How much tramadol hcl should i take

In some cases, they may not be available in all strengths or forms as the brand-name drug. Tramadol is a controlled substance. Tramadol may be used as part of a combination therapy. This means you may need to take it with other medications. Tramadol belongs to a class of drugs called opioid agonists.

A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions. Tramadol works by changing how your brain senses pain. Tramadol is similar to substances in your brain called endorphins. Endorphins bind to receptors parts of cells that receive a certain substance. The receptors then decrease the pain messages that your body sends to your brain.

Tramadol oral tablet may cause drowsiness. You should not drive, use heavy machinery, or perform any dangerous activities until you know how this drug affects you. Tramadol may also cause other side effects. If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:. Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information.

However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice.

Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history. Tramadol oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking.

An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Do not take these drugs with tramadol. Doing so can cause dangerous effects in the body. Examples of these drugs include:. Taking tramadol with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from those drugs.

This is because the amount of those drugs in your body may be increased. If you use tramadol with certain drugs, you may have more side effects. This is because the amount of tramadol in your body may be increased.

If you take one of these drugs with tramadol, your doctor may monitor you more often. They may also adjust your tramadol dosage as needed. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking.

This dosage information is for tramadol oral tablet. All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on:. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages.

Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Tramadol can cause or worsen seizures. These drugs include other opioid pain drugs or certain medications for depression, other mood disorders, or psychosis.

If you take too much tramadol, you may be treated with a medication called naloxone. This drug also raises your risk of seizures. If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room. Taking it again could be fatal cause death. The use of drinks that contain alcohol can increase your risk of certain side effects from tramadol.

Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. If you miss a dose of this medicine, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.

Do not double doses. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. Drop off any unused narcotic medicine at a drug take-back location right away. If you do not have a drug take-back location near you, flush any unused narcotic medicine down the toilet. Check your local drug store and clinics for take-back locations. You can also check the DEA web site for locations. Here is the link to the FDA safe disposal of medicines website: www.

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You may opt-out of e-mail communications at any time by clicking on the Unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. All rights reserved. This is not usually a problem but you could get unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it suddenly. If you want to stop taking tramadol, talk to your doctor first.

Your dose will usually be reduced gradually so you do not get unpleasant withdrawal effects. Tramadol can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you come off it suddenly, such as:. If you have been taking tramadol for more than a few weeks do not stop taking it without speaking to your doctor first.

It's important not to take more than your prescribed dose, even if you think it's not enough to relieve your pain. Speak to your doctor first, if you think you need a different dose.

If you've taken an accidental overdose you may feel very sleepy, sick or dizzy. You may also find it difficult to breathe. In serious cases you can become unconscious and may need emergency treatment in hospital. The amount of tramadol that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person. If you've taken 1 extra dose by mistake, check the information that comes with the medicine packaging or ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice.

Generally, you are unlikely to get any symptoms and you can take your next dose as usual. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance. Take the tramadol box or leaflet inside the packet plus any remaining medicine with you. It's safe to take tramadol with paracetamol , ibuprofen or aspirin aspirin is suitable for most people aged 16 years and over.

Do not take tramadol with codeine-containing painkillers you can buy from a pharmacy. You'll be more likely to get side effects. Some everyday painkillers that you can buy from pharmacies contain codeine, which is a similar medicine to tramadol. Codeine-containing painkillers that you can buy from pharmacies include co-codamol , Nurofen Plus and Solpadeine. Like all medicines, tramadol can cause side effects although not everyone gets them.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if the side effects listed below bother you or don't go away. Very common side effects of tramadol happen in more than 1 in 10 people and include:.

Common side effects of tramadol happen in more than 1 in people. They include:. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to tramadol. These are not all the side effects of tramadol. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

In early pregnancy, it's been linked to some problems for your unborn baby. If you take tramadol at the end of pregnancy there's a risk that your newborn baby may get withdrawal symptoms.

However, it's important to treat pain in pregnancy. For some pregnant women with severe pain, tramadol might be the best option.

Your doctor is the best person to help you decide what's right for you and your baby. It's safe to breastfeed while taking tramadol. Tramadol passes into breast milk in small amounts but it's unlikely to harm your baby. However, if your baby is premature, had a low birthweight or has an illness, talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.

Some medicines and tramadol interfere with each other and increase the chances of you having side effects. Tell your doctor if you're taking:. Do not take medicines called monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs which are used to treat depression with tramadol. It's not known if complementary medicines and herbal teas are safe to take with tramadol.

They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements.

It acts on pain receptors in the central nervous system and the brain to block pain signals to the rest of the body. It also works in your brain to stop you feeling pain messages. Tramadol does not stop the pain from happening, but you will not be able to feel it as much. You will feel less pain 30 to 60 minutes after taking fast-acting tramadol. The pain relief wears off after 4 to 6 hours. Slow-acting tramadol tablets and capsules can take a day or two to start working but the pain relief will last for longer.

Depending on why you're taking tramadol, you may only need to take it for a short time. For example, if you're in pain after an injury or operation, you may only need to take tramadol for a few days or weeks at most. Talk to your doctor if you're unsure how long you need to take tramadol for. Yes, tramadol is addictive. For this reason, your dose will be reviewed to make sure you are only taking the amount you need to control your pain. Your treatment plan may include details of how and when you will stop taking tramadol.

If you need to take it for a long time your body can become tolerant to it. That means you need higher doses to control your pain over time. Some people can become more sensitive to pain hyperalgesia. If this happens, your doctor will reduce your dose gradually to help these symptoms. Speak to your doctor if you are worried about tolerance, hyperalgesia or becoming addicted. If you're addicted to tramadol, you may find it difficult to stop taking it or feel you need to take it more often than necessary.

And if you stop taking tramadol suddenly you may suffer from withdrawal reactions. These include agitation, anxiety, nervousness, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, shaking, over-activity, pins and needles or ringing in the ears.

Talk to your doctor if you're worried about addiction or if you want to know more about how to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

The type of painkiller that's best depends on what type of pain you have and the cause of your pain. If tramadol doesn't get rid of your pain or works less well, talk to your doctor.