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Can I drink alcohol with tramadol?

Medically reviewed by Leigh Ann Anderson, PharmD. Last updated on Nov 2, 2023.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

No, do not drink alcohol or take any medicines that contain alcohol while using tramadol as you may overdose or die.

  • The risk of a fatal overdose is also increased when tramadol is used with other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, such as other opioids, benzodiazepines, or street drugs.
  • Extreme sedation, respiratory depression (slowed or stopped breathing), coma and death can occur.
  • Other CNS depressants also include: non-benzodiazepine sedatives/hypnotics, anxiolytics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, general anesthetics, and antipsychotics.
  • If you are not sure if you are taking a CNS depressant, ask your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking tramadol. This is not a full list of all CNS depressants.

Certain drug interactions can affect how tramadol is broken down in the body. This may increase the level of drowsiness you experience with tramadol. It is important you have your doctor or pharmacist check for drug interactions each time you start or stop taking a medicine. Tell them about all of the medicines you use, including prescription, over-the-counter, herbal and dietary supplements.

View tramadol drug interactions (in more detail)

References
  • Ultram [tramadol] prescribing information. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Revosed Oct. 2019. Accessed Nov. 12, 2020 at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2019/020281s045lbl.pdf
  • Tramadol product monograph. Drugs.com. Updated March 1, 2020. Accessed Nov 11, 2020 at https://www.drugs.com/tramadol.html

Read next

Yes, it is safe for most people to take tramadol with acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin if they are old enough (aspirin is not recommended for children less than 16 years and tramadol should not be taken by children under the age of 12). Continue reading

How much tramadol you give your dog depends on the size of your dog. Smaller dogs do not need as much tramadol as larger dogs need to relieve pain. If you give too much tramadol your dog is likely to have more severe side effects. The tramadol dosage for dogs is usually between 0.45 to 1.8 mg per pound of body weight (1mg to 5 mg/kg). The frequency varies depending on what you are giving it for. For general pain, it is given every 8 to 12 hours, but for cancer-related pain, it can be administered every 6 hours. Continue reading

Both tramadol and codeine are prescription opioid painkillers, and they seem to be equally effective in terms of pain relief. There is no evidence that tramadol is any stronger than codeine at relieving pain. Continue reading

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