Patient was educated on how to take Tramadol as follows:
- Tramadol pill with or without food along with a full 8 oz. glass of water. Taking the medication with food helps prevent any nauseating sensation.
- Drink 6 to 8 full glasses of water daily, while you are taking Tramadol. Liberal intake of water with Tramadol helps prevent constipation, which is one of the major side effects of Tramadol.
- Evenly space out the doses of pain pill and take the dose at the scheduled time every day.
- Keeping to the schedule of Tramadol intake helps to avoid forgetting the medication.
- Do not wait for the pain to peak to have your Tramadol pill. Pain medications work best when taken at the first appreciation of pain, before the pain peaks.
- Do not crush or chew the Tramadol pill. Swallow it whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released too quick at one time, thus compromising the therapeutic effect of Tramadol.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of Tramadol as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication. Noncompliance with recommendation on Tramadol intake can result in ineffective pain control.
- Do not change the dose on Tramadol without consulting your doctor.
- This is one of the most commonly abused drug. Do not share your Tramadol with any family and friends. Keep a regular track of the number of pills left in your pillbox, to prevent a chance for abuse.
- Do not take Tramadol with alcohol. Both alcohol and Tramadol depress the respirations. When taken together, their effects on respirations can get added up and lead to severe respiratory depression and can even be fatal. Also, this can increase your risk of liver damage, as Tramadol and alcohol is a dangerous combination for the liver.
- Do not abuse Tramadol by continuing to take the medication, even after the pain resolved.
- Watch out for any continuing or worsening pain, to report to your doctor immediately, so that, a change in plan could be considered.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
