Queenneeee
03-10-2007, 01:05 PM
My doctor cold turkey is taking me off my ultram which I have been on for over a year. He called in a new prescription to start Vicodin ... I am totally out of the ultram and going to pick up the vicodin right now. I had asked about slowly coming off the ultram he said not to worry because I am replacing it with another pain med. I am so scared and worried ....will I be ok this weekend ? I have read everything I could about ultram from this board for over a year and I learned you can NOT just stop taking it. Once I ran out on a Sat and waited til Monday to get refill and had a very very strange and bad bad day , thanks to all of you I learned it was because of the 'withdrawls' I had which I didn't know I had. Wish me luck this weekend ..plus I am also nervous of being on Vicodin, I read a lot about it on these boards ....:confused:
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morgyporgy
03-10-2007, 01:32 PM
well i for one love the pain relief i get with the vicodin. it is simply hydrocodone and tylenol. when i first started on pain meds i was given ultram and unfortunetly was allergic to it. it helped with the pain but being allergic.....after 2 days the doc pulled me off. you didn't state what dose you are starting on. i am currently on the 10/325. be sure to take with food at first and see how it affects you before driving. i have never had any issues on this med except not liking the europhic affect it can give you but fortunetly that has passed. funny because i guess that feeling is why people get addicted to it. i have been on it for about 1 1/2 yrs. now and have no complaints except that it seems i have built a tolerance for it and my dr. wants me try the mscontin. we haven't gotten there yet tho. i take mine 4 times a day. i really don't think the withdrawals are going to be an issue because i believe the vicodin will replace the ultram and i think you will be fine. gl and let us know how you are doing. god bless, katy
kimmark1
03-10-2007, 05:42 PM
Usaully it is the other way around. Doctors take a person off vicodin and put them on Ultram because ultram is nonnarcotic. In my opinion, ultram is a very weak pain killer, and vicodin is stronger, so you shouldn't be experiencing withdrawls or more pain than you have been when taking the Ultram. I wouldn't worry. You should be happier with the relief it will give you than with Ultram. However;it may cause drowsiness, but everyone is different.
ozzybug
03-10-2007, 06:00 PM
Quenneee-
Hey there. Did your PM take you off the Ultram for any particular reason? Had it stopped working for you, or were your pain levels increasing and the doctor felt that Vicodin would be a better choice?
Either way, the one thing I can suggest is to make sure, as already stated to take it with food. This will hopefully help stave off any kind of nausea. If you've not taken Vicodin before, or very often, it can tend to make you a bit nauseous, and can also make you drowsy or kind of "loopy" as well. This should all pass in time though.
For me, Ultram was great for releiving my pain, but unfortunately I'm allergic and broken out in hives each time I took it. Vicodin is great for breaktrhough pain and has never given me any kind of euphoric or loopy feeling, but the first few times I took it, it did make me nauseous.
Yes, it is addictive, but your doctor feels you need it, so take it as prescribed, and if the time comes that you need to come off of it, I'm sure he will taper you down so you won't have to suffer major withdraw symptoms.
Let us know how it goes. Good Luck, and I hope your pain levels show improvement soon! Oh, one more thing to remember. The acetaminophen in the Vicodin isn't so great on the liver, so if you are going to be taking this on a regular basis, make sure your doctor does liver screens. Because I take Norco (same as Vicodin, but less aceptaminophen) my doctor has me go for bloodwork every 6 months.
Hey there. Did your PM take you off the Ultram for any particular reason? Had it stopped working for you, or were your pain levels increasing and the doctor felt that Vicodin would be a better choice?
Either way, the one thing I can suggest is to make sure, as already stated to take it with food. This will hopefully help stave off any kind of nausea. If you've not taken Vicodin before, or very often, it can tend to make you a bit nauseous, and can also make you drowsy or kind of "loopy" as well. This should all pass in time though.
For me, Ultram was great for releiving my pain, but unfortunately I'm allergic and broken out in hives each time I took it. Vicodin is great for breaktrhough pain and has never given me any kind of euphoric or loopy feeling, but the first few times I took it, it did make me nauseous.
Yes, it is addictive, but your doctor feels you need it, so take it as prescribed, and if the time comes that you need to come off of it, I'm sure he will taper you down so you won't have to suffer major withdraw symptoms.
Let us know how it goes. Good Luck, and I hope your pain levels show improvement soon! Oh, one more thing to remember. The acetaminophen in the Vicodin isn't so great on the liver, so if you are going to be taking this on a regular basis, make sure your doctor does liver screens. Because I take Norco (same as Vicodin, but less aceptaminophen) my doctor has me go for bloodwork every 6 months.
Katirina
03-10-2007, 09:09 PM
There are many meds they say you should go off of slowly and I have taken a few with no problems. I also take Ultram daily and have Vicoden but it really doesn't help much so am now taking Percoset. When I first started the Ultram I didn't take it daily until I was in a lot of pain. I actually have no problem taking any of these meds w/no food just water. You will probably do just fine. Some times reading everything on the board isn't necessarily good (if that makes sense).
Queenneeee
03-10-2007, 09:48 PM
thanks all for the replies.. I took my first vicodin at 4pm and just took my next one at 8:30pm. Wellllll no nausea so far, a slight light headedness, but did feel a litttle relief from my on-going pain (pelvis and disc) and it started to increase right before my next dose was due. I think he is starting me out low however from what I see here. I am taking 5/500 every four hours. I had fought to go no further with stronger meds then the ultram but my pain level has gotten to the point where I just can't "LIVE" with this much pain any longer. I also take flexeril. I wasn't afraid of addiction because I know if I follow what the doctor prescribes he will moderate my meds and help to get me off when needed I just didn't want to go to the next level for a few 'dumb' reasons(dopey feeling, feeling of being on a 'controlled' substance etc.) than I finally realized that I really wasn't living my life because of the pain. I know I will never be painfree (surgeons say no more fusions, I've had one and are in need of 2 more but my spine can't take the surgery's and will keep needing fusions) So thanks again for the advice and guiding me through this big step I finally took. I most likely will start out low on the vicodin and than have to increase my strengths, right ??Thanks also I will check into getting more blood tests done. How sad you take something to help something and you end up with more problems. I wish there was a magic drug but since there is not I will keep trying til I find one that is best for me. I will keep you all posted ...take-care all and I will try to do the same.:wave:
ozzybug
03-11-2007, 12:01 PM
Hey Queeneee-
I'm glad things are ok with the Vicodin so far. It has proven to work wonders at keeping my pain levels at an acceptable level. Usually it keeps the levels at 4-5 on a scale of 10 which is FAR better than the 7-8 it used to hover around. I'm glad it seems to be working for you.
Yes, the 5/500 is a low dose, but it is stronger than Ultram and you may find that you can stay at this dose for quite some time. Try not to worry constantly about the liver thing. It should be a concern, but if your doctor sends you for liver function screens properly, then any possible problems would be caught early and can usually be rectified by stopping the medication. I do wonder why, if you will be taking this long term, your doctor didn't opt for Norco which actually has less of the tylenol in it? Instead of 500mgs in the Vicodin, Norco has 325mgs. My PM doctor wanted me on hydrocodone for BT pain, but didn't want me having higher acetamenophen, so this is why he put me on the Norco. Again, so far, all of my liver function tests have been A-OK. My readings have been well within normal ranges. My liver, as my doctor puts it is, "happy as a clam".
Each doctor has their own methods and opinions, so I'm sure your PM doctor will monitor your progress. I can tell you that having some sort of "bready" food such as toast, crackers or even a bagel will help calm the light head effect if it's bothersome for you. Hopefully, your body will adjust quickly and you won't get the light head from taking your meds.
Take care! Have a great Sunday! :wave:
I'm glad things are ok with the Vicodin so far. It has proven to work wonders at keeping my pain levels at an acceptable level. Usually it keeps the levels at 4-5 on a scale of 10 which is FAR better than the 7-8 it used to hover around. I'm glad it seems to be working for you.
Yes, the 5/500 is a low dose, but it is stronger than Ultram and you may find that you can stay at this dose for quite some time. Try not to worry constantly about the liver thing. It should be a concern, but if your doctor sends you for liver function screens properly, then any possible problems would be caught early and can usually be rectified by stopping the medication. I do wonder why, if you will be taking this long term, your doctor didn't opt for Norco which actually has less of the tylenol in it? Instead of 500mgs in the Vicodin, Norco has 325mgs. My PM doctor wanted me on hydrocodone for BT pain, but didn't want me having higher acetamenophen, so this is why he put me on the Norco. Again, so far, all of my liver function tests have been A-OK. My readings have been well within normal ranges. My liver, as my doctor puts it is, "happy as a clam".
Each doctor has their own methods and opinions, so I'm sure your PM doctor will monitor your progress. I can tell you that having some sort of "bready" food such as toast, crackers or even a bagel will help calm the light head effect if it's bothersome for you. Hopefully, your body will adjust quickly and you won't get the light head from taking your meds.
Take care! Have a great Sunday! :wave:
jamesyboy
03-14-2007, 03:20 AM
ultram is an extremely weak pain medicine... it is unlikely to cause withdrawl, and even if it did the vicodin is so much stronger and would eliminate any withdrawl symptoms
forginon
03-14-2007, 04:49 PM
You may feel some residual effect from stopping the ultram so quickly, but that will be tempered greatly by the vicodin. You may feel a little bit like you're catching something mild, and mybe have a little restless leg kicking, but I can't believe it'll be too bothersome.
Just use the vicodin as prescribed and you'll be OK.
I hope the vicodin is just what you need.;)
Just use the vicodin as prescribed and you'll be OK.
I hope the vicodin is just what you need.;)