Summary: All medicines should be taken after a thorough knowledge of their positives and negatives- Tramadol likewise comes with certain precautionary measures that help in providing the best benefits.
Medicines are the best friends of a sick person! It is a true statement, but it is as well correct that all medicines have their own sets of precautions to be taken for attaining the desired right effects. Here we are dealing with Tramadol, a medicine that is approved for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain. It is taken every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
There are few things that should be told to the doctor before being prescribed Tramadol. You should inform the doctor if you have seizures or epilepsy, any liver disease, kidney disease, head injury, severe abdominal pain, lung disease, history of drug or alcohol dependence, and any allergies- food, dyes or preservatives. Also tell the doctor if you are pregnant or planning to go the family way or breastfeeding. The doctor should also know about the medicines you are taking- both the prescribed and non- prescribed medicines, vitamins and any herbal supplements.
The above recommendation is essential for the following reasons,
- Tramadol can cause seizures, especially in those who have a history of them and those who are withdrawing from alcohol or narcotics. Also, as Tramadol works in a similar manner as morphine, the abuse potential is significant. Thus, it is not a good choice for people who have a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
- It can cause slow and irregular breathing and may lead to life threatening complications, especially in cases of patients having lungs disease.
- It can interfere with the diagnosis of many conditions that cause severe abdominal pain.
- It can cause dizziness and drowsiness, and may increase the risk of falls in elderly people.
- It is not advisable to drive or operate heavy machinery until it is fully known how the medicine works on you. It for sure affects your reflexes and reaction times even if you feel fine.
- Tramadol can also interact with several other medicines and thus can sometimes prove to be a fatal experience.
- The medicine is considered a pregnancy C medication, which goes to declare it as unsafe for pregnant women, though the exact effects and full risks are yet to be discovered.
- It is found that the medicine does pass through breast milk. So it is advisable to discuss with your doctor regarding the use of the medicine in such cases.
Tramadol, like all medicines has minor side effects that people tolerate quite well without any treatment or with easy treatments. However, in cases of major side effects it is imperative to seek timely help of your doctor.