Generic Ultram (Tramadol) 225mg

General information

Generic Ultram (Tramadol) 225mg is used to relieve moderate to moderately severe pain, including pain after surgery. The extended-release or long-acting tablets are used for chronic ongoing pain. Tramadol belongs to the group of medicines called opioid analgesics. It acts in the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain. When Tramadol is used for a long time, it may become habit-forming (causing mental or physical dependence). Physical dependence may lead to side effects when you stop taking the medicine.

Directions

Take tramadol exactly as prescribed. Never take in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain. Tramadol can be taken with or without food, but take it the same way each time.

Never crush or break a tramadol pill to inhale the powder or mix it into a liquid to inject the drug into your vein. This practice has resulted in death with the misuse of tramadol and similar prescription drugs.

Your dose of tramadol will depend on your level of pain and how you react to the medication. Your doctor may start at a low dose and gradually increase it to find the dose that works for you.

This is a typical dosing schedule for someone just starting to take tramadol regular-release tablets:

• Your doctor will most likely start with 25 milligrams (mg) each morning.
• That may increase by separate doses of 25 mg every three days to reach a maximum dose of 100 mg a day (25 mg, four times a day), depending on how much the medication is relieving your pain.
• If necessary, your doctor may increase by separate doses of 50 mg every three days to reach a maximum of 200 mg a day (50 mg, four times a day).
• A normal adult dose should not go above 400 mg a day.
• For someone with cirrhosis (liver damage), the daily dose should not be above 100 mg in a 24-hour period.
• For someone with kidney disease, the daily dose should not be above 200 mg.
• For someone older than 75, the daily dose should not be above 200 mg.

Precautions

To make sure tramadol is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• liver or kidney disease;
• a stomach disorder; or
• a history of drug abuse, alcohol addiction, mental illness, or suicide attempt.

Tramadol is more likely to cause breathing problems in older adults and people who are severely ill, malnourished, or otherwise debilitated.

If you use this medicine while you are pregnant, your baby could become dependent on the drug. Babies born dependent on habit-forming medicine may need medical treatment for several weeks. Tramadol may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Tramadol may impair your thinking or reactions. Avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine will affect you. Dizziness or severe drowsiness can cause falls or other accidents.

Contraindications

You should not take tramadol if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• severe asthma or breathing problems;
• a blockage in your stomach or intestines;
• if you have recently used alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or narcotic medications.

Tramadol can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are taking this medicine.

Possible side effect

Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction to tramadol: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tramadol is not for use in children. Seek emergency medical attention if a child has taken this medicine and has: noisy breathing, sighing, slow breathing with long pauses between breaths; being unusually sleepy or hard to wake up; blue colored lips.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• seizure (convulsions);
• weak or shallow breathing;
• high levels of serotonin in the body - agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast heart rate, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, fainting; or
• severe skin reaction - fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Common tramadol side effects may include:

• headache, dizziness, drowsiness, tired feeling;
• constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain; or
• feeling nervous or anxious.
• itching, sweating, flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling).

Drug interaction

Do not drink alcohol. Dangerous side effects or death can occur when alcohol is combined with tramadol. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol.

Taking this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can cause dangerous or life-threatening side effects. Ask your doctor before taking tramadol with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as remembered; do not take it if its near the time for the next dose, instead, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention! A tramadol overdose can be fatal, especially in a child. Overdose symptoms may include slow breathing and heart rate, severe drowsiness, cold and clammy skin, and fainting.

Storage

Store Generic Ultram (Tramadol) 225mg at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store the drugs in the bathroom. Keep all drugs away from reach of children and pets.