No, it's not a funny news story... just something from personal experience & wonder if anyone else on here has had similar problems... perhaps also a warning to anyone who is similarly prescribed these as a painkiller.

A coupla weeks before the Olympics last year I broke my shoulder when falling off a ladder while putting up a dish mount on my roof. On the waitlist for just over a year until end of July this year and was on prescription painkillers, being Pana Forte with the odd Oxycodone or 2 on the worse days - never had a problem with dependence as many times I would "rest" my body from the drugs for a few days up to a week when work permitted & not bat an eyelid.

Finally had the op but was still in post-op pain until I eventually had a cortisone injection. In the meantime about 2 weeks post-op I had once again run out of Fortes & had to go to night surgery for another script. (Could only ever get a max of 50 at any one visit). The Dr in his wisdom decided to take me off the codeine and put me on max dose of tramadol - 400mg/day. They seem to work fine at first & I kept on them until late Sept, about a week after the cortisone.

So I thought I would just rest up as before & one Sat morning put the tramadol aside since the pain was bearable & I wasn't working. By that same evening I had gone into the classic symptoms of withdrawal - profuse sweating to the point that my bed was just drenched, all over body shivers with freezing cold feeling & yet my body felt like it was burning at the same time (thermo readings normal - how's that possible?), my heart was racing & skipping beats and every nerve in my body was just screaming out.

Was about to ring the Ambo when, not wanting to seem alarmist, rang the health care line & was told to get some quick release tramadol (I had both types at the time) into my system, which I did. Half an hour later I was fine but it took several hours before I could get back to sleep.

NOW I am under close medical supervision, under a long taper-off program currently down to 150mg/day, been put on Citalopram (anti-depressant) which also has to be tapered off in due course, and I'm still doing it bloody tough. I can tell exactly when it has been 12 hours since my last tramadol dose as the symptoms can still hit me like a steam train. It's that bad, if I have left the meds at home & it takes, for example, 14 hours before I can get to them & take one, that I have to bite the thing to get it working quicker (I only have slow release these days). I am told it could be several months before I can get off the stuff, then another 6 months on top before I stop the Citalopram. In the meantime I am so p!ssed off taking meds and the bank account has taken some pretty big hits this year on Dr & pharmacy visits, not helped by the fact I have had 3 general anaesthetic ops and related specialist visits.

So.... I dunno, maybe everyone's different - but I just wanted to throw it out there coz I would not want to see ANYONE go through what I've had to endure in the last 2 months or so, with possibly a lot more to come unless I can gather the intestinal fortitude & go cold turkey.

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1991 Celica GT4 (Younger son)

shit mate, feel for ya. Didnt you have surgery on it? Has it made it better at all?
What exactly did u break in your shoulder?

It was the rotator cuff, whatever that is.

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MY99 WRX sedan WRC blue Sold :(
MY99 WRX sedan Dark blue pearl :D
MY97 Liberty Outback Ltd Wagon
1990 Mk3 Supra turbo fully rebuilt 7M-GTE (Older son)
1991 Celica GT4 (Younger son)

I've been on pain killers for just over 2.5 yrs now as I basically
have a broken spine around the L5/LS1 area.

I have contemplated using Tramadole because everything
I've tried doesn't give much relief and the pain is constant
and unbearable most days, even injections directly into the
joint and spine have done nothing.

Many thanks for the info mate I will stay well clear of it, really don't
want to add any more discomfort than I already have with adding
an addiction problem.

Hope it goes all well for you mate and you get it all sorted or get
some constant relief, I certainly feel your pain.

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221.7KW-ATW 498.5NM MMS ROLLER DYNO & BUILT BY STi NINJAS, BUILD #318/600

EBISU SUBARU, SHIBUYA-KU TOKYO

wow 400mg! (the maximum dose!)
I've been on Tramadol on and off for about 8 months now as a treatment for severe migraine pain...albeit at a lower dosage rate of 200mg per day (50 mg every 6 hours).

The only side effect I get is it puts me down (sleepy) for the day....It definitely helps in my situation by alleviating the pain / light sensitivity usually within about 45 mins of the initial dose.

I do find I feel a little nausea when I'm taking them but that may be the head ache more than the drug.

Tramadol is a Opioid pain reliever and may be addictive, it certainly takes me somewhere else for 8 - 10 hours, but it's better than having to hide in a dark quiet room for 24-48 hours at a time when an atomic bomb has gone off inside your skull!

Usually I take it for a maximum of 2 days straight when needed and haven't suffered any withdrawl symptoms due to my short term use I guess.

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[CENTER][SIGPIC][/SIGPIC][/CENTER]
[CENTER][COLOR=#ff0000]Built Ej207: Semi-closed RA Cases - Wiseco Forgies - Manley rods - BC 272 cams - GDA Heads - billet f/whl - Vi-pec - WbO2 - 800cc Yellow tops - TD05-20G - 409Hp ath @ 1.75bar on E85[/COLOR][/CENTER]

I was on Tramadol and Vallium before... Man that's a top combo to trip out on.

Had no withdrawal effects though.

Is it common for people to get addicted to this?

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[COLOR="Gray"]550Nm off a 2L... Just wish it was in the dak dak...[/COLOR]

I was the same with redbull.

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MY93 Impreza GX 1.8L, 0hp, 0nm

i've been on tramadol for over 1 year now with diazepham (valium), no nasty side effect for me...i've got prob with L4, L5 S1......however i know someone who had it and got some serious side effect....not as bad as yours though...

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I was on tramadol and Valium also.. for about 2 years.. no withdrawals from it.. Anti Depressants on the other hand... NEVER AGAIN.

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I used to tune cars with screwdrivers.
Clutch, Brake, Accelerate.

Tramadol made me so sick the first time I took it after an op I have never taken it again! Just put up with the pain till I recovered...