ultram

[Ms.RN]

ultram is an opiate/narcotic "antagonist," meaning it fights and

diminishes the effect of the vicodin (& codeine, oxycontin, morphine,

percocet, roxanol, methadone, lortab, etc.) actually, taking ultram

w/ your vicodin is increasing what you are probably perceiving as

increased tolerance.

i acidentlly found this information from the web. is this true?

[michigooseBSN]

Ultram is not an opiate antagonist. It is a synthetic opioid analgesic. It is not an NSAID. It is addictive but less so than opiates. I doubt if it ought to be taken along with opiates without specific medical advise to do so. You wouldn't take codeine along with oxycodone.

[weirdRN, RN]

Hey, look that up in your drug book and on medline plus. This drug is a synthetic narcotic, fewer negative side effects, good pain relief.

I have a number of patients on Ultram and Tramadol and ultracet. Ultram/tramadol are less addicting than opiate/narcs. My Ortho Doc perscribed Ultram for me for my back pain. I couldn't take it b/c it made me itch and my tongue swell. I tried acupuncture shortly after that and I haven't had to have anything stronger than ibuprophen(Motrin, advil) or naproxen sodium (aleve), So I am doing good.

[sjt9721, BSN, RN]

ultram is an opiate/narcotic "antagonist," meaning it fights and

diminishes the effect of the vicodin (& codeine, oxycontin, morphine,

percocet, roxanol, methadone, lortab, etc.) actually, taking ultram

w/ your vicodin is increasing what you are probably perceiving as

increased tolerance.

i acidentlly found this information from the web. is this true?

a good example of checking your souces & not believing everything you see/hear.

btw...ultram worked for me after an mvc, but i felt like if i didn't stay horizontal!

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

I had a patient the other day who got really confused after they gave him various opiates and so the kidney doc on day shift wrote "D/C narcotics, just use ultram." I told the day shift nurse that tramadol/ultram technically is a narcotic/opiate but weak and he said "no it's an NSAID."

The patient actually faired better on the ultram so I just wrote a note like we do on shift saying "you D/Cd narcotics but ultram is a narcotic albeit weak in action." The kidney doc is nice otherwise they'd probably be like "who is this nurse to tell ME what class a medication is in??" lol

[rnmi2004]

On a (very rare) slow shift a little while ago, another nurse & I were doing some research trying to figure out if Ultram is an opioid or not. On our floor, it isn't locked in the pyxis, just laying in the pt's drawer. I even called our pharmacist to ask about it and was told it isn't an opioid.

Some sources (including the manufacturer) list it as an opioid. Once source (I think it was NIH!) had 2 entries on it--one calling it an opioid, one that didn't. We're still stumped.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

manufacturer info:

ultram® is a centrally acting synthetic opioid analgesic.

ultram® (tramadol hydrochloride tablets)

please see full u.s. prescribing information.