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View more items in "Pain Killers" category... For Tramadol to help you get rid of the pain, it works by thwarting the brain’s receptors which are responsible for conveying the message of pain in the body. It is safe to take this medicine once it is taken for short durations of time and under the doctor’s guidance. Many medical professionals suggest that this medicine should only be taken during emergency situations and for moderate to severe pain only.
Another thing to remember when on Tramadol medication is that it is recommended that you take the medicine in the same form as prescribed by your doctor. Tramadol should be taken as a whole. You will not get addictive to the medicine once it is taken for only short durations. Once the medicine is used for longer periods then it will commonly result to dependence and resistance to the drug. So instead of easing the pain at lower dosages, you will later increase the intake of this drug to feel its effects. Symptoms of overdose may include cold and clammy skin, low body temperature, slowed breathing and heartbeat, drowsiness, nausea, seizures, deep sleep and loss of consciousness.
Once you notice that you have difficulty in breathing or tightness of the chest, swelling of eyelids, face or lips, develop rash or hives, then it is high time that you tell your doctor about it. It is also important that you avoid alcohol when taking tramadol. Meanwhile, women who are planning on becoming pregnant must consult it first with a doctor so they can discuss the benefits and risks of using Tramadol during pregnancy. Tramadol is excreted in breast milk so it is only logical for women to avoid breastfeeding while taking Tramadol.
The dosage of Tramadol or any change in the prescription should only be done after consulting with your doctor. If you notice any unpleasant side effects caused by this drug, then you need to talk to your doctor about it. It is better to be honest about any unpleasant effects of your present medication so that immediate cure can be provided.
Tramadol can also be taken in combination with Carbamazepine and it is normally prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Carbamazepine also lessens the effect of Tramadol. However, you should be careful about drug interactions as it can lead to unwanted side effects or prevent the medicine in easing your pain. When this happens, you need to consult a health care professional if you have questions on drug interactions with Tramadol.
Aside from pain management, Tramadol can also be used for people who have persistent pain disorders or for patients who just had dental surgery. Tramadol can also help alleviate the pain brought by migraine, sprains, broken ligaments, chronic pain, severe back pain, cancer pain and a whole lot more.
USES:
This medication is used to relieve moderate pain. It is similar to narcotic pain medications. It works on certain nerves in the brain that control how you experience pain.
HOW TO USE:
Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor. If you have nausea, you may take this drug with food. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about other ways to decrease nausea (e.g., antihistamines, lying down for 1 to 2 hours with as little head movement as possible).The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. To reduce the risk of side effects, your doctor may tell you to gradually increase your dose when starting Tramadol. The maximum recommended dose is 400 milligrams a day. If you have serious kidney disease (e.g., if you are on dialysis), the maximum recommended dose is100 milligrams every 12 hours. If you have serious liver disease (e.g., cirrhosis), the highest suggested dose is 50 milligrams every 12 hours. If you are older than 75 years, the maximum recommended dose is 300 milligrams a day. Pain medications work best if they are used as the first signs of pain (or migraine) occur. If you wait until the pain has worsened, the medication may not work as well. Follow your doctor's for the safe use of non-narcotic pain relievers (e.g., acetaminophen, ibuprofen). Ask your doctor for more details regarding your treatment. This medication may cause withdrawal reactions, especially if it has been used regularly for a long time or in high doses .In such cases, withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, sweating, sleeplessness sharing, diarrhea, rapid breathing)may occur if you suddenly stop using this medication. To prevent withdrawal reactions, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Also, if you are taking regular doses of sedative medications for ongoing pain (e.g., cancer pain), starting Tramadol may cause a withdrawal reaction. Consult your doctor for more details, and report any withdrawal reactions immediately. Rarely, abnormal drug-seeking behavior (addiction) is possible with this medication. Do not increase your dose, take it more frequently, or use it for a longer time than prescribed. Properly stop the medication when so directed. When used for an extended period, this medication may not work as well and may require different dosing. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well. Tell your doctor if your pain persists or worsens.
Important information about tramadol
You should not take this medication if you are allergic to Tramadol, if you have ever been addicted to drugs or alcohol, or if you have ever attempted suicide. Do not take Tramadol while you are intoxicated (drunk) or taking any of the following: alcohol or street drugs, narcotic pain medicine, sedatives or tranquilizers, or medicine for depression, anxiety, or mental illness.
Seizures (convulsions) have occurred in some people taking this medicine. Tramadol maybe more likely to cause a seizure if you have a history of seizures or head injury, a metabolic disorder, or if you are taking certain medicines such as antidepressants, muscle relaxers, narcotic, or medicine for nausea and vomiting.
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. A Tramadol overdose can be fatal.
Do not crush the Tramadol tablet. This medicine is for oral (by mouth) use only. Powder from a crushed tablet should not be inhaled or diluted with liquid and injected into the body. Using this medicine by inhalation or injection can cause life-threatening side effects, overdose, or death.
DOSING:
The recommended dose of Tramadol is 50-100 mg (immediate release tablets) every
4-6 hours as needed for pain. The maximum dose is 400 mg/day. To improve tolerance patients should be started at 25 mg/day, and doses may be increased by 25 mg every 3 days to reach100 mg/day (25 mg 4 times daily). Thereafter, doses can be increased by 50 mg every 3 days to reach 200 mg day (50 mg 4 times daily). Tramadol may be taken with or without food.
Tramadol side effects:-
Nausea, vomiting, constipation, lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, or weakness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your pharmacist promptly. To prevent constipation, maintain a diet adequate in fiber, drink plenty of water, and exercise. If you are taking Tramadol regularly, it may be useful to start using a laxative right away instead of waiting until you become constipated. Consult your pharmacist for details regarding the correct use of laxatives (e.g., stimulant-type with stool softener).Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: unusual or extreme stiffness in the muscles, shaking (tremor), severe stomach/abdominal pain, change in the amount of urine, vision changes. This medication may rarely cause a very serious condition called serotonin syndrome. The risk increases when this medication is used with certain other drugs. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop some of the following symptoms: mental/mood changes (such as agitation, hallucinations), unusual restlessness, loss of coordination, fast heartbeat, severe dizziness, unexplained fever, severe nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, and twitchy muscles. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: slow/shallow breathing, seizures, fever/flu-like symptoms. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug (which may occur as early as the first dose) is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
PRECAUTIONS:
Before taking tramadol, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other narcotics (e.g., codeine); or if you have any other allergies. This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: severe breathing problems (e.g., respiratory depression), intoxication with drugs that depress the nervous system or your breathing (CNS/respiratory depressants such as alcohol or tranquilizers/sedatives).Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: certain bowel diseases, brain disorders (e.g., seizures, increased intracranial pressure), conditions that increase the risk of seizures (e.g., head injury, brain tumors, meningitis, metabolic disorders, alcohol/drug withdrawal), adrenal gland problem (e.g., Addison's disease), difficulty urinating(e.g., enlarged prostate, urethral narrowing), heart problems (e.g., irregular heartbeat), personal or family history of regular use/abuse of drugs/alcohol, kidney disease, liver disease, lung diseases (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-COPD, hypoxia), disease of the pancreas (e.g., pancreatitis), mental/mood conditions (e.g., major depression, toxic psychosis), a certain spinal problem stomach/intestinal problems (e.g., gallbladder disease),underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages. To reduce dizziness and lightheadedness, getup slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position. Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially slow/shallow breathing and drowsiness. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. It is not recommended for use for long periods or in high doses late in pregnancy because of possible serious harm to the baby. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. Infants born to mothers who have been using this medication for an extended time may have seizures or withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, abnormal/persistent crying, or diarrhea. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of these symptoms in your newborn. This drug passes into breast milk. While there have been no reports of harm to nursing infants, consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
DRUG INTERACTIONS:
Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first. This drug should not be used with the following medications because very serious (possibly fatal) interactions may occur: MAO inhibitors. Avoid taking MAO inhibitors within 2 weeks before, during, and after treatment with v. If you are currently using any of these medications listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting Tramadol. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: other narcotic medications. The risk of serotonin syndrome may be more likely when you start or increase the dose of these medications. Also report the use of drugs that might increase seizure risk when combined with Tramadol such as isoniazid (INH), phenothiazines (e.g., thioridazine, chlorpromazine, promethazine), antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline), among others. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details. Other medications can affect the removal of Tramadol from your body, which may affect how tramadol works or increase the risk of side effects. These drugs include azoles anti-fungal (such as ketoconazole), macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), rifamycins (such as rifabutin), drugs used to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin). This is not a complete list. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you also take drugs that cause drowsiness such as certain antihistamines, anti-anxiety drugs (e.g., diazepam), anti-seizure drugs, medicine for sleep (e.g.,zolpidem), muscle relaxants (e.g., cyclobenzaprine). Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness.
Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor.
How should I take tramadol?
Take Tramadol exactly as prescribed. Never take Tramadol in larger amounts, or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.
Tramadol can be taken with or without food, but take it the same way each time. Do not crush, chew, or break a Tramadol tablet. Swallow it whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. This medicine is for oral (by mouth) use only.
Take Tramadol orally disintegrating tablets
Keep the tablet in its blister pack until you are ready to take it.
Using dry hands remove the tablet and place it in your mouth. It will begin to dissolve right away.
Do not swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing.
Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves. If desired, you may drink liquid to help swallow the dissolved tablet.
If you use the tramadol extended-release tablet, the tablet shell may pass into your stools (bowel movements). This is normal and does not mean that you are not receiving enough of the medicine.
Tramadol may be habit-forming. Never share tramadol with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Do not stop using tramadol suddenly or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, shallow breathing, muscle weakness, slow heartbeat, cold or clammy skin, fainting, or seizure.
What should I avoid while taking tramadol?
Do not drink alcohol. It may cause a dangerous decrease in your breathing when used together with this medicine. Tramadol may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
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