Tramadol #
| Common Nomenclature | Tramadol |
| Street & Reference Names | Ultram; Zytram; Tram; Ralivia |
| Reference Dosage | Light 50mg+; Common 100mg+; Heavy 250mg-400mg [Oral, TripSit] Threshold 25mg+;Light 50mg+; Common 75mg+; Strong 250mg+ [Oral, Erowid] |
| Anticipated: Onset / Duration | 1 Hour / 6 Hours |
| Maximum Dose Experienced | 100mg |
| From | Capsules |
| RoA | Oral |
| Source / Jurisdiction | Associate / UK |
SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE #
Launched under the brand name tramal in 1977, tramadol is a synthetic opioid analgesic which also acts as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It is currently marketed as a generic medication under a variety of brand names and is a common prescription drug.
My supply came via an accident: someone else’s accident. As per standard practice, it was prescribed as a painkiller, and I was offered a blister pack to photograph for another project. Rather than discarding this after the event, I chose to put some of its contents to a constructive use.
Straight off the bat it is important to stress that this must be treated with a great deal of caution, particularly regarding dosage. TripSit categorically states that there is a “Risk of seizure at doses over 300mg”. This is echoed by Erowid thus: “Doses over 300 mg can be physically dangerous in non-tolerated or smaller users.” Don’t ignore this paragraph.
Wikipedia’s contribution on this is as follows:
“Common side effects include constipation, itchiness, and nausea. Serious side effects may include seizures, increased risk of serotonin syndrome, decreased alertness, and drug addiction“.
With words like these ringing in my ears, and with less than pleasant experiences in the bank with respect to other opioids, I decide to tread carefully, and head to the lower end of the common threshold, with a dose of 100mg.
T+0:00 I take two of the 50mg capsules from the pack and swill them down the hatch with a glass of cold water. [15:50]
T+1:00 Gradually, over the last hour, the effects have emerged: a sort of heady relaxed feeling, with anxieties dissipated. I am able to function completely normally as far as I can tell. This is not unpleasant at all.
I am warm, with mouth becoming slightly dry from time to time. Looking in the mirror I may be flushed and a little glassy eyed.
T+2:00 I have now settled into a slightly dazed comfort zone, with a little uplift. As I find with opioids generally a want for more intensity is present if I think about it. It is hard to measure, but I have an impression that my speed of thought has slowed down.
T+3:00 I am not as hungry as usual for this time of day, but I manage to eat a small meal (vegetarian). The comfort zone may be of a slightly lower order now, but I am still warm and contented.
T+7:00 Slowly but surely the effects have wound down over the last few hours, although I still experience a calm dreamy and restive afterglow. I retire to bed at about 10:30pm.
The night’s sleep was a good one, and I awoke with no hangover, other than a little fogginess. This was largely chased away by the morning coffee, although some tiredness did persist for a few hours.
Overall this was quite a pleasant ride. There was some sea-sickness-like dizziness at times, suggesting that I may have been borderline on the dose with respect to negative payload, but on the 100mg I just about got away with it.
Finally, a reminder on both the dosage and the addiction potential: be cautious and of course, never make a habit of it.