UltraCET: The Dynamic Duo Of Prescription Pain Control Medications

Remember the last time you stubbed your toe? OUCH! It's painful. But a stubbed toe usually doesn't send us running to the Medicine cabinet, since we know that the pain will pass within a few minutes.

But for more serious "acute" pain (pain that's severe and constant for a couple of days), waiting it out may not be an option. For some acute pain, we might even make things worse: for example, if you hold a painful joint at an awkward angle to relieve the pain, you might end up with a muscle strain.

So what are our options? Sometimes simple over the counter medications may do the trick. But for when they don't, a prescription medication may be the best bet.

UltraCET: Two Tough Drugs in one Small Pill

For acute pain from sprains, muscle strains, surgery, or dental work, or for arthritis flare-ups, UltraCET is a terrific option.

UltraCET is like any heroic dynamic duo (think Batman and Robin, or Xena and Gabrielle): One drug has the high-profile effect, but the other has an equally important, though less noticeable set of activities.

The "ultra" part of UltraCET is tramadol, the generic name for Ultram. Tramadol's effect on your body is similar to the effect of narcotics (drugs like opium and heroin which are illegal, and codeine and morphine, which aren't). Tramadol is just as good as narcotics in relieving pain but because unlike narcotics, it doesn't affect your breathing or have other side-effects which stop us from regularly using medical narcotics.

The "CET" part of UltraCET is probably familiar to you in its day-to-day formulation; you might even have it in your Medicine cabinet! It's acetaminophen, the same drug that's in Tylenol.

The two drugs work together (in "synergy") to control pain. Acetaminophen helps "increase your threshold to pain." That's a fancy way of saying that mild pain signals from your body don't even make it up to your brain so they don't register. The bigger pain signals do make it to your brain, but that's where tramadol kicks in - stopping the pain signals while they're working their way through your brain. It's just like Robin capturing the villain's henchmen while Batman tackles the mastermind villain!

This Sounds Like The Perfect Rescue!

If you've just been seen by a doctor (a surgeon, or a dentist), she may well have already prescribed UltraCET for you. If you haven't, but you've got a sprain or regular arthritis flares, you should talk with your doctor about a prescription for this drug.

Like anything powerful, though, you need to use it at the right time for the right reasons (letting Xena show off her acrobatic skills in a china shop is not a terrific idea!). The most important thing about taking UltraCET is to remember that it's for short term use only!

Most doctors will suggest using it for up to five days only because you can otherwise become dependent on (addicted to) it. Stopping the drug after taking it a long time can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, so never take more than the doctor prescribes.

Your doctor will also ask you about other drugs that you're taking. Tylenol, some antidepressants, and some seizure medications don't mix with UltraCET. Neither does drinking, so you might wait to celebrate until after your sprain has healed!

Once these issues are resolved, your doctor can send you Home with a prescription for UltraCET. It'll help you get through the worst of the pain, and then best of all, it can ride off into the sunset when its job is done, leaving you to your pain-free life!

Copyright (C) Shoppe.MD and Ian Mason, 2004-2005

Ian Mason, owner of Shoppe.MD, the only online pharmacy with pain support forums and UltraCET medication.

Ian is a fat-to-fit student of health, weight loss, exercise, and several martial arts; maintaining several websites in an effort to help provide up-to-date and helpful information for other who share his interests in health of body and mind.

Contact Ian Mason by e-mail at ian@shoppe.md