Fibromyalgia Support Group

I would just like to say to be very careful with Tramadol. I was on it for 5 years, with continual increases in dosing. I went off it "cold turkey". Please do not discontinue this med "cold turkey". I had very nasty withdrawal symptoms. I was going to add more to this post, but it is not positive, and I don't want to bash this med. because I had a horrible experience from it. I realize that meds work different for different people.

Rabbit, what sort of reaction did you have when taking tramadol with an SSRI?
I've just been prescribed tramadol for my pain and I've been taking Zoloft for years to treat anxiety. My DOC is clearly aware that I have been taking the SSRI, and she even renewed my script when she prescribed the tramadol.
Now I'm worried.

Tramadol is the generic for Ultram. It does not contain acetaminophen (Tylenol). Ultracet contains both tramadol and acetaminophen.

Tramadol taken with an SSRI can cause a very serious condition called Serotonin Syndrome as they both affect serotonin level. I personally have been taking tramadol with Prozac for about a year. I have not had a single problem. In fact I had tried tramadol once before while taking Paxil CR and it did nothing for me. After switching to Prozac my doc urged me to try it again and it worked. One does not work as well without the other. I find that tramadol works best for me if I take 50mg every 6 hours. What worked even better was Ultram ER 200mg once a day. The key is to keep a constant level in your system. Everyone is different though. Your doctor probably knows about the potential interaction, which is rare, and will be monitoring you for it. However I would think he would've told you about it and what to watch for. Signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome can include:

* Confusion
* Restlessness
* Hallucinations
* Extreme agitation
* Fluctuations in blood pressure
* Increased heart rate
* Nausea and vomiting
* Fever
* Seizures
* Coma