Tramadol
Definition, side effects and treatment for overuse.
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Are you taking medicine with tramadol and developing an addiction to the drug? Unfortunately, dependence is not uncommon for painkillers. This also applies to medicines containing tramadol, such as Dolol, Mandolgin, Nobligan, Tradolan, Gemadol and Tadol.
Want to know more about what tramadol is, what the side effects are, and how to get treated if you have developed an addiction? Read more on this page.
What is tramadol?
Tramadol is an ingredient found in various prescription medicines. It is found, for example, in Tradolan, Dolol, Nobligan and Mandolgin, all of which are painkillers.
This type of ingredient is an opioid that has a pain-relieving effect. It goes in and affects the central nervous system, so pain is minimised. Opioids are also found in morphine, for example. However, the opioids in morphine are somewhat stronger than tramadol.
Medicines containing tramadol are used to reduce chronic pain that is moderate or severe in nature. It is typically not used for acute situations, but only when there is a prolonged course of pain.
For example, patients who have had surgery or an accident and are experiencing a lot of pain afterwards. In these cases, the GP may prescribe strong painkillers. Medicines containing tramadol can relieve pain for some patients, and far more effectively than over-the-counter painkillers.
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How does tramadol work?
When you take medicine with tramadol, the strong opioids bind to the µ-opioid receptor in the brain. Among other things, this is where the pain is controlled. Therefore, when you take this type of medicine, you can influence the perception of pain so that the pain is reduced.
How fast does tramadol work?
Once you have taken tramadol, you will feel the effects relatively quickly. It is therefore a more powerful and fast-acting painkiller, which differs from the usual panodils and the like, which are not nearly as powerful.
For example, it is difficult and rare to be addicted to panodil.
In addition, the effect of the painkiller is also relatively long in the body. There is a half-life in the blood of 5-6 hours.
Can you develop an addiction to tramadol?
Tramadol is similar in many ways to the strong opioids found in morphine. However, morphine is a somewhat more powerful drug, so there is also a significant risk of developing a dependence and withdrawal from morphine.
Tramadol medicine is not nearly as powerful as morphine. There is therefore a lower risk of developing a dependence on this type of painkiller compared to morphine. However, there is still a risk.
Several doctors warn that the risk is higher than what is described in the leaflet of the medicine. If you take medicine containing this ingredient, you should be aware of this risk.
Read also: Get treatment for OxyContin abuse
What are the side effects of tramadol?
There are almost no medicines where there are no side effects. You should therefore also be aware of the side effects that may occur if you take medicines containing tramadol.
The most common side effects are dizziness and nausea. In addition, some people experience the following side effects:
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Dryness in the mouth
- Increased sweat production.
Of course, there are also more rare side effects that can occur. These include:
- Anxiety
- Slow pulse
- Seizures followed by fainting
- Cramp
- Blurred vision
- Allergic reactions
- Decreased breathing
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Speech impediment
- High blood pressure
- Coordination problems.
How an addiction to tramadol can develop
An addiction can develop faster than you think. It can manifest itself as both a physical and a psychological addiction. The physical dependence manifests itself as withdrawal symptoms, for example if you choose to stop taking the medicine.
In such a situation, you may experience the following withdrawal symptoms, among others:
- Snue
- Nysen
- General malaise
- Increased sweat production
- Diarrhoea
- Goosebumps
- Headaches
- Cramp
- Shaking legs and arms.
If you want to reduce withdrawal, it is often recommended that you taper the dose of tramadol, rather than stopping overnight. This reduces discomfort as it allows the body to adjust more easily to the lower dose.
In psychological dependence, you get an urge to take the medicine. It suddenly becomes the most important thing in your life, so it’s not unusual for family, work and friends to take a back seat.
The body can become tolerant to tramadol over time
Another thing to be aware of when taking tramadol is that tolerance can occur, where the body gets used to the medicine and becomes almost immune to it. This means that you may need to increase the dose to achieve the same pain relief.
When the body becomes tolerant to tramadol, it is a sign that the body has become dependent on it. You should therefore pay extra attention if you increase your dose – either in consultation with your doctor or on your own initiative. This can increase the risk of addiction.
For example, you may increase from a tramadol dose of 50 mg three to four times a day to tramadol 100-200 mg twice a day. Although it may seem like small increments, it can create a vicious spiral where the body reacts with an addiction that can be hard to escape.
What are my treatment options if I am addicted to tramadol?
If you have developed an addiction to tramadol, you can be treated for it so you can get off the drug. There are several treatment options. At Alfa Fredensborg, we offer a range of services to help you find the right solution for you or your loved one.
We can offer day treatment, residential treatment and other services.
We have specialists attached to all our services, with social counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists all ready to help you get out of addiction.
You will get help to overcome both physical and psychological addiction. For example, this could take the form of a tapering programme, along with various sessions with our specialists, who will find the root of the addiction and give you the tools to minimise the risk of relapse.
Do you need help?
Do you want to get treatment or are you a relative of someone who is abusing strong painkillers? Call us or send an email to info@alfa-fredensborg.dk.
Then we’ll help you start treatment so you can get out of your addiction.
