"i was on 7.5/500 hydrocodone 6-8 x daily for 2 years, for knee and lower back pain. i stopped and quit taking vicodin because i was just taking it for the good feeling and yet, it was doing nothing for my pain. vicodin only helped me cope with the pain. after i quit i told my doctor and he put me on tgramadol 50mg 8 times daily (400mg of ultram/daily), and for being a non-narcotic synthetic pain medication i have to give this a 10. i have been on tramadol for over a year now and it works better on my pain, than any opiate pain killer does. tramadol does not give you that high feeling, but it a great alternative to opiate narcotic pain killers. i do have pain, but a lot less now then when i was on opiate pain killers."