THIS MEDICATION IS DANGEROUS!! Explanation in a minute. I was prescribed tramadol for bad discs in my back. I took up to 100 mg every 4 hrs with no relief in the back pain. I did get very sleepy after taking it though. I have had to go through detox and rehab for opiates. While in detox I found out that tramadol is opiate based and that it is VERY addictive, even though it is not marketed or prescribes as a "narcotic" pain reliever. It was the start to my downhill road. My wife had also been prescribed tramadol for pain and after only 3 doses had severe side effects including hypotension, nervousness, weakness and nausia. She said she felt like she was dieing. Be VERY carefull if you decide to take this medicine.

I have fibromyalgia and since I started using tramadol my life has gotten better. I am able to control my pain and get to work all because of using tramadol. It has really saved my life!!

I have been tking Ultram at different doses for almost five years now due to unexplained nerve pain in my foot. I also suffer from herniated disk resulting in sciatica. This drug allows me to sleep pain free. Sometimes it does keep me up at night, but at least I can read and don't feel like I want to bang my head through the wall like before!! Four years ago doctors told me this drug was NOT a narcotic. Now they say it is. I say, whatever, just know that it is effectively relieving my foot pain, and helps relieve back and sciatic pain as well. For anyone who has found this drug does not work- I have found it works best for me when combined with naproxen or ibuprofin. Alone, it only gets rid of the electric shock feeling in my left foot. I hope this info helps someone else who is trying this drug. Ask your doc or pharmacist about what would be best to try. Ultram has given me my life back. No problem cutting back on doses when the pain is not severe, and I suspect I could go off without too much trouble IF the pain was managed some other way, or better yet, GONE. Doc keeps telling me I need sleep to get better, and I finally changed from retail to a m-f 9-5'er, so I'm anxious to see how the regular schedule affects the pain. Good luck, and know I empathize with any other chronic pain folks out there!!

Well it sounds like ultram helps everyone that takes it. I too take it for a compressed disc and torn muscle in my back. I was researching its affects on my liver because it seems that even though I take my reccommended dose my doctors office acts like I take to much. They perscribe it to me, give me refills and then make me feel like a drug addict. I have done physical therapy, chiropractics and spinal shots are out of the question. I am so tired of there additudes when I call for my script. The ultram does its job and like another guy said its not to bad for just making you feel happier and energized. I can't seem to find any liver failure information on this drug and it seems my dose 400mgs a day is just right for my pain level. So I just don't get why they treat me like they do. I have never taken another pain killer in my life and they even tried to put me on Vicodin but I told them the ultram worked and that was what I wanted to take. That was after they took it away from me for six months no letting me off it easy (what hell that is when you go to bed) they yanked right away said I was to young to have that much pain (I'm 24) and I had to go another route. I may be young but I ride race horses that would crush anyones spine. so I tried their suggestions. After six months of eating Excedrin like candy they gave me an MRI and discovered my compressed disc and torn muscle but they still give me a hassle about taking my reccommended dose of ultram. I am so tired of it but they are the only doctor in my small town and I really need this medication for my back. None the less this medication is helpful to say the least and as good as it gets in the pain killer world if you ask me.

I have been taking ultram 50 mg for back pain for 6 months now. Its effectivness is nothing short of outstanding. Plus Ive also noticed it elevates my mood and gives me a boost of energy. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I was taking tramadol for a while and it waz working great. Then I fainted one day and went into a seizure. Had no notice what so ever. It just happened, went to the ER, they couldn't figure out anything. Then it happened again, and again. I realized it was the tramadol. I have ever other people experiencing this also. So, be careful, because I couldn've been driving when that happened. Very scary, because someone did, and now she's disabled and he children were with her, luckily their o.k.