Tramadol should be used only as it is prescribed. The initial dosage is usually 25 mg for everyone. This dosage can be increased if your body reacts well to it and depending on the medical condition. Adults bellow 65 can up the dosage by 25 mg every 3 days to reach 100 mg per day (25*4). After that, a dose can be increased for another 50 mg per day. This can be done every 3 days to a maximum of 200 mg per day if the body responds well. The dosage for adults should not go over 400 mg daily. For those younger than 16 or older than 75, the maximum allowed dose of Tramadol is 300 mg each day.
Before you start taking Tramadol, it is very important that you are not allergic to it or that you are already using some other medications like those for mental problems such as schizophrenia, drugs used to treat anxiety, and medications like valium. Never take Tramadol while intoxicated with alcohol or under the influence of any street drug. This can lead to some very serious withdrawal symptoms. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding avoid taking Tramadol. This drug can be extremely harmful to your child. It is also not recommended to give it to children under 16 years old.
Most people shouldn’t experience any side effects or just some minor ones. Still, if you experience some of the more dangerous ones like: skin rash (possibly followed by the peeling of skin or blistering skin), swelling of face (or your mouth, tongue or lips), hallucinations, high fever or loss of coordination, look for emergency medical help. You can look for more possible side effects on the package or ask your doctor about them.
Using Tramadol for longer than prescribed and in larger doses may lead to some withdrawal symptoms. Some of them can even be life threatening, so follow your doctor’s instructions. If you have used it for long, do not attempt to stop abruptly but ask your doctor’s advice on how to slowly reduce your intake of this medicine. Most common withdrawal symptoms are: increased sweating, runny nose, restlessness, watering eyes and nausea.
Tramadol usually comes in a form of a tablet which needs to be swallowed whole to have the desired effect. You can swallow it prior or after a meal. Breaking, or crushing the tablet could lead to most of the drug being wasted. Never inhale the crushed drug or dilute it in liquid and then inject it as this will lead to overdose which can easily have deadly outcome. If, by any accident, you do overdose, ask for immediate medical help.
You should store Tramadol in a safe place, away from heat or moisture. The drug should also be kept in a room temperature between 18 and 24 Celsius. Make a note every time you take a tablet to avoid forgetting how much you took and to make sure that no one else is taking it besides you.