I take Tramadol XL 100mg twice daily for spinal pain (two fractured lumbar vertebrae and cervical compression due to being thrown head first into walls a number of times).

Interestingly, after many years of being treated by varying Try-cyclic antidepressants and SSRI's to alleviate both my depression and PTSD, nothing has ever helped. In fact, if I take any kind of SSRI, I usually become psychotic (I hate everyone).

I do not believe Tramadol is addictive unless the individual taking it has a tendency to be easily addictive to anything. I've tried stopping my dosage at random intervals and have noted no withdrawal effects whatsoever. I have also noted that unlike the morphine/oxycodone/hydrocodone I flushed down the toilet, it also does NOT interfere with my ability to think or reason.

And the icing on the cake. . . It has had a powerful impact upon my PTSD. My depression is something that will never go away - what happened to me in my life prior to leaving my birth country of Australia was horrifying in the extreme. I have learned to live with this. I still go on major downers twice a year on the anniversaries of both my sons' and daughters' deaths.

Again, Tramadol has made it easier to deal with, albeit I am considering increasing my dose (my doctor has no problems with this) due to the huge positive response I have shown with this treatment.

I feel that due to it's fairly unique action upon the neural receptors of the brain that it should be investigated WITHOUT bias as a possible treatment for PTSD and extreme depression when all else has failed.

I have read many documents and studies where pharmaceutical companies and the medical communities have tried to demonize this medication and make it out to be far more dangerous than it is. Now, these are the same people who make us believe that Themerisol (mercury), Formaldehyde and an Aluminum activant are a good idea to inject children with. This is why I said "UNBIASED".

Pharmaceutical companies make less money if you take fewer medications. Doctors get paid less if you don't have to constantly see them.

There is no profit to be made in cures.
There is no profit to be made in happy people who need less medication.

I do know there are tests underway as of this moment in regards to Tramadol being used as a treatment for PTSD. However, the dosage required is somewhat higher than what is used for pain relief alone.

There is no high from Tramadol as people get with other opioids, which of itself leads to a very low addiction rate.

Keep in mind that those who say Tramadol is dangerous are the same ones that tell us that injecting BABIES with mercury in vaccinations is safe.