Many people have reactions to OTC Claritin. One patient was taking it everyday for allergies per his doctors advice. After a year he began to have horrible itching in his hands. He said he felt like red ants were biting him. He just stopped taking it after his pharmacists suggested Claritin could be a problem. In a month the sensations had ceased.
Most drugs are tested on 2500 people before coming to market. 2500 can't believe it but its true. Some people become "professional drug testers". In other words they make a living be a drug test "patients". some of these people are ex-cons, ex-drug addicts, homeless people. It becomes a lifestyle, decent food and shelter and they know how to play the game. There was a article on this process in last year New Yorker magazine. These days some drug trials are even done in other countries!
Anyway "The People Pharmacy" is a good NPR program and web site about the risk we take with new drugs.
with Ultram there is some question of how it even works. It become popular due to heavy marketing that its not addictive. Yes not psychologically very addictive but definitely now proven to be physically addictive with concurrent withdrawal effects when trying to stop.
One great pharmacist stated that as soon as you take more than four drugs ( includes OTC, herbs, vitamins) that we have little idea of what that chemical soup is doing to the body.
Ultram is well known to lower the seizure level and especially dangerous when combined with any SSRI or older anti-depressant meds. Combining it with other pain meds is exceptionally dangerous for seizures.