17th December 2004
Hi Stacie!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience about Ultram with me. I can definitely understand why it has taken so long for you to feel well again, it took me over a year to begin to feel normal after my detox with xanax 16 years ago! I need to remember the horror of that time so I will never repeat it! It really does take that long for some pills to completely come out of your system and those natural endorphins to kick back in. You should be very proud of yourself for being clean for close to a year. ((((Stacie))))
Oh yes, I was aware of the interactions with AD's from the beginning. I was on Paxil at the time (now Lexapro and Wellbutrin), and the prescribing PM doc at the hospital informed me. I was told I could only take 1 tab every 6 hours, instead of 1-2 tabs every 4-6 hours. I remember it not working for 6 hours and had to fight with him to get him to OK every 5 hours! (this was in the hospital no less). So I've pretty much stuck to that. When I have needed more pain relief (as in post surgically) I am prescribed something stronger, but only for short term. That is why Ultram was a God send, or so I thought at the time! It actually does work pretty good on relieving pain.
I was diagnosed last year (03) with Breast cancer. I was so lucky it was discovered early and I had a lumpectomy followed by 6 weeks of radiation and will be taking Arimidex (a newer version of Tamaxofin) for a total of 5 years. I'm so glad you are getting checked, it's especially important if you have a family history, as I did as well. Please let us know how that goes. I'll say a little prayer~ Mine being found so early (by self exam!), I was spared the chemo, at least for now. The breast area pain (called radiation induced fibrosis) that I have is now considered permenant as it is over 1 year since I finished tx. The 3rd degree burns that I experienced were I'm told extremely rare! I also have abdominal adhehions from 3 abd. surgeries the year before. Thus the need for some pain medication. I just wish I didn't "HAVE" to take it everday just to ward of w/d. I guess that is the worst part of dependency even though it is medically necessary and hasn't been abused. It just doesn't feel right once you are in recovery. Believe me, if I wasn't I wouldn't even be having this conversation! Btw, do you attend meetings, or get some type of help/support staying clean? I know I could never have faced these past few rocky years doing any of it alone!
Wow! thank you so much for providing this safe space for me to open up so completely about this and for offering me such wonderful advise! I don't often feel that comfortable talking about it at my meetings for fear that it will misunderstood and/or judged. I don't need that ...and it doesn't help a bit!
And I must apologize to New mommy for taking over her thread in this way,
I hope some insight in regards to Ultram's addictive properties have been shed
for anyone seeking advise about this medication.
Take care, hope to talk soon!
El
Thank you so much for sharing your experience about Ultram with me. I can definitely understand why it has taken so long for you to feel well again, it took me over a year to begin to feel normal after my detox with xanax 16 years ago! I need to remember the horror of that time so I will never repeat it! It really does take that long for some pills to completely come out of your system and those natural endorphins to kick back in. You should be very proud of yourself for being clean for close to a year. ((((Stacie))))
Oh yes, I was aware of the interactions with AD's from the beginning. I was on Paxil at the time (now Lexapro and Wellbutrin), and the prescribing PM doc at the hospital informed me. I was told I could only take 1 tab every 6 hours, instead of 1-2 tabs every 4-6 hours. I remember it not working for 6 hours and had to fight with him to get him to OK every 5 hours! (this was in the hospital no less). So I've pretty much stuck to that. When I have needed more pain relief (as in post surgically) I am prescribed something stronger, but only for short term. That is why Ultram was a God send, or so I thought at the time! It actually does work pretty good on relieving pain.
I was diagnosed last year (03) with Breast cancer. I was so lucky it was discovered early and I had a lumpectomy followed by 6 weeks of radiation and will be taking Arimidex (a newer version of Tamaxofin) for a total of 5 years. I'm so glad you are getting checked, it's especially important if you have a family history, as I did as well. Please let us know how that goes. I'll say a little prayer~ Mine being found so early (by self exam!), I was spared the chemo, at least for now. The breast area pain (called radiation induced fibrosis) that I have is now considered permenant as it is over 1 year since I finished tx. The 3rd degree burns that I experienced were I'm told extremely rare! I also have abdominal adhehions from 3 abd. surgeries the year before. Thus the need for some pain medication. I just wish I didn't "HAVE" to take it everday just to ward of w/d. I guess that is the worst part of dependency even though it is medically necessary and hasn't been abused. It just doesn't feel right once you are in recovery. Believe me, if I wasn't I wouldn't even be having this conversation! Btw, do you attend meetings, or get some type of help/support staying clean? I know I could never have faced these past few rocky years doing any of it alone!
Wow! thank you so much for providing this safe space for me to open up so completely about this and for offering me such wonderful advise! I don't often feel that comfortable talking about it at my meetings for fear that it will misunderstood and/or judged. I don't need that ...and it doesn't help a bit!
And I must apologize to New mommy for taking over her thread in this way,
I hope some insight in regards to Ultram's addictive properties have been shed
for anyone seeking advise about this medication.
Take care, hope to talk soon!
El