Warning for Tramadol/Ultram users!!!

[krinkov]

Since there are so many people here that use both Tramadol (also know as Ultram or Ultracet) and Zoloft (or other SSRI anti-depressants) I figured I should point out the possibly deadly interaction that this can cause. According to my research that can easily be confirmed, when people take both Zoloft and Tramadol together, they are at risk for a potentially deadly syndrome called Serotonin Syndrome. Both Zoloft and Tramadol work on the Serotonin usage portion of the brain. This can cause a toxic level of Serotonin to be released. It can range from barely noticeable to fatal. I am not a medical professional by any means, but I do know of this problem. I myself used the two drugs at the same time but did not seem to feel any effects. I just figured that I would share the info to others to prevent them from hurting themselves. Wikipedia dose a better job of explaining it. Check it out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin_storm

[Mcdom]

I nearly died with this very kind of reaction in 2006 - what a doctor I had at the time huh?

[krinkov]

I nearly died with this very kind of reaction in 2006 - what a doctor I had at the time huh?

Yep. My doc at the time had me on the same combo.

If you don't mind, could you give us some details on how it affected you? Just a bit of a story on it would be nice.

[handsome rob]

Seizures with Tramadol are quite common. These effects are much more common and dangerous when used in conjunction with SSRI's. There have been many discussions on this forum on the subject. I had the unfortunate situation of discovering this the hard way. After about a week of taking Tramadol for an ankle sprain and easing WD's, I started feeling very flush and disoriented (I think I was on the verge of having a seizure). This was because of the fact I was on 10mg of Lexapro daily. When I did a little research and found out of the awful side-effects I immediately ceased the Tramadol intake. As it has been said many times before...PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH TRAMADOL WITH SSRI"S.

[OxiContinKing]

Wow, just because the drugs may not be 'hard-core', does not mean they should be takin lightly. You certainly need to know the meds that you are taking and what combos can be fatal. This one blows my mind.

Thanks Krinkov.

(rep points added)

:)

[starglazer33]

Good lookin' out Krinkov!

Thanks man!:)








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[HandMeSomeOpiates]

Wow, just because the drugs may not be 'hard-core', does not mean they should be takin lightly. You certainly need to know the meds that you are taking and what combos can be fatal. This one blows my mind.

Thanks Krinkov.

(rep points added)

:)

No doubt, It seem the non narcotic meds are always killing people. Always see lawyer commercial saying "Did a loved one die from taking ;Viox, some heart pill, blood pressure pills, celebrex, and on and on...

[upstate_007]

No doubt, It seem the non narcotic meds are always killing people. Always see lawyer commercial saying "Did a loved one die from taking ;Viox, some heart pill, blood pressure pills, celebrex, and on and on...

And somehow, as long as used responsibly, opiates have been helping for hundreds upon hundreds of years with a clean record.

[krinkov]

Sounds like you guys look at this as some rather important info. Maybe one of the Mods can make this a sticky?? I'd be soooo proud!!

[HistoryofMadness]

i've had serotonin syndrome once before and it was fucking horrible. but not from this combo. i know my stepdad's on tramadol and he fucking hates it.

[dharma bum]

yah i'm pretty sure i went through a serotonin syndrome episode. Before suboxone i was maintaining with trams...up to 1000 mg a day...with 150 mg of zoloft, 100 mg of wellbutrin...
anyway, i was at a friends and went for a drink of water from one of those brittas. i was pouring and next thing i know i'm flat on my ass, covered in water...broke the picture..then my speech was real jerky and i was talking jibberish. my buddies were an inch away from calling 911. the whole episode lasted about 30 minutes.
after that i curbed my ultram intake.

[reddragon3668]

I never knew Serotonin Syndrome could be fatal. You learn something new everyday.

[HydroApe]

While it's true that seritonin syndrome can occur from high doses of tram or taking it with an ssri, which I do(carefully), don't confuse the siezure issue with seritonin syndrome. They are two totally different messed up possible side effects of this rotton medication.

[Ale]

Yeah,well..you're just not supposed to take ANY SSRI along with your Tramadol dose or take ANY Trams during your SSRI-based kinda therapy for that matter.

[krinkov]

Cool! I got a sticky!!:)

[jdub]

I know. Didn't you have a seizure a week after you wrote this? haha

[krinkov]

I know. Didn't you have a seizure a week after you wrote this? haha



No. It was a myotonic jerk. Not a seizure. :o

I was just using myself as an example for the dangers of Tramadol. Yeah. That's it. :p

[Opilover]

I once had a seizure from taking trams,I was on Cymbalta and one night I was out of my DOC so I had some trammies so I took about 5 of them and probably half hour later all I remember I was trying to play WOW and there was 2 paramedics here trying to talk to me and asking me questions like who the president is and simple stuff and I couldn't answer anything cause I was so confused.I was told that when I was playing WOW I just got quiet and then started jerking real bad and my eyes rolled to the back of my head and I was foaming at the mouth.Since then I haven't had any more seizures,but now when I take trammies I also take a zanax along with them and I don't get the shakes or anything...This is a great sticky on the dangers of Trams...they can be a lifesaver for WD's on the other hand they can be a real bitch as well.....Take care and becareful,don't underestimate the power of the trams....

Be Safe

[paroxetina]

I never knew Serotonin Syndrome could be fatal. You learn something new everyday.

Do you mean that you knew of seratonin syndrome, but did not know it could be fatal?

I'm NOT questioning your honestly, cause there is clearly no reason to lie about this, I just find it strange because basically everything I can recall reading on seratonin syndrome has been very clear about the danger of fatalities.

Anyway, I took a few tramadol given to me by a friend while I was taking lexapro (an SSRI like zoloft). Thankfully I discovered this interaction before I'd taken the trams more than a few times, and nothing bad happened. I also have a history of a childhood seizure disorder, and while I haven't had any seizures in almost 15 years, I will NEVER take tramadol again, after learning of the seizures risk. I would never consciously do something that has a high likelihood of causing a seizure, which could easily happen while I was driving. No high is worth that high of a risk. Seizures are not a rare or uncommon side effect. When you take high doses, seizures are COMMON.

I feel lucky, as I have heard of several others who have had seizures or worse (seratonin syndrome) from this or similar combinations.

[Camel_Guy]

This is sorta scary. A friend of mine told me he scored a fistful of tramadol and put them away with the intention of using them to fight off w/d symptoms, because he frequently runs out of his meds early. I didn't know that tramadol was even considered an opiate, so I looked it up and sure enough, apparently he could get some help from using them. I don't know how much help they are, though and I'd be interested in that sorta info, too.

However, he also takes 20mg of Paxil daily, along with 4 10mg Valiums. These scripts are for his anxiety. I'm pretty sure without having checked that Paxil is an ssri type of anti-depression/anxiety type of medication. Does this mean he would be at risk for this also? If so, I'd like to get that kind of 411 to him like yesterday. Thanks in advance!

[Paregoric Kid]

it depends on the dose of the ssri/snri you are on. there are doctors that doubt serotoninn syndrome exists. I still believe your biggest problem with tramadol is taking too much and getting seizures. and you can prevent those with certain benzos like klonopin.
I wonder if there are any intereactions with tramadol and bupropion seeing as they both inhibit norepinephrine reuptake.

[pharmed]

been doing trammies a long time , never had a seizure but did end up being very sick after too many.the pukes ect.. no fun trying to quit as well but good anti depressant effects so keep on doing them.lol

[PhoenixRisen]

Don't get me wrong, I love Trammies, without them I'd be so far from level coming up and down from D and mscontin, but they fried my fucking brain one time, I wasn't even taking any other meds except, xanax, which you'd think would have helped with the seizure... oh well.

I knew from the start they were opioid in nature, but blocked the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, I got away with taking 8 when I was 14.. thank god I didn't die.