Don't worry about addiction to painkillers. If you don't take enough to get high you're not going to get addicted. Also if you're in a position like I am or you're going to be taking whatever you're taking for the rest of your life why on Earth would you worry about becoming addicted? Addictions only a problem if you need to stop and if that were to happen and if you did need to stop you would taper off slowly over a couple of weeks. The problem with painkillers did you have a hard time getting them because doctors are too damn spineless to prescribe them. Love & blessings

hELLO Kristacat 🙂 There are so many folks suffering tht it seems incredible. Some folks seem to take it in stride and others get so down. I have suffered with what was diagnosed as Fibromyalgia. That was back in the 1980's. And because it was not well known a lot of Dr's said there was no such thing. And people suffered thinking they were hypercondriacs and it was all in there heads.
For me pain is so very personal. I don't want others around me when I am dealing with pain., but I have learned that I need others, I believe we all do. Keep reaching out all around you. Let others help you see things that you may have missed. Find the wonders in life as you work thru the pain. Depression is almost as bad as the pain. I live with someone who lets me do whatever I need to do. He never complains that I am not able to do much some days or that I sleep all day because the neuropothy keeps me up at night. I currently take 800mg gabapentin + 50mg tramadol every six hours to control the neuropothy. If I miss a dose on time it is so hard to catch up. I take blood pressure pills twice a day, multi vitamins/minerals, tumericl with astragalas. I have a pace maker, a spine stimulator and am presently having injections on my upper and lower back. I have severe stenosis and the last time I had am injection it hurt so bad I had a difficult time dealing with the pain. It has lasted about three days now, and usualy when I get these injections after a coule od days I can walk without support. It does seem to me that once I get some pain controlled, not gone but controlled. another pops up and says HELLO did you miss me? he he I am wondering if any of you that are sharing are having trouble with sleeping all the time? I would like to stay awake and enjoy this beautiful weather but I sleep so much and wonder if it might be the meds that I am taking. I know I am rambling here..sorry...But PEACE AND LOVE TO ALL.

@oregongirl

Not everyone gets "addicted" to Tramadol. Also, you aren't taking as much as I was. Even then, I never felt like I needed to increase the # of pills I was taking, so it wasn't the opioid type of addiction. If you will have pain for the rest of your life, you may not ever want to stop taking the Tramadol. I can still take it on an as needed basis, which I have done a couple of times while traveling. I only needed 1/2 a 50 MG pill to take effect. Also, you are taking 1/2 the amount I was taking (2 pills per day - vs- 4 pills for me). It sounds as if you won't have access to CBD or THC in Texas, so I wouldn't worry about getting off the Tramadol.

I stopped using Gabapentin because I was losing large amounts of memory. I felt off balance and goofy, like I couldn't think straight all the time. When I completely spaced out opening Christmas gifts and didn't even realize it for 3 months when a friend asked how I liked the gift he gave me. I said, what gift? I learned that I was in trouble because I had 0 memories of it. I decided to stop taking Gabapentin then. I was amazed that I felt so much better without taking it, even my pain was less. I don't think I ever needed it.

One thing I just learned is that Tramadol should
NOT be taken with Citalopram. I was NOT aware of the problems that can happen with the combination of the 2 drugs. I am shocked that my pain doctor nor my pharmacist warned me about the interaction problems. I was taking a lot of Tramadol for over a year (4 times/day). I will talk with both my pharmacist and my doctor about this the next time I see them.

I never did maybe at the time of fracture I was on Vicoden also tapering of was a process Vicoden went first then rest but our bodies are different but even Dr rheumatologist wasn't concerned he said 2weeks at a time .

I am amazed at the side effects you had with Gabapentin. I had said earlier that I had no side effects, but I have the same things you speak of. I simply thought it was my "old age". I actually can't tell if it does any good, but it might be doing harm. My Neurologist seems to think it can do no harm. My husband's doctor says it is useless. So many different opinions. I am going to come off and see what happens. I sure would like to get some of my memory back.. I take three capsules each morning. Maybe cut back one at a time.

Liz. I am so sorry you have memory issues. I fell forward and did a great deal of damage to myself. I passed out and never felt a thing. I have no memory of fall. Since cutting back on drugs I have a clearer head. I spent 3 weeks in hospital and received every diagnosis known to man. In other words...doctors do not know what to do for us. They used to just prescribe pain pills. Now they shake their heads.

I also have been on Gabapentin for 20 years, also Tramadol, my memory is awful. Instead of being 58 I feel so dumb ( so grateful to have a understanding husband), Recently I had a pain stimulater implanted now my butt crack goes all the way up between my shoulder blades! Still the pain is always with me, thinking of getting a pain pump when my disability goes through!
Good luck everyone

I am taking 1500 mg gabapentin 3 times daily with 50 mg tramadol and I am fine. I also do exercises . I really thought a Dr. would operate , but he said it was not possible.

I have neuropathy too. Mine was caused by Chemo treatments for cancer. I take 300 mg. of Lyrica twice a day. I also take 25 mg. of Amitriptyline daily. Don't give up on depression until you fix it. Get counseling, try different meds but don't give up. Depression will worsen your experience with pain and can even cause physical pain. There is a company, GeneSight testing that if you furnish a cheek swab, they can with great accuracy, predict which meds will work for you. I'll see if I can find a link.
https://genesight.com/
That was easy. They can test for 4 types of psychotropic meds and also what analgesics or narcotics will be best for you. Your Doc needs to register with them which they can do by phone and it's free. The testing is not. They will help you pay. If you have any sort of Government insurance it will be totally covered. It's new but it's getting good reviews.

Tramadol addiction is like no other. It doesn't make you crave more, it doesn't get you high. However, when I stopped taking it I went through a withdrawal which was awful. It was like the worst Flu you ever had and went on for about 96 hours. Bad drug!!!!!