Being an amputee there are a lot of different types of pain that one has to contend with. The phantom pains can be the worst to try to deal with because you have the sensation that your limb is still there without having any way to actually treat the pain that you are experiencing. I was given Ultram (also called Tramadol) while in the hospital for my stump pain as well as the muscle aches that came with the phantom pains. It started to work in about ten to fifteen minutes on an empty stomach but not everyone is going to be able to take this without food. It is something that is considered mildly addictive and it is a prescription medication; my scheduled dose is one pill every twelve hours for pain but I have only needed to take it a few times since I have been out of the hospital. It lasts about five to six hours depending on when I take it; if I am taking this before I go to sleep I don't have any restless leg syndrome to deal with but it doesn't leave me feeling tired or sluggish when I wake up. In the past I have tried other prescription medications for phantom pains as well as back pain and they all had side effects that I didn't want to deal with. I have no ringing in my ears with Ultram nor do I have any feelings of depression or listlessness. I will keep using this when I need it but won't follow a regular dosage schedule because that is going to make it less effective when I actually need pain relief.

AlexFortune

Undisclosed

When I was first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I took narcotics for the pain. They helped take some of the edge off of the pain, but they caused me to be lethargic. I tried dealing with my FM without any narcotic pain relievers for a while but that only caused me to suffer. My doctor suggested Tramadol, a controlled synthetic opiod that would not cause lethargy. I was very pleased with the effects and still am. I can take it and it helps reduce the pain by about 40-50%. It does not cause me to be tired nor do I feel high or loopy. I typically take 50-100mg about 3 times a day or only when needed. Coupled with Neurontin I have noticed a great improvement to my Fibromyalgia pain. I would recommend it to others who have FIbromyalgia pain who want to see a noticeable decrease in pain but who also want to be able to function. Narcotic pain relievers are rather addictive and I have not noticed any addictive behavior on my part from taking this non-narcotic yet controlled substance.

LouieMerlin

USA

I have been fighting arthritis since I was 19 years old.  It got to a point where I could barely walk up the stairs, no less carry my daughter up the stairs.  I went to my primary care physician, who referred me to a rheumatologist. When I had my appointment with my new doctor, he examined me and talked about my pain.  He gave me a prescription for **Ultram**.  I was supposed to take a small dose twice a day.  He also told me that the pills might make me tired.  Well, he was wrong!  I took my first pill at 10:00 at night, and I had more energy then I had in six months. I've been on **Ultram** for about a year and a half now.  In that time, my pain has been reduced dramatically.  I take my **Ultram** very faithfully twice a day.  I still have my bad days, but they are few and far between.  The only downfall I have identified with the **Ultram **is when I forget to take my second dose.  I become completely exhausted.  As long as I stay on my schedule of taking the medicine, it is very effective and I would suggest this drug to other people to try.   

skopit

Shamokin, PA

I suffer from chronic foot and back pain. I am prescribed tramadol for these reasons. It is considered a non- narcotic pain killer, which means it works on different pain receptors in your brain that control pain. It is a decent enough pain killer, but I wouldnt reccomend it for break through pain.

inboxdollars83

Farmington, NH

I had a very long run in with the drug Ultram.I was first given it for hip pain and it helped wonderfully it acutely helped with any pain I had I loved it the problem was i became depended on it I did not abuse it but took it as prescribed for the most part and developed tolerance to it... when i had to stop taking it due to tolerance It was a complete nightmare I can honestly compare it to getting off heroine the worst of the withdraws was gone within 5 days but the withdraw effects stayed with me for a long long time. I would start to feel withdraw from this drug within 6-8 hours of not taking this drug... Because i was ashamed that I had became depended on a drug I kept it from everyone including my doctor.. I know had i been honest in the first place about my building tolerance to the drug i could have helped myself but yet the medicine helped me so well I was terrified of them wanting to take me off of it I did'nt want to deal with the pain again..If there was a way to stop the withdraw from this drug and to slow tolerance i would definitely take it again because it really did help me cope mentally and physically with the pain i had...

LACEYLOU

alton, IL

Winters bring more than just cold weather for me, it also means that the aches and pains associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia will be knocking on my door.  One of the prescriptions I take to manage the pain for both conditions is **Tramadol**.   **Tramadol **is classified as a narcotic-like drug but not considered one that you would get addicted to easily like some other ones on the market.  It is also one that is fairly easy on the stomach.  **Tramadol** is commonly prescribed for moderate to chronic pain.  The name **Tramadol **is the generic form of the drug.  The brand name is Ultram or Ultram ER, which is an extended release formula.   I have taken both **Tramadol **and **Tramadol ER **on and off for several years.  I only take it when I need it, as these bouts with the Fibro seem to come and go.  Stress seems to be a trigger for it.  It has never upset my stomach, although I usually take it on a full stomach, after a meal. **Tramadol** should be taken by adults only and only if prescribed by a doctor for a certain condition.  There are many side effects associated with taking **Tramadol **that could be potentially dangerous.  Anyone with a history of seizures should not take this medication. **Recommendation** I recommend **Tramadol **for relieving pain that is moderate to severe.  It works fairly quickly for me and helps me to get a good night's sleep.  I normally do not take it at all during the daytime since I have to drive to work.  It makes some people very drowsy. Recommended for moderate to severe pain.

BayouBengal

Greenwell Springs, LA

I had never taken this medication but while trying to releave my pain in my back and neck i was perscribed Tramadol.thec  dr knew i had donated one of my kidneys she says this one is not excreeted threw the kidneys, and you arenot allergic to it.  I tried the Tramadol, it helps alot i take about one tab every four hours when im in alot of pain it does relieve it most of the time. Tramadol is also the generic name for the brand name medication Ultram. Tramadol is put out by  AMNEAL it is in various doses but mine is 50mg .The best thing i know is it dosent cause as much drowsyness as some other medications i have had to take.i noticed that on one side of this pill is ANand underthat is 627 the other side is blank it is a very small pill very easy to swallow and for me Tramadol has been in place now for a long time in place of Ultram it may be alot less money mine was given by the company i was with so not sure about the cost.

zoeymac6

Davis, IL

I have a history of migraines, ovarian cysts, and kidney stones. I am always in and out of the hospital. I am always sick with the flu or a cold. I am a major clutz so I'm always twisting my ankle, or falling into something. My doctor prescribed me Ultram a year ago. I have been taking it ever since and it has done me great. I don't like take the high drugs like vikidins. They make me unable to focus at work and make me sick to my stomach. I've never had a problem with Ultram. My mother has a muscle disorder in her legs. She has been taking Ultram for years now. She told me that it was her savior. Without them she would not be able to get out of bed. When I take them I feel relaxed and all the pain goes away. I am able to focus better at work and school. I pay attention better. So it does more than relieves the pain. It helps me be a normal human being instead of the human being in pain constantly.

mrichard998

Dayton, OH

I have tried Ultram (tramadol) several times for chronic pain.  The first time that I tried Ultram was a couple years ago, prescribed by my Rheumatologist.  I had an episode of nausea and was extremely shaky. The last time I tried it I had to go to prompt care.  Some of my symptoms were vomiting, shaking, sweating and a feeling of disorientation that lasted for over 24 hours.  Use extreme caution when taking Ultram with an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) or with a tricyclic antidepressant because it can cause Serotonin Syndrome.  My prompt care doctor advised me this is what I probably had, because I had taken Ultram with Effexor XR.  Be careful of what prescription drugs you take together; you have to be in charge of your own health and be wise.  

wispofwoe

Herrick, IL

Tramadol (brand: Ultram) is an analgesic opiod, the only medication in a class of its own, as its usually not grouped with narcotics (codeine, hydrocodone, morphine, etc.) and is supposedly non-addictive.  That, however, doesn't mean patients can't develop a tolerance to the medication and need more to achieve the same pain relief, and opiod-tolerant individuals might not benefit from the medication at all. I think if I had been prescribed the medication when I first begun treatment for my (what would turn out to be chronic) back pain due to herniated discs and pressed nerves, it might have worked better. However, my doctors chose to try me on the medication after I had tried other (more successful) pain medications.  It didn't help me at all, providing maybe a small amount of relief. Tramadol also has a possible drug interaction with amitriptyline and nortriptyline (which I had been prescribed at different times to help with the nerve pain / neuropathy), and may induce seizures.  After finding this out, I stopped tramadol.  With this interaction and the minor pain relief, it wasn't worth taking.

TimothyL

Alameda, CA