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Beach House Recovery Center » Blog » What Does Tramadol Show Up As On a Drug Test?
Tramadol is a synthetic opiate analgesic that was first released in 1993 and marketed under the brand name Ultram. It has also been named ConZip, Ryzolt, FusePaq, and Rybix ODT. Tramadol is most commonly prescribed for chronic pain—especially post surgery—and is frequently used when other pain treatments are either not tolerated, or don’t work.
Like other opiates, tramadol works by inhibiting the uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, neurotransmitters located in the brain and central nervous system (CNS) which are believed to reduce or eliminate pain. It also exhibits antidepressant properties, producing a heightened sense of euphoria when used regularly. Unlike other legal and illicit opiates, tramadol is undetectable via standard drug screening, appearing only on more advanced forms of testing geared specifically toward prescription medications.
When first marketed, tramadol appeared to offer the exceptional pain-relieving benefits of more potent painkillers without spawning the unwanted byproducts of dependency and addiction. Thus, it became considered a safer alternative to narcotics and was widely accepted by the public. It was also easier to obtain and prescribed with greater prevalence on the global market.
Prior to 1995, tramadol was massively over-prescribed and remained unregulated (non-controlled) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Tramadol’s status was eventually changed due to rampant abuse and criminal diversion, practices which include proliferation on the street, a growing presence on the web-based black market, and skyrocketing overdose rates. Consequently, as of 2014, tramadol was deemed a designated Schedule IV Controlled Substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—subject to severe criminal penalties for trafficking or unauthorized use. At present, prescriptions of tramadol cannot be refilled more than five times within a six month period from the original date of the prescription. A new physician-authorized prescription is then required.
As part of the monstrous US opiate epidemic, tramadol continues to pose a significant danger to public health and safety. The following statistics underscore the severity and scope of the problem:
Although well-tolerated by most people when prescribed for severe pain management, tramadol is capable of causing serious side effects—especially when abused in tandem with other drugs (polysubstance abuse) or used habitually in excessive doses. According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), serious side effects due to tramadol use were responsible for half of the approximately 50,000 emergency room (ER) visits related to tramadol use. Common side effects may include, but are not limited to the following:
Tramadol features a half-life of approximately 6.3 hours, but it can take up to a day and a half for the substance to be completely eliminated from the body. Similar to other legal and illicit drugs, exact time frames are difficult to establish due to individual variables such as age, weight, height, gender, overall physical and psychological health, etc.
Generally speaking, tramadol can be detected in hair, blood, saliva, and urine. Hair tests are characterized by a detection window being 10 and 90 days, with samples being sent to a lab for testing. Industry experts consider hair testing a very accurate method, detecting tramadol at levels as low as 0.176mg. In contrast, saliva and blood tests don’t offer an extended window for detection—in most cases approximately 24 hours—and can’t show exact levels of the drug in the system. It will simply register as a positive or negative result.
It is important to remember that a negative outcome on a saliva or blood test doesn’t mean that one hasn’t taken the drug; it simply means the amount of the drug present in the system is lower than the cut-off value. If a positive result is noted on a blood test, which indicates the drug was used within the previous (72 hours) three days, it is necessary to have another confirmatory test. In urine, tramadol can be detected for a period of approximately 2-40 hours, with the amount of time it takes to exit the body dependent on multiple factors such as:
It is also important to remember that everyone’s body processes drugs in different ways, and what may take one person days to clear tramadol from their system, can take someone else several hours. Again, tramadol will not appear on a standard pre-employment test—better known as a SAMHSA-5 panel drug test; however, it will appear on toxicology screenings designed specifically for detecting prescription drugs.
Like other mind-altering substances, tramadol is highly addictive when abused. In many cases, what begins as casual recreational use quickly spirals out-of-control and develops into a full-blown addiction. Once an addict tries to stop using, they may also suffer from various tramadol withdrawal symptoms, which only continues the vicious cycle of drug dependence. Tramadol’s addictive potential is not exclusively reserved for those with genetic susceptibility, a family history of substance abuse, or those who abuse it outside the scope of legitimate medical practices. Anyone, at any time, can find themselves addicted to tramadol and in need of professional help.
If you or someone you love is addicted to tramadol and in need of medical assistance, contact our Florida rehab center today. Never be ashamed of the fact that you need help. And remember, in the event of a tramadol overdose, call 911 immediately or seek addiction treatment at the nearest hospital emergency room (ER).
For those suffering from a tramadol addiction, please remember that there are other alternative methods for managing pain without opiates. For further assistance and resources, please call Beach House Recovery today and get back to living a clean and sober life. Learn more about the programs available at our detox center in Florida.
Whether you’re researching for yourself or a loved one, Beach House can help. We understand that this is a serious time in your life and that the treatment center you choose matters. We want you to feel comfortable and empowered to make the right decision for yourself, a friend, or a family member. This is why a counselor is waiting and available to answer your questions and help put your mind at ease regarding the next steps. Many of the staff at Beach House have walked in your shoes. If you feel you’re ready or want more information about how to help a loved one, we can help today. You can also learn why we are voted the #1 rehab for addiction treatment in Florida.
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