What Is Tramadol?

Precautions To Remember

Before prescribing tramadol, doctors will need to know if the patient has ever had breathing difficulties, kidney issues, liver issues, or seizures. The doctor must know whether the patient has ever struggled with an alcohol or substance use issue and whether they have ever had suicidal thoughts. This information helps the physician determine if tramadol is a safe medication for the patient's overall health. Tramadol can cause dizziness and fainting when getting up from a lying position. To reduce the risk of fainting, patients using this medication should get out of bed slowly; it often helps to rest the feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.

Tramadol should not be used by women who are breastfeeding, and alcohol mustn't be consumed during treatment with tramadol. Mixing alcohol and tramadol could lead to life-threatening side effects. Tramadol may reduce fertility in both men and women, and patients might want to discuss this with their doctor before deciding to use this opioid. As with other opioids, tramadol can impair coordination. For this reason, patients should not drive or operate heavy machines until they understand how the medication affects them.

Potential Medication Interactions

Tramadol is known to interact with a variety of other medications, including anticoagulants such as warfarin and anti-fungal medicines like ketoconazole. This opioid interferes with antibiotics, including erythromycin and linezolid, and it also interacts with medication for epilepsy and migraines. In particular, tramadol has strong interactions with antidepressants, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and patients who take lithium or anti-anxiety medications such as sertraline or paroxetine have experienced interactions as well.

Due to potential interactions, patients who take tramadol should not take any other medication containing this opioid, and they should be aware tramadol could interact with muscle relaxants and with other types of pain relievers such as oxycodone. Doctors should go over the patient's complete medication list before prescribing tramadol, and pharmacists should check for interactions before dispensing the medicine.