Tramadol Hydrochloride

Description

Tramadol Hydrochloride is a strong painkiller from a group of medicines called opiates, or narcotics. It’s used to treat moderate to severe pain, for example after an operation or a serious injury. If you have long term pain, your doctor may also prescribe it if weaker painkillers no longer work.

Tramadol Hydrochloride does not stop the pain completely, but you will not be able to feel it as much.

Key facts

• It’s possible to become addicted to tramadol, but your doctor will explain how to reduce those risks.
• If you need to take tramadol for more than a few weeks, your treatment plan may include details of how and when to stop taking this medicine.
• It’s best not to drink alcohol with tramadol as you’re more likely to get side effects, like feeling sleepy.
• Do not drive a car, ride a bike or use tools or machinery if tramadol makes you sleepy, dizzy, or clumsy or you have blurred vision or are unable to concentrate or make decisions.
• Tramadol is also called by the brand names Invodol, Larapam, Mabron, Maneo, Oldaram, Tilodol, Tradorec and Zeridame.

Side Effects

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 do not go away.

Very common side effects

Very common side effects of tramadol happen in more than 1 in 10 people and include:

• feeling sick
• feeling dizzy

Common side effects

These common side effects of tramadol happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them.

• Headaches
• Feeling sleepy, tired, dizzy or “spaced out”
• Feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)
• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Sweating
• Low energy

Serious side effects

Serious side effects happen in less than 1 in 100 people.

Call your doctor or call 111 now if you:

• feel dizzy, tired and have low energy – these can be a sign of low blood pressure
• have hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
• feel confused
• feel very sleepy
• have trouble peeing or you cannot pee at all

Information Leaflet

Tramadol Hydrochloride 50mg – Patient Information Leaflet

Dosage Recommendation

Tramadol comes as:

• standard tablets – these contain 50mg of tramadol
• slow-release tablets – these contain 50mg, 75mg, 100mg, 150mg, 200mg, 300mg or 400mg of tramadol
• standard capsules – these contain 50mg of tramadol
• slow-release capsules – these contain 50mg, 100mg, 150mg or 200mg of tramadol
• drops that you swallow – this contains 100mg of tramadol in 1ml of liquid
• soluble tablets – these contain 50mg of tramadol
• tablets that dissolve in the mouth (orodispersible) – these contain 50mg of tramadol
• an injection (usually given in hospital)

Tramadol drops, injections and some tablets and capsules will start to work within 30 to 60 minutes. They’re used for pain that is expected to last for only a short time. You may be told to take this type of tramadol only if you need it for pain that can come and go.

Dosages vary from person to person. Your doctor will decide the right dose for you, depending on how sensitive you are to pain, how bad your pain is, how you responded to previous painkillers and if you get any side effects.

Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you. In general, you will be prescribed the lowest dose that relieves your pain.

How to take it

How to take standard tablets and capsules:

• Swallow each tablet or capsule whole with a glass of water.