticed dry, red patches on my skin…legs, butt, arms and chest. Also, had very irritating dry scalp for months. Is it time to get off this stuff? I got shingles a couple of years ago…I am 43 and think that my immune system is gradually breaking down…any thought?
Gregg
AskDocWeb: These dry red patches could be something else. It’s best to have them checked by your doctor.
Subj: Ultram story
Date: 6/14/2006
I began taking Ultra for IC of my bladder and have had 6 surgeries, including a hysterectomy so have abdominal adhesions as well. I was on Vicadin it was too much to work or do my college work and kids so I went on Ultram. One pill of 50 mg makes me “high” and takes away the pain. I have a seizure disorder and a low seizure threshold especially for meds. I took two pills of Ultram 4 hours apart and I thought I was going to die. I was hallucinating, seeing and hearing voices and people, I had trouble breathing, my chest felt heavy and I thought my husband in bed next to me was a demon. I thought I was melting and I was in another universe. If you have a tendency to have seizures or a low seizure threshold give yourself at least 8 hours between doses. When I first took this my left hand went numb. Could not feel it for two hours.
It works great on my pain, which comes on suddenly, and it does not take very long to work. I take one a day is all. Two if I am in agony and this is in the AM and in the evening so like 10 hours apart. Be careful, as everyone is different, and I am proof of that.
Stacey
Subj: Ultram side effects
Date: 6/17/2006
I’m in the military and recently taking Ultram for pain due to degenerative disk disease. Side effects experienced is a reddish white color and soreness on the roof of my mouth. It’s very hard to swallow with or without food or drink. It starts off as a patch of hard blisters. Ultram helps my back pain but horrible side effects.
Randy
Subj: Ultram story
Date: 6/22/2006
TramadolHCL. My mother had been prescribed Tramadol HCL for use in treatment of pain, back pain and headache pains. The doctor that prescribed it, must not have looked up much on the use of this drug. My mother had brain surgery in March, 2004. All this drug did for her was mess up her ability to track her thoughts, stay organized in her daily activities, and cause her to have some serious confusion and hallucinations. She had constant sinus problems( a rarity for her), and speech difficulties. She knew what she wanted to say, but wouldn’t be able to get the words right, a loss for the right words to come to her speech, and very frustrating. She had gait instability, short term memory difficulties.
I am concerned, she is having problems, clearing all this up, after stopping the use of Tramadol HCL. I have advised my father to take her to a doctor, who can run some diagnostic testing. She was fine before using this drug, she has always been hypersensitive to all drugs, a half a Tylenol could knock her out to sleep. She is over 60 yrs old, and I have seen her change drastically since using this drug. I believe doctors should be more aware of what drugs do to every age patient as well as inform them of the adverse effects, and especially for someone like her, that never took any medications all her life until the past two years since her brain surgery. Doctors don’t seem to listen to the patient any more, especially the elderly ones. Seems they just chalk it up as dementia or alike. How fair is that. We are hoping, that she will not have the after effects of stopping this medicine, as some of your other testimonials have stated.
Brandalynn
Subj: Chronic pain relief?
Date: 6/27/2006
My boyfriend has had chronic pain in his back for about two years now due to a slipped disk in his back. His doctor gave him ultram and now may not give him anymore. He has had some depression problems and some flu like symptoms in the last couple of weeks, and I found out that he had been taking less of his meds due to the possibility of not having them refilled. He is now out and I fear that his side effects of going cold turkey will be harmful to his health. Is there any way to soothe any possible side effects to come? Or any non-addictive way to replace his possible addiction? He has only been taking these for about three months. Will that make a difference in his withdrawal?
And just on a more personal note why in the world wouldn’t doctors, who also told him that this drug was not addictive, not know that this drug has withdrawal side effects?
Pixie
AskDocWeb: Doctors have to rely on what they are told about this drug. Your boyfriend might benefit from changing doctors. And ask the new doctor about taking Darvocet N-l00 to relieve some symptoms.
Subj: Miracle drug for fibromyalgia
Date: 6/28/2006
Ultram has saved my life. I have been in excruciating pain since November and none of the other meds helped. Oxycotin, for example, only made me into a house cleaning maniac. Other meds were similar. Ultram, however, 2 -100mg ER gave me relief and have allowed me a life. When I ran low and limited them a few days, the pain was unbearable. I don’t see any side effects, although my doctor tried me on the generic version and I was nauseous and miserable. To me, it’s a miracle drug for fibromyalgia.
Joani
Subj: Pain management
Date: 7/1/2006
I have tried everything for pain and for feeling tired all the time, nothing works. I have been taking ultram for several days and feel like my old self, no pain and full of energy, but I have concerns after reading comments from others, I don’t want to be addictive, so what to do?
Steve
AskDocWeb: Ultram can be used for short term pain management, but you may find that you will be needing one more pill, then two more, then three more etc. to make the pain go away. You may find the services of a pain management clinic very helpful.
Subj: ULTRAM METHADONE WITHDRAWLS
Date: 7/1/2006
I am using tramadol for pain while going through methadone withdrawals. Only 50 mg 1-2 every 4-6 hrs AS NEEDED! So I thought this was non-narcotic or addicting. Today is day 6 of my withdrawals the ultram doesn’t even really help. So am I ok or will I be substituting?
Shandy
AskDocWeb: It may be helping but you haven’t realized it because of the withdrawal symptoms. Using it short-term like this should not be a problem. Read more feedback on Ultram. Ultram report – 8 – 9 – 10 – Page 11 – 12 – 13 – 14 – 15 – Last Page 46
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