Summary
Tramadol is a quasi-narcotic analgesic used in the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is a synthetic analog of codeine, but has a low binding affinity to the mu-opioid receptors. It has been prescribed off-label for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy and restless leg syndrome. It is one of the few opioids shown to be a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).
Dose Information
| ROA | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 25-100mg | 100-250mg | 250-300mg | 300mg+ |
Light
Common
Strong
Heavy
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Comeup | Peak | Offset | After Effects | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 12-60 min | 30-60 min | 2-6 hrs | 2-4 hrs | 60-0 min | 360-0 min |
Tolerance
Build-up
develops over weeks of regular use; serotonergic effects may not show the same tolerance curve
Reset
7–14 days for partial reset; full reset may take weeks — tolerance loss greatly increases overdose risk
Cross-tolerance
Effects
Positive
- Elevated mood
- Cough suppression
- Pain relief
- Physical euphoria
- Stimulation
Negative
- Itching
- Vomiting
- Urinary retention
- Nausea
- Risk of seizure above 300mg
- Difficulty urinating
- Itchiness
- Pupil constriction
- Sedation
Positive
- Euphoria
- Overall feeling of contentedness
- Anxiety suppression
- Cognitive euphoria
- Cognitive Euphoria
Negative
- Drowsiness
- Constipation
- Compulsive redosing
- Dizziness
- Thought acceleration
Positive
- Increased music appreciation
Negative
- Appetite suppression
- Double vision
- Decreased Libido
- Appetite Suppression
- Orgasm Suppression
- Acuity Suppression
- Dehydration
- Dulled perception
- Internal hallucination