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soulseeker · 05-21-2006, 10:58 PM

Tramadol binds to the opioid receptors in the brain but much more weakly, also it can lower the seizure threshold, especially if taken on an empty stomach. If ibuprofen works better perhaps your pain is primarily inflammatory; you can take 4 OTC ibus, usually they're 200 mg, but you're limited to 8 tabs q 24 hr. And careful with acetaminophen (Tylenol) as it can cause severe liver damage over 3 gm in 24 hr (equal to 6 500 mg tabs). Some people have good luck with other NSAIDs like ketorolac (Toradol). You shouldn't take it longer than 5 days but it's available orally now although it is by Rx. You could also try cold packs, visualization, imagery.

My heart goes out to you. It must be awful to have severe pain and not be able to take narcotics. I don't mean to contradict what your friend said, angelgirl, but narcotics bind to multiple types of pain receptors in the brain and block the trnamission of the pain signals from the peripheral nerves. I've treated many patients in severe pain, usually cancer, with liquid morphine (or some other pure narcotic like oxy) and brought their pain level down to 0. Sorry, I don't mean to preach but these drugs do have a really important role in controlling pain, esp at end of life. They also slow down breathing, which is a side effect we often desire, as end stage respiratory distress is a common and otherwise difficult sx to manage in hospice. Okay, okay, I'll stop now. I hope you can get some relief from your pain and feel free to PM me if you have and questions about this. In case you didn't guess I'm a hospice nurse, have been for 10 years.

05-21-2006, 10:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
soulseeker Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: WEST COAST Posts: 14	Pain Tramadol binds to the opioid receptors in the brain but much more weakly, also it can lower the seizure threshold, especially if taken on an empty stomach. If ibuprofen works better perhaps your pain is primarily inflammatory; you can take 4 OTC ibus, usually they're 200 mg, but you're limited to 8 tabs q 24 hr. And careful with acetaminophen (Tylenol) as it can cause severe liver damage over 3 gm in 24 hr (equal to 6 500 mg tabs). Some people have good luck with other NSAIDs like ketorolac (Toradol). You shouldn't take it longer than 5 days but it's available orally now although it is by Rx. You could also try cold packs, visualization, imagery. My heart goes out to you. It must be awful to have severe pain and not be able to take narcotics. I don't mean to contradict what your friend said, angelgirl, but narcotics bind to multiple types of pain receptors in the brain and block the trnamission of the pain signals from the peripheral nerves. I've treated many patients in severe pain, usually cancer, with liquid morphine (or some other pure narcotic like oxy) and brought their pain level down to 0. Sorry, I don't mean to preach but these drugs do have a really important role in controlling pain, esp at end of life. They also slow down breathing, which is a side effect we often desire, as end stage respiratory distress is a common and otherwise difficult sx to manage in hospice. Okay, okay, I'll stop now. I hope you can get some relief from your pain and feel free to PM me if you have and questions about this. In case you didn't guess I'm a hospice nurse, have been for 10 years.