Tramadol how does it feel

As sedatives, they have some uses in treating anxiety, but the two can cause slightly different side…. Doctors prescribe benzodiazepines for anxiety, insomnia, and other purposes. However, there is a risk of dependence and interactions with other drugs….

Xanax is a drug that people take to treat anxiety and panic disorders. However, Xanax comes with several warnings and precautions. Learn more here. What are the side effects of tramadol? Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. About Side effects Drug interactions When to see a doctor Tramadol dependence Summary Tramadol is a prescription pain medication that can help with moderate to severe pain.

What is tramadol? Side effects. Share on Pinterest Side effects of tramadol include dizziness, nausea, and headaches. Drug interactions. When to see a doctor. Tramadol dependence. Share on Pinterest People may become dependent on tramadol when taking it for more than a few weeks or months.

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Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, Pharm. They regard people who use tramadol as non-humans and crazy people 28 years old, male, driver. Interestingly, almost all the participants said a word of praises to those who initiated them into tramadol use.

It was observed that these praises were linked to the perceived benefits associated with the use of the drug such as perceived improved physical and sexual activity performances. In all, these participants thanked their initiators for introducing them into tramadol use. One of these participants noted with appreciation:.

In fact, I owe my master a lot of thanks and appreciations. I remember when he was introducing the drug to me, I was not really in support of it I now know he was doing me a lot of good. Oh, I am very grateful to him 27 years old, male, driver. In fact, the drug has helped me improved significantly in my daily activity performance.

I must say huge thanks to my friend who introduced it to me 26 years old, male, assistant. You know this job is mostly for males as it is very hard. Big thanks to my friend who first gave me the drug 31 years old, female, assistant. Interestingly, almost the participants exhibited no sign of stopping the use of tramadol for non-medical purposes.

In their own evaluations and assessments, the drug is effective for the purposes that they are using it for and as a result, do not have any reason for quitting it. Personally, I do not have any plans for stopping tramadol use for now. The drug is very effective, nice and feels great whenever I take.

Maybe, when I am too old, I can consider stopping but now no intention to quit 28 years old, male, driver. It was observed that few of the participants who were willing to stop using tramadol for non-medical purposes were looking for alternatives or substitutes for the drug.

Some of the participants mentioned that until they find alternative drugs that work as tramadol, they are not going to stop its usage. For me, I will stop using tramadol when I find a different drug that works like it. Till then, I have no plans of stopping 30 years old, female, assistant. I am looking forward to finding another drug with the same effectiveness as tramadol before I stop using tramadol 26 years old, male, driver.

Though participants indicated no sign of stopping non-medical use of tramadol, they rather expressed strong support for the ongoing fake tramadol seizures and prosecution of illegal tramadol peddlers.

They further expressed their willingness to collaborate with health officials and security agencies in finding fake and illegal tramadol peddlers. They claimed of knowing some of the illegal and fake tramadol peddlers and they could serve as whistle-blowers to health officials and security officers involved in the fight against tramadol proliferation in Ghana.

For their interest, helping officials to eradicate fake tramadol and illegal sellers would help them acquire safe, quality and standard tramadol from certified sellers. I think the officials are doing well by seizing fake tramadol and prosecuting illegal sellers. I and most of the people who use tramadol know can support the police in this regard because we know most of the illegal sellers in this city. We can give them information … … 35 years old, male, driver.

I heard the police are seizing fake tramadol and punishing the illegal sellers. I know some of those sellers and can help the police. If those fake sellers are punished, we can good tramadol and not fake ones 33 years old, male, assistant. For the sake of getting quality and standard tramadol from licensed shops, I am willing to support the police to arrest fake sellers. I know some of them and can help the police to arrest them 30 years old, male, driver. This study offers a useful understanding of varied reasons for using tramadol for non-medical purposes among commercial vehicle drivers and assistants in Kumasi, Ghana.

The study is novel in that it provides an in-depth description of the opinions of people who use tramadol, the ways in which they use and what they see as their key motivations. These opinions are useful in informing strategies for curbing tramadol misuse in Ghana. The study found a range of motivations for using tramadol for non-medical purposes, and in many cases, these motivations were explicitly linked to their performed daily activities whilst at other times participants spoke of motivations in the broader social context.

The motivations fell into four main inter-linking identified categories: 1 sexual; 2 psychological; 3 physical; and 4 economic motivations. It must be emphasised that there was a great deal of overlap between the categories and a very strong theme to emerge was perceived improved sexual performance and satisfaction associated with the use of tramadol.

Further, the identified motivations appear to be related to how long participants had been using the drug for non-medical purposes, to the intensity of their dependence and how they were introduced to the drug. Many developing countries in the last decade have witnessed increasing trends in the misuse of psychoactive substances with tramadol becoming the major drug in these countries including Ghana [ 6 , 16 ].

Tramadol manifests some effect characteristic close to that of opioid agonists, and its misuse seems to be a problem for Ghana as several reports on the side effects of the drug, especially when taken in higher doses including nausea and vomiting, constipation, sweating, dizziness, seizures and postural hypotension, among others continue to build-up [ 5 , 6 , 16 , 38 , 39 , 40 ].

Our study contributes to the existing literature in various ways. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore motivations for non-medical purposes tramadol use in Ghana. In relation to empirical literature [ 2 , 7 , 25 ] participants got introduced to tramadol use by two main factors including pressure from friends, relatives and members of the community they live, and curiosity. These pressures as narrated by the participants were in the forms of threats, coercion, and allurement by friends and workmates and superiors.

For most of the participants, their inability to resist the pressure and fear of being sacked from work by their superiors led them into non-medical purpose tramadol use. It is also interesting to note that the constant public campaigns and education on radios and televisions by health officials and private individuals against tramadol misuse have in a way raised the curiosity levels of those who use the drug as reported by some of the study participants.

In the quest to satisfy their curiosity concerning the functions that the drug could perform as widely reported by the public, friends and colleagues, participants got into the use of the drug for non-medical purposes.

Wasify et al. Throughout history, sexual health and function have been important components of life [ 42 , 43 ] and our study found three main sexual factors serving as motivations for non-medical purposes tramadol use among the participants.

These include prolonging time of sexual intercourse, treatment for premature ejaculation and ejaculation-related personal distress. These sexual reasons for the continuous use of tramadol have been reported previously [ 2 , 7 , 16 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ].

A perceived decline in sexual function and the quest to satisfy partners by meeting their sexual needs and standards cause the affected individuals to search for solutions including patronising sex enhancing products such as tramadol. Our study participants continuously explore various ways to boost and maintain their sexual ability or stimulate sexual desire and this has resulted in their continuous misuse of tramadol. It is also in line with Manortey et al.

Having females buying tramadol for their partners for sexual purposes as a sign of spousal support or endorsement for tramadol use in this study is an indication that sex is a complex activity that is not only meant for procreation but also for enjoyment and natural relaxation.

However, the mechanism through which tramadol improves sexual performance and cures premature ejaculation and ejaculation related issues were not known to the participants though empirical studies demonstrate that the relationship between tramadol and sexual function appears to be controversial [ 16 , 50 ]. However, the use of tramadol for managing premature ejaculation and ejaculation related distress has been cautioned [ 56 , 57 ].

This suggests that additional rigorous well-designed studies are warranted to further investigate the potential long-term effects and risks of tramadol on sexual functions, especially in the Ghanaian context. Aside from the sexual gratifications for non-medical purposes, tramadol use, participants verbalized some psychological factors as other motivations that drive them to use the drug including euphoria, alertness and attentiveness and sense of hope and belonging.

Particularly, participants associated extreme excitement and happiness with tramadol use and therefore continue to use the drug especially in bad occasions. The drug to the participants makes them focused, alert and attentive on their daily activities.

Under the influence of the drug, those who use it care less about what others say or think about them. The use of the tramadol also makes them hopeful of a better future in worrying situations and make them feel belonged.

This finding mirrors previous evidence on the antidepressant effect of the drug [ 2 , 6 , 25 , 58 , 59 ]. For instance, [ 52 ] a randomised control trial demonstrated that tramadol has an impact on stimulus processing related to sustained attention. In addition, this study provides evidence to suggest that certain physical effects including perceived invigorating and analgesic effects of tramadol also served as motivations for non-medical purposes tramadol use among the study participants.

In consonance with other existing evidence, [ 2 , 7 , 24 ] participants believed the drug energizes them to carry out their daily activities with no or limited fatigue. They mentioned that under the influence of the drug, they can work tirelessly to give their maximum output which makes them make money for a living.

Again, participants were motivated to use tramadol because of its perceived stress or fatigue relieve effect. To de-stress themselves and relieve their fatigue, participants used relied on tramadol and this finding reflects previous evidence on the analgesic effect of the drug [ 2 , 6 , 24 ]. Significantly, the study observed some factors which are largely economic in nature that also motivate the study participants to use tramadol.

The main economic motivating factors for non-medical purposes tramadol use were affordability and availability of the drug. The study found that tramadol is readily available, accessible and affordable compared to other similar drugs. In Ghana, tramadol is not on the list of controlled substances regulated by the Food and Drugs Authority, because it is believed to have a low misuse potential compared with the prototypic opioids such as morphine.

This in a way has made the drug readily available in pharmacies, chemical shops and the black market and can be acquired without a prescription [ 7 ].

With this, participants did not incur much cost in acquiring the drug which motivates them to use it. Most of the participants had experienced or continue to experience some unpleasant side effects of tramadol misuse such as vomiting, seizures, loss of appetite, agitation, irritability, stigma, headache, hallucinations, among others. These findings are in line with previous findings [ 7 , 22 ] on the common adverse effects of tramadol.

It also mirrors trend on the common effects of tramadol where majority of the respondents responded to know the side effects of aphrodisiac products particularly tramadol [47]. Whilst the mechanism s through which tramadol causes these adverse effects is largely difficult to explain in this study, the side effect of a headache could possibly be an indication that usage of these substances increases blood pressure which may result in cardiovascular disorders with prolonged use.

Second, participants of the study offered some praise to those who introduced them into tramadol use. This finding in a way appears surprising as one may think that the misuse of the drug has harmful side effects on the health and wellbeing of those who use it and therefore the users will rather blame their initiators for introducing them to tramadol use. Third, knowing the effects of tramadol misuse, participants showed no willingness of stopping using tramadol for non-medical purposes which suggests the dependence and addictive potentials of the drug [ 1 ].

Participants valued the perceived benefits they derive from the drug over stopping using the drug. Interestingly, few of the participants who expressed a desire to quit tramadol misuse were looking for alternative drugs that work as tramadol.

These findings contradict previous results of Fuseini et al. These two findings of the study are indications of how complex and complicated the tramadol misuse fight in Ghana is. Fourth, one good revelation from this study is that many of the participants expressed willingness and desire to support the ongoing efforts of health officials and security agencies to curb tramadol misuse.

Most of the participants claimed knowing most of the unlicensed chemical shops and people selling what they see as fake tramadol. With this, they were willing to collaborate with officials to help seize and eradicate fake tramadol and sellers. The authors see this as a useful ground where health officials and other stakeholders can utilise to form partnerships and alliances to influence those who use it to quit tramadol use.

This study has provided knowledge and evidence regarding motivations for non-medical tramadol use in Ghana from the perspective of those who use the drug. Thus, this study offers a depth of understanding to support the ongoing effort toward addressing tramadol misuse in Ghana.

However, two important caveats must be acknowledged here: Our findings cannot be regarded as representative to other groups of people who use tramadol and different settings as the study is purely qualitative with aim of identifying contextual themes that cannot be independent of the individuals and context involved.

To this, a larger quantitative study would be required. This study has ramifications for both policy and practice. The findings are relevant to the social policy directions particularly towards the effort to influence policy formulation and implementation by government and other stakeholders involved in policy making for curbing the menace of tramadol misuse in Ghana.

Our findings indicate that those who use tramadol for non-medical purposes are motivated by diverse factors and aware, having knowledge and experiencing some adverse effects from their misuse. With this, the way forward in curbing their misuse and subsequent effects is to introduce measures, interventions and policies that provide opportunity for active involvement, engagement and participation by those who misuse tramadol to help influence their decisions to quit using the drug.

The study findings also necessitate the need for a stricter regulatory intervention to restrict tramadol as a controlled substance where access of the drug can be obtained through authorisation, utilisation and distribution records vetting and official inspections by the Food and Drugs Authority.

Furthermore, the study findings also indicate that there is the need for intensified psychoeducational and awareness creation programmes for those who use tramadol due to the dependence and addictive potentials of tramadol revealed in the study. The willingness of those who use tramadol for non-medical purposes to collaborate with officials in dealing with fake tramadol sellers also offers a useful ground where health officials can form partnerships and alliances to influence those who use it to quit using through psychological support, professional counselling, guidance, rehabilitation as well as other psychoeducational programmes.

Moreover, the easy accessibility of tramadol and the reluctance to discontinue the use of the drug by the participants underscore the need for clinically-driven and tailored medication-assisted treatments and programmes that use cognitive behavioural approaches by the Ghana Health Service and other stakeholders.

The combination of behavioural therapies and medications would enhance motivation toward behavioural changes and provide a whole-patient approach to the prevention of tramadol misuse and treatment of its associated disorders. This study provides a qualitative evidence that, due to a range of sexual, psychological, physical and economic factors, commercial vehicle drivers and assistants in Kumasi are motivated to use tramadol and that stopping the drug use appeared to be no option for the participants.

It is, therefore, imperative for stakeholders to take into consideration the findings of the study in order to guide the design and implementation of policies toward curbing tramadol misuse. Whilst further evidence is required to document the extent of these motivations in other settings and groups and how they might be best addressed, it makes sense for health officials and security agencies to involve those misusing tramadol in the fight against non-medical purpose usage of the drug as such opportunity for involvement, participation and partnership exist per the findings of the study.

Zhang H, Liu Z. The investigation of tramadol dependence with no history of substance abuse: a cross-sectional survey of spontaneously reported cases in Guangzhou City, China.

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Nursing Open. Tramadol abuse and sexual function. Always follow the instructions given to you by your doctor. Some tramadol tablets and capsules are slow-release. This means the tramadol is gradually released into your body over either 12 or 24 hours. This type of tramadol takes longer to start working but lasts longer. It's used for long-term pain. Your doctor will decide the right dose for you, depending on how sensitive you are to pain and how bad your pain is. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you.

In general, you will be prescribed the lowest dose that relieves your pain. Dosages vary from person to person. Your dose will depend on how bad your pain is, how you've responded to previous painkillers and if you get any side effects. Fast-acting tramadol comes as capsules, drops and 2 different tablets — soluble and dissolve-in-the-mouth tablets:.

Slow-release tramadol comes as tablets and capsules. It's important to swallow slow-release tramadol tablets and capsules whole with a drink of water. Do not break, crush, chew or suck slow-release tablets and capsules.

If you do, the slow-release system will not work and the whole dose might get into your body in one go. This could cause a potentially fatal overdose.

When to take it depends on the type of tramadol that you have been prescribed:. If you're 65 and over, or you have liver or kidney problems, you may be asked by your doctor to take tramadol less often.

You can take your tramadol at any time of day but try to take it at the same time every day and space your doses evenly. For example, if you take tramadol twice a day and have your first dose at 8am, take your second dose at 8pm. If you forget to take a dose, check the information on the patient information leaflet inside the packaging or ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice on what to do.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine. If you need to take tramadol for a long time your body can become tolerant to it. This is not usually a problem but you could get unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it suddenly. If you want to stop taking tramadol, talk to your doctor first. Your dose will usually be reduced gradually so you do not get unpleasant withdrawal effects.

Tramadol can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you come off it suddenly, such as:. If you have been taking tramadol for more than a few weeks do not stop taking it without speaking to your doctor first. It's important not to take more than your prescribed dose, even if you think it's not enough to relieve your pain. Speak to your doctor first, if you think you need a different dose. If you've taken an accidental overdose you may feel very sleepy, sick or dizzy. You may also find it difficult to breathe.

In serious cases you can become unconscious and may need emergency treatment in hospital. The amount of tramadol that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person. If you've taken 1 extra dose by mistake, check the information that comes with the medicine packaging or ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice. Generally, you are unlikely to get any symptoms and you can take your next dose as usual. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance.

Take the tramadol box or leaflet inside the packet plus any remaining medicine with you. It's safe to take tramadol with paracetamol , ibuprofen or aspirin aspirin is suitable for most people aged 16 years and over. Do not take tramadol with codeine-containing painkillers you can buy from a pharmacy. You'll be more likely to get side effects. Some everyday painkillers that you can buy from pharmacies contain codeine, which is a similar medicine to tramadol. Codeine-containing painkillers that you can buy from pharmacies include co-codamol , Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine.

Like all medicines, tramadol can cause side effects although not everyone gets them. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if the side effects listed below bother you or don't go away. Very common side effects of tramadol happen in more than 1 in 10 people and include:.

Common side effects of tramadol happen in more than 1 in people. They include:. Like drink-driving, driving when high is dangerous and illegal. If the police catch people supplying illegal drugs in a home, club, bar or hostel, they can potentially prosecute the landlord, club owner or any other person concerned in the management of the premises.

Tramadol is a class C drug and is only available with a prescription from a doctor or other healthcare professional that is qualified to prescribe. If you or someone else needs urgent help after taking drugs or drinking, call for an ambulance. Tell the crew everything you know.

It could save their life. Tramadol A prescription painkiller that people can get addicted to and abuse. How it looks, tastes and smells What does it look like? White pills or tablets the most common type Coloured capsules A liquid. How do people take it?