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I'm so mad at my Dr right now

Posted , 10 users are following.

stacyrenee
stacyrenee

So I have chronic lower back pain, sciatic nerve pain, joint pain, frequent headaches, and cystitis around that time of month.

My main concern is my back and sciatic nerve pain as it sucks basically.

My Dr knows my history of chronic back pain. Even after doing an xray and MRI on my lower back he says everything's fine, I do have facet arthritis in my l5 disk which I think is a main cause of my pain in my back hips and legs.

Aside from all that, he's been trying to put me on antidepressants. Which I really really don't want to take, they're not good, he wanted to put me on amitriptyline, I made it VERY CLEAR to him i did not want to take antidepressants. He has suggested it four times. For anything from chronic headaches to nerve pain. Then he suggested taking lortabs for my cystitis, not my back pain...... Anyways, I told him I wanted the loratabs for pain, and he again suggested antidepressants. I told him I didn't want antidepressants so then he said he sent out a prescription. I went to go pick it up expecting lortabs and it was tramadol. I looked it up online and it's a pain killer with an antidepressant!!!!!!

I looked up the side effects and it's a list as long as my arm and many of the same side effects as amitriptyline including: suicidal thoughts, anxiety, agitation, irritability, feeling ill, lack of sexual performance our sex drive, insomnia, hallucinations, change in walking or balance, chest discomfort, indigestion, loss of memory, pain, basically everywhere, seeing hearing or feeling things that aren't there, trouble performing routine tasks, discouragement, feeling sad or empty, loss of interest or pleasure, muscle aches and pains, restlessness, abnormal dreams, trouble concentrating, decreased interest in sex, feeling jittery, joint pain, back pain, tightness in chest, trouble sleeping...

Most of these side effects are from the snri ,the antidepressant part. I for one don't want to take something that altars serotonin and that sort of thing. I just need a simple solution for pain. He has the nerve to prescribe something with an antidepressant in it after I've told him six times I don't want that. Rrrrrr . I was even taking st John's wort and it helped with the pain but it messed with my mood and sex drive, I'm sure add he'll not going to take a stronger version of that.

Oh and I'm writing this at almost three in the morning because I can't sleep on Christmas eve and this is my first day of taking it......

1 like, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • melanie11202
    melanie11202 stacyrenee

    Posted

    Amittripiline is good for you to help you sleep on a night just take it before you go to bed and Tramodol I had to take them too When you in so much pain you'll take anything to stop it You only on it till the sciatica gets better
  • evergreen
    evergreen stacyrenee

    Posted

    Tramadol kept me awake all night by stopping me breathing every time I almost nodded off. I had to consciously remember to take every breath. So it was like torture. I therefore took it only up to 1pm in the day because that effect wore off by then. However, it did nothing for my pain, just made me high as a kite and gave me loads of energy to get things done. I had no idea why this was and that they were very addictive. I only realised when I tried to stop taking them! The withdrawal was awful and so I had to wean off theem very slowly. Even once off them I was left with terrible rebound depression and ended up having to go on anti-depresssants! That was four years ago, and only now am I starting to come off those. I would never take tramadol again and advise anyone who HAS to take them, to do so for only a very short time (5 days max) for very acute but temporary pain such as a tooth abscess.
    • stacyrenee
      stacyrenee evergreen

      Posted

      Tramadol contains an snri, basically it blocks the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. Which can alter your mood, some of the side effects listed on the drug are hyperactivity, false feelings of well being, heightened energy, it alters how your brain deals with those chemicals changing the levels so when you stop taking it there is a drop and you have depression. Oh and anther side effect is suicidal thoughts, the golden rule of antidepressants. I myself refuse to take anything that alters mood. Even taking st John's wort didn't result well with me.
    • thebird55
      thebird55 stacyrenee

      Posted

      Just for clarity, tramadol doesn't contain an SSRI, tramadol is an SSRI. The way you worded it makes it sound like a compound drug.
    • stacyrenee
      stacyrenee thebird55

      Posted

      Ok so this isn't true then? I"m confused : 

      Tramadol has two different actions in the body. It is an opioid analgesic, which means that it attaches to receptors in your brain to change your perception of pain. It also works like an antidepressant, prolonging the actions of norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain.

    • evergreen
      evergreen stacyrenee

      Posted

      A single drug/substance with two actions. Just like paracetamol helps pain but also reduces temperature if you have a fever. It doesn't mean it contains two different things.
    • thebird55
      thebird55

      Posted

      Ooops. I thought my post would appear above evergreen's. My "arrow" is upside down.
  • steve_1
    steve_1 stacyrenee

    Posted

    Oddly enough, Amitriptyline is good for nerve pain and in small doses doesn't have much of an antidepressant effect But it does help with pain.

    Tramadol is a synthetic opioid and is not an antidepressant although, like any opioid/opiate, if you take enough you'll get the euphoric effect, that's why people take them recreationally.

    Take Tramadol sparingly as some people find it addictive (I'm not one) and take Amitriptyline (10mg) at night. I've been doing it for years for PHN pain and have had no problems.

    If you read the list of possible side effects of almost any medication you will frighten yourself, they list all possibilities even if it's only a theoretical one or has only been noted once.

    Usually, I say do as the doctor suggests because like it or not, they probably know more than us mere mortals. Otherwise, self medicate, then you will probably end up with more problems but can only blame yourself.

    It seems odd  to me that people ask the doctor for help and and advise then more or less tell them they are wrong when they give it.

    • stacyrenee
      stacyrenee steve_1

      Posted

      So you say tramadol doesn't have an antidepressant effect? Did you read the comment above?

      You see there is a difference between clinical advice and real life experiences. I always listen to my Dr, but then I do my research and ask real people how they're affected.

      My Dr wouldn't tell me that my birth control pills were making me sick, giving me mood swings, nausea, migraines every day, he just suggested an ANTI DEPRESSANT for the headaches.....u finally just decided to stop taking them on my own and felt much better.

  • tony15730
    tony15730 stacyrenee

    Posted

    Google the doses for amitriptyline for pain vs antidepressant. The difference is a lot as for pain it is very low. Tramadol is a good pain killer, in the short term. Codeine is as well and is cleaner but tolerance builds faster. Tramadol is stimulating to me which is fine for me. Codeine more sedating so better for sleep. I hope you find relief chronic pain is awful.
    • stacyrenee
      stacyrenee tony15730

      Posted

      I'm looking for more of a sedative to help me sleep at night and knock the pain out. Not something I will take every day. I seem to be very sensitive to any kind of drug that has antidepressant properties so far. Even taking the natural herb St. Johns wort has affected my mood. I am just looking for a good clean pain killer. I've told my doctor this and he doesn't seem to be getting it. And thanks, smile. 
  • thebird55
    thebird55 stacyrenee

    Posted

    Just splitting hairs here, but I want to make sure you understand that tramadol is not a compound drug. There is only one active chemical in it, but it just happens to act as a SSRI, too. Your doctor may not even be aware of this.
  • marshall71
    marshall71 stacyrenee

    Posted

    Hi

    Been on both amitriptyline and tramadol both worked well for Lower chronic pain in l5 si joint amitriptyline takes 4-6 weeks too work at full effect side effects after a year was massive cravings for chocolate did put on weight my sex drive went blue eyes sweating during the day was taking off after my symptoms charge now I have Peripheral neuropathy in my feet still have lower back pain you have too way up for pros and cons of taking antidepressants for chronic pain have you tried a panic clinc too help deal with what meds and other alternatives you can do

    Have a nice Christmas and take care after the holidays speak again with your GP

    • stacyrenee
      stacyrenee marshall71

      Posted

      I could try a pain clinic. It would cost me a lot, I live in the states and don't have insurance it's still really expensive.

      My gp is a concierge Dr he only charges a monthly fee.

    • stacyrenee
      stacyrenee marshall71

      Posted

      oh my gosh I wish so bad. sad

      healthcare here really sucks. I spent over $1000 dollars this year on healthcare- just on insurance, I had to pay an extra $300 when I did my taxes because I made more last year than I claimed, and I had Obamacare. My job situation changed so I stopped paying my insurance and it became inactive, but it took a while to cancel so I still owe $200 to that. I went to the dermatologist to have a mole removed and my insurance didn't even cover it, cost me $171. Because I didn't get a referral from my primary care dr, which is more cost. I didn't have dental either so it cost me $186 to get my teeth cleaned. 

      Its all ridiculous and I hate it. 

    • stacyrenee
      stacyrenee marshall71

      Posted

      I have tried St. Johns wort with some success. I does really help the sciatic and lower back pain believe it or not. It works like an antidepressant, as in it does affect my mood/libido. But I don't think its as strong as the prescription kind. So far thats all thats help.

      After my first night of taking tramadol I feel really disoriented and have a horrible headache. 

      Have a good Christmas all smile 

    • marshall71
      marshall71 stacyrenee

      Posted

      That's a lot of money too spend on health care for anyone we complain about our healthcare in the uk but we are so lucky here
    • marshall71
      marshall71 stacyrenee

      Posted

      Maybe staying on St. John's wort sounds like it's helpful and working for you lot better than the chemicals in drugs that's for sure

      Merry Christmas xx

    • Zio10
      Zio10 stacyrenee

      Posted

      Dont take Tramadol an St. John's Wart together at all. Risk of Seratonin Syndrome very high. Look it up.
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