How do hydrocodone and tramadol compare?

Answer

Hydrocodone & tramadol are both opioid agonist analgesics. They are both micro (morphine) agonists, and (unlike buprenorphine), they are both full agonists, and not partial. Although tramadol's chemical structure is simpler than that of hydrocodone, it's pharmacology is more complex. And even though their pharmacology differ, somewhat, both share key features related to the prototype narcotic, codeine. Both tramadol and hydrocodone share a 3-methyl ether grouping (as does codeine), and all three are demethylated by the liver to corresponding, more active phenols. Although tramadol is arguably a less potent an analgesic than hydrocodone, it is difficult to compare and contrast the relative ratio equivalencies between the two, because hydrocodones' absolute potency equivalency has not been established. In other words, unlike many other narcotics, experts do not agree on how potent and efficacious hydrocodone really is. Most believe hydrocodone is less potent than oxycodone, but the extent of the reduced potency here is debatable (the relative differences in potency between the analogous hydromorphone vs oxymorphone (Dilaudid vs Numorphan), is more straight forward.. Tramadol has significant SNRI action, while hydrocodone does not. Interestingly, however, both hydrocodone and codeine can cause seizures, but not as readily as tramadol (or pethidine, for that matter). There is some evidence that hydrocodone, along with codeine and oxycodone, might have very mild SNRI effects, just as tramadol does, but much weaker. Tramadol itself is a very week opioid agonist, and most of the opioid agonist effect derived from the compound is through a hepatic demethylation. However, unmetabolized tramadol has a rewarding effect (dopamine, rat, NAC shell) clearly in greater potency than is accountable by it's very weak mU opioid effect. Could it be that unmetabolized (parent) tramadol behaves similar to the drug MDMA, and that the metabolised M1 similar to hydrocodone? Now, a portion of the human population can not effectively perform 3 ortho demethylation, and these people probably will derive lesser analgesic benefit from tramadol, codeine, and even hydrocodone and oxycodone, and in this rank ordering of significance. Tramadol is a synthetic analog of codeine. Hydrocodone is a conger of codeine, as is oxycodone. Phenomenologically, it is best to think of tramadol as a weak version of ketobemidone, for those in which the drug is efficacious. Both analgesics raise the seizure threshold, and both are nmda-antagonists. The specific "leg pleasure" both drugs produce, coupled with not wanting to move one's body what so ever, is a striking similarity. It would appear perhaps, that not only does tramadol have far greater abuse potential than previously thought, but that, in fact, tramadol may represent one of the most abusable of all opioids, and even greater than heroin.

Answer

With a doctor's prescription Tramadol can be legally purchased from online pharmacies.
You don't have a prescription? In that case, you must visit a doctor.
The average doctor visit cost for uninsured patients:

Family practice: $95 to $265
Specialist: $115 to $325

How to Save Money on a Prescription?

Ask your doctor to prescribe a generic medication instead of the name brand. Almost all of them are identical in their active ingredients and can really save money on a prescription.
Shop around at as many pharmacies as possible. Don't forget to include online pharmacies in your search, as they often have the best prices, and you can save a lot of money on a prescription.
If you necessary to familiarize with the prices of certain meds
You can visit www.rx-click.com/Tramadol.html to compare prices.
Many online reliable pharmacies will be happy to provide the prescription to anyone who can answer a few simple questions.

First answer by Mattbeckwith. Last edit by Rbeboo. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 37 [recommend question]