Vicodin and tramadol in the same day?

Question

I have taken 6 vicodin in the last probably 12 hours (2 pills every 4 hours as prescribed by doc for degenrative disk disease in my back). I also have prescribed tramadol that I have yet to take. I have been on vicodin for several months now due to my back pain. Is it safe to take a tramadol today if I dont take anymore vicodin until tomorrow? Is it safe to take 1 or 2 vicodin in the AM and a 50mg tramadol in the PM? And yes I have called the on call doc....they have yet to call me back and my normal PCP is out of town. I just thought some of you might have some advice...experience.

It says on the bottle...."tramadol generic for ultram 50mg". Its not ultracet. Ugh. The reason I ask this is that I know I have a physical dependance on the vicodin and I would like to lesson the amount I take. I have never had a dependane before and this sucks. My doc has not offered up any other options to me besides pain management with pain pills.

Answer 1

You don't need to worry! When Pain meds are taken for the correct reasons (pain) most people do not become addicted(usualy only people who are pre disposed to addiction have this problem) Your Idea of alternating meds is good for it will keep your tollerance for one or the other from going up as fast. Just be sure to take the pills exactly as directed. Your Doctor may have you "taper off" the vicodin when you no longer need it yet it is my oppinion that you will have no problems at all as long as you take the pills as directed. I was on the Fentanyl patch along with oxycodone instant release for breakthrough pain for six months and had no difficultys when I got off them (long term use DOES make your tollerance go up though) Both of these meds are MUCH stronger tha vicodin. Hope that helped you!

Answer 2

The simple answer is yes you can.

AS LONG AS YOU CUT BACK on the Vicodin. But be wary of withdrawl symptoms. Even mild.

You can try taking the two vicodin in the morning and then the Tramadol in the afternoon.
But you may find that the Tramadol will work for a while and then lessen off the effects, like you are currently finding with the other pain meds.
But trying something new for your body will help the pain.

If it wasn't safe to do the Doctor wouldn't have prescribed it PRN.

I am not even going anywhere near the other answers as you sound like you already know what the others have said in the answers. It's not answering the question you asked!

Answer 3

While this is NOT advise, be sure that it is plain tramadol/Ultram and not ultracet (has tylenol). Because you mentioned 50mg as opposed to 37.5mg it is likely the former. Vicodin also has acetominophen and you do NOT want to mix both meds with acetominophen/tylenol.

While ultram is not classified as a true narcotic, it works similarly to vicodin. It is like chasing bad medicine with a lesser medicine. If vicodin is not quelling pain sufficently then it is unlikely tramadol will.

Ask the covering doc about taking one or two aleve, an anti-inflammatory, which may be synergistic to the vicodin. Do not take with ulcer or bleeding problems though.

Have you tried some simple but suprisingly effective stuff like ice or a hot bath?

There is no cure (as you likely know) for DDD but cigarette smoking is a know associated factor. Chronic narcotics are a very poor choice to manage this in the LONG run.

Consider PT and a TENS trial with your physician.

Answer 4

If you are trying to get your pain under control you are bound to form a dependence on pain meds.I have the degenerative disc disease and have graduated to percocet and oxicodone.As far as I'm concerned cotrolling my pain is moreimpotant then dependency.Tramadol inbetween doses of vicodin,do this till your gradually tapering off Vicodin,as you should never quit any prescription drugs abrubtly.I too tried Tramadol long before I started Vicodin,that too became useless.If a person is in pain all the time you have no quallity of life,so don't suffer needlessly or because your doctor wants you off the meds.Do what you think is best for you.Good Luck and God bless.

Answer 5

No need to call the doctor or the pharmacist. You will be ABSOLUTELY fine. No harm in it. Vicodin is a Narcotic combination medicine. It is hydrocodone mixed with tylenol. Ultram is a synethic narcotic. Which means it is chemically designed to work like a narcotic, with no actually opium in the product. You can take both and be absolutely ok. With the amount of vicodin you take a day, i just wouldn't reccomend going over 200 mg of tramadol a day! Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Yeah, you can, your doctor probably meant for you to in the first place. I take tramadol 50mg along with methadone 10mg, 4 times a day for DDD. You could try cutting back to 1 Vicodin every 4 hrs and take a tramadol with it.
But still talk to the doc.
Good Luck!!

Answer 7

Call your local pharmacist they will give you an answer promptly. It's much better to get a professionals answer, they know the medications intimately.