jmmb I found a Dr that I have occasionally watched. Last night he spoke on fibromyalgia (I have but not bad anymore). If you pull up his YouTube video Dr Dan Claw the head of Chronic Pain Fatigue Center of the University of Michigan, he addressed medication and brain chemicals.He is very informative but "never" felt any pain in his life and I am not 100% agreeable about what he states. Anyway, Tramadol is like I stated but he said, he dislikes opioids but uses Tramadol in the fact it acts as a weak anti-depressant like Savella/Cymbalta? He also stated it works on gamma hydroxybutyrate receptors (?) and the other ones work on serotonin and norepinephrine. A few years ago the FDA was going to take synthetic Tramadol off market because it was addicting and has side effects. It still is but you should research it. I don't know when they decided to use as an anti-depressant but as I stated he is against opioids but not Tramadol??? Strange. A friend of mine took it for pain at that time and had relief (I never did) and was also told non- addicting but IS. Was afraid when was going to be taken off market but wasn't, then her dosage had to be lowered. It is the side-effects of opioids he does not like and not effective in "brain" pain. That is why research is so important. Hope you are getting the assistance you need and are feeling much better. I still would question your doctor what they used. Don't know any doctors using it around my area or any medical associates I know