So is Tramadol addictive? yes/no

I would,nt know about it being harder to give up than heroin..What I do know is....having just completed detox. There is no quick way to get off this drug the reduction is so slow to make it more tolerable. It took me 8 months to be completely free of them. I hold no shame in carrying the label of addict around...I am ashamed of the medical negligence to inform me just exactly what I was being given. I know people say resarch everything but when you are in that much pain at the point of introduction, you would take anything to take away that pain. It was my consultant that post 6 months of injury stated " you should never have been given this drug for this length of time, and im afraid to tell you that you will have to go into a detox clinic to get off it" Complete shock..I am an addict...(well not anymore)

You are not an addict. You have been given a certain type of painkiller that has the side effect of being addictive.  There is a sheet of paper that comes with every packet of pills that tells you all the information you need to know + a web address for further information.  There is nothing that shifts pain better than opiates.  Unfortunately this has been the same way for more or less 100 years, when scientists discovered that one of the principals of morphine was to kill pain.  Since then nothing else has been discovered.  There is nothing wrong with taking these pills, we just have to be strong enough to come off them when they are no longer needed.  Every one is different, every one has their own opinion.  The same goes for the medical profession.  That's where the pain management team come into their own, you can talk to them about your medication, your fears, and they will tailor your meds to you personally, not what works 'for everyone'.  they also liaise with your doctor/consultant, especially if you HAVE to be on them long term

Don't you think it's a shame these pain management teams don't get trained also in alternative therapies for pain. I'm sure ther are lots of other natrual ways of easing pain. Not once has my pain management team mentioned any suggestion when I asked. One said to me, we aren't allowed to suggest alternative therapies. Makes me wonder if they are there solely to push the drugs of the Pharmacutical companies who are getting very rich!

I,m sure my pain consultant knows whether I was an addict or not...If this drug is not addictive, then why is there a special need to detox only under medical supervision, from a specialist that had to travel over 100 miles to the detox unit to oversee my detox...? As for pain management don,t make me laugh I attended for 2 years only to be told that he could not offer anymore injections, root blocks , and the rest,as it was detrimental to me and of no benefit as  steroid injections make your bones thinner and more susceptible to break.   Your point is valid which is why I made the original post I wanted to have this discussion and get the overall feel on peoples opinions...jx

I have been to 2.  The first one, I went because I thought the doctors wouldn't believe that I was in pain, they mainly dealt with people suffering from back pain, what was interesting was the group itself; you can learn from them what else is available. Stayed for the 6 week course.

Round 2.  Same consultant, she is a peach and has been supportive and, if anything, feels helpless that she can't cure my pain.  This time I cherry picked what was on offer.  No classes, just heads of departments. Physio; I was doing more on my own back than they could offer (they did suggest heated pools though).  Next I went to the psycotherapist (was she going to think I was a mental case!!)  Though not a cure, it was a revaltaion to actually talk to someone without their eyes glazing over.  Apparently I was suffering in silence. So we chatted, it's amazing where they take you, but I did feel better afterwards.  I now know I am not imagining my pain (well it is rather apparent from the swelling). If I get to the point I cannot cope she is there for me.  Next stop medication, cut back on the morph, but add paracetamol (more gentle on the system, doesn't touch the pain) and liquid morphine, when needed.  Outcome, yes I am in pain, but, depending on where I am I can control it. Driving is a pain as cannot be doped up. But started going to the local gym which has a heated gym, sauna, steam room, sheer bliss, just floating in warm water means no pain.  Where am I going with all this??  The Pain Management Team itself didn't promote any drugs, just alternative therapies.  It is down to my consultant to help me with the correct drugs, ideas of what to do or not do,if there is someone out there, she will write the introduction letters and it is my GP that is monitoring me.  They are there for me, we chat, if they think I need to change, they tell me.  All I have to do is collect my prescription monthly and have a check up every 6 months.  I guess it depends on the team you have around you.  These days legislation says that they can suggest alternative therapies (to say otherwise is their personal belief).  Stick to your guns.  I may no longer run or walk for any distance, but I ride my bike, float in the pool, wwimming as such as there are certain styles that are a no no.  There is a lot we can do on our own, we just need the confidence to do it. (if I hadn't had the replacements I would have been in a wheelchair)

I am not saying that PM teams are the way to go, but it is something that should be investigated.  You do need a good pain consultant, which is not the guy who did/does the operations

I asked my pain consultant about alternative therapies acupunture tens machine spinal manipulation and he replied smiling widely btw he had beautiful teeth lol.. that they were all placebo. Jx

Good Luck with your reduction T0ny you will get there in the end jx

All pain meds are addictive, why do you need to detox. Why not just come off them slowly.  I certainly am not laughing at you.  Neither do I pity you. PAIN IS REAL, it is debilitating, depressing and down right beep, beep boring.  I have been in pain for 40+ years.  It is only in the last 10 years I have gone down the road of opiates. I know what they do to ones body.  I have had the blocks etc. I really do know where you are coming from. My pain may never  go away, but I am lucky to have a good team around me.  With that in mind I can concentrate on a 'normal' life.

I had tried several times to come off them not realising just how slowly you have to do it I obviously failed. When I was told reduce by one 50mg every 2 weeks I laughed..when Im down to 5 50mg a day reduce by half for the next 2 weeks when down to 3 50mg a day reduce by a quarter for 2 weeks and so on..So me just stopping 4 tabs out of the 8 make no wonder I felt like crap jx

Sorry I did not answer your question " why do I need to detox"..it was called not breathing...Tramadol is a respiratory depressant taken alongside another two respiratory depressants = cyanosis through lack of oxygen followed by syncope attacks until the sleep apnea kicks in..Thats why I had to detox medically, even without these problems I wanted off of this drug...so thats what I did I got off the drug..jx

You said yourself that you are not on this drug so how can you pass judgement on how it makes people feel...just a thought...jx

Thank you for your reply and I wish you well. It sounds like you are happy and positive and I really hope you continue to have an active life like you are having now and that you can manage the level of pain you have. And it's so nice to find someone who understands, or a least is a least genuine to your concerns, may it continue xx

 

Have been on it and got myself off it.  I know how it feels.  I know how I felt.  Last thing I would do is pass judgement on something I know nothing about (that would be arrogant, wouldn't it).  Have tried a lot of meds to find the one that works for me with the minimum of side effects.

Then I apologise for the misunderstanding in your previous comment that said you was not on it..jx

Thank you jayne it's taking time but im getting there... Anyone who reads this I must say if you get offered tramadol for anything please think hard first I thought I'd be ok on them how wrong was I! There nasty things and there's other pain releaf medicines out there...

Tony {uk}

Ruth, you are a sweet person, some time ago a"friend" asked me how I can be so positive.  My reply was "would you be my friend if I wasn't". Her silence said a thousand words. Same thing at work. I work in a male dominant office (I am the only female). There was a time when I was down and depressed, would just go in,do my work and go home.  I almost lost my job, they said the times I was silent left them uncomfortable and my boss said that was unacceptable.  To say I gave them a piece of my mind was an understatement.  Have you ever listened to a man with "flu"..... My work never suffered as there was nothing wrong with my brain.  Now, I make sure I don't let my pain show, unless I am in my own home.  Trying to be and stay upbeat is hard but do-able.  

Being on this forum does make me think of my pain, but I would like to know I could help someone else who is in the same situation.  I apologise profusely to the few on here that I have upset, but I have truly been there and done that.

Hey, at the end of the day we are in the same boat.  Some of us just get a little ahead of ourselves and say things that may seem insensitive. I apologise  to you for my abruptness. My way of getting round the sh***y days is to plug my earphones in, play loud music and stay busy.  Tears, yes there are plenty.  

Hey thats ok no apology needed I agree we can all go off at the deep end...Amazing how you use music to help...I too have to have music on, anything that for one minute will give respite from the pain. Tears yes them too.....then pick yourself up shake yourself down and start all over again..jx

Hi T0ny I am with you 100%, Tramadol has to be one of the worse pain killers to take. Had I known I would never have started on them, I am now adicted and finding it almost impossible to come off them. My GP is no help so I'm having to suffer.

If you can get to a hydrotherapy pool do so, or find a gym that has a heated pool, floating=no pain x

I wish...my mum has a hot tub that works wonders for her arthritis..unfortunately Im not allowed to raise my body temperature or expose my patch to heat..Bit of a shxx really as I have an amazing heat pad that really helped. My G.P returns this week so will mention it to her. I would,nt mind the hot tub I think ggetting to a pool etc would be too much of a nightmare..Thanks for the tip jx.