Tramadol works by changing the way your brain and nervous system respond to pain. It is in a class of medications called opioid (narcotic) analgesics.
Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Swallow the extended-release tablets or ConZip capsules whole; don’t chew, split, or crush them.
Ask your doctor about naloxone (Narcan, Zimhi) and keeping it on hand in case of an overdose. Overdose symptoms include not responding to sound or touch, extreme sleepiness, and slowed breathing.
Availability
Tramadol is a pain medication that can be prescribed as a short-term solution to severe, acute pain. It can be taken alone or in combination with other medications to reduce the risk of side effects and increase effectiveness. It may also cause addiction if it is used regularly and for a long time, so it should be prescribed only by a doctor and only for the shortest possible amount of time.
Tramodol is available as a tablet, liquid, or extended-release capsule to take by mouth. The immediate-release form begins working within an hour after ingestion and lasts for 4 to 6 hours. The extended-release tablets and oral drops are designed to work over a longer period of time. Your doctor will prescribe the right dosage based on your condition and other factors, such as your age, weight, and metabolic rate.
Your doctor will check your health to make sure tramadol is safe for you to take and does not interact with other medicines. You should not take this medicine if you have a history of glaucoma, seizures, or bleeding in your stomach or intestines. You should also not take it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you have a liver or kidney problem, you may need lower doses of this medication. Your doctor will also advise you on how to store and handle this medication.
You should inform your doctor if you are allergic to this medication or any other substances, such as foods, dyes, or preservatives. You should also tell your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, such as liver or kidney disease, heart problems, or breathing problems. Your doctor will also need to know if you have any family members who have a history of substance abuse or mental illness.
You should keep a rescue medication called naloxone on hand in case you have an opioid overdose. Naloxone can reverse the life-threatening effects of opioids and relieve symptoms such as numbness, confusion, and respiratory depression. Your doctor should discuss this with you when you begin treatment with tramadol hydrochloride tablets and when it is time to renew your prescription. You can obtain naloxone in several ways, including by prescription or through a community-based program.
Dosage
Tramadol may cause serious and life-threatening breathing problems, especially in the first 24 to 72 hours of your treatment and any time your dose is increased. Tell your doctor if you have asthma or other lung disease; a history of slowed breathing; or if you are taking other drugs that affect the central nervous system, such as sedatives, tranquilizers, narcotic pain relievers, or antidepressants (including MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine). Tramadol may also increase your risk of seizures. If you have a seizure, call your doctor right away. If you have a history of head injury or brain tumor, you might be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug.
Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will start you on a low dose of this medicine and gradually increase your dosage, depending on your response and the severity of your pain. If you have liver or kidney disease, you might need a lower dose. Your doctor will probably prescribe a different pain medication for you.
You should not drink alcohol while you are taking tramadol. Doing so can greatly increase your risk of serious side effects, including respiratory depression, coma, and death. If you do drink alcohol, tell your doctor. Your doctor might order blood tests to check your liver function before and during treatment with this medication. If you have a history of mental illness, your doctor might also order other mental health exams before starting this medication.
This medication is available as immediate-release tablets and extended-release capsules. Swallow all tablets and capsules whole with a drink of water. It is important not to break, chew, or crush slow-release tablets and capsules, as the medicine will not release into your body correctly. If you use liquid medicine, measure each dose with a special syringe or a medicine-measuring spoon. Do not use a household spoon because you could get too much medicine.
Keep this medication out of the reach of children and away from anyone who is not prescribed it. Using this drug illegally can cause addiction or overdose and can cause death. If you or someone you know takes too much of this medication, seek emergency medical help immediately. Symptoms of overdose include very sleepy or sick feelings, loss of coordination, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, you might be unconscious and need emergency treatment in a hospital.
Side effects
When taken at high doses, buy tramadol 50mg overnight can cause side effects like stomach upset, dizziness, drowsiness, constipation, or dry mouth. It can also lead to an increase in blood pressure and a slow heartbeat. In rare cases, tramadol may cause an allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. If you experience signs of an allergy, including hives, difficulty breathing, mouth sores, or itchy eyes, contact your doctor right away.
Tramadol can make you feel dizzy or drowsy, so it’s important not to drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you. It can also interact with certain medications, especially sedatives and antidepressants. These include SSRIs (such as fluoxetine, paroxetine), MAO inhibitors (including isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine).
Talk to your doctor before taking this medication if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This drug can pass into breast milk and may harm a baby. It is not recommended for use during the first two months of pregnancy. It may also increase the risk of birth defects if you take it late in your pregnancy or in large doses near the expected delivery date. This drug can also cause a serious, sometimes fatal, condition called serotonin syndrome in people with certain medical conditions, such as a brain disorder (like head injury or tumor), seizures, or stomach/intestinal problems (like blockage or paralytic ileus).
In some people, this medicine may rarely cause a problem with the heart’s rhythm (QT prolongation). This can lead to a fast or irregular heartbeat. This problem is more likely to happen if you have certain medical conditions or take other drugs that can affect the heart rate and rhythm, such as nephrotoxic agents, cimetidine, digoxin, tetracyclines, antibiotics, or MAO inhibitors (including isocarboxazid, lineszolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, tranylcypromine, and others).
Your doctor will probably order blood tests to check how your liver works before and during treatment with this medication. If you have a history of liver disease or addiction, your doctor may reduce your dose or switch you to a different pain medication.
Precautions
This medication can cause life-threatening breathing problems if taken in large quantities or for prolonged periods. It should not be used in children younger than 12 years of age, especially if they have risk factors for breathing problems such as obstructive sleep apnea or obesity. It also shouldn’t be given to patients with a history of seizures or mental health problems, including depression. If you suspect that you or someone else has taken too much, call your doctor immediately. You may need to be treated in the hospital.
This medicine is a controlled substance and can only be obtained with a prescription. It must be stored in a secure place and kept out of reach of children. It should not be disposed of in a household trash, as this can harm the environment. Instead, it should be returned to the pharmacy where it was purchased for proper disposal.
You should tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to tramadol, other opioid pain medications, or any other ingredients in this medication. Also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medications, especially ones that affect how your body uses serotonin (such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue, phenelzine, tranylcypromine). It is also important to let your doctor know if you have any kidney problems. Your doctor will probably order blood tests to check your kidney function before and during treatment with this medication.
It is best to take tramadol with food. If you have trouble swallowing extended-release tablets or ConZip capsules, contact your doctor to see if there is another form that’s easier for you to take. You should not crush or chew them because this can release too much drug all at once, leading to dangerous side effects.
It’s best to take your medicine at about the same time each day, if possible. This will help you remember to take it. If you’re not sure how long to store a medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. Unused medications should not be kept ’just in case’, as they can be harmful to others and the environment.