Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
Been taking Tramadol at night lately due to tendon pain in shoulders. OTC's just weren't cutting the mustard anymore. I've been working on the shoulder physio but have had some set-backs with tringer finger (tendon inflamation in middle & ring fingers).
I've just been taking samples of the new anti-depressant I was given (Pristiq) and same with the Tramadol. My doc wanted me to see if they were working for me first. I wasn't getting enough anxiety releif from the previous anti-depressant.
GET THIS - I finally fill both the Tramadol and Pristiq perscriptions at the pharmacy (1month each total$128.00 - neither was covered by my govt plan) and the Pharmacist says you need to be really carfefull with Anti-depressants and Tramadol. Becuase both alter serotonin levels you can wind up with serotonin syndrome (toxicity - too much serotonin). He told me to watch out for irritibility, anxiety, headache, confusion, fever, Shivering/sweating, tremors.
Hmmmm.... I'm taking the Pristiq to get rid of the irribility, anxiety but taking with Tramadol may cause this in reaction. OH GREAT!
So far I've had no troubles and will keep an eye out for weird symptoms - might have been nice to know this in more detail three weeks ago when I started taking the med smaples. I red the phamphlets and boxes but they only mentioned one type of Anti-depressant SSRI so I thought I was okay. Pristiq is an SNRI - but according to the pharmacists it doesn't matter the risk is still there.
I only intend on taking the Tramadol for a limited period of time until the physio starts to work on the shoulder pain. I think it might be time to seriously look into a POT perscription - I think it might have less side effects.
But alot of us are on anti-depressants and often also perscribed tramadol.
These are a more complete list of symptoms:
The symptoms are often described as a clinical triad of abnormalities:
Cognitive effects: headache, agitation, hypomania, mental confusion, hallucinations, coma
Autonomic effects: shivering, sweating, hyperthermia, hypertension, tachycardia, nausea, diarrhea.
Somatic effects: myoclonus (muscle twitching), hyperreflexia (manifested by clonus), tremor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin_syndrome
I've just been taking samples of the new anti-depressant I was given (Pristiq) and same with the Tramadol. My doc wanted me to see if they were working for me first. I wasn't getting enough anxiety releif from the previous anti-depressant.
GET THIS - I finally fill both the Tramadol and Pristiq perscriptions at the pharmacy (1month each total$128.00 - neither was covered by my govt plan) and the Pharmacist says you need to be really carfefull with Anti-depressants and Tramadol. Becuase both alter serotonin levels you can wind up with serotonin syndrome (toxicity - too much serotonin). He told me to watch out for irritibility, anxiety, headache, confusion, fever, Shivering/sweating, tremors.
Hmmmm.... I'm taking the Pristiq to get rid of the irribility, anxiety but taking with Tramadol may cause this in reaction. OH GREAT!
So far I've had no troubles and will keep an eye out for weird symptoms - might have been nice to know this in more detail three weeks ago when I started taking the med smaples. I red the phamphlets and boxes but they only mentioned one type of Anti-depressant SSRI so I thought I was okay. Pristiq is an SNRI - but according to the pharmacists it doesn't matter the risk is still there.
I only intend on taking the Tramadol for a limited period of time until the physio starts to work on the shoulder pain. I think it might be time to seriously look into a POT perscription - I think it might have less side effects.
But alot of us are on anti-depressants and often also perscribed tramadol.
These are a more complete list of symptoms:
The symptoms are often described as a clinical triad of abnormalities:
Cognitive effects: headache, agitation, hypomania, mental confusion, hallucinations, coma
Autonomic effects: shivering, sweating, hyperthermia, hypertension, tachycardia, nausea, diarrhea.
Somatic effects: myoclonus (muscle twitching), hyperreflexia (manifested by clonus), tremor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin_syndrome
I am very very sensitive to SSRI meds.....Savella has a low enough component of SSRI that I can handle it.....but maybe not with the tramadol. Something for me to think about.
thanks for posting this, I am going to read over the paper work again. I am usually very careful about these things since I KNOW how too much seritonin usually affects me--and I was feeling that way before the vicodin scrip.
Thanks so much!!!!
Marianne
This is definitely something to keep in mind, though, thank you,
But I am super sensitive to SSRI---lowest dose of paxil put me over the edge in less than a week. So Savella was a risk....but I was so fatigued when I started it that it was worth the risk.
But I can definitely see a problem if I over did either of them. And I was taking 2-3 doses of Tramadol when I was having the symoptoms that concerned me. So I will definitely watch. This was an eye opener for me.
Marianne
I don't take AD's in the summer, but sometimes for SAD in the winter. But not SSRI's. Still a good thing to know.
OLGA
I questioned the pharmacist about it and he said that the syndrome could happen regardless of when you take the meds. Its a build up in your system so it can happen at any time. I think its a pretty rare side effect/interaction but good to keep and eye out for.
I must remember to tell my family so if they ever have to talk to the doctors they know to tell them to consider serotonin syndrome.
PS I'm pretty sure its just the tramadol that is the issue with SSRI's or SNRI's. I think codiene and vicodin and other opiate based pain killers are fine as they don't mess with the serotonin levels. Tramadol is different than other pain meds - which is why alot of us like it - doesn't have as much of the icky side effects that the opiates have.
I will definately check the price at Walmart - even though I will have to pay for all of it - I bet they are alot cheaper than London Drugs.