Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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melly65 03/31/2016

Three weeks ago I seen my PCP and she was shocked my Rheumy did not give me any pain medication.

So she wanted to start me on something on the "low pain list" and move up if needed. She prescribed Tramadol 3 50 MG a day. Fine. I've never been on Tramadol so I said let's try it. It's all the background pain that's annoying. And I am active so I need something just in case.

I started on the 17th of this month and by this last Monday I woke up a mess. I had no balance, diarrhea, Could barely eat in the morning, chills, more nausea than I've EVER had and the worst was I could barely make it around the house afraid I might pass out. I had horses to care for and dogs and it wasn't until 11:00 AM I felt okay to almost crawl outside. Every morning this week I've felt this way. My husband is far away today at a meeting and it's almost 1 PM and the horses and dogs must be wondering what the heck. I can barely make it off the couch. At first I thought I had a stomach bug but I have no vomiting or fever. Yesterday (the only day) I had a 99.1 low grade fever today none. I have no energy, motivation and before all this I felt fine, for once I was feeling wonderful...If pain killers (or Tramadol) does this I'd rather live with RA and MTX alone because that seem fine.

My doctor said of that didn't work I would go to Tylenol with Codeine next then move up to Vicodin etc.

When I had a tooth infection I was given Tylenol with Codeine that did nothing for the pain but didn't have any side effects. They ended up giving me Vicodin and that finally worked but I don't like the "high" at all. And Vicodin after the root canal.

Can't take Motrin due to bypass. I am ready to just throw my hands up and use the OTC Extra strength Tylenol.

All this is way worse than the RA itself and that's no good.

Has anyone else tried Tramadol and had it floor you completely. Yesterday was my last day and I have stopped it. No more. I'll see if I am back to myself in a few days.

But there were some times I wanted to call 911. When my doctors office comes back from lunch I am calling to give her a message. I see her in a couple of weeks but I want to let her know I am getting off the stuff.

I really thought I had something worse going on and this was it. I have never felt so bad. I kept thinking what is different? The Tramadol.

Unless all this is part of the RA? I can't imagine it because I have no joint swelling or pain etc.

2leftfeet 03/31/2016

I am so sorry to hear you're having to deal with this. I hope you feel better soon

gdsonn2 04/04/2016

Hello - sorry you had such an awful experience with Tramadol. It sounds like you experienced what is called Serotonin syndrome. Tramadol is an SNRI (serotonin & norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), so if you were on any other medications that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin or increase levels of serotonin, you can experience Serotonin Syndrome, which can actually be a life-threatening situation (it can cause extremely high fevers, seizures, heart rhythm irregularities). From what you described, it's pretty much textbook signs and symptoms (Nausea, diarrhea, shivering/chills, fever) Also, she started you on a pretty high dose - which ca do the same thing as stacking a bunch of serotonin reuptake inhibitors together. Look through your drug list and see if that is the problem. Here's a short list of drugs that, added to Tramadol, could cause what you experienced. Hope this helps and hope you find something that works! It could also just be that Tramadol is not the drug for you - when my sister took after hernia surgery, she was miserable, and she was taking the lowest dose with no other meds - she absolutely hated it.

Antidepressants that are SSRI (Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Celexa)
MAO inhibitors
Buspirone
Trazadone
Migraine drugs (Any "triptan")
Dextromethorphan (found over-the-counter cough meds)
Nausea meds (Reglan, Zofran)
St. John's Wort

MarleneJ 04/04/2016

Good list gdsoon!

I was on Tramadol a long time ago, and it did help with the pain, but eventually it was not enough when all the meds failed.

I never had any reaction to it, but it scares me to see that Trazadone is on that list! I've been on that continuously since the late 1990's coincidentally when I first got RA but wasn't diagnosed or treated! NOT!

I hope you find something to help. I have been doing a thing on my own, which is rotating pain meds of different classes, so I don't lose the effectiveness of any of them. It has worked well.

Then I read that this is actually the cutting edge of pain management. But I do wonder why my family doctor keeps giving me large supplies of these drugs, overlapping each other. Well, maybe he actually realizes how painful RA is, and I am not abusing them, because I always go much longer than the prescription because of rotating. Something for you to look into?

sammyo1 04/08/2016

Melly did you hear from your doc? If so what was the verdict?
Marlene you are blessed to have such a caring dr. I've heard rotation is the best method. Smart move.
Let's hope we see more Drs like this that help when need be.
Lord knows RA meds can take their good old time & then flares & those that just can't get relief or take the big guns.
I'll never understand why doctors have such a hard time comprehending how painful it can be.
Hope Melly you've found some thing that works.
Blessings, Sammy

californialynn 04/10/2016

Personally, I think PCP's have no business prescribing pain meds. Leave it to your rheumatologist or see a pain management specialist. I also think the dose prescribed was high for someone just starting the drug.

medicmom5 04/13/2016

I am lucky that both my PCP and Rheumatologist offered to write my pain meds. I work for my PCP therefore felt more comfortable having my Rheumatologist be responsible for that. That being said, a lot of PCP's aren't comfortable with it even though they are qualified. They are all scared to death now that the DEA is going to come marching in if they write too many narcotics. It's a crying shame that many of us get left in the dust. I count myself very fortunatel.

californialynn 04/15/2016

Someone wrote, "RD's are very reluctant to prescribe pain meds, and usually leave people hurting. That's why they turn to PCP's...."

Food for thought:

I don't advocate leaving people in pain, but theoretically, the correct dose of DMARDS will reduce the inflammation and the pain. So if you've got a pain doctor supplying pain meds, it might be difficult for the rheumatologist to accurately assess just how well or poorly the DMARD is working. Pain meds can mask the disease progression.

JestersBaubles 04/18/2016

If I take more than two half Tramadols in succession, I am so nauseated I can barely function.

It's a "last resort" pill for me. I am on Celebrex daily, and if I need other painkiller, I have found arthritis strength Tylenol very effective.

Dana W.

Caren28 04/18/2016

My rheumatologist does prescribe my pain meds (an extended- release form of morphine and a drug called tapentadol for breakthrough pain), but only on the advice of my pain specialist. When I've needed adjustments, I've gone back to the pain specialist for his take, and then my rheumatologist does the monthly prescriptions. I see her far more often than I see my PCP, and I think my PCP is pretty hesitant to prescribe anything for me, not just pain meds but any drug that might interact with my long list of RA- related meds.
Caren

lady3jane 04/19/2016

"So if you've got a pain doctor supplying pain meds, it might be difficult for the rheumatologist to accurately assess just how well or poorly the DMARD is working. Pain meds can mask the disease progression. ""

I don't see how. Since pain meds don't affect inflammation, the usual methods of determining whether the disease is controlled, like blood tests (for those who are sero-positive), examination of joints, etc. would still be useful.

vetteme4 04/20/2016

So sorry you are having problems. I also take tramadol but only on an as needed basis. Usually I can take one and it starts to work right away. Most times I take it just before bed but once in awhile I need it during the day. It has never made me sick. I sure hope you find something that helps with the pain!
Wendy

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