My Dr. recently prescribed me Tramadol (Ultram) 50mg 1 - 2 up to 4x a day to help manage chronic pain as a result of nerve and muscle trauma. I was previously on Co-codamol 30/500 (Codeine/Paracetamol(acetaminophen)) 2x every 4 hours for almost a year, but due to a tolerence build up they were offering little to no pain relief thus the change in pain medication. When I first took 50mg of Tramadol it had no effect, 4 hours later I took another 50mg and I was hit pretty hard, harder than the Co-codamol ever did. The Tramadol carried on being excellent pain relief for a week at no more than 200mg a day. I woke up one morning this week in quite a lot of pain so I took 100mg of Tramadol and tried to get on with my daily tasks. I realised after an hour (When the Tramadol would usually kick in) I was getting no relief. I tried to carry on with my daily tasks in hope that it would eventually start to help but nothing happened. I managed to get a power nap in then woke up just in time to be able to take another dose of Tramadol, but the same result of no pain relief persisted. Since then I have been in agony and my Dr. refuses to prescribe me anything stronger because of the increased risk of addiction. I tried to argue that I had been on Codeine for almost a year and with frequent check ups with the nurse, I presented no addictive traits that showed cause for concern. Being a resident of the UK it is very hard to even get opiate based pain medication in the first place as they are strictly controlled. It was only after months of being prescribed mediocre medications such as diclofenac, that to be frank, were no stronger than the OTC (Over The Counter) medicines, that I was able to start a course of Co-codamol. I imagine after reading this long post many of you have become bored but I applaud and thank those who continue to read through. The reason I'm posting is to gather as much information as I can as to why the Tramadol (Ultram) would suddenly stop having any effect. I mean zero effect what so ever appart from insomnia which is only remedied by pretty strong sedatives or relaxants I have left over from previous prescriptions. I read Tramadol has a pretty long half-life (duration of effect) so despite being in pain I waited as long as possible between doses. When I spoke to my Dr. about the Tramadol no longer working he said if I was intolerant to the Tramadol it wouldn't have had any positive effects only adverse ones such as allergic reactions. It felt like he was suspicious of me or that he was pushing the blame to me as if it was something that I must have done in order for the medication to suddenly stop working which I wasn't very happy about. He insisted Tramadol is a potent painkiller and that I should continue to use it despite my complaint. Since the visit to him a few days ago I have been using Diazepam (Valium) from a previous prescription for its muscle relaxant properties which have helped ease the pain a little but the strong sedative effect it has on me is preventing me from doing even some of the simplest every day tasks. I hope I have been thorough enough with my recent situation in order to get a detailed response to why Tramadol (Ultram) would suddenly stop working. Just to cover any posts that consist of "search google", I have with numerous search terms but they all lead to websites that advise you not to suddenly stop taking Tramadol (Ultram), which isn't my case. I would like to thank all who have taken their time to fully read my post and to further thank those that can offer positive input into my situation.