Q. I was recently prescribed tramadol for pain from a bad hip. (There is probably surgery in my future.) I ended up with hallucinations. Ghost-like people were floating along next to my shoulder.
I thought I was going crazy and I think my doctor agreed. He said tramadol is a very safe pain medication.
Have you heard of anyone else experiencing hallucinations on this drug?
A. Hallucinations are not mentioned in the official prescribing information for tramadol, though they have been reported when people stop taking this drug suddenly. More than ten years ago, auditory hallucinations were traced to tramadol in a case report (BMJ, Dec. 23-30, 2000).
We are also concerned about a different rare but serious side effect of tramadol. A review of medical records in the UK revealed that people taking it were almost three times more likely than others to end up in the hospital with dangerously low blood sugar (JAMA Internal Medicine, online Dec. 8, 2014).
The risk is small, but it is one that both doctors and patients should definitely be aware of. Some symptoms may include confusion, dizziness, headache, sweating, weakness and poor coordination.
