[leejosepho]

My two major issues are 1) chronic pain in my lower back and 2) depression. I had tried some Endocet for the back pain (and nothing for the depression) but have since been switched to Tramadol...and now I am totally amazed that the Tramadol does so much more for me than to merely relieve pain. Concerned about possible addiction, however, I have these two following excerpts (slightly edited) that summarize my thoughts behind posting and asking for any insights and personal experience anyone here might have to share:

"...there is no shame in become dependent [upon a medication]...you're only an addict if you're taking the drug to get a high, otherwise you're just dependent. I can either take the drug to alleviate the pain and get some normal things done on a daily basis or not take it and live with a pain that will most likely prevent me from leaving my bed (my chair in my own case) and become agitated and irritated with everything and everyone because of my relentless pain."

"Always take paracetamol (acetaminophen) at the same time you take any opiate...[and then] when you feel the pain is minimal to moderate, try taking just paracetamol and skipping a dose of your opiate. More often than not you can...live with minimal pain and only take the opiate sporadically as needed."

Tramadol is not evil.. Thread discussing Tramadol is not evil. | Patient

My past practice with the Endocet was to only take one whenever I really needed it to stop the worst of my back pain -- my pain is minimal while I am here in my chair -- and that ultimately added up to a little over twenty (20) doses over nearly sixty (60) days. But now that I have discovered the "almost too good to be true" effect of the Tramadol, I have begun taking one late in the mornings if I am feeling any pain at all...and that means I am using it more as a mood-alterant than for actual pain relief.

Along with whatever else, please ask any questions you might have...

I suffer from depression and did when I had to have surgery. I was given Tramadol for post-surgical pain and I simply CANNOT believe that my depression simply lifted. It was gone.

I have been given codeine before for pain and, yes, I did use it when I didn't need them simply to escape the here and now (I knew what I was doing and I never tried to get more). The codeine simply made me feel slightly out of it and not really care.

The tramadol, however, was different. I didn't feel high or loopy. My depression was simply gone. I was my old self.
I'm grateful that I had that time to be reminded of what I'm trying to work toward. Also, it reminded me of what I no longer have
But it was a great temporary relief.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by sophiesmom

...my depression simply lifted. It was gone.

... I didn't feel high or loopy. My depression was simply gone. I was my old self.

Yes, totally amazing. Yesterday it was like "my old self" suddenly re-appeared after having been long-forgotten. I have no problem with that since the effect takes me back to something familiar and quite okay as far as I am concerned rather than "out there" to wherever, but there is some uncertainty -- ultimately anxiety -- brewing as to what might happen if the med might ever be discontinued for any reason.

[qwerty68]

There is always risk/benefit to all drugs. You have to decide if the risks are too much for you. If you are taking as prescribed or less often I wouldn't be too worried about addiction. It is when you run out before you can get a refill, that is the warning flag and is dangerous. Being conscientious and proactive is a very good thing

Using it to stop pain from getting worse is not a warning flag in my opinion. Why wait until you are in severe pain? I don't know if using it to help your depression is a bad thing. Is it really more dangerous than many psych meds? I don't know. It keeps serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain so a big concern is serotonin syndrome if you are also on psych meds.

This is something to talk to your doctor about. Honestly, I might not mention that you are taking less, that might get you a reduction in your prescription. That happened to me with a non-narcotic headache pill(Fiorocet) it worked out okay but added stress.

Do you have cravings for it?

I used to take Darvocet three times a day like clockwork for several years. To be honest, I would sometimes take 1.5 or 2 times the dosage at night just to feel something. I guess that is borderline abuse, but I was nowhere near the accepted maximum dosage of that drug. I fell off a cliff, due to severe depression and had to move home for about 6 months. After moving, I stopped darvocet cold turkey and had no withdrawal effects at all.

That wasn't a good thing, but it wasn't the end of the world and you are much more responsible than I was.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by qwerty68

... Being conscientious and proactive is a very good thing

Using it to stop pain from getting worse is not a warning flag in my opinion. Why wait until you are in severe pain?

Understood, and my fear of possibly beginning to "like it too much" is why I took so few of the Endocet...but now that "fear" has shifted to possibly being without the seeming anti-depressant effect of the Tramadol if something such as liver damage might become an issue.

Originally Posted by not.dead.yet

It keeps serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain so a big concern is serotonin syndrome if you are also on psych meds.

Psych meds have never really been helpful and I do not take any, so I do not think I have any issues there.

Originally Posted by not.dead.yet

This is something to talk to your doctor about. Honestly, I might not mention that you are taking less, that might get you a reduction in your prescription...

Do you have cravings to take it?

No, no obsession or craving beyond the logical things I have mentioned, and "as needed for pain" with a maximum of two per day is how my script is written. Maybe because of my age (66), this doc seems fine with my taking fewer than his maximum.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by leejosepho

..."as needed for pain" with a maximum of two per day is how my script is written...

I was wrong about that. My initial script was for 30 pills (not two per day) and it said "every 6 hours as needed for pain". In any case, I had only taken about half of the 30 over this past month and I saw the doc again today and all is well there! An LPN is actually the one watching over my use of the Tramadol, and she and the doc are each quite satisfied with how things are at this time.

[BLUEDOVE]

Yes,I would be very cautious re addiction to drug,but there is a
alternative for pain in back. Go to any big drugstore or chemist
and ask for a 'Tens Unit'--it is a little thing bout size of a phone
that works by battery; it has 2 leads coming from it with rubber
pads on end,which you place on area of pain,they give a pulsating effect and start-up body's own pain reducing effects.
They are really,really good for all kinds of pain,and no drugs.
Kind Regards,
BLUEDOVE

[betweenarock]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol#/search

[junkDNA]

tramadol is unique because it works as an opiod and it also works on serotonin. this is most likely why you feel your depression lifting. however, tramadol is addictive, and your tolerance to the medication will increase...meaning you will eventually need to take more to get the effect you desire. tramadol withdrawals are not fun because as i stated, it is not just a pain med. it would be like withdrawing suddenly off of an anti-depressant and a pain med at the same time. i am speaking from experience

[Toxic Rose]

LeeJosepho,

Hi. I am just going to tell you to be careful with Tramadol. My partner was taking it for chronic back pain and became severely addicted to it. He was taking it as prescribed at first but started noticing that he was becoming dependent on it. If he didn't take it, he became extremely agitated and his behavior would even become unpredictable. The worst was when he decided to stop using it all together. The withdrawals were unreal. I nearly lost him.
I'm sure everyone's experience will not mirror what he went through, but I think it's important to know that it can be a dangerous drug. Just keep an open dialogue with your care provider and be cautious!

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by junkDNA

...you will eventually need to take more to get the effect you desire.

In relation to pain, the depression or both?

note: Today was the first time I have ever taken a dose for mood rather than for pain, and that was about 48 hours after my last-previous that had been for pain.

Originally Posted by junkDNA

tramadol withdrawals are not fun...like withdrawing suddenly off of an anti-depressant and a pain med at the same time.

Understood, and I thank you for that warning where I had previously been concerned only about a possible transition of some kind going from dependent (physical) to addicted (mental/emotional). My doc mentioned some of these things at least briefly during my appointment yesterday, but right now he seems to not be concerned since I am taking only a 50mg and not even every day.