Luck with Ultram??

dellkr · Post by **dellkr** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:24 am

I'm calling the neuro tomorrow to hopefully get in and have a chat about the probability of this being primary RLS (had it since earliest memories as do all three of our children). But does anyone else have leg pains as the primary troublesome symptom with a persistent electrical feeling in the legs...sometimes spreads to my arms if I don't listen to my body and sleep it off.

Which brings me to my main question really, I have been using ultram off and on for the past couple of years, and been prescribed several other meds along the way as well. I've found that 50 mg Ultram lets me function and takes the edge off during the day, and 100 mg will knock me right out if it's severe. My rheumatologist originally rx'ed it for "aches and pains" in the absence of RA, but my fill-in primary care doc (usual one has been out sick for quite a while) gets panic-striken at the thought of me taking Ultram when I need it.

Anyone else done well on Ultram or had a hard time getting it prescribed? It's probably easier to get vicoden or tylenol 3 (both of which make me loopy!)
Kim

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 7:36 pm

Kim, Have been taking Ultram off and on for about three months and very sporadically before than. I personally do not find it works as well as vicoding and need about 150 mg. to make a real dent in things. But, it does help me for rls but not PLM. It does not make me sleepy, high or anything like that. Neither does the vicodin. Ultram was recommended by my sleep specialist so I did not have a hard time getting a prescription. It was also prescibed for back/shoulder pain about a year ago but I never filled the scripts then. So, at least in my area of the world it does not seem to be a very guarded medication. Best of luck!

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:54 pm

Kim, that's really odd that you have found it easier to get Vicodin than Ultram, because Vicodin is a controlled substance and Ultram is not. Usually the docs are so scared of the DEA that they really hate prescribing narcotics.

For me, the Tramadol worked for the pain, but not the creepy-crawlies, so I went back to the hydrocodone. My sleep doctor doesn't like to give me enough of it, though, to control the symptoms completely. I understand completely about the stuff not making you high. I get a bit of a fuzzy feeling when it first kicks in, but definitely not a "high." Nothing that would make me crave the stuff. But oh the blessed relief! The narcotics are something like 200 times stronger painkillers than Tylenol. I like them because they work!

Tomorrow I go to a pain clinic, and I know they're not as squeamish about using narcotics as most doctors. But they also like to try more cutting edge stuff, like nerve blocks, or Lidoderm patches. I'm open to whatever works.

Good luck with it.

Susan

jan3213 · Post by **jan3213** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:22 pm

My PCP prescriped Tramadol to me about a month ago. I had back surgery in September, 2006 and still have problems with pain in my back when I have stayed in bed more than a few hours. I really sleep so much better now that I'm on it. I think I'm on 50 mg. (I don't have the meds in front of me and am too lazy to go upstairs and get the bottle...LOL).

I don't know how Tramadol would affect my RLS, but I'm on Mirapex and Clonazepam and don't plan on going off either one to find out. LOL

I'm like Susan in that I wonder why Tramadol is harder to get that Vicodin, etc. My doctor, who is hesitant to prescribe any pain medication, offered Tramadol to me.... So, I assume it's easier to get.

Good luck to you!
Jan

dellkr · Post by **dellkr** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 3:43 am

Thanks Jan and Susan...it is just this one doc who seems to not like to rx it, but she will give the Vicoden (should clarify that she will only give a small number). THink I need to trade her in for a newer model : -)

Being totally out of everything last night, and having just fallen down the stairs on loose carpet, I took a Tylenol 3 left from oral surgery, and WOW did things suddenly go from bad to worse...I had my usual low grade leg pain that suddenly went into the WORST case of the creepy-crawlies I have EVER HAD!! I've only ever had mild cases of it, and generally if I really overdo it and don't take breaks as needed, but this was INTENSE!! I finally think I might have at least some level of understanding as to what you guys with the odd sensations go through! YIKES!!

Kim

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:04 am

Yuck - I wonder what caused that???? T-3s don't have anything in them I can think of that would do it, but that doesn't mean it wasn't that! RLS is a strange animal. I'd be terrified to try those again if I were you

I had really bad experiences with melatonin and a few other "natural" sleep aids. They didn't make the RLS go wonky, but rather put me in a state of waking sleep - I was sort of out, but my mind wasn't - it wouldn't stop - kind of like lucid dreaming. I just couldn't shut it off. Each time, I remember thinking, "OMG - you couldn't pay me to try that again." I was so exhausted the next day, too. Each time I would see formulas with those items in it, I wouldn't touch them.

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 3:27 pm

Oh Kim, yuck! I've had similar things happen when I've taken pain meds that just don't quite do the trick. They morph the pain into the creepy-crawlies. I had that experience with tramadol, and I've had that experience with taking huge quantities of Tylenol and Motrin.

That's why I'm sure that for me, the leg pain is RLS and not some other condition. The leg pain and the creepy-crawlies are pretty much interchangeable.

I'm glad the tramadol works for you. Maybe the doc is weirded out by the seizure risk of tramadol. But it's usually way easier to get than the "real" opiods like hydrocodone, oxycodone, or the others.

Best wishes with it all!

Susan

dellkr · Post by **dellkr** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:01 am

Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences with the varous meds...I didn't think about the seizure risk with Ultram/tramadol...I think because the best condition I've ever been in was when the rheumatologist put me on it for fibro...allowed me up to 3 a day and wrote me a 12 month refill. I rarely took 2 a day, and after about a month was able to reduce that one to every couple of days. It was "heaven"!

I would go back to the rheumy, but if this is RLS (and the more I read, the more convinced I am) then I think it best to try and find someone who can work with me and my children. My neuro never returned my call which was hugely disappointing. However, I did email Dr. Pamela Hamilton-Stubbs in my area...found her thanks to the support groups listing and she is listed as both adult and pediatric sleep disordes WOOHOO!!

Will let everyone know what I hear from her...I am so getting frantic...I have a flight to Chicago for a conference in 2 days and now my arms and torso feel like they are crawling with ants (legs feel like the ants are marching on the inside of my bones!) AUUGGGHHHHH!!!

Thanks for listening and being here

Kim