I took very low doses of tramadol for probably ten years. I cannot take narcotics because I have some GI motility issues and narcotics quickly effect my GI system.
I have been reluctant to post this but feel I should share this experience with all of you.
I was taking tramadol for pain due to a chronic orthopedic injury.
About 18 months ago I developed PN , very painful and rapidly progressing. I had extensive testing with the final diagnosis of idiopathic small fiber PN. In other words no one knew why I had PN, luckily it was not large fiber PN and all my test except skin biopsy were normal.
This summer was very bad, lots of pain, exhaustion,sick . I was changing from a very active women to a couch potato solely focused on not increasing my pain.At first I thought it was my inactivity making the PN stop hurting.
I have a medical background and refused to take neurotin,lyrica or anti-depressant but used xanax for sleep and ultram for pain, never more than 150-mg a day as it made me feel very strange, agitated then incredibly irritable. A real joy to live with me.
So I decided to go cold turkey. I stopped the Ultram and felt awful withdrawal symptoms. I looked so ill strangers would ask me if I needed help. Strangers! I became exhausted , could not function. At the time through on line research I read that these symptoms were possibly from quitting the Ultam but I found it hard to believe that being so very sick was all from stopping Ultram. Remember I didn't take very much but then I had used it for years PRN.
So here's the punch line!
My PN is 90% better. I can walk , hike without pain!! I have some pins and needles sensation but not painful hardly noticeable. Yes my feet get real cold on cold days and temperature sensation is still dysfunctional but ALMOST NO PAIN.
I've had several months with very little pain, no longer use the patches and am slowly returning to prior levels of activity.Yesterday I walked 4 miles without having any pain in my feet. Incredible!
The only change that I made is stopping the Tramadol/ultam.
I know this is not a valid study but for those of you taking tramadol I felt i had to share this with you just in case.
I researched Ultram and neuropathy is a side effect.
My neurologist thinks I must have had a exposure to some toxin but nothing else is different in my life but the change in drug use.
As usual doctors find it hard to believe the problems a drug can cause some patients. You know the rolled eye slight smile look you get.
So for what its worth you may want to rethink Ultam if its part of your pain control.
Meanwhile I still wait for the symptoms to return but so far I'm steadily improving. Hopefully my energy will also return to normal but even thats better.
I rode my horse this weekend. first time in 8 months. I was afraid I'd be in agony the next day as that's what happened last time I tried to ride. well I had NO increase in pain.
Fingers crossed.........