Od'd On Tramadol

[MrWorldwide]

I probably need to make it clear that I dont take anything stronger than a Panadol normally, but I have a prescription for Tramadol when my back starts playing up (3 crushed vertebrae after an accident a few years ago).

Had to help a mate with some reasonably physical work today and, long story short, I overdid the dosage. Light-headed, legs literally shaking beneath me and throwing up in the alleyway soon afterwards. All up. I'd equate to to mild alcohol poisoning - those mornings when you have to run to the toilet - but the headache was replaced by the aforementioned light-headedness. Exactly why anyone would want to repeat the experience is a mystery to me, but given that I've had precisely one beer in the last 15 months it was embarrassing to be throwing up in broad daylight.

TVers who have to take painkillers regularly have my respect - particularly when the pain starts kicking back in and you think 'OK - this time I'll take two ...'. Lesson learned.

[infinity11]

Is there anything that can be done about the side effect of dizziness many pain killers cause, similar to drinking too much?

(OP next time half dose?)

[Sceptict11]

There are risks as well as benefits associated with ALL medication.

It is not difficult for a person to inform themselves of the risks/potential risks/side effects of a medication and perhaps more importantly the normal dosage/frequency.

Many people indulge in "self medication" for conditions which have been either self diagnosed or diagnosed via Dr Google. Both of these practises are hazardous .

The OP has done us a favour by drawing attention to the fact that more is not always better !

[Sheryl]

Is there anything that can be done about the side effect of dizziness many pain killers cause, similar to drinking too much?

(OP next time half dose?)

Not really. Reducing the dosage will reduce the dizziness but also reduce the analgesic effect.

Use of non-opiates (paracetemol and the various NSAIDs) will avoid this problem and is preferred except for severe pain.

[MrWorldwide]

Points taken folks - I also took a prescription anti-inflammatory, but I find nothing - at least nothing I have access to - numbs the actual pain like Tramadol. My friend claims that you can handle more if you take T regularly - that sounds like the road to addiction for mine. My sister throws down Panadol and Neurofen like candy - I just cant see that being a good thing longterm.

[katana]

Hi, how many mg tramadol did you take in one go?

[Satcommlee]

Tramadol is available over the counter here in Thailand, no script needed... but they are usually prescribed for moderate to severe pain.

They are an opioid (synthetic opiate) drug, you should question if you should really be doing the manual labour in the first place, you got issues with your back, you should not be overdoing it!

You are absolutely right to be concerned about dependence, they can be addictive.

I had them once from the doctor for a bad case of sinusitis, but I gave one to my wife when she had a simple headache and she was really sick after taking only one.

No amount of pills is going to make your orthopaedic issues go away, they can only mask the pain, in your case you worked too hard, took too many tramadol and the drug got the better of you.

If I had 3 crushed vertebrae, I wouldn't be doing any labour intensive hard work!

What about when when you body gains a tolerance to tramadol??? You got no chance of moving onto pethidine or morphine have you?

Watch yourself, one thing you wont get in Thailand is a script for anything stronger, unless you are an inpatient!

[MrWorldwide]

Relax, guys - this was a one-off, and we weren't digging holes or shearing sheep

My main issue is when I need to squat right down to get at things on the floor/ground, particularly when that involves repetitive lifting. I'm not going to comment on how many I took - suffice to say that it was more than recommended on my prescription and they were 100mg tablets. A big part of the problem is that I don't take Tramadol for the vast majority of the year, and when the first tablet didnt seem to be doing the job I foolishly went straight back the box for another one. It's easy to judge when someone does something silly with medication, but I'd prefer to have had this experience than be condemned to regular usage and the tolerance my body would inevitably build up to the 'recommended' dosage.

Longer term, I am going to consult a doctor when I retire to Asia in April next year to see if there are options other than the somewhat medieval 'glue' solution I've read about on Google : as mentioned earlier, diagnosis by Google rarely leads to great outcomes. The doctors and therapists at Bumrungrad did help me with the pain and muscle spasms I experienced shortly after I hurt my back, but I suspect that a subsequent fall in Laos really did the majority of the damage.

[manarak]

next time, combine tramadol and paracetamol using lower dosage. the two have been reported to increase each other's pain-relieving effects.

[MrWorldwide]

Thanks for the heads-up Manarak - I'm a little wary of mixing medications, but clearly that wouldnt have been as risky as taking too many Tremidol. I admit that my male ego and the subsequent desire to 'soldier on' got the better of me - it has been difficult to accept that I went from being someone who had never had so much as tonsilitis to a guy who initially struggled to get off his bed in the weeks after the accident. Muscle spasms would have to be the single scariest experience of my (somewhat sheltered) life - the more you try to relax, the more your back muscles seem intent on 'ambushing' you.

[Sheryl]

When your are in Thailand, I highly recommend Dr. Wicharn at the BNH Hospital Spine Center for a consultation to see if there are any long terms solutions.

[katana]

Relax, guys - this was a one-off, and we weren't digging holes or shearing sheep

... I'm not going to comment on how many I took - suffice to say that it was more than recommended on my prescription and they were 100mg tablets. A big part of the problem is that I don't take Tramadol for the vast majority of the year, and when the first tablet didnt seem to be doing the job I foolishly went straight back the box for another one...

I see to remember reading that tramadol takes ca 4 hours to reach its peak analgesic effect since it's broken down in the liver and one of the metabolites also has painkilling effects. So there's a bit of a delay. Also some people experience nausea as a side effect of the drug and can't tolerate it.

Edited May 28, 2013 by katana

[FBN]

The problem with all opiate and related drugs is that the "therapeutic index" changes with higher and more frequent doses. This means that the desired effect (painkilling or inducing sleep as with barbiturates) reduces with increased doses taken on a regular basis while the side effect profile, including depression of breathing etc, does not. This is the basis of many fatal ODs on these drugs.

Best to try a combination of drug but this is also not without danger; if both is broken down in the liver, for instance, that may have the same impact as a higher dose of the single drug.

The trend of prescribing for and managing chronic pain has moved away from just analgesics to more multifaceted approaches and methods. It remains a difficult matter nevertheless.

The way the OP seems to be using this drug is just about optimal; except for the episode that prompted this post, of course!

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Two shouldn't affect you like that.

Usually they say take 1, if pain persists after 30 minutes take another.

Maximum dose 4 per day.

And you won't be having any sex for 48hrs, tramadol prevents ejaculation as a side effect.

[Satcommlee]

.

And you won't be having any sex for 48hrs, tramadol prevents ejaculation as a side effect.

Oh, that's handy to know!! 2 day's sounds a lot better to me than 2 minutes

[phuturatica]

Ah Tramadol... One of my favourite opiate painkillers - however the feeling you get when you take too much is certainly not very nice.

I used to take Tramadol on a regular basis for my regular kidney infections I was prone too. I accidentally took too much once and I remember the sensation. Very similar to what you described!

Hope you're fully recovered and feeling better.

[Sheryl]

Two shouldn't affect you like that.

Usually they say take 1, if pain persists after 30 minutes take another.

Maximum dose 4 per day.

And you won't be having any sex for 48hrs, tramadol prevents ejaculation as a side effect.

These were 100mg, not the 25 or 50mg. 2 would definitely be too much.

[MrWorldwide]

When your are in Thailand, I highly recommend Dr. Wicharn at the BNH Hospital Spine Center for a consultation to see if there are any long terms solutions.

Thanks Sheryl - do I need to get a referral from a Thai GP before seeing said specialist ? That's the way it works in Oz - they dont want to be bothered by people who dont have a problem worthy of their fee structure, er, talents !

[Sheryl]

Nope. You can make an appointment directly.

The Oz system applies in the public health care system in Thailand (and pretty much everywhere) but when you go private, you can see whomever you want. Will cost about 1,000 - 1,500 baht for the consultation. Bring along any recent films, scans etc to avoid unnecessary repeat tests and associated costs.

[MrWorldwide]

Ah Tramadol... One of my favourite opiate painkillers - however the feeling you get when you take too much is certainly not very nice.

I used to take Tramadol on a regular basis for my regular kidney infections I was prone too. I accidentally took too much once and I remember the sensation. Very similar to what you described!

Hope you're fully recovered and feeling better.

I'm fine - thanks - and it was also a handy reminder of the way I feel about hangovers in general - this one wasn't caused by alcohol, but it made me think of the things we do to our bodies 'self-medicating'.

[MrWorldwide]

Thanks again, Sheryl.

[mommysboy]

Are you sure simple heat stroke didnt play a part? Same symptoms. Have suffered it myself.

[wpcoe]

A big part of the problem is that I don't take Tramadol for the vast majority of the year, and when the first tablet didnt seem to be doing the job I foolishly went straight back the box for another one.

Two shouldn't affect you like that.

Usually they say take 1, if pain persists after 30 minutes take another.

Maximum dose 4 per day.

And you won't be having any sex for 48hrs, tramadol prevents ejaculation as a side effect.

I find that Tramadol has a time-delay for me. Sometimes it takes up to three hours before it goes to work. When I was initially prescribed them for back pain (ruptured disc) I don't recall any such delay. If it's a tolerance build-up, I must be pretty sensitive because I take Tramadol maybe three or four times a year, and each time no more than two 50mg doses, and usually just one. (I take it for persistent headaches when nothing else works.)

As for Tramadol preventing ejaculation, I think that is "only" a *potential* side effect. Speaking as a male who has taken Tramadol and ...