Drug Uses

Tramadol is used to relieve moderate to moderately severe pain. It also may be used to treat pain caused by surgery and chronic conditions such as cancer or joint pain. Tramadol works by decreasing the brain's perception and response to pain. It also reduces the size or magnitude of the pain signal passed from one nerve to another. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How do I take tramadol?

Tramadol comes as a tablet to take it orally. It usually is taken every 4-6 hours as needed. It may be taken with or without food. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Tramadol exactly as directed. Tramadol can be habit-forming. Do not take a larger dose take it more often, or for a longer period than your doctor tells you to. Take this medication with a full glass of water, do not take more than 300 milligrams of tramadol in one day.

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. Do not crush, chew, break, or open a controlled-release, delayed-release, or extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow the pill whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. 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. Tell your doctor if you feel the medicine is not working as well in relieving your pain. Do not change your dose without talking to your doctor. Do not stop using tramadol suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, sweating, nausea, diarrhea, tremors, chills, hallucinations, trouble sleeping, or breathing problems. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication. Store tramadol at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep track of how many pills have been used from each new bottle of this medicine. Tramadol is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.  Source: Tramadol - Drugs.com

Availability

Tramadol is usually marketed as the hydrochloride salt (tramadol hydrochloride); the tartrate is seen on rare occasions, and tramadol is available in both injectable (intravenous and/or intramuscular) and oral preparations. It is also available in conjunction with acetaminophen. The solutions suitable for injection are used in Patient Controlled Analgesia pumps under some circumstances, either as the sole agent or along with another agent such as morphine.

Specifically, tramadol comes in many forms, including:

• capsules
• tablets
• extended-release tablets
• extended-release capsules
• chewable tablets
• low-residue and/or uncoated tablets which can be taken by the sublingual and buccal routes
• suppositories
• effervescent tablets and powders
• ampoules of sterile solution for SC, IM, and IV injection
• preservative-free solutions for injection by the various spinal routes (epidural, intrathecal, caudal and others)
• powders for compounding
• liquids both with and without alcohol for oral and sublingual administration, available in regular phials and bottles, dropper bottles, bottles with a pump similar to those used with liquid soap and phials with droppers built into the cap
• tablets and capsules containing paracetamol (acetaminophen) and aspirin and other agents

Tramadol has been experimentally used in the form of an ingredient in multi-agent topical gels, creams, and solutions for nerve pain, rectal foam, concentrated retention enaema, and a skin plaster (transdermal patch) quite similar to those used with lidocaine.

Tramadol has a characteristic taste which is mildly bitter but much less so than morphine and codeine. Oral and sublingual drops and liquid preparations come with and without added flavouring. Its relative effectivness via transmucousal routes (sublingual, buccal, rectal) is around that of codeine and like codeine it is also metabolised in the liver to stronger metabolites.   Source: Tramadol - Wikipedia

Warnings/Precautions

Before taking Tramadol, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease; liver disease; or a history of alcohol or drug dependence. You may not be able to take Tramadol, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Tramadol is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant. It is also not known whether Tramadol passes into breast milk. Do not take Tramadol without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. If you are over 75 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from Tramadol. The maximum daily dose of Tramadol for people over 75 years of age is 300 mg. Tramadol is not approved by the FDA for use by children younger than 16 years of age.

Missed Dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Possible Side Effects

Although side effects from Tramadol are not common, they can occur. The most frequently reported events were in the central nervous system (Migraine, Speech disorders) and gastrointestinal system (Gastrointestinal bleeding, Hepatitis, Stomatitis, Liver failure). Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: dizziness, headache, drowsiness, blurred vision, upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: fast heartbeat, redness, swelling, and itching of the face, numbness or tingling of the hands and feet, difficulty breathing, changes in urination, seizures.

Storage

Dispense in a tight container. Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15 - 30°C (59 - 86°F).

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention. Symptoms of a Tramadol overdose include difficulty breathing; shallow, weak breathing; and seizures.

More Information

Do not drink alcohol while taking Tramadol. Alcohol may cause a dangerous decrease in breathing and/ or liver problems when used during treatment with Tramadol. Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Tramadol may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities. Avoid sleeping pills, tranquilizers, sedatives, and antihistamines except under the supervision of your doctor. These drugs may increase drowsiness caused by Tramadol.

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to tramadol or other opiate pain or cough medications such as meperidine (Demerol), morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin), codeine (in some pain medications and cough syrups), hydrocodone (in Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), oxycodone (OxyContin, in Percocet), propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvon N, in Darvocet), any other medications, or any of the ingredients in tramadol tablets or extended-release tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of ingredients in tramadol tablets or extended release tablets.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: antifungal medications such as ketoconazole (Nizoral); digoxin (Lanoxin); erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Erythrocin); monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, including isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate); medications for anxiety, mental illness, nausea, and pain; medications for seizures, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol); muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril); promethazine (Phenergan); quinidine; rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate, Rimactane, others); sedatives; sleeping pills; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft); tranquilizers; tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil);and warfarin (Coumadin). Many other medications may also interact with tramadol, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• Tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John"s wort.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had seizures; an infection in your brain or spine; a head injury, a brain tumor, a stroke, or any other condition that caused high pressure inside your skull; depression or thoughts about harming or killing yourself or planning or trying to do so; diabetes; breathing problems or lung disease; or kidney or liver disease. Also tell your doctor if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, use or have ever used street drugs, or have overused prescription medications.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking tramadol, call your doctor.
• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking tramadol.
• You should know that this medication may make you drowsy and may affect your coordination. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
• Talk to your doctor about the safe use of alcohol while you are taking this medication. Alcohol can make the side effects from tramadol worse.
• You should know that tramadol may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up from a lying position. To avoid this, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.