Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Tramadol - CAN'T SLEEP

Crapola, I'm on my third day of tramadol in place of oxycodone, and I'm so disappointed I could spit.

The tramadol gets rid of the pain, but keeps me as wide awake as if I'd drank a quadruple espresso. Crapola. Does anyone know of any other mild narcotic that isn't schedule II?

I've been trying to get used to oxycodone for a couple of years on and off and 1/2 of a 5mg pill zonks me out so much I can't drive or cook (sharp objects are dangerous) - and often walk into walls.

Anyway, a few days ago I insisted on getting something different, so the doctor suggested morphine or tramadol. I chose the tramadol because it's not such a hassle to get filled. But it's not working.

I'm going to go ahead and try the morphine and see how that goes, but I hate having to pay to see the doctor every time I need a refill. There has got to be a schedule III narcotic that will work for me.

I've tried hydrocodone (dizzy & nauseous), tramadol, and I think that's all. Truly, if anyone has any other schedule III narcotic advice I'd appreciate it! I'm allergic to NSAIDS & salicylates (sp?) so it can't be a mix.

Okay, enough grousing. I'm going to bed to read for the next 7 to 12 hours...

Isn't it funny how different drugs affect us tramadol does nothing for me as far as keeping me awake in fact I take 2 50mg ones every night at bedtime, now the Oxycontin is what keeps me awake so much that I can only take it during the day.

I have done pretty much all of them too the hydrocodone, tylenol 3's, fentanyl....Im thinking Im gonna have to go to morphine..you might look up on google I think I heard they are coming out with 1 or 2 new pain meds not sure.

Sure hope you get it figured out.

Hugs!

I heard that, too! One is an NSAID and two others are different versions of what's already available. That's what I've read at least. I'm encouraged by how well the cymbalta works for me.

The cymbalta really does take the X out of excruciating for me. It's just the breakthrough that I need something for, and usually if I stretch and swim in the morning I can wait until mid afternon before taking anything at all.

I've never tried oxycontin, because just the 4 hour stuff makes me so goofy I've been afraid that the time released would last for days.

Thanks for the encouragement though. Hour 7 and here I sit, typing, while my hubby sleeps in the next room. Grrr...owl!

I am on Cymbalta also and yes it helps me too so that is good..yea me too 2 in the morning and I am up and hubby is in bed him and the dog are snoring..lol

Don't have a suggestion, but it stinks that your doc makes you have an appt for a refill. I'm on oxy and only have to pick up the rx in person. Except when it was time for the unscheduled urine drug screen, and even that didn't cost me a copay...just the lab fee. See pain doc every 3 months, which is a copay.
Gotta run, today is the first day of Enbrel...going to rheumy's office so I'm sure I am doing it correctly. Would hate to mess up a $500 injection...or however much it is. Hugs to you.

Can you get straight codeine phosphate in the US? Here you can get codeine with paracetamol (tylenol) as either 8/500 or 30/500, but some time back I struck a doctor who believed that you got better pain control if you had the paracetamol separate from the codeine, and could take just as much codeine as needed alongside the paracetamol. I have a bottle of codeine phosphate syrup that is 25 mg/5 ml, so I can easily take anything from 12.5 mg to 50 mg at a time. I did go onto tramadol for a while instead, partly because it was pills rather than liquid, but didn't really like what it did to me (apart from knocking pain). Having a liquid med is a bit of a nuisance if you are trying to take meds out with you during the day, but it does seem to work better for me.

Erica,
My dear friend.
Most of these stinking drugs do that, all the ones you mentioned wake me up. SO I stick with PM across the counter meds. Or I just know I will be awake sometime that night and get some reading done.
Some of us will not be rested in this life, but we do look forward to that day when we will be rested, refreshed and made new!

rye. like a triple rye and gingerale... just before bed is what i took before tramadol. i didnt like taking pain killers before bed since once asleep who cares. that was before i had this back pain though. but sometimes i have a glass of wine with my nigthtime meds just to make sure i knock out instead of spending the night with weird thoughts buzzing around my head. that and i take 1500 mg or more of calcium to help me stay asleep it works most nights.

She can actually write a prescription for me to pick up, but can only do that for two months in a row. Evidently some yayhoo doctors OD'd 7 people last year on pain meds and most of the docs in this county have dropped their narcotics coverage riders on their insurance.

Again, it is beyond me how anyone gets hooked on narcotics. They make me feel gross.

Why did you have to take a urine screen? We don't do that here.

I don't know, but I'll definitely ask her! Thanks.