"after hurting my back, hips and developing sciatica from lifting people in hospitals/nursing homes/rehab/homecare, i was given ultram for the excruciating pain.  it worked wonderfully without the dopiness associated with narcotics.  i had also suffered from depression since i was a child and had been through numerous meds that didn&#039;t work, or made my life even worse.  tramadol is the only med that i have taken that has successfully treated both my chronic pain as well as my depression, allowing the sun to shine in my life."