Tramadol tolerance question
 

I was given Tramadol a few months ago , 50mg x 3 daily, as needed for pain. This is to supplement the 50mg of Nortiptyline I take daily, which takes care of my pins and needles and burning, for the most part. The Tramadol helps with the ball of foot pain (or folded sock). I've only taken one 50mg daily, around 3 days a week. I also use NeuroCream (capsacain pepper) for the folded sock, but after a year, it's not working too good any more. I tried gabapentin first, but I had to raise the dose almost monthy, to help with the pain & it was turning me into a grouchy zombie.

That leaves me with the Tramadol for the forefoot pain. I'd like to hear from any of you as to how long you've been on it, and at what dose. If you've had to raise your dosage because it wasn't working as well as it used to for you, I'd be interested to know. If you don't want everyone else to know your experience, please feel free to PM me. I'd appreciate some insight from those with experience. If you're taking a different drug for the type of forefoot pain I described, I'd also like to know if it's been of help for you & for how long.

Tramadol is odd stuff. I am very sensitive to it, so only use 1/2 tablet when I need it..25mg... mostly only at night. It often lasts into the next day for me. I must be a very slow metabolizer. Flexeril does the same thing.

I used tramadol every day upNorth for a week, when my back went out in the woods. Then when I arrived home, my bed sort of helped my back so I stopped it totally. I only get "so many" from my doctor yearly, so I tend to hoard them..:o

I took one the other night though, and boy did I get the nausea side effect again. ugh It has been 3 months since I had any.

I have been using the Arthritis strength Tylenol at night... and that helps a little too. I have mostly neck and collarbone pain lately, my feet are not so painful now, as my arthritis is.

I have been taking tramadol for about 1.5 years and have not noticed any tolerance to it. I reduced my dosage from 200 mg per day to 150 mg at some point. It is possible that your condition is just getting worse and that is why something doesn't work as well as it used to. I have been taking gabapentin for about 10 years and haven't developed a tolerance to that either. Some people claim they have.

FYI--I have been taking biotin, 5 mg per day, for a couple of months now and it appears to have reduced my pain, so you might try that. Biotin has shown in studies to reduce pain in patients with kidney-failure-induced neuropathy.

Also alpha-lipoic acid (Jarrow sustain with biotin, 600 mg per day) and evening primrose oil (TwinLab Mega primrose oil, 2600 mg per day) reduce my pain.
Ron

When gabapentin stopped working (meaning I had to up my dose for the forefoot pain), it would be like someone flipped a switch. Over the course of a couple days (seriously) the relief would leave. The capsacain pepper cream went south over a couple of months. I bought some more that was 25% stronger & the pain didn't improve at all.

I already take 1200mg of Pligrim's Pride ALA. My wife just got some biotin (for other reason), so may give it a try. Thanks

ALA depletes Biotin
 

ALA depletes Biotin ... many makes include biotin to offset this. Not sure if this is the case with Pilgrim's pride but worth looking into.

Natalie

can cause constipation
 

I would take as little of Tramadol as you can get away with. Can work but I don't think it's great to have in your system. Also, can cause constipation.

Natalie

This is the case with any drug, in my opinion. They all will interfere with some metabolic process(es). Urinary retention is the only side effect I can attribute clearly to tramadol, but got quite a bit better when I reduced from 200 to 150 mg per day.
Ron

At first it helped me sleep a little longer...but then it kept my mind 'busy'...all night long...whatever was the last thing I did, example, drank water, then my mind would be thinking of pouring that glass over and over and over....hope it continues to work well for you...

I do the Tramadol daytime to take care of my forefoot pain that I experience when on my feet. The 50 mg of Nortriptylene I take in a daily divided dose pretty much takes care of the burning, pins and needles and the like. Thanks for your input