DEAR DR. GOTT: I took Tramadol for years for osteoarthritis pain and found if I were late for a dose, I would start getting flu-like symptoms. I was taking three 50-milligram doses a day. Finally, with my doctor’s help, I tapered off totally but began having awful nasal allergies and constant water running out of my head. One night, because I was sick and hurting, I took two of the leftover Tramadols and, lo and behold, by morning I felt terrific. I’m 66 years old and started taking one Tramadol a day to try to keep the allergies away, but I feel better if I take two of them. My doctor doesn’t seem concerned one way or the other, but I want to know why I cannot stop taking the drug. I cannot find anything on the subject anywhere. It doesn’t seem to help the pain much, but I cannot stop taking it. HELP!

DEAR READER: Tramadol is an opiate agonist, a narcotic-like pain reliever used to treat moderate-to-severe pain. In the United States, it is marketed as Ultram, Rybix, Ultracet containing acetaminophen or Ryzolt; in Canada, Ralivia; in Mexico, Durodor Retard and Trexol. The regular tablet is generally taken every four to six hours. The extended-release tablet should be taken once daily.
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