Nortriptyline Alternatives Compared

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Nortriptyline	Buprenorphine	Tramadol	Enter another drug to compare

Nortriptyline

Buprenorphine

Tramadol

Prescription only

Nortriptyline is an effective antidepressant but it may cause drowsiness initially and a withdrawal syndrome with abrupt discontinuation. It may be used off-label to treat other conditions, such as... View more

Prescription only

Buprenorphine is a potent analgesic that should be only used to treat moderate to severe pain or for the treatment of opioid addiction under strict conditions. Different formulations of the drug have... View more

Prescription only

Tramadol is a strong pain relief medicine effective for both general and nerve-related pain. Tramadol can cause dependence and use may be limited by side effects such as nausea and... View more

More about Nortriptyline

More about Buprenorphine

More about Tramadol

Generic Status

Lower-cost generic is available

Ratings & Reviews

Nortriptyline has an average rating of 7.3 out of 10 from a total of 505 ratings on Drugs.com. 69% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 19% reported a negative effect.

Buprenorphine has an average rating of 6.7 out of 10 from a total of 988 ratings on Drugs.com. 58% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 26% reported a negative effect.

Tramadol has an average rating of 6.8 out of 10 from a total of 1736 ratings on Drugs.com. 61% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 25% reported a negative effect.

View all 505 reviews

View all 988 reviews

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Drug Class

Tricyclic antidepressants

Narcotic analgesics

Narcotic analgesics

Side Effects

See also: nortriptyline side effects in more detail.

Commonly reported side effects include:

constipation
dizziness
drowsiness
headache
nausea

See also: buprenorphine side effects in more detail.

Commonly reported side effects include:

pruritus
agitation
anxiety
constipation
diarrhea
hallucination
nausea
tremor
vomiting
diaphoresis
show all 10

See also: tramadol side effects in more detail.

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	50 each
Dosage	25 mg
Per Unit^*	$0.57
Cost^*	$28.64

View all nortriptyline prices

Quantity	30 each
Dosage	8 mg
Per Unit^*	$2.08
Cost^*	$62.38

View all buprenorphine prices

Quantity	9 tablet
Dosage	50 mg
Per Unit^*	$1.30
Cost^*	$11.74

View all tramadol prices

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Dosage Form(s) Available

Oral capsule
Oral solution

Injectable solution
Sublingual tablet
Transdermal film, extended release

Oral capsule, extended release
Oral tablet
Oral tablet, extended release

Half Life The half-life of a drug is the time taken for the plasma concentration of a drug to reduce to half its original value.

31 hours

48 hours

5.2 hours

CSA Schedule ** View glossary of terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Moderate abuse potential

Has a potential for abuse less than those in schedules 1 and 2. Has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.

Some potential for abuse

Has a low potential for abuse relative to those in schedule 3. It has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to those in schedule 3.

Pregnancy Category

Category N Not classified

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 646 drugs are known to interact with nortriptyline:

133 major drug interactions (574 brand and generic names)
488 moderate drug interactions (1949 brand and generic names)
25 minor drug interactions (161 brand and generic names)

A total of 655 drugs are known to interact with buprenorphine:

198 major drug interactions (678 brand and generic names)
453 moderate drug interactions (1835 brand and generic names)
4 minor drug interactions (9 brand and generic names)

A total of 642 drugs are known to interact with tramadol:

300 major drug interactions (1124 brand and generic names)
340 moderate drug interactions (1429 brand and generic names)
2 minor drug interactions (5 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Ask your doctor before using nortriptyline together with alcohol, this can alter the effects of... View more

Using buprenorphine together with other medications that also cause central nervous system... View more

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of traMADol such as dizziness, drowsiness, and... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

November 06, 1964

October 08, 2002

March 03, 1995

WADA Class View World Anti-Doping Agency classifications.

N/A

S7 - Narcotics

N/A

More Information

Patient resources

Professional Resources

** The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Nortriptyline Alternatives Compared

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