Proper Use of This Medicine

If you think that this medicine is not working as well after you have been taking it for a few weeks, do not increase the dose . Instead, check with your medical doctor or dentist.

Dosing—The dose of tramadol will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . The following information includes only the average doses of tramadol. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are taking tramadol .

Take this medicine only as directed. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Using too much of this medicine increases the chance of unwanted effects.
For chronic pain:
For oral dosage form (long-acting tablets):
Adults—100 mg once a day. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. You should not take more than 300 mg per day.
Children up to 18 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
For pain:
For oral dosage form (tablets):
Adults—One-half to two 50-milligram (mg) tablets every four to six hours as needed, no more than 8 tablets in a day
Your healthcare professional may want you to break the tablets in half for the first dose and increase your dose by half-tablets, up to a maximum of 2 full tablets per dose. By starting at a lower dose and slowly increasing the amount of medicine you take, this will help you get used to the medicine gradually.
Your healthcare professional may want you to take 2 tablets for the first dose if you are having severe pain. This helps the medicine start working a little faster.
Children up to 16 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed dose—If your medical doctor or dentist has directed you to take this medicine according to a regular schedule and you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage—To store this medicine:
Keep out of the reach of children.
Store away from heat and direct light.
Do not store tramadol tablets in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.