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

I tried zanaflex way back when you told me about it but it made my heart beat like crazy.

And when I looked up the wakefulness & back cramps from tramadol, it was possibly a serotonin-syndrome-like reaction so I was too chicken to add a flexeril.

This is what I'm currently doing for pain relief:
1. swim daily
2. stretch several times per day
3. 20mg cymbalta at night
4. 5mg cyclobenzaprine at night, and as needed during the day.
5. .25-.75mg clonezepam as needed during the night for severe spasm.
6. 7.5-15mg morphine 1-3 times per day as needed for breakthrough pain [at least for now].

I was sort of hoping for codeine phosphate instead of morphine, but evidently it's not available in the states.

It seems like we're all on a constant quest of trying to find the right combination of activities, diets, supplements, and medicines to keep us moving.

Go TEAM! Ooooops, sorry. Wrong thread.

ah yes, that does sound familiar. sorry about that.



you know, i've tried the lyrica, but because of the migraines, decided not to venture down that path of other neuro drugs. but maybe i should try cymbalta.

and the clonezepam, others have said how much that one helps them. that's also worth thinking about.

and interesting how you can take flexeril and not zanaflex, and i'm exactly the opposite. all this drug stuff and our individual responses to drugs, very interesting.

thanks for sharing your list once more!







ha ha!

Crapola. Day three of morphine and my stomach hurts. Wow, this isn't worth the pain relief at all. Off to the next med trial. I'm now officially taking suggestions for narcotic pain relief options.

Tramadol: alert,upper back cramps, zero sleep.
Vicodin: whacked out, spinning dizzy, nauseous.
Dilaudid: disastrous headache.
Oxycodone: a bit whacked out, a bit dizzy, very clumsy.
Morphine: alert, horrible stomach ache
Codeine: trying again on Thursday - worked well when I was a child ~~~

Have you considered a fentanyl patch, Erica? That was my most successful narcotic. I had to build slowly from the smallest dose.

I have not tried that. Can I take it on and off? I only need pain meds in the late afternoon & evenings.

oh the patch does sound like a possibility. i've been amazed how effective the flector patch is without all the side effects i get from nsaids. i know you can't take that due to your nsaid allergy, just saying, i like the patch, and at least the one i use if very convenient.

i hate to see that so many people are going through the same thing i am. i would never wish what we have on anyone! i am on hydrocodone 500mg - can take 4-6 pills a day, and i need the full 6 everyday! however, it's getting to the point where they don't work as well. my doc is hesitant to change me to a stronger narcotic because he doesn't want the dependency of it to kick in. BUT - my AS is spreading and there really isn't anything else that provides relief.
i do take clonozepam as well - for anxiety. how can we NOT be anxious when our bodies freak out like this? it's so hard sometimes...
i was also just given trazodone for depression/sleep and i'm on 90mg cymbalta daily. the trazodone doesn't work - if anything it gives me a few good hours of sleep and then i'm wired again. bizarre. the cymbalta seems to work pretty well.
i was given lyrica but didn't like the side effects. i'm prone to migraines and that just made them worse.
wow...now that i'm writing all this i feel like a robot - we're all so doped up on meds! haha

anyway, today is not a great day, so i'm not in the best of spirits. i will say that i love this board for support - it really does help to know that we're not alone. just knowing that provides me with a comfort that is needed during rough times.

all the best to all of you. may you each have as many good days as possible!
=)