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Side effects of Tramadol and Norco

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,688
I'm having surgery Monday and will need something for pain temporarily. I also have chronic pain, anyway, and need to figure out something to cycle with Advil. I can't take Advil before surgery or after for 10-14 days.

I filled prescriptions for 50 MG of Tramadol and Hydrocodone 5-325. I haven't taken either so far although I did try Tramodol years ago. It made me feel really spacey and bad, but I don't remember if it helped pain or not.

* Which is the stronger pain reliever, Tramadol or Hydrocodone?

* I had read that Tramadol makes some people feel sleepy and others more alert. It seems to help some people with sleep, and gives others insomnia. If any of you have taken it, which effect do you have?

* Are these drugs constipating?

Thanks!
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,688
I was afraid of that, @rosamary. I sure to miss Darvocet! I had no problems with that, but it was taken off the market.

I like Baclofen for back pain, but I'm having sinus and nasal surgery, so will need a more direct pain reliever than a sedating muscle relaxer like Baclofen. I just hope the painful part will pass quickly so that I don't need Norco or Tramadol more than a few days.
 

rosamary

Senior Member
Messages
131
I am no expert. But I would have thought some kind of anti-inflammatory pain killer...but I am not in a position to say.

Good luck. Keep calm. Get through it!
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
Anti Inflammatories are s no no after surgery because of bleeding.

I just had a colonoscopy. No NSAIDs 3 days before or after

Try magnesium citrate for constipation from it or I swear by fleet liquid glycerin suppositories.

Tramadol makes me sleepy.

@heapsreal might know.
 

Kati

Patient in training
Messages
5,497
I'm having surgery Monday and will need something for pain temporarily. I also have chronic pain, anyway, and need to figure out something to cycle with Advil. I can't take Advil before surgery or after for 10-14 days.

I filled prescriptions for 50 MG of Tramadol and Hydrocodone 5-325. I haven't taken either so far although I did try Tramodol years ago. It made me feel really spacey and bad, but I don't remember if it helped pain or not.

* Which is the stronger pain reliever, Tramadol or Hydrocodone?

* I had read that Tramadol makes some people feel sleepy and others more alert. It seems to help some people with sleep, and gives others insomnia. If any of you have taken it, which effect do you have?

* Are these drugs constipating?

Thanks!
Hi @perchance dreamer sending you my best wishes for your surgery.

I am recovering from 2 ankle surgeries this fall. i was put on oxycodone for that and it worked well. The doctor also wanted me to take Tylenol regularily so I would use it between doses of Oxycodone when I needed it. She did not want me on ibuprofen.

I expected to be constipated while on it but it was not the case for me. My GP expected me to get addicted (it is known for being addictive) but it didn't happen.

I have never taken tramadol, so I cannot tell you whether it is better.

I personally would go with what your dr recommends. Thankfully, they have much experience with what works best for their type of surgery.
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,086
Location
australia (brisbane)
Tramadol can be constipating. I find it works better for more nerve type pain. I use it for back pain. But i haven't found it helpful for headachesetc but thats just me. Also i find it energizing and if i take it at night it makes sleep difficult .

Tramadol not only works on narcotic receptors but also increases serotonin and noradrenaline which helps nerve pain etc and probably why it increases energy in many of us. But i have heard others say they get sleepy on it. Also interacts with antidepressants etc.

Its worth trying, maybe a better dsy time med and night time a more traditional narcotic . ???
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,688
Thanks, guys. They said no anti-inflammatories for awhile, so that's why the ENT prescribed Norco. I had gotten Tramadol for back and shoulder pain, so I can see which pain reliever works best post surgery.

I wish there were more available in low side-effect pain relievers. Regular Tylenol does nothing for my pain, but I keep it on hand because it brings fever down quickly.

I took Dilaudid after surgery about 15 years ago, and it really helped. But when I tried it again several years ago, it just made me feel disoriented and really bad.

I remembered today that I did have Norco some years ago, and it made me nauseated. I think that's a common effect with codeine. It did help with pain, though.
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
Tylenol 3? That has codeine but I think also caffeine. I have taken it at night and the caffeine didn't keep me up.

Most opiates cause constipation. Figure out how to manage that.
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
Different people react to drugs differently. You will have to try them to see how they effect you.

I found Tramadol beyond constipating. At one point, I went most of 24 hours without eating. I finally forced myself to eat and became very nauseous, but did not vomit. I don't think the food was even leaving my stomach.

I did not have any problem with Norco despite taking it for quite a while, starting with quite a bit. I was also taking a stool softener with the Norco, but I don't think it would have helped me much with the Tramadol.
 

belize44

Senior Member
Messages
1,660
I really hate Tramadol. Not only does a tiny amount make me feel really high, that same tiny amount will stay in my system for a long time, and cause insomnia, constipation, as well as depression. And for some reason the next day I am feeling depressed as well. As for Hydrocodone, that works well for severe headaches, or post dental pain but does very little for severe pain. I find that Oxycodone works well for me if I couple it with Benadryl before bed of course, because otherwise I have severe itching, nausea and insomnia. I once took an entire Oxycodone tablet and vomited. So now I know to break the tablets into halves or quarters depending upon the dosage prescribed. And as Minkeygirl said, Magnesium Citrate and glycerine suppositories are excellent for constipation.
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,688
@Little Bluestem and @belize44, wow, your experiences with Tramadol sound horrific. After surgery, I'll try 1/2 a Norco and add the other 1/2 if it's not enough. I'm hopeful that I won't be in pain that long.

For my regular back pain and fibro, I really like Baclofen and don't have problems with it, maybe because I only take 10 MG, considered a small dose. I also use Arnicare topically. I do have to take Advil sometimes, too, but you can't before or after surgery for a time.

I would like to know why there can't be more low side-effect painkillers. Darvocet was great for me, but I think there was a concern about it affecting the liver. Anyway, it's gone, in the U.S., anyway. I think Europe no longer has it, either.
 

valentinelynx

Senior Member
Messages
1,310
Location
Tucson
It is impossible to know in advance what your reaction to a opioid pain medication will be unless you have prior experience with these medications. There is a tremendous amount of variability between people in their response to opioid medications (including tramadol, although it is not technically an opioid). Genetics have a lot to do with it.

In any case, if you had Norco (hydrocodone) before and it made you nauseated, it will likely do so again. You could try a different pain medication (oxycodone or codeine), or, hopefully, the tramadol will work well for you. I find that if just because one type of opioid causes nausea or sedation in a particular patient, this does not mean that another type will. Alternatively, you could request a prescription for Zofran (ondansetron is the generic) to help prevent nausea with your pain medications.

The same goes for constipation: some people get it badly with opioid type medications, others do not. I recommend stool softeners (generic Colace) and Miralax (also generic) for opioid induced constipation. DO NOT use fiber for opioid constipation, it will make it worse.

Not sure why you had two different responses to Dilaudid. Personally, I find that if I am not in as bad pain, then the opioids have more cognitive side effects. Maybe the dose was too high the second time you took it?