Tramadol is not evil.

I agree, Tramadol has been stigmatised to some extent by the media more recently and because of misconceptions which have developed surrounding the drug, GP's are very reluctant to prescribe it, even for its original analgesic use, let alone for any off-label uses.

It's a pity because it is a very useful drug with a reasonable side effect profile compared to other pain-relief drugs and anti-depressants. I mention anti-depressants because Tramadol is a very effective anti-depressant in my experience, it does act on serotonin and noradrenaline. I believe it also very effective for CFS, ADD and possibly a whole host of other conditions.

However, there are possible risks and complications from prescribing Tramadol for longer term use (anything more than a few months). For one thing, in my experience it can cause appetite suppression leading to severe weight loss. It can also cause chronic insomnia, even at a fairly low dose of 50mg-100mg once daily.

If you're taking Tramadol you should take it early in the morning to avoid insomnia due to its long half-life. Getting plenty of exercise helps too. Watch your diet and weight carefully, particularly if you're underweight already or not eating regular meals. Meal support (Complan etc) may be necessary if appetite suppression starts to affect weight in people sick.

Insomnia?, would be a fine thing. At night I take 10 mg. of Amitriptyline and 50 mg. of Tramadol. Logs don't sleep as deeply as me.If I do wake during the night I know that I will go straight back to sleep, no sweat.

But, and there is always a but, at the beginning of this week I decided to knock the Tramadol off for a while. An action that soon resulted in extreme pain and not such peaceful nights. Whether the disturbed sleep was caused by the pain or lack of Tramadol I don't know and to be honest, I don't feel up to finding out yet. My conclusion is that (so far) that Tramadol is wonderful for pain management but it may well cause some form of dependency. No appetite loss, in fact I've gained weight Could be water retention, I don't seem to urinate as frequently as I used to..

Discomfort of dependence? A choice that I will have to think long about.

When I type in Amitriptyline it is underlined as a spelling error and the alternative spelling given is pantyliner. Makes one wonder about the minds of programmers.

I have been taking Tramadol for severe back pain for several years. I was given it because I got an ulcer afterr taking anti inflammatories. For about 8 years, it has been fine, except that lately I couldn't sleep through the night, as the effects wore off about 3 a..m. Now I am taking slow release Tramadol which works fine. After some facet joint injections about 4 months ago, I had no pain for a few weeks so I stopped all painkillers and had NO withdrawal trouble. However, then the effectof the injections expired, as I had been warned it would.

So I started the Tramadol again and this time, after about six weeks, I am experiencing some nausea. I find that it goes away after a while, but it is unpleasant. So I suppose I must accept this:it is far less a problem than the severe pain.

I seem to be able to stop Tramadol as I wish, so I find it hard to believe it can be addictive.

I am seeing my neurosurgeon in a couple of weeks, so I shall ask his advice. I am a believer in going to

Thw professinals to get answers, really.

I have been on tramadol 400mg a day on of for five years now and I came of it for a year and I never experienced any withdrawal symptoms. I came of it slowly when my back was better for a while and I didn't decided to start coming of it until I felt I was 100% ready to lower start lowering the dose and stop taking it. Coming of tramadol doesn't give you any physical withdrawal symptoms it's only stronger drugs like morphine that do. People can however experience "mental withdrawals" where they are so used to the feeling it gives especialy if they have been on them long term . If you are sweating and in pain and having sleepless nights from decideding to come of tramadol then parhaps you still have" pain problems" that where masked by taking the tramadol and are not quite ready to stop taking it,or you are sufering from mental withdrawals due to depression which everyone knows causes pain . I despise horror stories about a drug which is very helpful and not physicaly adictive. If it was it would say in the instruction leaflet and Doctors would warn patients of the withdrawals.

I have been taking tramadol now for a couple of years, I find I can start and stop as needed even though I am taking a high dose (300mg slow release at night, 200mg slow release in a morning and top up of 100mg in afternoon). The only side effect I have is weight gain! Its not alot of weight but my appetite is virtually non existent but i have gained half a stone. my doctor believes the weight gain is from the amitriptelene that i take at night and so I have stopped taking them for a while but as yet have not lost any weight at all. i dont think tramadol is an evil drug it helps those who are at the wits end with pain, I do think there is alot of truth in the fact you should only take it as needed and not take it for the sake of taking it as with any strong painkillers. Everyone has different experiences with all drugs there is no one rule, trial and error are the only way.

Interesting discussion guys and girls...quite a different range of views and experiences on this drug it seems..

I think, as someone said, everyone can react differently and each persons situation can be unique..

Whilst there is no doubt of the potential for "dependency issues" with prolonged and higher dosage usage, some people do not experience any problems coming off it and don't even need to taper off, while others have a very difficult time it seems, going by the forums and posts related to it. If you've been on Tramadol for a long time (i.e. many years, at a daily higher dosage) it makes sense to taper down off it, and unfortunately many GP's aren't fully aware of that and don't advise patients how to taper down gradually.

One thing I would repeat is, Tramadol is not just a simple painkiller drug. It has 3 distinct actions on very different pathways of the brain. These, and the drugs method of actions are not fully understood even. My theory is, that Tramadol acts like an anti-depressant in more ways than it does a painkiller, and this is perhaps where the dependency issues may arise. Tramadol has weak and relative low opiate-painkilling properties. If you look on a opiate scale of drugs, Tramadol is very low down the bottom. Codeine is much higher for example, and we know that physical addiction to Codeine can be a real problem in some people.

From my own personal experience, I have found that Tramadol alters significantly how the brain and body functions..you have more energy, you feel more alert, your brain and cognitive ability seems to speed up. Physical activity becomes easier, and if you suffer from lethargy and low energy, those problems just vanishe on Tramadol.Life just seems a lot better on Tramadol and you feel more functional, if you have poor health.

Now that said, it's easy to see how you can come to rely on Tramadol and hence I say "dependency" can arise, i.e. not a full-blown addiction with physical withdrawals, but just a need to take Tramadol to feel function, much like people take caffeine. I've never experienced any of the classic opiate physical withdrawal symptoms of the type described with Tramadol by some people. However I've only taken 50mg once daily max, and only 100-150mg for short periods of intense pain (no more than a week).

When I stop taking my 50mg daily dose, I feel lethargic and all the problems I had BEFORE I started Tramadol, return..low mood, low motivation, inability to concentrate etc. This is why I emphasise again, that Tramadol IMO is an effective treatment for other conditions possibly.. whether that be depression or something else.

The only reason I stopped taking Tramadol myself was due to the worrying weight loss...I went from being 10 stone (already thin and underweight a bit at 5'11) down to about 8 stone.. that's a 20% loss of body weight...and any more could have been serious my Dr said. I ended up having to take meal replacement drinks to keep my calories/nutrition up and have put on a stone in weight now.

On Tramadol, I just have no appetite at all hardly, I could skip meals and not feel hungry and still have boundless energy. It seems to speed up my metabolism so the body burns up calories from body fat. Maybe it could be marketed as a weight loss pill, unless this side effect is just more pronounced in people like me!

Very interesting theory morphix and you are almost certianly correct. Tramaol increases seritone levels which we all know are reduced when people have depression which is why antidepressants up seritone levels. It is low down on the opiod scale is tramadol is not technichaly a opiod as its chemical make up is designed to mimick opiods rather like oxycontin but nowhere near is powerful. But yes codine can be adictive and peo[ple who get adictied to it need to be weened of it and need to see a drug worker.I know what you mean about the weight loss to I offten do not eat lunch and just a dinner and some toast for breakfast. I also know what you mean about the energy I don't have any when I'm waiting for my tramadol to kick in and my other medication(for nerve pain and muscle spasms) starts working before the tramadol and then when the tramadol kicks in I feel alert , happier and have energy. I also think that I feel happy and hav energy because of the pain relief it gives as I'm ever so tense and unhappy from the pain when I'm due a dose.

On starting tramadol at 50mg caps 2-3 time day, found it no help. I was told it was very strong it worried me as it was no help. Later gp prescribed 2 capsule 6hrly if required This I was unsure about due to what was told about addiction. Unable to tolerate codiene. In time found needed 100mg 6hrly, even then it didnt cover pain for long enough. As weeks went by I discovered I wasslowly decreasing times required automatically, am now taking 100mg twice in 24hrs. So rekon as pain lessens will automatically stop taking. As codiene wasnt suitable Tramodol has been helpful. As I am not tempted to take more than required am no longer concerned about habbit forming. Time will tell. So really it depends on how the individual reacts. Have found it interesting reading about how others have reacted

Hi everyone.

I was perscibed tramadol about a year ago.I was taking 400mg daily. I found this drug effective, however I was also taking an antidepressiant. and over time I started to become very depressed and almost suicidal.

Being a very happy person in general I knew this wasnt me. I started to look into all the medications I was on. Long story short. My pharmacist looked into my issues and uncovered what was called seritonin overload. I live in Canada and here our doctors are responsible for issuing perscriptions. I have since learned from watching my father completely lose his mind for a short period of time do to medication mix ups and my issues, that the best person to discuss any medication problems is with your pharmasist. these are people who have trained intensely for this specific purpose. I have been decreasing this medication gradually and have notice that im getting much better. So to sum it up.I feel this is an effective medication for some but not for all. I have learned to not take any new medications without talking to my pharamacist. These people dont usually disscourage you from taking a medication your doctor has perscribed but ive learn now to always get their honest opinion. Hopefully at some point our doctors will diagnose our medical issues and leave the medication handouts to these educated people. If used correctly medications can help. I am having withdrawls from this medication but with the help of my pharmacist I am doing ok. good luck and god bless

Tramadol has changed colour of capsule to plain yellow now no explanation given, chemist said read lable instructions inside box when rang them.

I would like to post an update to my earlier posts on Tramadol, some new recent experiences for those interested...

I suffer from social anxiety, and I don't know if anyone on Tramadol has or does, but I find, Tramadol makes social anxiety much worse.. If I'm in the house by myself, I'm fine.. but if I go outside or I'm socialising, I'm a nervous wreck while on Tramadol (even 25mg). I believe this is due to the noradrenaline pathway receptors it works on. It's probably therefore not recommended IMO for people who suffer with anxiety conditions for pain relief and doctors may not realise this.

Anyway, recently, I started to take Tramadol again after a long absence from it of maybe a year (I've been on and off Tramadol for many years, not for pain, not for recreational use either, but rather because it fixed the problems I mentioned in my earlier post, namely depression/lethargy/low motivation and concentration etc).

Anyway, to cut a long story short.. I started to re-dose (something I've never done before, usually only taking 50mg once daily), because I was also taking benzo's for anxiety which made me drowsy and the Tramadol perked me up and kept me awake.. I was taking around 150mg-250mg Tramadol a day for about 2-3 weeks. I eventually became a total mess at this dose...my sleeping habits were all the over place, I wasn't eating properly again, and basically I was becoming manic, with racing thoughts etc. I realised I had to come off the Tramadolso I tapered down to 25mg. Once I stopped taking it completely, I experienced EXTREME lethargy and mild symptoms very similar to a heroin/major opiate withdrawn. Sweats, restlessness, skin itching, hot flushes, feeling sick,no mental energy to move, yet at the same time restless legs. Very low mood and a deep depression. I took 25mg Tramadol after several days feeling like this as I just needed to work and get things done, and couldn't stand it anymore. After taking the Tramadol I felt much better..the symptoms went away.

To me, this experience felt like a real physical addiction to Tramadol. Something I've never experienced before in the years I've been taking at (at 50mg once daily). The symptoms made me feel very similar to how junkie's needing a fix felt (curled up on bed etc). This really scared me, and suggested MAYBE with frequent re-dosing or at higher doses daily for extended periods Tramadol can be physically additive. I'm now taking a low 25mg maintenance dose and feel ok.. I'm not manic or lethargic.. I think it's a good drug, but you need to be careful with the dosing and not just pop these paracetamol. Less is more.