Has anyone else been prescribed Tramadol?

[broncovet]

I have been prescribed Tramadol also called Ultram by VA for pain.  It seems like I read something else on this a couple months ago, it may have been BUCK.

Its kind of interesting, because I dont think its a narcotic, but VA seems to be treating it as such. 

It worked pretty good at first, but does seem to have lost some effectiveness.  

I would be interested in hearing your take on Tramadol (50 mg).  

[Buck52]

Becareful about taking tramadol  its been known to cause seizures!!!

Ask your PCP about it.  

 

Buck

[USMC_VET]

Tramadol is technically non-narcotic, however since it produces the similar effects (feelings) to narcotics i believe the VA treats it as such to curb abuse (whether just for high and fun or because of addiction). 

I was prescribed it by a civilian doctor at the ER when i threw my back out so bad last month i could barely walk and then blacked out in the bathroom at 3 am and knocked myself out when i fell.

I liked it for the times when i needed to do more than hobble around.  was done with it after a few weeks and went back to methocarbamol that i was normally prescribed as a muscle relaxant. 

I didnt need it for long enough to actually lose effectiveness, but just like ANY drug after awhile it stops working and needs higher doses.

[Vync]

Some folks, like me, eventually developed an allergy to Tramadol. In my case, it causes me to itch and swell like hell.

After I got out of the military, I worked in the cable communications industry while going to college. The lady who sat next to me ended up getting drunk off the med and was very vocal about how it made her feel, until it wore off.

Like USMC_VET, the effectiveness waned rather quickly. Upping the doses resulted in the same problem. I was also switched back to methocarbamol.

[green]

Yes, I was on tramadol for a couple years for PN pain.  All the other drugs messed with my noodle and decreased my ability to concentrate.  It didn't eliminate the pain but certainly helped.  Seems as though the VA now views it on par with narcotics (which is ridiculous given it isn't addictive).  So given the new view towards this drug, the VA took me off tramadol and have been trying other drugs which don't work as well or impact my ability to think/concentrate.  I was taking 50mg a couple times a day.

 

Green

[Tomahawk]

They recently switched me to tramadol 2x50mg as needed for pain.   They don't do squat for my pain.

[USMC_VET]

Yes, I was on tramadol for a couple years for PN pain.  All the other drugs messed with my noodle and decreased my ability to concentrate.  It didn't eliminate the pain but certainly helped.  Seems as though the VA now views it on par with narcotics (which is ridiculous given it isn't addictive).  So given the new view towards this drug, the VA took me off tramadol and have been trying other drugs which don't work as well or impact my ability to think/concentrate.  I was taking 50mg a couple times a day.

 

Green

As usual when the VA faces a problem they go one of two ways.

1) they ignore it until they are called out then they take superficial "step"s to fix the problem, at best it is a mediocre difference

2) If it a "solution" is detrimental to vets as a whole they will take it and run with it to the extreme.  Issues in the past of abuse of meds by vets or concurrently doctors just shoving pill bottles in the form of "treatment" led to this now they make it hard for vets WHO DO NEED THE DRUGS to get them.