Tramadol

crabby85

I took 2 tramadol last night before bed (at around 10pm) as the pain was bad.

Nothing seemed to happen - 2 hours later i was still in pain & not asleep. Yet i woke at 4am with heart palpitations. It was so frightening. It wasn't a fast heartbeat like i've had during anxiety attacks in the past. It was as if my heartbeat was slowing down and my breathing was slower. I actually put my hand to my chest to feel if my heart was still beating! (lol) There was definitely a little gap after about 5-6 beats. Is this still a palpitation? I thought they were when your heartbeat sped up. I put it down to it must be the tramadol. 6 hours later though? Would it have this affect?

The thing is, i wasnt in pain in my hands and wrists which was amazing. Can feel it coming back to life now but to be completely pain-free for a few hours has been like a dream! I dont know if i should take tramadol again though if it did do something to cause my heartbeat to go funny.

Has anyone else experienced this?

As5567

Tramadol can cause some weird side effects at the best of times, it can also make you hallucinate and imagine things. I'm not saying what you experienced wasn't real but this could be a possibility.

How long have you been taking the drug for?

I know from time to time my family have said I said/done some strange things while taking tramadol during my sleep. I have no recall of these events.

dreamdaisy

Be wary because pain-free will never last - the stronger the pain relief the more you are taken away from the pain, not vice versa. Tramadol is one of the big guns and it won't leave you much room for manoeuvre to even stronger meds should your body become accustomed to it. It is also an opoid so can make one dopey - this could be the cause of the slower heart rate but I am not a doc and obviously don't know. Read the leaflet and see if it's mentioned. Am I right in thinking that you have a young child to care for? If so surely you need to be as alert as possible should an emergency arise.

Pain is a fact of our lives, I've been in increasing levels of pain for nearly eighteen years so I'm used to it now and am thankful I can no longer remember being pain-free. I can understand why people don't like it but it's not to be feared - it can also provide useful feedback for when we are getting close to overdoing things. I take four 30/500 cocodamol capsules per day, that leaves me room to increase it to six or eight (as I did recently with my broken arm) and I have tramadol for the truly rough days. DD

crabby85

Yes i have a baby but my other half was with me - I'd never take anything so strong if i was by myself with her. I didnt feel dopey though. I was just definitely aware of something happening to my heartbeat.

As5567, it was the first time i had taken it.

dibdab

I took Tramadol just once- it made my heart race and pound, spinning head and I felt truly awful- it was really scary . I didn't take it again, rang the GP the following day and was advised not to attempt a second dose-I would rather be in pain than feel like that again.

I wonder if you've tried simple stuff like hot packs and warm baths, voltarol gel to rub on etc- it often provides some extra comfort alongside the more standard pain dullers. I'm currently in the grip of a really painful elbow flare so I've gelled, ibuprofened and have a warm pack wrapped around my elbow- it's still sore but more bearable now. .

Deb xx

mellman01

I took a fair bit of the stuff and it messed me up so much so I stopped taking it and had it taken off my repeat perspiration list, it made me sweat a lot and gave me serious mood changes that only got worse the longer I took it.

Sarah01

My GP prescribed me Tramadol for the OA. I took 2 before bed and within an hour my heart was racing and I felt sweaty. Every time I closed my eyes to try and sleep I started to get worse. I spent most of the night fighting sleep as I was worried that I might not wake up, that's how bad I was with it.

After the THR my GP prescribed Tramadol again even though I told him what had happened the first time I took it. His answer, "just take one tablet instead of 2". I took 1 tablet and within 30 mins I had a rash over the top half of my body and then I vomited. Turns out I was allergic to them. Another tablet crossed off the list of many.

I was prescribed morphine instead and I had no reactions at all to it. Was able to wean off that once the pain became bearable with no side effects.

If you are unsure whether to take it again, speak to your GP about what you experienced.

Sarah x

crabby85

Hmmm seems the heart issues are common then! Dont think i'll be taking it again in a hurry.

Yep i've got the diclofenac gel & an ibuprofen one. Hot water bottles are soothing too

hileena111

Hi
The first time I took tramadol was over 4 years ago......after my first THR it was prescribed for me. I didn't have a rash/heart problems etc but I was "spaced out" for that 6 weeks OH had to sort out all my meds for me :shock: I wasn't aware of much {including pain } but when I went for my 6 week chek up and the consultant took me off them I realised how bad I had been.....it wasn't just the after effects of the op :?
Since that I've been offered it my the GP and said "no thank you"
I fractured my pelvis and a different GP was going to prescribe it. I said no...is there nothing else? She then prescribed Oropmorph for me and monitored me while I took that......no problem and I came off it when the pain was bearable.
The last THR I had them make a note that I didn't want tramadol post op.......so I had codeine 30mg times a day ugghh!!! After the three days in hospital I started to come off them and am not taking any now......I still have 15mg to use if I need them.
So that's my story about tramadol
Go back to your GP and ask if there is anything else you can use....even if its on a fall back time when you are worse than normal.
Love
Hileena

Fionabee

I've taken quite a bit of Tramadol, never had any cardiac symptoms, sweating I've put down to menopause. I am very tired in the evening and at one time it gave me the weirdest dreams.
In the past I cut it down to quickly on one occasion and had what I think was a withdrawal, would mot wish to go thru that again, fortunatey it didnt last more than a day or two.
Whether I'm with the pain or it is removed from me or vice versa is immaterial to me, I dont really get that DD, Life is utterly miserable when its bad & I can't just grin and bare it, its no good being sharp and switched on if the only thing you can focus on is the pain.
Everyone has a different threshold and capacity to cope, but I can't be a martyr to it, I have things to do, have to go to work. I do feel some disaproval for needing analgesics in some posts, "my pain is worse than yours and I manage without", its not wrong or unreasonable to want something to help you get on with life. (Oh dear, that sounds a bit "mothers little helper"!)
I feel {use your imagination here} rough this morning and could just cry, felt great a couple of days ago and overdid it, now I'm playing catchup and I am def missing the Naproxen.
Fionax

scozzie

I take Tramadol occassionally, when I have very bad pain, but I very never had any adverse symptoms apart from maybe feeling tired.

I have had palpitations many times before, and couldn't lie on my left side when trying to fall asleep for about four or five years ... palpitations are when you can feel your heart beating, whether it's fast or slow, like it's going to come out your chest. My worst episode lasted a couple of hours, with a racing heart beat coupled with the occassional missed beat, which heightened my anxiety -- and anxiety is what usually causes my palpitations ... lol! This was all before I had ever heard of Tramadol!

But I did see my doctor about my palpitations and have had my heart checked over a couple of times and have a clear bill of health, pity I can't say that about my joints ... lol!

If you're worried about things I would definitely suggest speaking to your GP about your "reaction", if only for peace of mind.

lavenderlady

I've been on tramadol for a while now apart from telling my husband and daughter my head was falling off one morning, :shock: I've only had a little sleepiness with tramadol BUT I do recommend Tramulief which is slow release Tramadol its amazing I take it just before bed and it helps me sleep away the pain, I still take tramadol during the day if needed but get by with one or I know I would feel sleepy,

bubbadog

Tramadol made me really sick, I mean projectile vomiting! I thought I was going to bring my stomach up!! Never again!!!

DebbieT

Hi,

I react to Cocos how you all react to tramadol so I advocat slow release tramadol which is a completely different beast in my opinion!!! U only take it twice a day & I'm as alert as someone with severe fm can be, nowt to do with my meds!!

It's a synthetic opiod, unlike codeine, which is y I react differently to it apparently!! I have little or no side effects to oramorph either tho so I dunno wot that means!?

I'd talk it thru with ure gp. Slow or moderate release meds can be very beneficial & do have a place in some people's treatment plans, I believe!!

The very best of luck.

Xx xX

Boomer13

Fionabee wrote:

Life is utterly miserable when its bad & I can't just grin and bare it, its no good being sharp and switched on if the only thing you can focus on is the pain.
Everyone has a different threshold and capacity to cope, but I can't be a martyr to it, I have things to do, have to go to work. I do feel some disaproval for needing analgesics in some posts, "my pain is worse than yours and I manage without", its not wrong or unreasonable to want something to help you get on with life.

I have to say I agree with you on this Fiona. I'm completely immobilized by my pain without help, and utterly miserable. I'm lucky to be able to take Tramadol without side-effects and have done so daily for three years (time release version). I vary the dose depending on pain and use codeine to top up during bad flares. I can at least move around a little on it and I think this is very important. I still have to bear quite a bit of pain but nothing like life without it. I've also come off it while on prednisone without any withdrawal symptoms. I feel very lucky I react so well to it.

Anna

DebbieT

Anna, I'm glad I'm not alone with my use & non fear of Sr tramadol. I find Cocos far scarier for my motabolism.x

Boomer13

Me too, Debbie. I have more side-effects from 30 mg of codeine than I ever have had with tramadol.

johnsouthwales

i get that 'palpitation' with whatever i take, whether it's codeine, co co or gabapentin. it's weird, re-occurs now and then. usually feel it a bit more if i'm tired or stressed.

alpine

I take one Tremadol HCL 50mg tablet for arthritis pain, not two, and it is the only thing that works for pain. It may take an hour to kick in, but can last for 6 hours!.Try one tab with food.