Tramadol poisoning and overdose: symptoms, antidote Poisoning.ru

Tramadol belongs to the group of narcotic painkillers. In medicine, it is used to relieve severe pain. This drug is also often taken by drug addicts. Poisoning with this medication can be fatal. This article discusses tramadol overdose, its causes, symptoms, consequences and first aid and treatment methods.

Indications and contraindications

Tramadol is prescribed to patients who suffer from severe to moderate pain of various origins.

Indications for use of Tramadol:

acute pain due to inflammation, injury, and other lesions;
ineffectiveness of other painkillers;
pain syndrome of unknown origin;
oncological diseases;
sometimes used after operations.

Tramadol should not be taken under the following conditions:

intolerance to components (possible allergies);
breathing problems, slow brain function under the influence of other drugs, alcohol;
diseases of the liver, kidneys (cirrhosis, nephrosclerosis, renal, liver failure);
depression, suicidal tendencies;
pregnancy, during lactation (the drug passes through the placenta, into breast milk and has a negative effect on the formation of the central nervous system);
epilepsy;
age up to 14 years.

Side effects may also occur during therapy. There may be a change in mood and a slow reaction. During physical activity, sweating and fatigue increase.

There may be problems with sleep, dizziness, limb cramps, a feeling of dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and problems with stool. Possible tachycardia, hypotension, discomfort when urinating, allergic reactions.

If side effects occur, Tramadol is gradually discontinued, since abrupt withdrawal causes symptoms to intensify.

Effect

The effect of Tramadol begins one to two minutes after consumption. Euphoria sets in and lasts 12-36 hours, but as you get used to the drug, its duration gradually decreases. After some time, the drug intoxication becomes weak and goes away within 1-5 minutes.

Drug addicts usually use Tramadol in capsules, less often they use injection solutions for homemade drug production. After taking the drug, an empathetic state develops, similar to that caused by “ecstasy”.

It is accompanied by:

emotional sensitivity;
desire to help others;
compassion and sympathy for everyone, even enemies;
a surge of vigor;
looseness.

After one or two days, the intoxication subsides. A person becomes afraid of being alone, and nightmares begin to haunt him. As you get used to the drug, euphoria and empathy practically disappear, but paranoia and mania develop, as is the case with long-term use of heroin.

By the end of the first week of taking Tramadol, the first hallucinations appear against the background of euphoria. The patient may hear or see certain creatures. He talks to them, observes them from the outside in extreme situations, perceiving what is happening as an exciting adventure.

Causes and symptoms of tramadol overdose

Tramadol affects almost all human organs and systems, therefore it is prohibited to use the drug without prescription, both in adults and in children.
Main causes of overdose:

taking a large dose to achieve euphoria;
independent increase in volume during pain;
unbearable pain due to oncology;
taken together with alcoholic beverages and antidepressants.

Very often, an overdose of Tramadol occurs in cancer, since higher doses are allowed. In acute intoxication, certain symptoms are observed.

Symptoms of overdose:

In case of mild overdose: headache, decreased blood pressure, increased sweating, nausea, vomiting.
With a moderate degree of intoxication: overexcitement, abdominal pain, smaller pupils, uneven breathing, decreased blood pressure.
In case of severe overdose: swelling of the larynx, lungs, suffocation, epileptic attacks, coma, death.

With prolonged use of an incorrect dosage, chronic Tramadol poisoning develops. It manifests itself as depression, mood swings, lack of appetite, joint and muscle pain. Deviations in behavior arise, which means the development of addiction.

Recreational use

The analgesic is available in various dosage forms, but the easiest to get are capsules and tablets; the dosage depends on the manufacturer. Tramadol is popular for drug addicts for the following reasons:

improves mood
relieves fatigue
relieves pain of varying intensity
smoothing symptoms of depression and anxiety syndrome
causes a qualitative change in the perception of the surrounding reality

Often, illegal users use the medication to increase the duration of sexual intercourse. However, this effect is inconsistent and less pronounced than with stimulants.

Narcotic effect

The maximum daily dose in medicine does not exceed 0.4 g. Recreational use starts at 0.6 g. In drug addicts taking tramadol, the narcotic effect has the following features:

euphoria is strong, accompanies almost the entire period of intoxication;
duration of the “trip” - 7-10 hours;
consumers have stereotypies - they begin to get a “high” from banal actions that attract their attention, for example, from their own breathing or prolonged observation of a tree;
symptoms of depression of the central nervous system are expressed - slowness, inhibition of reactions, drowsiness, suppression of reflexes;
there is also an exciting effect due to the duality of the mechanism of action.

It has been proven that even with regular use in a dose of up to 300 mg, the development of tolerance and drug dependence is very rare.

Of course, the effect of tramadol on the body has its own characteristics. The tendency to drug addiction depends on the initial state of health (and psyche) of the person, as well as the concentration of the substance in the blood.

Findings from various studies suggest that the high rate of abuse of tramadol is due to its easy availability in pharmacies and the illicit market (it is sold in large quantities), its lower price compared to illicit drugs, the perception among consumers that tramadol as safe as any other prescription drug and the ease with which it can be hidden.”

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Is tramadol effective for withdrawal symptoms?

The exchange of supposedly useful information actively flourishes among drug addicts. So, once they tried to conduct experiments to relieve opiate withdrawal syndrome with the help of this analgesic, but they showed disappointing results. According to current clinical guidelines and protocols, tramadol for drugs and withdrawal is simply useless.

Due to its pharmacological characteristics, the drug cannot be used for substitution therapy in persons with opioid dependence. It is true that it may temporarily suppress withdrawal pain, but the effects may be irreversible. Tramadol is not recommended for withdrawal symptoms, since its antagonistic properties can only intensify an already serious condition, including death.

What is the lethal dose of Tramadol?

The dosage and duration of treatment depend on the specific case and are prescribed by the doctor. For adults and children over 14 years of age, when taking the drug in tablets, 50 mg is recommended. If there is no improvement, the next use is allowed after 30-60 minutes. For injections, the permissible dose is 50-100 mg per injection, when using rectal suppositories - 100 mg. Repeated use in such cases is possible after 4 hours.

The maximum amount of Tramadol for adults and children over 14 years of age is 400 mg per day. Sometimes, as prescribed by the attending physician, it is increased to 600 mg. Elderly patients are allowed to take no more than 300 mg of the substance per day.

Children from 1 to 14 years old take the drug in the form of drops or injections. A single dose depends on the patient's weight and is 1-2 mg/kg. In this case, the maximum dose per day is 4-8 mg/kg.

Taking Tramadol in unacceptable quantities may be considered a lethal dose. An increase in the indicated dosage leads to acute, chronic overdose, coma, and death.

Consequences of use

Illiterate use of Tramadol provokes complications:

drug addiction;
acute renal failure;
arrhythmia;
swelling of the lungs;
epilepsy;
toxic hepatitis;
dementia;
cirrhosis of the liver;
to whom.

Therefore, the drug can be used only as prescribed by a doctor and under strict supervision.

The mental and physical dependence caused by tramadol is usually of little concern to drug addicts. However, the understanding that an overdose can lead to death can hardly leave anyone indifferent.

Malfunction of the genital organs in men. This is usually caused by the fact that the breakdown products of tramadol accumulate in the testicles. Impairment of intellectual activity, which continues for a long time after using the drug. Disturbance of a person’s emotional background. After using tramadol, it is difficult for people to perceive the surrounding reality adequately.

vomit
difficulty swallowing - vomiting
bullous rash
lack of breathing
frequent shallow breathing
attacks, which are usually accompanied by convulsions, loss of consciousness, and the discharge of white foam from the mouth. This manifestation can be confused with an epileptic seizure.
weak pulse
slow heartbeat
lack of coordination
disturbance of taste and vision
blue discoloration of lips and skin;
lack of response to pain and loud noises
deep sleep, loss of consciousness.

According to experts, the use of tramadol often entails a risk of a person switching to injecting drug use.

The final removal of tramadol breakdown products from the body of a former addict takes 20–25 years.

It is worth noting the fact that despite the instant physical, and, more importantly, psychological addiction, recovery from tramadol addiction, in the presence of a conscious desire of the addict, occurs relatively quickly - usually, the course of recovery from tramadol addiction, depending on the physical and , especially the mental and psychological characteristics of a particular addict, takes from one week to one month.

However, it is impossible not to note the fact that the majority - about 75 percent - of those who once got rid of tramadol addiction, during the first 4 - 5 years after treatment, return to their addiction, which in most cases ends in the death of the addict, because just the appearance of desire getting rid of tramadol addiction requires the maximum strength from the patient, for the human psyche, internal work and clear, persistent, conscious motivation, so not all addicts can successfully go through withdrawal from the drug.

Among other long-term consequences of tramadol addiction, observed after getting rid of drug addiction from tramadol, it should be noted such problems as: sudden, causeless, sharp changes in mood - from euphoria to depression and back, increased irritability, excessive sentimentality and melancholy, obsessive states of causeless anxiety and / or fear, paranoia, increased risk of serious diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver, nervous system, brain. Also, long-term - more than 2 years - taking the drug as a drug causes dementia, epilepsy, cirrhosis of the liver, and toxic hepatitis.

All these risks and consequences cannot be cured or reduced even with the help of highly professional specialists, and remain with the former tramadol addict for the rest of his life.

7(8622)25-70-01 (24-hour, toll-free, anonymous line). The on-duty narcologist will provide you with the necessary help and support.

The consequences of the salt drug can be very dire:

death or disability from accidental overdose;
death or serious injury due to dangerous behavior under them;
crimes committed during a hallucinogenic trip;
mental illnesses like schizophrenia;
severely weakened immunity;
irreversible dementia;
long prison sentence.

Death from a drug may not be quick and very painful. Most often, a heart attack or cerebral hemorrhage occurs; many people died even after a single dose of narcotic salt. Mortality from salts in recent years has even exceeded the number of deaths from heroin.

Salt is not a women's drug; its use by women causes even more rapid personality changes than in the case of men. A woman needs a little less dosage, no one can calculate it accurately, and therefore there are many more cases of overdose and mental illness among them. The moral character of women is also changing for the worse.

There is no exact data on the use of salts during pregnancy - those women who have not yet gone completely crazy most often stop using (or hide it as much as possible), and therefore children in half of the cases are born completely healthy. Forecasts for the future for these children can be anything - a lot depends on their parents or guardians.

Never use drugs, and if you do, try to stop using them or at least reduce the amount of use to a minimum. The first thing to do is to avoid salt.

Your life and health are in your hands!

First aid and treatment methods

Tramadol therapy is possible only under the supervision of a physician, because an overdose can be fatal.
What to do in case of severe poisoning? If symptoms of overdose occur, it is necessary to stop using the substance, provide the victim with access to fresh air, and call an ambulance. Before the brigade arrives, provide first aid to the patient.

Necessary:

Rinse the stomach with a large volume of clean water at room temperature or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Induce vomiting.
Take enterosorbents (for example, activated carbon, Enterosgel, Polyphepan).
Take a saline laxative (magnesium sulfate).

The antidote for Tramadol is Naloxone.

There are times when you cannot do without the help of doctors. It is required when:

an overdose occurred in a child, a pregnant woman, or an elderly person;
after first aid there is no improvement or the condition has worsened;
the victim developed convulsions, migraines, and disorientation;
there is a decrease in pressure;
heart rate increases;
breathing is impaired.

In such cases, the patient is hospitalized in a medical institution for treatment and restoration of all body functions.

What to do in case of acute overdose

If you suspect that a person has developed an acute overdose of tramadol, you should immediately call an ambulance. You cannot help the victim and cure him on your own.
Since death from poisoning with this drug can occur in a matter of minutes, you need to act quickly. Before the doctors arrive, you will need to independently monitor the patient’s condition. You should not allow yourself to choke on vomit. If the poisoned person is unconscious, try to place him on his side. If you can't do this, just turn his head to the side. In this position, the risk of choking on vomit or your own sunken tongue is much less.

Remember that if you are poisoned with tramadol, you absolutely cannot give the patient anything to drink, even if he asks for water. This is due to the effect of the antidote, which will be administered by the ambulance team.

Until the ambulance team arrives, check the patient for a pulse and breathing. When they stop, begin performing indirect cardiac massage.

Diagnostics

In the hospital, the victim is given artificial ventilation and oxygen therapy to normalize breathing. Anti-convulsants (Diazepam, sodium thiopental) and to improve respiratory and cardiac activity (Atropine, caffeine, Cordiamin) are administered.

Sedatives are used to relieve anxiety and fear. Forced diuresis agents are also used. To quickly reduce toxins in the blood, infusion therapy with colloids and crystalloids is performed.

Interaction with other drugs

Tramadol may interact with several drugs, such as benzodiazepines and serotonergic drugs.

Benzodiazepines

- These are drugs that reduce anxiety and relax muscles. Patients take them to treat anxiety and insomnia. If a person is already taking benzodiazepines such as lorazepam or alprazolam and starts taking tramadol, it can lead to sedation, respiratory depression, coma and even death.

Serotonergic drugs

affect the level of serotonin in the body. Patients take them to treat depression. People taking serotonergic drugs should use tramadol cautiously due to the risk of developing serotonin syndrome.