Can you take tramadol and hydrocodone together and what is the effect?
Question posted by Donna Sinclair on 20 Jan 2010
Last updated on 24 March 2020 by masso
20 Answers
Official Answer
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 8, 2020.
Tramadol and hydrocodone are two types of potent pain relievers. They are used to treat moderate to severe pain.
They should not be taken together unless recommended by your doctor.
Caution is required as the combination can lead to serious side effects including seizures, respiratory distress, coma, and even death.
https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=2874-0,2221-0
Interactions between your drugs
Major
HYDROcodone traMADol
Applies to: hydrocodone, tramadol
Using traMADol together with other narcotic pain or cough medications can lead to serious side effects including seizures, respiratory distress, coma, and even death. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring to safely use both medications. Do not drink alcohol or self-medicate with these medications without your doctor's approval, and do not exceed the doses or frequency and duration of use prescribed by your doctor. Also, you should avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how these medications affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.
I had total knee replacement 2 weeks ago.
I was prescribed two 5 mg oxy every 3 hours first week, with 50 to 100 mg tramadol every 6 hours, making sure oxy was always taken an hour and half apart from tramadol.
Doctor appointment today I requested med change to hydrocodone as oxy made itch something terrible. He was worried it wouldn't be enough and told me to continue my tramadol 1 to 2 every 6 hours and my hydrocodone every 3. So yes, if prescribed you can take both under doctor guidance. I however would not take them together. I now have to wait 3 hours before taking hydrocodone, where it was only half that time with oxy.
As for headaches with the tramadol, I had horrible headaches the first week I took it for about an hour every time. They have since subsided. The headaches were worth it, because the pain was almost unbearable without stacking the tramadol.
I was severely burned last year. I was in icu and I was given oxycodone,fentanyl,dilaudid,tramadol and something else I cannot remember what it was everyday. I could get fentanyl and dilaudid every fifteen minutes during dressing changes and debridement. The only thing that helped the pain was to be put to sleep.
For the person who says "if tramadol doesn't work for you you must be a junkie" ... judgemental much? Not every drug will work the same for everyone. Every body is different and should be treated as such.
I take 2 tramadol(50 mg each) and 1 norco (5-325) together. If I take tramadol by it self it doesn't work. If I take norco by itself it works some what, just doesn't get all of the pain. If I take both together it works the best. Granted I still do feel pain (that's why it's called pain management, not pain begone) but at least I can function. It doesn't make me high or whatever... as a matter of fact I despise that "high" feeling.
I have tried marijuana (many different strains)and I didn't like it. I am so careful with what I take so yes I took the marijuana by it self, I still had the pain but couldn't think clearly... very annoying feeling.
Also I should mention I was in a car wreck breaking 3 of my hip bones 15 years ago. Now one of my discs has turned itself around 180, causing nerve pain and damage. Along with arthritis and fibromyalgia.
I use to take tramadol an norco. Prescribed by a doctor. The tram helped my nerve pain an norco for back,neck an legs. Only my morning dosage did I take em together. Never got sick. I think people who took 7.5norco and 50mg tram together an got sick , I think they weren't use to it. Only you know your body. You know your tolerance. I never had anything bad happen when taking together.
Answer my question
I need to know
I had Norco 4 hours ago can I take my tramadol now
Yes you can! I am prescribed BOTH tramadol and hydrocodone for chronic back pain. Tramadol rocks!!! Whoever says that tramadol doesn't work is either a liar or a damn junkie with a huge tolerance. Hydrocodone and Tramadol together is WAY BETTER than just Hydros for pain! Don't knock it til you try it. PEOPLE HERE ARE GIVING FALSE AND INACCURATE ANSWERS! DO THE RESEARCH YOURSELF. DONT TRUST MORONS ON THE INTERNET!!!
Yes I love tramadol! I’ve had legs problems since I was pregnant 8 yrs ago and doc prescribed me tramadol six years ago and it’s the only thing that gets me going with my kids and I do hair stand on my feet all day, I couldn’t do those things if I didn’t have tram Its the one and only thing that works on my legs. I hope one day they can figure out why my legs hurt this bad
You are the moron for thinking just because you take them at the same time means everyone should. They can cause a bad interaction and you are giving out dangerous advice you fool. And saying do the research yourself is moronic. Ask your doctor, they have done the real research. You don’t know what you’re talking about and this advice could hurt someone or even make them die.
I have been taking Vicodin and Ultram together since 2013 for fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses. Vicodin helps my joint pain but doesn’t touch the constant burning pain in my legs, Ultram helps with this pain. I know there is a danger of seizures but since I didn’t have them, I don’t see the harm. I’ve had pharmacists argue with me that they work the same way but why then doesn’t one address my two types of pain? I went to a new rheumatologist because mine retired and he told me I can’t take two “narcotic” medications at the same time. First, I didn’t think Ultram was a narcotic and second, he offered no alternative?
I just got out of the hospital about a week ago. I left with a script for tramadol 50mg and hydro 5/325. They said if I take a tramadol wait at least 2 hours before taking a hydro. They said it can cause an overdose but not like I am gonna die overdose a different kind of overdose. The nurse had a difficult time explaining it to me. I think she was trying to dumb it down for me bc I was still pretty out of it from the iv pain meds.
I have been taking 7.5/500 Hydrocodone and 50 mg tabs of ultram for 20 years. I am prescribed 4 hydrocodone and 8 tramadol a day for pain. I do take them together, 1 hydrocodone and 3 tramadol.
I have been taking 50 mg tramadol for 5 years I take 2 at a time I recently came down with a severe case of shingles my Dr gave me 7.5/325 Norco for added pain relief I also take lyrica 100 mg I take all 3 meds together an never have a problem and for my shingles believe me it takes all 3 to release the pain ..
Yes if you take them 4 hours apart
No you may not take these two medications together. As a health care professional in a PCP office I deal with medications on a day to day basis. Typically the doctor I work for usually starts a patient out with tramadol for pain before using a narcotic(norco/percocet) it's easier to prescribe and it's scheduled class makes it easier for us to send electronically through our computer system. It is dangerous to mix the 2 medications most pharmacys here would alert the dr office before filling the medications to be sure the patient is to be getting both. If your narcotic medication is not helping with pain we would usually have you add an additional 1000mg of Tylenol to your norco __/325mg every 6 hrs as needed. the recommended max dose for acetaminophen per day is 3000-4000mg for an adult. Or you can rotate ibuprofen 800mg every 6-8 hrs while taking your narcotic pain med as prescribed.
Another option would be to add a muscle relaxant ie: flexeril, zanaflex, robaxin all are safe to take with tramadol or a hydrocodone medication. Let's face it hydrocodone honestly shouldn't be used as a long term medication eventually like many other things your body just adapts to it and you end up needing more and more to even feel relief! I've been to a pain management conference and learned a few interesting things but really for those of you taking tramadol and a hydrocodone med to see what might happen that's just stupid! And you might end up in the ER and depending on your physician office policy you may not be getting refills on your narcotic pain pills in the future I know my office I work for has a strict no tolerance contract my patients sign.
As a "health care professional" you should be aware of the rules regarding prescribing medications without a license which is basically what you are doing in your comment, saying to take an additional 1000mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol) is just irresponsible as the lower dose is often the reason Norco may be prescribed as opposed to violin, due to possible liver disease or other processes with the patient.
Vicodin not violin
You must not being a degreed health care professional... You cant spell pharmacies.
My doctor prescribed both to me and I would take Hydrocodone during the the day then trams at night, they would make me extremely nervous, I'd have to take a Valium. Both taken separately, I'm fine. I'm about to see what taking them together feels like.
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