Hi Jenersin,
Tramadol is now being regulated because it is an opiate and is highly addictive and does more harm than good if taken frequently over a long period of time. It is for the best if your partner does not take it regularly any longer.
Other drugs like Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Gabapentin have serious side effects for some people and don't work at all for some people, and they do help others.
I used to take tramadol daily until I realized the grave dangers of that, and not wanting to take drugs any more is what started me on the journey of learning how to manage my fibro without drugs. The result of that is that I spent about 2 years learning and experimenting and these days I am far, far better off that I was when taking drugs was my method of managing the pain. I have less frequent serious pain, and am able better to manage what I do have, and can live an almost normal life. Although not what it used to be before fibro, far better than I was living with daily tramadol. I strongly suggest that you check out my post ( Jay provided the link) on this and give those things, whatever seems right to you to try, a chance to make things better.
Jay is also correct that most of us are using some medication. That includes me. But I have managed to get to the point that the medication is not my method for managing the condition, but rather something I only use when absolutely necessary, and that turns out to be only once or twice a month most of the time. At that rate, it cannot do a person any harm or become addictive.