Are you about to start taking tramadol, the opioid often prescribed to deal with chronic pain due to illnesses like fibromyalgia? You should know first that the drug can be dangerous when used in conjunction with any number of other substances. Tramadol is very useful, but it should only be taken by those who have gotten approval from their doctors, and the doctors need to be aware of all other medications that are being taken.

Do not take tramadol if you regularly abuse alcohol. It may be embarrassing to admit to an alcohol addiction, but if you begin to take tramadol while regularly ingesting alcohol, you could find yourself unable to breathe. Additionally, your motor and cognitive skills may become dangerously impaired. Alcohol and tramadol is a very bad combination.

Along with alcohol, other prescription drug can cause serious issues when combined with tramadol. For instance, if you are currently taking and medication to treat panic, anxiety, depression or other similar issues, you should probably not be taking tramadol. There are some studies suggesting that those who take tramadol may alleviate some of these mental conditions, but it should not be used in tandem with other drugs like zoloft and prozac.

In addition to those drugs, sedatives, tranquilizers and pain pills all can interact badly with tramadol. If you have pre-existing conditions like liver disease, kidney problems or stomach trouble, any medications for that may also clash with tramadol. You need to know ahead of time what pitfalls to avoid when taking tramadol.