In this video, Doctor Andrea Furlan answers 10 questions about tramadol for chronic pain:
Tramadol is an opioid. it is different from other opioids due to its unusual characteristics. some of these characteristics offer an advantage for tramadol over other opioids, but on the other tramadol is the generic drug name, and there today, i will answer 10 common questions question #1. how does tramadol work? before i
Continue, let me remind you that this video is not intended to replace medical advice. it is for educational purposes only. doctor. in case of emergency, go to the tramadol is a synthetic opioid. this means it is done in laboratory as opposed to naturally occurring opioids such as codeine and morphine
Which are found in the opium poppy. when a person takes tramadol, a pill, a tablet, suppository, or even by injection, tramadol will need to be converted in the liver to a more potent substance called o-desmetyl-tramadol or m1. some people do not have the ability to transform tramadol into m1 and will not produce the more
Potent form of tramadol. approximately 5% of caucasian people to m1, so they will not respond to tramadol, but tramadol will have an additional effect in the pain system, which is very helpful for people who have chronic pain. tramadol will block the reabsorption of serotonin and noradrenaline, two substances
That are needed in the central nerve system in people who have chronic pain. in chronic pain, we use antidepressants called snris or serotonin-noradernalin reuptake inhibitors noradrenaline. but tramadol is like taking 3 pills for one. or 3 in one. however, it is hard to treat depression with tramadol because the effects
Will be unpredictable, so it is safer to prescribe one medication for pain and another for depression. for people with chronic pain and depression dangerous. people with chronic pain who take also increase serotonin in their brain, like antidepressants, anti-migraine, other opioids, anti-nausea and even some
Herbal supplements. brain, there is the risk of “serotonin syndrome”, one of the first symptoms is mental confusion, and if this condition is not recognized quickly, question #2. is tramadol a good painkiller? tramadol and m1 will activate opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord and the peripheral nerves,
And will stop the pain, this is called analgesia. codeine, and for this reason is commonly referred as a weak opioid. however, the concept of weak and strong opioid is relative. what this really means is that you need a high dose of tramadol to get the same effects of a low dose morphine. so, morphine is strong. in
This case, fentanyl is super strong because you would need micrograms of fentanyl to have the same analgesic effects there are various systematic reviews of showed moderate quality evidence that tramadol alone or in combination with acetaminophen intensity and physical function over placebo a cochrane
Review published in 2017 showed low or very low-quality evidence that tramadol could have some benefit for neuropathic pain. very low quality evidence that tramadol a systematic review published in 2020 showed low quality evidence that tramadol as a single agent question #3. what is the proper dose of tramadol? how
Do i know if i need a higher dose? we usually start tramadol with the lowest possible dose. tramadol can be found as a short-acting or long-acting medication. the short-acting usually starts in 30 minutes and last about 4 hours. the long-acting tramadol takes longer to start but lasts about 8 to 12 hours. in some parts of
The that is taken once a day as the effects last contain a mix of short and long-acting tramadol. pharmacist and find out what type of tramadol because of the risks of serotonin syndrome that i explained before, tramadol has maximum dose for short-acting tramadol pills, if the pill if the short
Acting tramadol pill contains 50 mg, then we recommend no more than 8 per day. for the long-acting tramadol, they come in pills of 50, 100, 150, 200 and 225 mg, depending on the brand. the maximum dose is 400 mg per day. the dose limit is mainly because of the risks of question #4. can i take tramadol with other
Mixed with acetaminophen. for example, tramacet, the pill contains tramadol plus you take additional doses of acetaminophen tolerate is around 4,000 mg a day. acetaminophen is the type of drug that is hidden in a lot of other medications, like cold, cough, headaches, etc. it is very important that you don’t
Take more than 4,000 to preserve your liver function. tramadol, but you need to be very careful because the two medications can cause sedation, sleepiness and poor concentration. and combining question #5. is tramadol a risky pain medication? death because it is an opioid, and opioids can cause the person to stop
Breathing while they are sleeping. this is even more common when tramadol antidepressants, anti-psychotics, alcohol and even when the person is taking other opioids. opioid overdose. however, overdose by tramadol the other risk of tramadol, that we already mentioned is serotonin syndrome, and this is if you want
To read the script of this video, question #6. is tramadol safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding? tramadol crosses the placenta. we do not have any evidence that it causes any malformation pregnancy can result in withdrawal symptoms opioid withdrawal can be life-threatening. so, we recommend that pregnant woman
To discontinue opioid as soon as they know they are pregnant, and under medical supervision to avoid uterine for breastfeeding women, tramadol is found in serious overdose to the baby leading to brain question #7. will tramadol help me sleep or keep me awake? they produce a state of stupor, paralysis,
Sleepiness and relaxation. morphine, which has been used for thousands of years was named after characteristics that i mentioned before, increasing serotonin and noradrenaline, question #8. can i drive if i use tramadol? when the person is starting treatment with operating heavy machinery until the dose is
Stable and no more adjustments are being made in the dose. once the person is on a stable drowsiness and dizziness are the two most common adverse effects of tramadol. but most people will when the person is not feeling sleepy or drowsy anymore, then they can resume driving. both alcohol and tramadol inhibit the brain
Function and cause the same effects of sleepiness, breathing, which may lead to overdose and death. yes, tramadol is a drug that can be abused. euphoria similar to other opioids like oxycodone, regularly will have withdrawal symptoms withdrawal symptoms are very unpleasant. even when the pain condition has
Resolved a small proportion of people will develop an opioid use disorder, which is basically taking. this is a serious mental health disease, and it has to be treated as soon as possible. opioid use disorder or oud occurs in about if you like this video press the thumbs up button here, don’t forget
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Transcribed from video
10 Questions about TRAMADOL for pain: uses, dosages, and risks by Andrea Furlan MD PhD By Dr. Andrea Furlan