I stay away from Tramadol if I can.

If I take it, I take do a bunch of natural measures like eating figs, drinking prune juice, etc to avoid constipation.

Now I know why I've been giving birth to monsters lately. Thanks for the info, I'll have to remember to eat more fiber.

I also use tramadol. I've been taking it for a few years now. I think it works fairly well. It may not relieve the pain completely but it does take the edge off. I have 100mgs four times a day prescribed but don't even come close to that. I take maybe 100mgs per day. On really bad pain days I may increase the dose.

The only s/e I have from it is the occasional stomach upset. It doesn't happen often though and doesn't last long when it does occur.

Below is my total list of what I try to eat and avoid eating when taking opioids (Tramadol) that promote constipation.

Some of these are easy to have on hand in storage in case you unexpectedly get a flare up and must take the Tramadol.

To eat to help alieviate constipation:
warm liquids in morning
fruit and vegetables
prunes, prune juice
figs
seeds
bran
fresh, canned, dried fruits
fruits w skin or seeds
raw, cooked veg
apricots
peas
chia seeds
corn
wild rice (completely wild, get in health food stores, not wild and white rice mixture)
beans
pears
broccoli
flax
spinach, chard, kale
asparagus
raw carrots
kiwi

Avoid: (or take if you have diarrhea and want to firm up)
Dairy
Caffeine
Processed Foods
Bananas
White Rice
Apple Sauce
Toast
Baked Potato
Mashed Potatoes
Eggs

If you are really challenged, sitting on the toilet with your feet up on a couple of big yellow pages telephone books helps the process along more comfortably and avoids hemorrhoids. (Isn't this a lovely topic?)

If you know for sure the Tramadol will bring strong constipation from past experience, then it helps to take a very mild laxative early on / ahead of time. It is much easier and more comfortable to prevent this problem and avoid it from the start, then try to later fix several days of constipation.

However, I also don't think laxatives are a great idea either. So instead I try to be prepared by having some of the things above on hand that store well and quickly take them from the start and continue taking them (you are very unlikely to overdo it with natural foods) and prevent the problem naturally.

My body seems to be much happier with me for this.

Natalie

I find it quite moving.

Doc

*rim shot*

I really appreciate you folks sharing some insight from your experience with Tramadol. Can any of the long time users (primarily Tramadol only users for pain) tell me about how long a certain daily doseage worked for you before you felt the need to increase dosage to receive the same relief. I'm almost 65 and would hope that if I decided to switch to the Tramadol only route, I wouldn't have to worry about weaning off it before I croak. LOL. I also have taken Tranxene (a benzo) for anxiety for panic/anxiety for most of my adult life, and go thru about 25 lowest dose tabs a month presently, but not on every day (1-2 will do me for the day when I need them). Wish I didn't need it at all, but it's been a miracle drug for me.

I probably should emphasize that the drugs I've taken, Nortriptyline and Gabapentin worked well for all pain, for a short time. I don't use gabapentin anymore, but the Nortyrip still relieves the burning, pins and needles, etc. but doesn't do anything anymore for the "folded sock pain" which is the pain I feel around the front edge of the balls of my feet. I tested the Tramadol out for a couple of days, and it does dull the FS pain, but I am afraid it will also "crap out" if my body gets used to it. And although a benzo is given to those getting Serotonin Syndrome, I am also very anxious (nervous) about taking them together.

I did take cymbalta and tramadol together. I did not get serotonin syndrome doing so. However, as Mrs. D. pointed out there is a real chance of it happening. I questioned both my neuro, rheumo, and pharmacist before choosing to take the drugs together.

If you go the tramadol only route you can always take the lowest dose that works for you and then add to it from there. I always take 100mgs in the morning. I'm suppose to use that dose 4x/day but I never have. If my pain gets bad during the day I usually take 50mgs. I do the same at night if I need it. That is the thing with tramadol you don't have to take the same dose all the time. I would talk to your doctor about using the tramadol based on what your pain level is.

How soon after taking the tramadol do you feel its effects? I'd like to have something to use occasionally for severe pain, but the pain usually only lasts about a half hour.

Tramadol has to be activated by the liver, to its active metabolite.

This can take up to 2-3 hours depending on the person.

So therefore tramadol is NOT fast... like tylenol or Aleve.
Some people lack the enzyme in the liver to activate tramadol, and therefore for them, it is not a good choice for pain.

Codeine (an opiate) is also metabolized to morphine by the liver, and is slower acting therefore as well.

For me, Tramadol takes about an hour to work. But it also lasts a long time for me too...into the next day, when I take it at bedtime.