Painkillers and ointments for pain are found to be in abundance in the market today. The main reason is the need for it. People, right from a young adult to an old person, have had experienced physical pain in their lives. Pain is a very unpleasant and discomforting sensation that makes us unable to focus anywhere. Pain can be of many types such as neck pain, joint pain, muscle pain, body pain etc. Painkillers, unlike ointments, can go to the very core of your physical pain and get you relief from it. One of such painkillers, called Tramadol, got its approval from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 1995. It is sold under the brand names of Ultram, Ultram ER, and Conzip. OVERVIEW Tramadol is a narcotic pain-reliever that is used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. The working mechanism of Tramadol is similar to morphine. Like morphine, Tramadol binds to the receptors of the brain that are important for transmitting the painful sensation from throughout the body to the brain. POINTS TO BE NOTED • Tramadol is a habit-forming drug. It can get addictive even at the dose that your doctor prescribes. Never misuse as it can lead to addiction, abuse or even death. Do not give it away to any other person especially if they are drug addicts. Keep it away from children and animals. • Never stop taking it suddenly especially if you have been taking it in higher doses or for a longer time. You may experience withdrawal symptoms if you do so. Consult a doctor when you notice any such symptoms. The doctor may prescribe you to gradually decrease the intake of the medication until you completely stop taking it. • If you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or are a breastfeeding mother, do not take Tramadol unless your doctor tells you to. • Children under the age of 16 should not receive Tramadol. • Keep a list of all the drugs (prescribed, non-prescribed drugs, vitamins, herbal products) that you are using and show it to your doctor before taking Tramadol. DOSING INFORMATION AND HOW TO CONSUME IT The following are general guidelines for you to follow while taking Tramadol. Your doctor can best prescribe you the doses you should take according to your medical condition and your response to treatment. Follow his/her instructions very carefully. • You can take 50-100 mg (immediate release tablets) every 4 to 6 hours as needed. • The maximum dose can go up to 400 mg. • This pill can be taken with or without food. • Initially, to improve tolerance, you can start at 25 mg per day. You can increase your intake by 25-50 every three days until you reach the standard dose of 50-100 mg every 4-6 hours. • Store the medicine at room temperature 15 C to 30 C (59 F to 86 F). • Do not consume it with alcohol or any other substances. This will cause dangerous side effects. WHAT IF YOU OVERDOSE? You should never overdose on Tramadol. Overdose symptoms may include slow heart rate, severe drowsiness, and trouble breathing, coma, cold and clammy skin etc. If you notice any of these symptoms, rush to your doctor immediately. WHAT IF YOU MISS A DOSE? If you forget to take this pill, take it whenever you remember. But please note you should not take it if it is time for your next scheduled dose. Skip it and go back to your normal dosing routine. Also, do not consume an extra pill to make up for the missed one.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
|