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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 24 of 24. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 17:21:59
I saw one of the other posters talking about Tramadol to fight anxiety. After looking around, I found some others taking this med. for anxiety at Revoltionary Helth site. Everyone said they tried so many other meds and Tramadol was given a 10 rating by most. No one reported tolerance or dependance. I emailed some of them and got 2 responses. One of the responders said she had been on it for over a year. The other was over 3 years. Both reported a return to normal baseline with no anxiety.
I got it prescribe the other day and I'll be darn if it didn't work for me. I'm on day 3 and my anxiety is all but gone. I got a little bit of a high sensation the first day, but it was gone by the second day. I'm taking 50mg twice daily, every 12 hours. I can't believe I've tried so many meds and finally getting the relief I've searched for so long. It might not work for everyone, but if you've been treatment resistant, you might want to give it a try.
Posted by Phillipa on September 2, 2008, at 17:30:43
In reply to Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 17:21:59
If that is ultram will be hard to find a doc to prescribe it mine won't. Love Phillipa
Posted by Quintal on September 2, 2008, at 17:40:32
In reply to Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 17:21:59
Tramadol worked for me first when I was prescribed it for pain. I didn't know what it was doing until my illness cleared up and I stopped taking it. Actually, it was only a few months later that I realized it was coming off tramadol that caused the massive crash. That was introduction into the psychiatric benefits of opiates. Seems so obvious now.
I still take opiates for their 'mood brightening' qualities and my doctor is looking into Suboxone for me. I ordered a large shipment of tramadol a week ago so hopefully it will arrive any day soon. I think there might be something I wrote about tramadol on Revolution Health because I wrote a review back when it was RemedyFind, and my profile was suppposed to have been transferred. I'm not sure if I mentioned tolerance and addiction there, but I have a feeling I did.
Q
Posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 19:12:30
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » ToughTimes, posted by Quintal on September 2, 2008, at 17:40:32
Suboxone I would think wouldn't work to well. I know it's an agonist at the opiate receptors, but it blocks the effect of narcotics. Even though Tramadol is not a true narcotic it does act on the opiate receptors via the MU agonism of the drug. Also, what happens if you get hurt and go to the hospital in need of pain meds. You won't get pain relief while on Suboxone. I'd stick with the Tramadol. Of all narcotics, it's the only one the mimics that of a narcotic and very weak at that. Just my 2 cents.
Posted by Quintal on September 3, 2008, at 10:59:20
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 19:12:30
Without getting into a debate on the mechanics, let me say that Suboxone is an effective painkiller for people who are not dependent on other opioids when they start it. The dose of Suboxone itself can be raised as needed if someone needs extra pain relief.
Q
Posted by Phillipa on September 3, 2008, at 12:25:32
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 19:12:30
Are you taking any other meds with it? Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on September 4, 2008, at 0:52:05
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » ToughTimes, posted by Phillipa on September 3, 2008, at 12:25:32
> Are you taking any other meds with it? Phillipa
That's an important thing since Ultram has a black list of psychiatric medications that can increase its already potential seizure risk.
Posted by Hygieia's Bowl on September 4, 2008, at 5:13:30
In reply to Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 17:21:59
I suggest proceeding very carefully. Careful followup I believe is important. I am hoping you have that and are not just devising your own at home DIY treatment, though that is probably more the likely as I believe there is good reason for its not widespead use in: "solely treating the head" med field.
Please go about this carefully....
Posted by Valero on September 4, 2008, at 13:09:15
In reply to Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 17:21:59
Hello,
Just to say that I've been taking Tramadol for the past 6 months, first on and off, then mostly on.
Stopped abruptly 6 days ago. Maybe a coincidence, but I've got severe stomach, intestinal pains/cramps, shivers, muscle aches and insomnia and RLS at night. Sort of like coming off Heroin, only without the craving and feeling of despair. If this only lasts a week it'll have been a good trade off, 2 weeks maybe not! watch out "tough times" maybe ahead.
Posted by bleauberry on September 4, 2008, at 16:13:09
In reply to Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by ToughTimes on September 2, 2008, at 17:21:59
At revolution health the reviews and ratings of tramadol for depression/anxiety are spectacular. Nothing but raves about how good it is.
At askapatient.com it is a more rounded picture with quite a few negative experiences.
When it works it seems to work awesome. When it doesn't it seems to be miserable. Not much inbetween. Either real bad or real good.
Posted by Quintal on September 4, 2008, at 19:17:14
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by bleauberry on September 4, 2008, at 16:13:09
>At revolution health the reviews and ratings of tramadol for depression/anxiety are spectacular. Nothing but raves about how good it is.
Do you have a link handy? Thanks.
Q
Posted by bleauberry on September 4, 2008, at 20:33:15
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » bleauberry, posted by Quintal on September 4, 2008, at 19:17:14
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-treatments/rating/ultram-for-depression
Sorry, I don't know how to post a link. I know it's supposed to be in blue so you can click on it. Anyway, cut and paste or type it in.
Posted by Quintal on September 5, 2008, at 14:01:05
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone, posted by bleauberry on September 4, 2008, at 20:33:15
Thanks, the link came out okay. I couldn't find this section myself! It doesn't surprise me everyone said tramadol had helped their mood - opiates are pretty much as effective in depression as benzos are for anxiety. I notice more than a third of them mentioned addiction and dependence somewhere in their post though, so not too unrealistic on the whole.
Q
Posted by Phillipa on September 5, 2008, at 18:57:15
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » bleauberry, posted by Quintal on September 5, 2008, at 14:01:05
How long would it work if benzo quit and the SSRI's don't work nor the Snri's Thanks Phillipa pdoc wouldn't give it me so don't know where to get it?
Posted by Quintal on September 6, 2008, at 18:39:24
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » Quintal, posted by Phillipa on September 5, 2008, at 18:57:15
I don't know how long it would work for, it can vary an awful lot. It would probably work for you though since you responded so well to Percocet. They're just not something pdocs are willing to prescribe for depression. I once asked mine for tramadol after I found it worked, but he wouldn't give me it.
Q
Posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2008, at 20:12:03
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » Phillipa, posted by Quintal on September 6, 2008, at 18:39:24
So how do I get it the docs here are besides antibenzo anti panin med. Phillipa
Posted by Quintal on September 6, 2008, at 20:33:59
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » Quintal, posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2008, at 20:12:03
Are you sure this is a path you want to go down?
Q
Posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2008, at 21:14:35
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » Phillipa, posted by Quintal on September 6, 2008, at 20:33:59
Q what do you think should I? I need to know the good the bad. Love Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on September 7, 2008, at 3:20:02
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » Quintal, posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2008, at 21:14:35
> Q what do you think should I? I need to know the good the bad. Love Phillipa
Ultram carries a seizure risk and that can increase with:
SSRIs
TCAs
Opiods
MAOIs
and APsAlthough the risk in the general population of description of side effects is less than 1% for seizures, the risk still exists.
-- tidings
Posted by Phillipa on September 7, 2008, at 18:09:19
In reply to It may work for some but there is caution » Phillipa, posted by yxibow on September 7, 2008, at 3:20:02
That risk would be lowered with valium right? Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on September 8, 2008, at 5:44:52
In reply to Re: It may work for some but there is caution » yxibow, posted by Phillipa on September 7, 2008, at 18:09:19
> That risk would be lowered with valium right? Phillipa
Perhaps. Its a gamble, since it is an older agent and not tested with P450 interactions. I think the risk is higher than augmenting for "protection" Wellbutrin with Klonopin, e.g.
-- cant say for sure
Jay
Posted by dcruik518 on September 9, 2008, at 18:45:44
In reply to Re: Tramadol is working for my Anxiety...It's Gone » bleauberry, posted by Quintal on September 5, 2008, at 14:01:05
That's my experience and my old p-doc said the same was found in a study using it to treat social phobia. People develop a tolerance to it very quickly, until finally it stops working altogeher. This is less, I think, with some of true opiates. Tramadol is not a true opiate.
Posted by farrandaway on September 13, 2008, at 17:18:03
In reply to Tramadol works, but poops out after a month or so., posted by dcruik518 on September 9, 2008, at 18:45:44
i've been taking it for over a year with no need to increase dose and no loss of effect (or affect for that matter :-)). started as an osteoarthritis pain med option since i can't take nsaids,- but initially it gave me a crazy weird feeling, sort of a cranky, manic high, so i had to stop taking it. but i really needed a pain control option.
Then I did some digging and found a not very well publicized interaction with trazadone -- which i had been taking a low dose of for chronic depression/anti anxiety. without going into details, tramadol is working in some of the same systems as trazadone.
I stopped the trazadone resumed the tramadol, and, bingo!, no crazy weird feeling, and gotreasonably good pain relief. Later i noticed that i hadn't been depressed AT ALL whenever I was taking it for a few days in a row. so i just started monitoring my mood and noting when i was taking it for pain. At one point I tried deliberately thinking really sad negative thoughts and I got totally different reaction than the typical depression that would normally follow on that sort of thinking.
I take 2 50mg tabs once a day in the morning, since it does have the effect of keeping me alert and awake all night if I take it after dinner! also I take a "holiday" for 2-3 days each month since i don't want to develop a dependency or tolerance for that matter.
Tramadol is hands down, the single most effective antidepressant I have ever taken (inc. trycyclic, SSRIs, trazadone, alternative, e.g. st john's work, SAMe, etc) and what's even better it actually does relieve acute osteoarthritis pain. There is actually quite a body of pharmacology supporting the off-label use of tramadol for depression and the fact that it is relatively low risk for dependency. I have experience no significant side effects.
However, I do wish the interactions were better publicized, some could be quite serious, e.g. ssri's, I personally avoid any other psychoactive med. to be on the safe side.
Posted by Phillipa on September 13, 2008, at 21:08:42
In reply to Re: Tramadol works, but poops out after a month or so. » dcruik518, posted by farrandaway on September 13, 2008, at 17:18:03
Isn't a lot like 5HTP? Love Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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