recognize a tramadol addict???

[anamsha]

Hello! I have a boyfriend almost a month and i've just heard that he is addicted to tramadol. Normaly he says no but i can't trust him completely. I don't know much about drugs so can anyone please tell me how to find out if it is true or not. Maybe you can discribe the effects of using tramadol or something like that. Thanks.

[rxinfonbs]

Well. Tramadol is a funny thing...Here's my say on it, and how I would go about determining his level of addiction or dependance. First let me say, Tramdol is a synthetic opiate with seratonin and norepenephrine reuptake blocking properties (kind of like the SSRIs). However, because it is an opiate and thus has a high abuse potential, it is not perscribed to treat depression. For me, however, it works wonders for my depression, and I do not respond to the SSRI antidepressants (the zolofts, paxils, and Lexapro's). If you do a search on the web or on google scholar (scholar.google.com), you'll see that Tramadol has been found in various tests to have significant antidepressant properties.

The established medical community is very anti opiate when it comes to depression or mood issues. Why? Well, goes back to some laws that were passed (Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914 and more) that helped make opiates unattainable. IN the 1800's they were unregulated and in many other country's and cultures were socially acceptable, more so than alcohol. But doctors today are taught that people will always fall victim to addiction if they take an opiate, that they won't be able to regulate there intake and will become junkies and abusers. Wrong. I use this medication responsibly. If I took a bunch would I get high? Yeah. But I know better. Im mature enough to know the consequences.

How often and how many does he take? Ask him why he takes them too, is it for pain? Is it because it makes him feel better? Maybe he was depressed before and he finds they help his mood. If so, did he try traditional antidepressants ever? I'd just get his general attitude towards taking them. If he takes them to get high, then he may have more of an addict mentality...if he takes them to take the edge off and help him through the day with more energy and a better mood, and doesnt overdo it, then maybe he's alright.

Opiates aren't bad. They are underused for for mood & depression. The potential for abuse makes the medical establishment scared to perscribe them for anything but pain, but Tramadol is so effective for some people's depression that it really should be looked into.

Sorry I know I rambled a bit on about this but I thought I would share all my thoughts with you about this drug, one that has been very helpful to me in helping me meaintain a highly functional, quality life...uncrippled by the depression I was so used to for years. - NBS

[rxinfonbs]

Read this article... About a woman who had zero success with traditional antidepressants but found an opiate to be effective..Her struggle/journey is quite interesting.

http://www.elle.com/featurefullstory...the-dolls.html

[anamsha]

Well thats maybe ok, but what if he takes it to get high? I think maybe he was on heroin before so now he takes these pils to replace it or something like that. Thanks for the reply.

[melinda7.5]

Hi anamsha
If you heard your boyfriend has a drug problem,and has done heroin in the past you really need to investigate a little more It could be devastating to your future.You can read some of the stories on here about partners being addicted to drugs. keep an eye on him and if you find out he is taking drugs,
Cut and run...just as fast as you can.bless you hun.Wish you all the luck
Let us know if we can help,Melinda

[rxinfonbs]

Well, you have to ask him about this. Find out if he was on heroin before. More importantly find out how many trams he takes, who prescribes and for what purpose.

I take em, up to 4 pills a day. I would have withdrawl if I stopped them, but you also have withdrawl stopping SSRI's, and the trams really hit my depression. So you gotta understand his mind set here, talk to him about it. If he gets defensive he probably has something to hide or is acting irresponsibly with them.

[anamsha]

We are together almost a month, so we are still not that close but i like him. He told me about his previous experiences with drugs but he says that now ne's clean. He also said that he is ready to do some tests to prove it. I realy don't know if i can trust him because he sounds prety honest but on the otherside people are talking that he is a tramadol addict and that he takes 7-8 pills a day. I realy don't like to end up with a drug addict.
Anyway i've read some of the articles on this page and it realy helps me to get informations. I am now glad for joining this forum. Thanks a lot for the advices and please excuse me if my english is bad cause i'm from Macedonia.

[rxinfonbs]

Many people, after they have abused heroin, do need an opiate for a long time just to feel "normal". He is probably using the tramadol for that purpose....not to recreate the high of heroin but just to feel normal again. There are drug clinics for recovering addicts that could supply a medication for him that would achieve this same purpose (they may give him methadone).

Hope this advise is helpful. I do think that you will soon know if he is a drug abuser or not. It won't take long to see, he will only be able to hide it for so long if he is. So don't jump to judgement yet but do trust your instinct after a couple weeks...Maybe even share this discussion you are having on here with him....see what he says. If he is defensive and mean and mad that you are talking about it , then I would leave him. If he is willing to address your concerns and engage you on this, then hear him out.

[Robert_325]

Hello! I have a boyfriend almost a month and i've just heard that he is addicted to tramadol. Normaly he says no but i can't trust him completely. I don't know much about drugs so can anyone please tell me how to find out if it is true or not. Maybe you can discribe the effects of using tramadol or something like that. Thanks.

The potential problems of getting into a relationship with someone who is addicted to RX pain medications of any kind are obvious. I would suggest you think this over seriously before making any commitments. This is a lot different than being married to someone who discovers they are ill after the fact. You would be choosing this from the beginning which I would definitely try to stay away from. Good luck with whatever you choose.

You can find about any kind of info you need on tramadol or any other drug very easily on this web site. Go to the search box at the top of this page and simply type in tramadol. Then click on the drug search button. Several links will come up. I always suggest choosing either/both the MED FACTS or CONCISE links. You will find information on side effects, drug interaction, symptoms of overdose and more. Hope this helps. God bless.