Tramadol

[Guest]

Hi All,
I'm sorry this is off topic, but I thought this would be a good place to ask a question. I know there are a few nurses here and possibly others that have used this med.

I have a mean plantar factitious and a heel spur on the bottom of my left foot that causes some awful pain, especially at night. I also have horrible pain (though not constantly for this one) in my right foot where I broke it last year. When they both act up (usually at night) I can hardly walk at all.

Anyway, I went to the doc and he put me on Tramadol.
I thought he said that Tramadol was an NSAD (or whatever they are called, non narcotic), but I took it tonight and feel a bit... off. Kind of like I did take a narcotic. I looked it up and there are mixed reviews on the internet (imagine that.)

Has anyone used this before or know anything about it?

Thanks so much. Blessings to all.

[Guest]

Re: Tramadol

This is from Drug Digest, a source I've used when I worked in Home Health.
Representative Names: Ultram
Active Ingredients:Tramadol

What is/are Tramadol Tablets? (Back to top)
TRAMADOL (TRA ma dole) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain in adults. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

What should I tell my health care providers before I take this medicine? (Back to top)
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

brain tumor
depression
drug abuse or addiction
head injury
if you frequently drink alcohol containing drinks
kidney disease or trouble passing urine
liver disease
lung disease, asthma, or breathing problems
seizures or epilepsy
suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempt; a previous suicide attempt by you or a family member
an unusual or allergic reaction to tramadol, codeine, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
pregnant or trying to get pregnant
breast-feeding


How should I use this medicine? (Back to top)
Take this medicine by mouth with a full glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. If the medicine upsets your stomach, take it with food or milk. Do not take more medicine than you are told to take. Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed. Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
Note: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

What if I miss a dose? (Back to top)
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

What may interact with this medicine? (Back to top)
Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:

MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate

This medicine may also interact with the following medications:
alcohol or medicines that contain alcohol
antihistamines
benzodiazepines
bupropion
carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine
clozapine
cyclobenzaprine
digoxin
furazolidone
linezolid
medicines for depression, anxiety, or psychotic disturbances
medicines for migraine headache like almotriptan, eletriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan
medicines for pain like pentazocine, buprenorphine, butorphanol, meperidine, nalbuphine, and propoxyphene
medicines for sleep
muscle relaxants
naltrexone
phenobarbital
phenothiazines like perphenazine, thioridazine, chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, fluphenazine, prochlorperazine, promazine, and trifluoperazine
procarbazine
warfarin

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.


What side effects may I notice from this medicine? (Back to top)
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
breathing difficulties, wheezing
confusion
itching
light headedness or fainting spells
redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth
seizures

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
constipation
dizziness
drowsiness
headache
nausea, vomiting

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.


What should I watch for while using this medicine? (Back to top)
Tell your doctor or health care professional if your pain does not go away, if it gets worse, or if you have new or a different type of pain. You may develop tolerance to the medicine. Tolerance means that you will need a higher dose of the medicine for pain relief. Tolerance is normal and is expected if you take this medicine for a long time. Do not suddenly stop taking your medicine because you may develop a severe reaction. Your body becomes used to the medicine. This does NOT mean you are addicted. Addiction is a behavior related to getting and using a drug for a non-medical reason. If you have pain, you have a medical reason to take pain medicine. Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to take. If your doctor wants you to stop the medicine, the dose will be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects. You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol can increase or decrease the effects of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks. You may have constipation. Try to have a bowel movement at least every 2 to 3 days. If you do not have a bowel movement for 3 days, call your doctor or health care professional. Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your doctor if the problem does not go away or is severe.

Where should I keep this medicine? (Back to top)
Keep out of the reach of children. Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Keep container tightly closed. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

Note: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.


Last Updated:August 31, 2011

©2011 Express Scripts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.These materials are the property of Express Scripts, Inc. and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. Permission for use is granted only for personal, noncommercial purposes.

[Guest]

Re: Tramadol

Seeking Him,

I don't understand that Tramdol is a NSAID (Non-sterodial anti-inflamatory drug) - Ibuprofin is a good example of NSAIDs.

But it is not an opioid, either - Morphine being an example of opioids.

That being said, Tramdol acts as if it was a narcotic, but a very weak one. That is to say, its mode of action is narcotic-like, in the way it kills pain, but its tendency to have the other side effects of narcotics is markedly less.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol

[Andy]

Re: Tramadol

Whether it's an opioid or not has been LONG debated. Both of my doctors (GP and Pain Mgmt) said it's not yet there is argument that it is. It is, however, apparently habit-forming.

I recommend doing some research on it...seems to be an "odd" drug that I was once told by one of my doctors that they honestly don't know why it works as a pain killer. Perhaps that's no longer a mystery...that was years ago when I was told that.

http://www.drugs.com/tramadol.html

[Guest]

Re: Tramadol

Thank you all for the info. I really appreciate it.

Andy - honestly, that's kind of scary to me (that they don't know how it works.)
Sounds like one of those meds that we will hear about in a few years on the tv telling us to contact an attorney if you took it.

Thanks again... not sure what to do with it at the moment. It did help though. :/

[Guest]

Re: Tramadol

Seeking I have never taken the drug but I found this you might want to read over. Are you taking the regular strength or the XR Extended Release?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000960/

This is the government Public Health website.

(((HUGS)))
Dove

[Guest]

Re: Tramadol

I remember taking it once years ago. I can't remember what it did, if anything. Based on the article Dove posted, it's "in a class of medications called opiate agonists."

Anyway, using all the info provided so far, I also found this.

Opiate agonists are drugs that mimic the effects of naturally-occurring endorphins in the body, and produce an opiate effect by interacting with the opioid receptor sites. Examples of opiate agonists include methadone and LAAM....

http://www.opiates.com/opiate-agonist.html

[Guest]

Re: Tramadol

It's not the extended relief, just the regular. Script says take one to two twice daily as needed.

I knew about the opiate agonists, but that's part of my confusion with this (it sort of is, it sort of isn't.)

What is methodone? Is that the stuff meth (the illegal drug) is made of? Then again, they use sinus meds to make illegal drugs to, doesn't make the sinus meds bad. I've never heard of LAAM. I'll go check that out.


Thank you all for the help. Years ago I had a doctor prescribe a pain med for me (for all of the blood clots I've had in my left leg) and he didn't tell me how strong it was and I didn't do my homework on it. It was a mess and I now make sure to investigate further anything the doctors prescribe.

A little follow up to that is that the Lord healed most of my leg pain and I haven't had to have any type of pain meds for it since that time. It acts up every now and again, especially with weather changes, but nothing I need to take meds for. (I used to think my grandma was a little crazy when she talked about pain and weather changes, but it's so true.)

I haven't really needed any meds until now and only on the nights when I can't walk. I just want to do my homework and be informed. I really appreciate my wedg family helping out.