Can you take Tramadol and Ambien together?
Can you take Tramadol and Ambien together?
Majority of people use the drug Tramadol to alleviate moderate to severe pain. Ambien is nothing but zolpidem which is a sedative also known as hypnotic. It affects various chemicals in brain that are imbalance during diseased condition. It is mainly used in treating insomnia. The immediate release form is used to aid in falling asleep after going to bed. Extended release forms are also available that dissolves slowly to help the patient stay asleep.
Tramadol is formulated as an immediate release oral tablet, when taken orally, the onset of pain relief occurs within an hour and has two mechanism of actions. By binding to the μ-opioid receptors which are a class of receptors which have high affinity for beta-endorphins and by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. The tablet should not be crushed and this medicine needs to be taken orally. If taken in powdered form or as inhalation, it may lead to life-threatening side effects, overdose or even death. It can help to reduce the pain level to an extent that the patient can resume the daily activities quickly without experiencing further pain.
It is generally not advisable to take Ambien and Tramadol together. Majority of patients take this combination in order to alleviate pain. Using Tramadol for a longer period develops tolerance towards it. Many people assume the combination helps in alleviating pain. But actually it is not.
Drug Interactions between Tramadol and Ambien
There are drug interactions between Tramadol and Ambien and the patient has to understand that these interactions may lead to fatal effects. The combination can increase the side effects of both medicines. Some common side effects of this interaction are severe dizziness, having trouble to focus at or work or in doing any activity, trouble in concentrating on any work, reduced thinking ability, lowered judgement, lethargy and drowsiness.
The combination lowers the reaction time and for this reason, the patient should not be allowed to do any kind of active works like operating heavy machines or driving.
Talk to your physician before taking Tramadol-Ambien combination
Before planning to take these two medications, meet your physician and talk about this drug combination. Only after the confirmation by your doctor one can begin to take the combination. Otherwise, do not take the two medications together. Some medical advisors may thing there is a moderate combination between Ambien and Tramadol. This moderate combination can have a serious effect on central nervous system and also on respiratory system. This may lead to respiratory depression.
Tramadol being a stimulant can disturb the sleep cycle of the patient. There could be a pleasant feeling on administering high doses of Tramadol, but this may lead to addiction. The drugs combination can have a fatal effect and there are chances of hypertension. Patients should be aware regarding the drugs they administer and make sure to check with medical advisor if they have to take this drug combination.