Changed from Darvocet to Ultram

[Mona~on~wheels]

I've been taking Darvocet 100 x 6 a day = 600 mg day = maximum tylenol 3,900 allowed

The tylenol is why

So my Dr switched me to 50 mg Ultram x 4 = 200 mg day

Is that comparable in pain management?

Reason I ask,

I've been off darvocet for 8 hrs
and my normal mostly flacid legs are begining to have spasms.


One more question?

I read online it said not to stop darvocet all of a sudden.
It says to taper off.
How do I do that?
Take a little darvocet with the ultram for awhile?
If so how much?

Thanks Mona

[darkeyed_daisy]

Hey Mona

Ultram comes in ER(extended Release). I take either 200mg or 300mg once a day (in the morning)depending on my pain level. It works well for me. I still take a couple of darvocet in the evening occasionally when I have an increased pain level.

The 50mg tablets wear off and dont keep my pain at a managed level.

[firesmurf]

i would think you would probably obtain better relief from the ultram vs darvocet just becasue of the way ultram works on pain.getting off that amount of tylenol everyday is the best thing you could have done for yourself,really.i believe the darv actually has 650mgs of tylenol not just 600mgs?i don't understand why after all these years and with everything we now know about the true effects of tylenol on the kidneys and liver,why they haven't lowered the tylenol on this stuff to something maybe in like the 300s or something?its just way to much tylenol.i do know you can obatin the propoxephene caps without the tylenol but i don;t think they work quite as well.the combo of the two really does help.just way too much tylenol.there should be a better choice.anyone who is dealing with ongoing pain and taking anything on a daily basis,well it just shouldn't be something with that much tylenol in it period.even staying right under that 4000mg mark is still dangerous for daily usage,the safe limit for chronic use actually drops down to only 3000mgs per day just becasue the liver needs to replenish the metabolizing chemical it uses within the liver,and it gets depleted that much quicker when high doses of tylenol are taken on a daily basis.if the ultram for some reason just doesn't work out,do not go back onto the darvocet,even tylenol 3 would be safer.but a longer acting med would just make better sense since it gives better/longer pain coverage and they do not contain tylenol.

just how long were you on the darvocet at that dosage?it wouldn't hurt to just have your liver and kidney labs done to make certain everything is functioning okay.thats just ALOT of tylenol to be taking on a daily basis.if you were on this for a good length of time,that need for the labs is just a bit more important.i am wondering why you would have increased spasticity from going from darvocet to ultram tho.generally,the ultram would actually be considered a stronger med?it could just be the ultram itself and maybe not the darvocet?just a thought.i would ask your rxing doc about the taperingthing?i wasn't aware that any tapering was really required with darvocet.i was on that may years ago and a pretty chronic basis and never had to taper off it.unless you have a much stronger type of sensitivity to the darvocet?interesting reaction.it would just seem that the ultrams effects would kind of 'override" the darv ya know what i mean?if you are stopping it and actually going onto another pain med,it isn't as much of an impact.i think that is what they were more concerned about when they mentioned to not suddenly stop it?

just glad to know you are not taking the high amounts of tylenol anymore.its just not something you realistically should be taking that much of on a daily basis.they are finally giving much more attention to the overall effects of tylenol on the liver and kidneys.its just not that little innocuous med that we were told it was for all these years.i hope things get better for you with the ultram.maybe the ultram dose is not high enough?i would speak with your doc tho if this continues.marcia

[Mona~on~wheels]

Thanks Daisy~
I'm doing somewhat better.
Guess my body needs time for the switch.
I take medicine every 4 hrs. day & night
So I broke some of the pills in half.
So I take 50 mg at 10 am/ 25 mg 2 pm/ 25 mg 6 pm
50 mg at 10 pm/ 25 mg 2 am/ 25 mg 6 am
Would time release be better than that?
First thing in the morning & when I go to bed I get more relief 50 mg.
I have been taking 1 darvocet around 3 pm to help me get thru the day.

Thanks Marcia~
I needed to hear that.
I hate to say
but I've been on that much darvocet for 15-17 yrs.
I can't remember when I started,
but it was in the very beginning of my sci.
I've been a quad 17 yrs.
I didn't think much about my medicine till this year.
Which is strange
I'm a big vitamin/supplement/eat healthy nut.
Trusted my Dr. {crazy}
Then I got on here and Apparelyzed
and started listening about meds.
I'm not going to mention
anything bad about my liver or kidneys.
I believe in the power of words.
So I'm bellieving
God's got me covered & safe on that issue.
That God whispered in my ear to change
and things will be better now with Ultram.

I appreciate you backing me up.

:) Mona

[firesmurf]

i know you know so i wont go there.anytime you can take,as a 'base med' a longer acting type,it is usually much better than multidosing thruout the day with the shorter acting ones.it just gives you a more even blood plasma level and you do not have the ups and downs like you do when the every 4-6 starts to wear off and as this happens,your pain starts to ramp back up.you just have to kind of 'start over" every time you dose since the pain has to be 'captured' again and brought back down.you know what i mean?

personally i think if you could possibly move onto the ER version,it may work much more effectively.when my injury first happened i was on,after the initial hell was over,on percs every four to six.my PM placed me oxycontin and what a difference it made in my coverage.you could also be on the ER(ultram) version and use the shorter acting for breakthru type pain too.or you can do that with the other long acting with the short acting too.you DO have some options here ya know?i think you just might do better going thru an actual pain clinic with their level of expertise,honestly,any doc that would leave a patient on darvocet for that length of time when their are other options that are not as harmful and just work better,well you know.i do hope this works and things are okay.just remember,you DO have many other options if the ultram doesn't appear to be working for you.good luck and please let us know how it goes mona.marcia

[darkeyed_daisy]

Thanks Daisy~
I'm doing somewhat better.
Guess my body needs time for the switch.
I take medicine every 4 hrs. day & night
So I broke some of the pills in half.
So I take 50 mg at 10 am/ 25 mg 2 pm/ 25 mg 6 pm
50 mg at 10 pm/ 25 mg 2 am/ 25 mg 6 am
Would time release be better than that?
First thing in the morning & when I go to bed I get more relief 50 mg.
I have been taking 1 darvocet around 3 pm to help me get thru the day.

Thanks Marcia~
I needed to hear that.
I hate to say
but I've been on that much darvocet for 15-17 yrs.
I can't remember when I started,
but it was in the very beginning of my sci.
I've been a quad 17 yrs.
I didn't think much about my medicine till this year.
Which is strange
I'm a big vitamin/supplement/eat healthy nut.
Trusted my Dr. {crazy}
Then I got on here and Apparelyzed
and started listening about meds.
I'm not going to mention
anything bad about my liver or kidneys.
I believe in the power of words.
So I'm bellieving
God's got me covered & safe on that issue.
That God whispered in my ear to change
and things will be better now with Ultram.

I appreciate you backing me up.

:) Mona

The extended release would be better I think. 100 mg is the lowest dose they make but it works and I dont have to keep reloading every few hours like you are.

I forget to take meds and then I am feeling the pain. My doctor advised me to go with the extended release as you get a steady dose all day long.

50mg doesnt do very much for me.

Good luck and i am glad you wised up about the darvocet. I gave myself ulcers with Ibuprofen so the ultram/darvocet became my only options with taking really strong mind altering stuff.

[firesmurf]

hey daisy?just an FYI about NSAIDS?there is a particular med that was actually made for people who have to be on NSAIDS but who have stomach issues when taking them?it is called cytotec.i was on this many years ago when i was having to eat aleeve like candy for my herniated disc.my neurologist was the first person to tell me about this med and rxed for me.you just take it with the dose of NSAID,and it didn;t bother my stomach at all.it is ment to try and prevent ulcers.i was even able to take the 800mg of motrin with this med and there is no way i could have done that before without it.my stomach felt okay and wasn't burning like it used to when i took just about any NSAID.just an FYI for you and anyone else who is taking any type of NSAID.it works amazingly well.marcia

[Mona~on~wheels]

posted twice, sorry :(

[Mona~on~wheels]

Thanks Marcia,
Now I understand what you mean.
I agree that would be much better staying at the same level.
Because my pain level does fluctuate up & down like you mentioned.
I already have a month's supply of the 50's.
So I'll ask for Er when these run out. What mg should I start out on?
Not too strong. I can add a little darvocet to it.
Yeah just me old family Dr.. I've had 36 yrs.
I stay with him because he trusts my judgement.
So I blame myself for not knowing they were so bad. Thanks!

Thanks Daisy,
I'm glad you agree on Er too. It's nice when everyone agrees.
Gives me confidence to switch. I'll do it in Jan. 100's the lowest.
Maybe I should start there and add on with other meds to help
like Marcia explained to me. Thanks!

Hey y'all I'm thinking about dropping my neurotin, if the Ultram Er works good.
What do y'all think about that? How safe is it?
I also take 20 mg baclofen every 6 hrs.= 120 mg day
Detrol la once a day. That's it. Sound alright?


Have a great day. :) Mona

[darkeyed_daisy]

I dont know about the baclofen/Neurontin. I havent take either of those. I take Cymbalta/ultram for the neuro symptoms. I also take Enablex for bladder. Detrol did not work for me.

Anytime you can decrease your meds it is a good thing.

I think the Ultram has been around for a long time so I believe it is pretty safe.

Moving to a dryer climate has helped my neuro symptoms the most. I would rather be here in colorado and it be below zero anyday as opposed to being back in North Carolina with the temps between 30 and 40 with humidity.

Thanks Marcia. I didnt realize there was something to prevent the ulcers. For the first 15 years of injury I lived on 600mg Ibuprofen and they worked to tone the pain down to a bareable level. Once you get ulcers I dont think they ever go away. If I get really stressed out...I can tell they are still there. I will be asking about cytotec. I was just told to take Nothing with Ibuprofen in it by the GI.

Good luck with the ultram mona.

[Mona~on~wheels]

Thanks Daisy! You've helped me alot. {hugs}

:) Mona