Is tramadol/ultram as addictive as typical opiates?

[rxbandit]

Swim was talking to an avid opiate user friend of his. His friend was telling swim about tramadol and how he liked it because it was not addictive. I brushed this off as an overstatement, but am curious if its atypical shape or SSRI properties could potentially make it far less addictive then other opiates. My friend anecdotally cited the insert in his pack of tramadol for this statement but almost every narcotic when it first hit the market was touted up and labeled in a similar way.

Any experience or hard data?

[Paracelsus]

His friend was telling swim about tramadol and how he liked it because it was not addictive.

He *liked* it for the reason that it is "non-addictive?" Sounds similar to "xxxxx isn't addictive, i should know - i've done it all my life / i've quit it tens of times." Sounds like he's trying to justify his addiction.

You are right about basically all new opioids being marketed as less addictive than anything before them (e.g. Bayer's "Heroin").

It is considered to have less abuse potential than other opiates, mainly because it has to undergo CYP2D6 metabolism in order to get to the active metabolite (which makes snorting & injecting not viable). The SSRI properties can also give tramadol an extra "edginess." Nonetheless, there are many users who say that tramadol is a highly pleasurable opioid, and from experience we know that pleasure equals addiction potential.

[SuprSonik]

Tramadol most definitely does have addiction potential. It's not as addictive as many other opioids, but saying it's "not addictive" is not correct at all. SWIM's felt withdrawal effects from excessive tramadol use and they are not unlike withdrawals from other opioids. SWIM thinks that tramadol is hit or miss for most people, which is why the numbers show a lower % of abuse by users for tramadol, but when it does work for someone, it carries the same risks that any other opioid does.

[Female]

SWIM has indeed felt it's withdrawal effects, don't underestimate it's power. Even if it's not doing anything for swiy anymore, swiy feels the craving - anything is addictive if you give it the chance.

[rxbandit]

i suspected so. Swim thinks that branding has a lot to do with peoples perception of addictability and also plays a lesser part in addiction for those who are highly suggestible.

This same friend of swims insisted that he only smoked american spirit cigarettes because they were addictive free cigarettes, swim happily pointed out that it was additive free...

[JaWill88]

tramadol was the first opioid swim ab/used and one of the first few substances us/abused. swims mom had 100ct bottles stored up of them. she had pain from something and never used them. she must have had like 400 of them. one day swim took like 2 or 3 and felt a beautiful feeling. anyways fast foward 5 years and swim is injecting diacetylmorphine (heroin) and cocaine intravenously together at least 3 times a day and did this for like 2 of 3 years. tramadol not addictive? bullshit.

[UNIBLACK810]

Originally Posted by JaWill88

tramadol was the first opioid swim ab/used and one of the first few substances us/abused. swims mom had 100ct bottles stored up of them. she had pain from something and never used them. she must have had like 400 of them. one day swim took like 2 or 3 and felt a beautiful feeling. anyways fast foward 5 years and swim is injecting diacetylmorphine (heroin) and cocaine intravenously together at least 3 times a day and did this for like 2 of 3 years. tramadol not addictive? bullshit.

I have to agree. Tramadol is'nt listed as an opiate. It is listed as a misc. anaglesic.Nevertheless Tramadol (Ultram) is definetly addictive. I know it from personal experience and I have a VERY high tolerance for opiates. Tramadol not addictive lmao definetly BULLSHIT.

[JaWill88]

sorry for back to back posting. but anyways to anyone who experienced tramadol withdrawals, what is the duration like? swim remembers when he would pop 6-7 tramadol he was high all day till he went to sleep. so does it have a longer withdrawal then the regular short acting opioids? what about intensity? also swim heard it has ssri properties and if thats true is there ssri withdrawal syndrome? hopefully swim isn't going off topic too much as this has to do with it's addictive properties. it would be really helpful for swim because he may use it to get off buprenorphine if the withdrawals are only as long as the regular ones. if they are long it would be pointless for swim. anyways any input appreciated.

Reputation Comments on this post:

You can avoid back to back posting by editing the last post you made in a thread. You have the privilege of editing your...

[samuraigecko]

seeing as tramadol does become an opiate agonist via its metabolite (rather weak affinity as compared to other opiates and their metabolites but an agonist none the less) Then yes tramadol does have abuse potential and therefor withdrawal potential.

The GABA, NAD AND SSRI effects of the drug would also produce its own unique edge to the withdrawal effects, making the it different from the withdrawal of other opioid / opiate drugs.

Using logic one could assume that the withdrawal effects would not only include the standard aches and pains and perhaps flu like symptoms of opiate / opioid withdrawal but also have other withdrawal effects present such as severe depression or psychosis from the discontinuation of an SSRI. Severe depression and anxiety effects from the discontinuation of a benzodiazepine or other GABA effecting drug, Severe anxiety effects from the discontinuation of a NAD drug. Looking back on the information one would almost think that a tramadol withdrawal has the potential to be WORSE than your standard opiate / opioid withdrawal.

If any substance is introduced to the body for long enough then the endogenous substance that the body normally produces STOPS. Withdrawal will then of course be a logical result if the introduced chemical is discontinued as the body has not needed to produce the original endogenous substance which the introduced substance had been not only replacing but flooding the receptors with.

Hope this has been of insight or help

Reputation Comments on this post:

interesting speculation, curious to hear if this is true.

[Emerald2303]

Been addicted to Tramadol off and on for many years. Have fibromyalgia. The tram w/d is horrendous. Not only depressed but had the shits, bad body aches. Took massive doses, tho, sometimes 450 mgs at a time, 2 or 3 times per day. Would not recommend this amount, as had a few seizures from it. Quickly build tolerance up, also

[Rehab Quitter]

swim would have to agree the withdraw isnt a nice experience leaves you feeling, weak as fuck and ill if you take to much. swim vomited violently after taking 750mg of zydol.

however hes never been addicted due to fact they always make him ill even at 50/100mg. The short term damage is bad enough i wouldnt advise taking these regually or a long term scale

off the topic
hyperthetically since tramadol is a pain killer could it be used while having extensive tattooing done or would it cause problems, thining the blood or whatever