drug interactions

I was trying to dig up some stuff on the Tramacet that my doctor prescribed for my facial pain. I had to take some again, and remembered that it was supposed to be for short term use, mainly 5 days. I still have some left, as I didn't need the 4/ day. I was prescribed it beginning of November, I think it was.

So I discovered that tramacet is a low dose Tramadol mixed with acetaminophen.
Then I learned that Tramadol was addictive, and there were risk of seizures when stopping it, among it's withdrawal symptoms.
There is also a risk of serotonin toxicity, especially when used in conjunction with tryciclic antidepressants, and SSRI.
(here is a link to seratonin syndrome)

I assume I'm ok, b/c I don't take it often, and tramacet, if I got this right, is a smaller dose.
But this got me to thinking... how much do you trust your doctor? Do you research every drug prescribed to you, or take it blindly? Do you trust your pharmacist to catch drug interactions? When you are hurting, you just want to feel better. When do the risks outweigh the benefits?

I'm a little more leery of taking pills since my bleeding ulcer taking the Naproxen. I realized that any kind of medication can do some scary damage. Even just OTC meds (I think my ulcer started b/c I was taking too many Advil). But I get so confused if I research this stuff, there are so many variables. Yet I feel like I'm irresponsible if I don't know what it is I'm putting into my body.

Just my view on it......
I ask my dr each time he adds something, do I keep taking (insert all meds here)
I ask the pharmacist if all the meds are ok even OTC (I get all of my meds at the same place)
I also look them up online

Now with that said, I do realize that the pharmacuticl companies must list everything, just like this bag is not a toy or do not ride this bike in the dark with no lights on it.

I take any new med on a day that someone is around and I do not have to drive or anything.
I also only start one new med at a time.
I also know that some meds start out giving you mild side effects that go away after a little bit. Just like stopping one, you may have some effects, getting off of Effexor and Paxi (different times and with dr advice) was horrible.


I have not had any problems with this system, I have had meds that I could not take. Plaquinel (a DMARD) made me sick for a whole month, but it helped so much I thought I would give it more time. I lost 15 lbs that month, so it wasnt' all bad :)

Any time we put something in our bodies to combat an illness or condition it has effects on us (anti infalmmatory, pain killer etc.), otherwise there would be no point in taking it. I read about narcotics and chronic pain for instance, when someone who is not in pain takes a pain killer they get high, but if a person in chronic pain takes the same thing it treats the pain.

If you don't trust your dr, you should find a new dr. If you do, then yes be cautious. But, remember we all react differently to meds and some people do have adverse reactions. Any time a med is bad, the FDA removes it, therefore I am in favor of relying on the older meds that have been taken by many opposed to the newest med that comes out. I know they have trials, but sometimes the bad things only happen after long term use.

I have researched tramadol (did nothing for me) and it seems as though very few have actually had any adverse reactions or trouble quitting. I have also looked at the seretonin syndrome. In my opinion drs hand out anti d's way to quick, maybe our seretonin levels are fineto begin with and then added meds raises that level more. That is just my opinion.......sometimes we are down because we are in constant pain, not depressed. I think they should try helping the pain first and see how the patient does, but then again they say depression causes pain. So you can see the delima the drs are in. We do what we need to do, I took lortabs for 4 yrs and then had to stop cold turkey, I did not have a problem. Addiction is a very individual thing, some people cannot gamble without getting addicted and that is body chemistry, not an outside influence like medication.

Didn't mean for this to get this long, sorry....

I had a serious reaction to lisinopril (for high blood pressure).  My doctor couldn't figure out what caused the reaction-put me on a steroid for a month.  After I stopped that I had a very serious reaction the next day.  Hives, chest pain, indigestion and trouble swallowing.  This started after I took the lisinopril and not eating anything.  I called my doctor and said what I thought was causing the problem, so he gave me a different prescription.  I talked to the pharmacist when I picked up the new meds.  I told her about my reaction to lisinopril and she said, you must be allergic to sulfa.  I am and have always told my doctors and pharmacists this.  Knowing this 2 different doctors prescribed it anyway, one dr in the Midwest and one in Ca.  I always look up every drug now and double check. 

Some docs may say tramadol isn't addicting but I know it is. If it gives you a high, it can be addicting. I've been on it for about 1 1/2 years now and it still gives me a bit of a high sometimes. I also need to take between 75 & 100 mg/day now but I only needed between 25 & 50 mg/day when I first started. I get withdrawal symptoms if I don't take it.

If you have a history of addiction or if addiction runs in your family, I think that tramadol can be as dangerous as any narcotic.

You need to have a good relationship with your Doctor y new one listens to what I have to say and has the list of the drugs I can not take in red.
On my trip to the er for my knee which turned out to be only a fibro thing any how they have the list of what I can not take in big red letters on my file [hard copy] the doctor and nurse say this and hard a red bangle on me as soon as I was WHEELED IN I could not stand on my right leg as the pain in my knee was so bad. They tried to give me a tablet I was allergic two twice over. I was not told the common name for the drug but still refused it. As I told them I only wanted to find out how much damage I had done to my knee.
The drug wold of put me into hospital my allergy is that bad. But still they tried to give it too me. Why? When another nurse looked at my file she ws shocked that they had even tried.
I do not trust Doctors and am glad I do not every drug I take my Chemist will check out first. They have a list of drugs that I am alergic too.
So if the Doctor misses it they catch it. I have been going to this chemist for 10 plus years so they have seen my allergies first hand.
One drug had me susasidle another can have me too sick to get out of bed and pain killers DO NOT WORK FOR ME AT ALL. Or I have to take huge doses to get them to work.
As for addiction I was addicted to morphine never again it took me a year to break that it is painful but I DID IT WHY TAKE SOMETHNG that does not Work.

Kathy
FMS. CFS, IBS, Migraine plus others



Baclofen [works wonders for me and I don't need painkillers] migraine meds and Endep