"tramadol works okay for me. it seems to be good for my degenerative/herniated discs in my neck and lower back. far better than any over the counter. i prefered fioricet #3 and/or percocet (oxycodone). personal tolerance plays a role. i&#039;m sure that it should be very effective for someone with little or no opiate experience given the right dosage. when i first started taking it i did experience a strong &quot;feel-good&quot; feeling. which i found out was due to the same action of an snri (effexor, pristiq). that has lessened, but is still there. the pain management has been the same throughout, however i&#039;ve had to increase my dosage gradually to 600 mgs/day over about 6 months. be warned though! physical dependence is easy to get! the withdrawals are bad!"