What is Ultram?

I went to Google and all it had were thousands of pages of ads to buy it. Is it controlled or addictive? My doctor just gave me some for back pain and avoided answering direct questions. She had offered me narcotics but I turned them down because the pain is cronic and I remember how Rush got started (just kidding, I don't believe Rush).

All about it!

http://my.webmd.com/content/drugs/4/4046_2202?bn=Ultram

ULTRAM

Description: Tramadol (TRA-ma-dole) is used to relieve pain, including pain after surgery. The effects of tramadol are similar to those of narcotic analgesics. Although tramadol is not classified as a narcotic, it may become habit-forming, causing mental or physical dependence. Tramadol is availa...

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Description: Tramadol (TRA-ma-dole) is used to relieve pain, including pain after surgery. The effects of tramadol are similar to those of narcotic analgesics. Although tramadol is not classified as a narcotic, it may become habit-forming, causing mental or physical dependence. Tramadol is availa...


http://www.drugs.com/xq/cfm/pageID_0/brand_Ultram/qx/index.htm

nerves in neck from car accident last year.

But then, I don't do well with any pain medications except massive doses of ibuprofin which will someday catch up with me.

in other words, it's a derivitave of morphine sulfate. So yes, it is addictive and not indicated in most cases for chronic pain but for acute pain. If you've tried everything else (including Vioxx and Celebrex) for your back then that may be why it's been prescribed.
Just understand it's addictive if used long term.

My back is getting so bad I want to scream in the morning, sometimes I do scream.

I haven't picked up the prescription and it's sounding like I shouldn't. Some drugs are addictive which aren't abused, like Paxil, is Ultram in that class?

makes me sick to my stomach. Ugh.

last I knew, but many people in drug enforcement believe it should be. It does appear to cause addiction in some people.

I used to work in administrative drug enforcement for the state of Missouri (1996-2000). At that time we had a large body of anecdotal evidence for controlling it.

who had a seizure and died after taking it. She had a history of multiple drug use for arthritis, and probably should not have been prescribed the drug. The drug was fairly new at the time and her doctor was a semi-retired orthopedic surgeon. You can't always count on your doctor to tell you when a drug is contraindicated.

But instead the people at the new age spa are holding the big titty baby's hand.

I am a family physician. Ultram is a non-narcotic medication with some narcotic like effects. It does affect the same receptors as morphine, but also affects other receptors. It is about as effective as Tyl #3, or Vicodin. It probably has less addictive potential than narcotics, but it is potentially addictive. It is a reasonable choice for many people with chronic pain problems. There are many people with chronic pain problems who do benefit from chronic narcotics - the goal is not to get rid of the pain, but to make the pain manageable, to increase the person's ability to function. Unfortunately, at least 2 or 3% of people taking narcotics chronically (not ultram) will become addicted.

Remember, dependence (body gets used to a drug) is not the same as addiction (person craves drug, rearranges life to get more and more drug, drug use continues to escalate).

It's nice to know that not every doctor is a Republican, I was starting to believe that Republicanism was required for licensure.

Thanks for the information also, I’ve been experiencing severe back pain that has been getting worse, maybe this will help. There is an MRI scheduled for next week if it’s arthritis I’m going to search the world for a non-pharmaceutical answer. Don’t they do something with electrodes in your back these days?

It's a synthetic opiate, used for many things. The generic version is Tramadol. I take it for arthritic pain occasionally. Caution-- the more you take it, the more of a tolerance you build to it, and the more you have to take for the same effect. Use too much and it will get you nice and stoned.

The side effect I don't like is, when I take it, I can't fall asleep. I stay awake all through the night and am burned out all the next day. And it upsets my stomach occasionally, too.

surgery. I had a HUGE herniated disc. If I had taken that many Vicodin I would have been addicted.

I had to take Vicodin after surgery but stopped all my pain pills one week after surgery.


Based on what the doc said above, i guess it is addictive but wasn't for me and was very effective with my severe pain although it did cause some stomach upset (nausea).

It DOES have a bit of a depressive side effect but then again, so does severe pain.