Hi all,

is this drug available in Canada...I can't find it anywhere!!!
any help is always appreciated

take care all,
Victoria

I looked up Tramadol on Wikepedia and they led me to a site that said Tramadol is called Tramacet in Canada. Then I googled Tramadol/Tramacet and I was led back to a NeuroTalk page in Fibromyalgia where they talk about it a bit more and said essentiallly the same thing. Can you find Tramacet anywhere?

Hi thanks for the info

I have been on this medication, but it is now only recommeded for no use past 5 days due to the tylenol in it and the government of canada only recommeds it for acute pain relief despite the studies that suggest it is good long term for osteoarthritis patients. I appreciate your help.....as a nurse I am usually up on my medications. I have put a call in to a drug company hopefully they will be able to give me info.

Thanks so much for your help it is appreciated!!!

hugs,
Victoria

Hi Victoria...I don't live in Canada, so I'm not sure how much help I can give you, but here the brand name is Ultracet when it's 37.5 mg. tramadol mixed with acetominophen. I took that for a while, then switched to the 50 mg. generic tramadol, (I think the brand name here is Ultram) without the tylenol added. I do remember seeing the five-day warning early on, when I started the Ultracet, and asked the pharmacist about it. He was puzzled because it's commonly used for arthritis patients on a long-term basis here.

I don't find the regular tramadol to be as effective as the Ultracet, and I developed a tolerance to it pretty quickly, but I was taking two 37.5 mg vs. 1 50 mg generic. Dr. Centeno says it has a different action than the other narcs, like Vicodin and Oxycodone, so tolerance to one wouldn't mean tolerance to another. I find if I take a break from one or the other for a while it's more effective when I start it again.

Hope you find some answers! What dosage were you on? I see Dr. C. next week and wanted to talk to him about the dosage, so I can get something therapeutic...one of the 50 mg. doesn't do much for me at all.

Take care,
Donna

I've taken both Ultram and Ultracet and I think I remember reading somewhere that Ultracet had been found by patients to be more effective than even a larger dose of Ultram alone and more effective than if the patient took a separate Ultram tab and a separate acetominophen tab at the same time- don't ask me why though....I'm sure there's a good scientific reason for it- not that I would understand it it they tried to explain it to me. Good luck with it though, Victoria- I've found that it helps me about as much or more than the Vicodin I've been given before, as far as helping the pain, and it doesn't give me a "spacey" feeling.

Hi guys,

thanks for the info I pretty much understand all that you have written and been on the tramacet as it is called here in canada....is tramadol with tylenol....and due to 5 day rule can't get on my drug plan anymore....and don't want to take that much tylenol ....trying to at least protect my liver....lol

I am on 400mg of the long acting tramadol....not sure if it is approved in usa yet....just approved here last month.....so it is called zytram xl and it comes in 150, 200 and 400mg sizes.....studies say 250-350 is optimal dose for OA pts...but we are a different story...I relally like the way it works and am trying to avoid narcs again....been there done that don't want to do it again......lol

so I want the short acting which I have found out is not yet approved here yet as a breakthrough dose to take when I still feel pain on the long acting. It is so nice to only have to take one pill for 24hrs of relief...or dulling the pain anyway still a 6-8 on bad days...like just did ironing with breaks.....and now feel like an 8/10 ahhhhh

sorry don't know the doses...but when I took the one with tylenol I was taking 75mg of the tramadol alone (excluding the tylenol in my drug) every four hours but the long acting is better as it avoids the ups and downs of drug peaks and wearing off.....etc etc.....

so thanks for all the input I appreciate it guys

love and hugs,
Victoria

Thanks for sharing guys!
Prior to my first rib resection my PCP and the Osteophysician prescribed Tramadol/APAP and Tramadol HCL 50mg.
My research is showing they both have acetominophen. I was unaware that acetominophen is bad for the liver.
The Tramadol is the only thing that brought me relief prior to surgery.
I'm curious to see about this 24 hour stuff, it sounds like it may be a good alternative.
Just gotta convince the Doc or Docs. Right now the vascular who did the rib resection in October has just upped me from hydrocodone 500 to oxycodone 750.
My feeling is I'm showing signs of addiction because I feel horrible if I go without the hydro / oxy for 24 hours and 20 minutes after taking one I feel like a million bucks.

You can get the short acting Tramacet here in Canada. My Dr. regularily uses it as a substitute for T3's, for people who have a sensitivity to codeine.
I find it works as well as the T3's for breakthrough pain to supplement a long acting pain reliever.

Hi gbsb...I just found a website regarding the long-acting tramadol. It is approved here in the U.S., called Ultram ER. Here's a link:

http://www.ultram-er.com/

I'm going to ask my doc about it on Monday. Where did you see the info on tramadol containing acetaminophen? I looked it up and didn't see that anywhere...but would be interested to know. My doc switched me from Ultracet because my blood pressure was starting to go up...I didn't realize that acetaminophen affected blood pressure. I'm still not completely convinced it does, as mine didn't change after I switched. I don't use the tramadol on a regular basis, though...but if it does have an effect, and the plain tramadol has some component of acetaminophen, I may not want to use the Ultram ER. I'll ask him about it on Monday and let you know what he has to say.

It might be a good time for you to take a break from the narcs for a while, too...I've been on Vicodin or Oxy IR for over 4 years now, and I usually monitor how "attached" I'm getting to them by taking a break from them pretty often to see if I have that feeling of craving them at all. So far, no problem, other than the pain! If I'm in a flare, then I just have to take a day (or more) off of my regular routine.

Victoria, have you found any stomach problems with the long-acting tramadol? I do get nauseated from both the tramadol and the Ultracet. That's the best advantage I've found to the Oxy IR...it doesn't bother my stomach at all. I did develop a tolerance to it pretty quickly, though, which is frustrating.

Good discussion, and good timing for me, as I am needing to make some changes...pain control is not happening these days. Thanks!

Donna

Donna 7,
I read here in this thread about the acetominophen in tramadol or of it's variants.
I just googled what was written on my prescription bottles and several links seemed to indicate acetominophen was in them.
I never saw anything about the ultram er so thank you for the link. Unfortunately I didn't save the links I looked at.