{"id":31152,"date":"2024-02-21T08:42:07","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T13:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/?p=31152"},"modified":"2024-02-21T08:45:15","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T13:45:15","slug":"tramadol-and-cannabis-why-you-shouldnt-combine-the-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/tramadol-and-cannabis-why-you-shouldnt-combine-the-two\/","title":{"rendered":"Tramadol and Weed \u2013 Why You Shouldn\u2019t Combine the Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tramadol and weed are two substances known to offer pain relief. With their similarities, it is only natural to assume you can use them together. However, doing so could lead to disaster.<\/span><\/p>\n

We cover everything you need to know about tramadol, why you shouldn’t mix it with cannabis, and what the future of pain relief could look like.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tramadol Overview<\/b><\/h2>\n

Tramadol is a prodrug that has many targets, causing multiple possibilities for both therapeutic effects and complications. It functions as several medications in one, and it\u2019s a prodrug because it needs to be metabolized to be active.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tramadol is partially a synthetic opioid created in a lab, like fentanyl, but has a <\/span>wider range of opiate receptors<\/span><\/a>. Tramadol also behaves as an SNRI, a class of antidepressants that increases serotonin and norepinephrine, which <\/span>introduces other risks<\/span><\/a> of serotonin syndrome and seizures. This complex and messy pharmaceutical is often prescribed to chronic and acute pain patients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, like many opioids, tramadol is highly addictive. This is because it works by binding to multiple families of opioid receptors, more than other opioids, both natural and synthetic. By binding to many receptors, it triggers the body to suppress pain signals and prompts the production of euphoric endorphins and dopamine.<\/span><\/p>\n

At its inception, tramadol was sold as a <\/span>safer alternative<\/span><\/a> to other opioids. According to recent studies, however, synthetic opiates like tramadol actually hold a higher mortality rate than other opiates. Although it\u2019s hard to distinguish tramadol from other synthetics in that regard, other data also show a one-year <\/span>increase in all-cause mortality<\/span><\/a> for osteoarthritis patients over age 50 compared to taking NSAIDs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, because it is a multi-target and long-lasting synthetic opioid, tramadol overdose is <\/span>harder to treat<\/span><\/a> as it may only partially or temporarily respond to<\/span> naloxone<\/span><\/a> \u2014 a life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you or a loved one is on tramadol, it is important to be able to recognize tramadol overdose, call 911, and know that multiple doses of <\/span>naloxone every 2\u20133 minutes<\/span><\/a> may be necessary until medical help arrives. Signs of tramadol overdose include:<\/span><\/p>\n