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getting confused !!!!

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karen31773
karen31773

Hi I have just joined the forum and would like to know if anyone feels the same as myself or am I going mad.  Was diagnosed with crohns in 2010 after doing the over 50 bowel screening ( I am 55) have been on several medications and had a very nasty abcess where you dont want one and had to stay in hospital 11 days. Last november I had been in infliximab for 2 years having infusion every 8 weeks and also taking mercaptopurine and tramadol for the pain, I now have infliximab every 10 weeks still taking mercaptopurine which I have been on for 4 years, the doctor asked me to try and stop tramadol but I only take 2 per day 4 on a very bad day, I have tried several times not to take these but when I stop the next day I feel bloated, very sick and its a struggle to get out of bed and as a full time carer for my disabled husband thats no good, it happened today so I took 2 tramadol and crawled back to bed and within an hour I felt a lot better, have explained this to 2 doctors and 1 wants me off tramadol and says symptoms are due to them and the other gives me a prescription and says if I need to take them to do that I am so confused. I take them because the option not to makes me feel so crap (pardon the pun ) has anybody got any advice please I hate this crohns 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • paul52860
    paul52860 karen31773

    Posted

    Hi Karen, I just happened to be on the forum and your messgae appeared.  I do feel for you being on the tramadol tablets. Last month I came out of hospital after having a small bowel resection. Four weeks later I was back in hospital with severe stomach cramps, sickness etc etc, and stayed in hospital for 4 days only coming out yesterday. When I left hospital after my op I was told to take paracetemol only, whereas I was taking steroids, buscopan and tramadol tablets beforehand. This I found strange as surely I should of been given something stronger to take after open surgery. Paracetemol does not even start to eliminate any pain for Crohns Disease. I use to take 2 tramadol a day, and like you it made me a bit better.  I was told by my GP to take tramadol, my consultant told me not too....confused !!! When I left hospital yesterday I was given buscopan and tramadol for the pain. Like you I am confused to whether to take it or not. I am was told it can cause constipation, which we do not want as with me my the pain intensifies when a blockage is forthcoming. When I took tramadol previously for a number of weeks, and stopped suddenly, I did not feel right for a few days, I felt I was sleepwalking to an extent. When I was taking them I felt better.  I feel as long as they do not give any long term effects, and relieve your pain and make you feel better, then if I was you carry on taking them.  Good luck
    • karen31773
      karen31773 paul52860

      Posted

      Hi Paul

      Thanks for your reply, I have decided to just see the 1 doctor who seems to understand me better and knows my family situation. Its not easy caring for someone when you feel bad yourself , so its back to the tramadol they have not caused any bad effects up to now ( fingers crossed)

    • IndieHannah
      IndieHannah karen31773

      Posted

      Hi Karen

      You posted your discussion about Tramadol months ago and I've only just encountered it.  Thought it was worth mentioning (if the doctors haven't already) that Tramadol is an Opium based drug and as such is highly addictive.....it also has the capacity to slow down diarrhoaea.  As does CoCodamol or any codeine based drug.

      Tharefore if you use the drug everyday it will cause problems if you try to stop using it.  There will be a period of withdrawal that will include increased pain, quite serious depression or at the very least a very low sense of self, low energy etc.  All of these things pass after a while as your body and mind learn to exhist without the drug.

      I have had Chronic Severe Crohn's for over twenty years and sometimes tramadol is the only drug to tackle the pain.  I use it sparingly because it in itself has made me iller in the past.....now it is an occassional drug and I know that three days after taking it I will have a massive "come down"!!

      All that said, only you can really gauge what is right for not only your body but your lifestyle too

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