“Opioid painkillers like tramadol, also marketed under the brand Ultram, are most frequently used to relieve moderate to severe pain. It was first introduced in 1977 and is now available as pills, dissolving powders, syrups, liquids, and suppositories to treat both acute and chronic pain concerns.
Like an opioid, tramadol has a number of negative side effects and may interact in potentially harmful ways with other drugs. This means that using tramadol along with several other medications is not advised because it may cause negative side effects or an overdose. Typical drugs that interact with tramadol in a moderate or severe way include:
Celebrex (celecoxib)
Cymbalta (duloxetine)
Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine)
Lexapro (escitalopram)
Lyrica (pregabalin)
Tylenol (acetaminophen)
Xanax (alprazolam)
Before starting a new medicine, always provide your doctor with a complete list of all the medications you are presently taking, including herbal supplements.
Other opioid drugs like oxycodone and fentanyl are some of the drugs with which tramadol interacts most adversely. Combining opioids increases the chance of overdose, a condition that can be fatal when using opioid medicines. These drugs slow vital processes like the heart and respiratory system by acting as depressants on the central nervous system. Severe respiratory depression may develop from an overdose of opioids.
Affected individuals may experience difficulty breathing or discover that they must intentionally take each breath as this occurs. They are frequently either unconscious or on the verge of becoming unconscious, thus they are frequently unaware that breathing is becoming difficult. If this keeps happening, hypoxia may develop as not enough oxygen is getting to the brain, creating a very dangerous situation.
Be cautious to learn these symptoms if you or a loved one is taking tramadol.
Affected individuals may experience difficulty breathing or discover that they must intentionally take each breath as this occurs. They are frequently either unconscious or on the verge of becoming unconscious, thus they are frequently unaware that breathing is becoming difficult. If this keeps happening, hypoxia may develop as not enough oxygen is getting to the brain, creating a very dangerous situation.
• Tramadol Overdose Warning Signs
• Extreme sleepiness
• Flaccidity of the muscles (floppy limbs)
• Icy or cold skin
• narrowed pupils
• Sluggish heartbeat
• Uneven or sluggish breathing
• Reduced blood pressure
• Unconsciousness
• Coma
• Heart arrest
An opioid overdose’s warning signs should be treated as a medical emergency. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescribed opioid analgesics like tramadol were the cause of 18,893 of the 47,055 drug overdose deaths in 2014.
The major component of well-known non-narcotic painkillers like Tylenol, acetaminophen, is also present in large amounts in many tramadol-containing drugs. The use of any drugs containing acetaminophen should be strictly avoided while taking tramadol, despite the fact that it is not as immediately life-threatening. Acetaminophen overdose can cause serious liver damage.
Common Questions Regarding Tramadol
A prescription drug called tramadol is taken all day long to relieve moderate to severe pain. Although it belongs to the same family of opioid painkillers as oxycodone and hydrocodone, the Substance Enforcement Administration classifies it as a Schedule IV drug. Most opioid medicines on prescription fall under Schedule II. The Food and Drug Administration first authorised tramadol as a brand-name drug in 1995; the generic version was authorised in 2002.
Despite the fact that tramadol is frequently seen as “”safer”” than other narcotics, abuse and addiction nevertheless occur. For instance, tramadol was a factor in 20,000 emergency room visits in the US in 2011. In Florida, 379 tramadol overdose deaths were reported in that year.
What Indicates Tramadol Addiction?
There are a number of physical and behavioural changes that may occur when someone starts to battle an addiction to an opioid like tramadol. A few of these are:
• A lot of thoughts about tramadol, including anticipation for the upcoming dose and concern for the remaining amount.
• Taking more than is recommended, especially without the consent or knowledge of a doctor
• Visiting multiple doctors to obtain extra prescriptions for the medicine
• Tramadol purchases from unreliable sources, internet, or moving to other drugs
• Feeling agitated, worried, or hostile when questioned about using tramadol, or lying when questioned about it
• Feeling mood changes
• Extreme drowsiness
• Persistent constipation
• Experiencing the drug’s negative effects more severely
What negative effects does tramadol have?
Tramadol has adverse effects because it is a narcotic pain reliever. A few of these are:
• Sleepiness
• Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
• Nervousness
• Irritability
• Headache
• Tremors
• Tense muscles
• Mood swings, especially those pointing toward despair or anxiety
• Bloating or heartburn
• Constipation
• Mouth ache
Brain and organ damage can also result from persistently restricted breathing, or hypoxia. Because tramadol is also metabolised by the liver, abusing it at large doses for an extended period of time may harm the liver. Drugs that lower blood pressure, like tramadol, have the potential to harm the cardiovascular system and other organs.
Which Tramadol Addiction Treatment Methods Are Most Effective?
An essential first step in long-term treatment for tramadol addiction is weaning the body off of the physical need for the drug. A person with a tramadol addiction should work with a medical professional to taper the amount of tramadol they consume or switch to a maintenance drug like buprenorphine, which can lessen withdrawal symptoms, help people stop taking the drug all the time, and be tapered so the body can recover from opioid drug dependence. Following a successful tramadol detox, the person will need to undergo a full recovery program that combines therapy and social support to help them kick their addiction.