What is acetaminophen and tramadol?
Tramadol is a narcotic-like pain reliever.
Acetaminophen is a less potent pain reliever that increases the effects of tramadol.
The combination of acetaminophen and tramadol is used to treat moderate to severe pain.
Acetaminophen and tramadol may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication
guide.
What does acetaminophen-tramadol look like?
Acetaminophen-Tramadol 325 mg-37.5 mg-PAR
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking acetaminophen and tramadol?
You should not take this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen and tramadol, if
you are intoxicated (drunk), or if you have recently used any of the following drugs:
-
alcohol;
-
narcotic pain medicine;
-
sedatives or tranquilizers (such as Valium);
-
medicine for depression or anxiety;
-
medicine for mental illness (such as bipolar disorder,
schizophrenia); or
-
street drugs.
Tell your doctor if you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day or
if you have ever had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis). You may not be able to take medication that
contains acetaminophen.
Seizures have occurred in some people taking acetaminophen and tramadol. Your risk of a
seizure may be higher if you have any of these conditions:
-
a history of drug or alcohol addiction;
-
a history of epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
-
a history of head injury;
-
a metabolic disorder;
-
an infection of your brain or spinal cord, such as meningitis
or encephalitis;
-
if you are also taking an antidepressant, mood stabilizer, or
another narcotic pain medicine; or
-
if you have taken an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid
(Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or
tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days.
Talk with your doctor about your individual risk of having a seizure.
Before taking acetaminophen and tramadol, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if
you have:
-
kidney disease;
-
liver disease;
-
asthma or other breathing disorder;
-
a stomach disorder; or
-
a history of depression, mental illness, or suicide attempt.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or
special tests to safely take this medication.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether the combination of acetaminophen
and tramadol is harmful to an unborn baby. Tramadol alone may have caused serious or fatal side
effects in newborns of mothers who used the medication during pregnancy or labor. Tell your doctor if
you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with acetaminophen and tramadol.
Acetaminophen and tramadol can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do
not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take acetaminophen and tramadol?
Take acetaminophen and tramadol exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take it in larger
doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription
label.
Do not take more of this medication than is recommended.
An acetaminophen
and tramadol overdose can be fatal.
The maximum amount of acetaminophen and
tramadol is 2 tablets per dose, or 8 tablets per day.
Take this medicine with a full glass of water.
Acetaminophen and tramadol can be taken with or without food, but take it the same way each
time.
Do not stop using this medication suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal
symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking
acetaminophen and tramadol.
Store acetaminophen and tramadol at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose of acetaminophen and tramadol?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the
missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time.
Do not
take
extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about acetaminophen and tramadol?
Your pharmacist has information about acetaminophen and tramadol written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of acetaminophen and tramadol?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using acetaminophen and tramadol and call your doctor at once if you have any of
these serious side effects:
-
seizure (convulsions);
-
a red, blistering, peeling skin rash; or
-
shallow breathing, weak pulse.
Less serious side effects may include:
-
dizziness, drowsiness, weakness;
-
nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite;
-
blurred vision;
-
flushing (redness, warmth, or tingly feeling); or
-
sleep problems (insomnia).
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your
doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at
1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about acetaminophen and tramadol?
You should not take this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen and tramadol, if
you are intoxicated (drunk), or if you have recently used narcotic pain medicine, a sedative or
tranquilizer, medicine for depression or mental illness, or any type of street drug.
Do not take more of this medication than is recommended.
An acetaminophen
and tramadol overdose can be fatal.
The maximum amount of acetaminophen and
tramadol is 2 tablets per dose, or 8 tablets per day.
Tell your doctor if you drink more than three alcoholic beverages per day or if you have ever
had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis). You may not be able to take medication that contains
acetaminophen.
Seizures (convulsions) have occurred in some people taking acetaminophen and tramadol. You
may be more likely to have a seizure while taking acetaminophen and tramadol if you have a history of
seizures or head injury, a metabolic disorder, a brain or spinal cord infection, or if you are taking certain
medicines. Talk with your doctor about your individual risk of having a seizure.
Acetaminophen and tramadol can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or
reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
What should I avoid while taking acetaminophen and tramadol?
Do not drink alcohol while you are taking acetaminophen and tramadol. Alcohol may cause
a dangerous decrease in your breathing when used together with acetaminophen and tramadol.
Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and
medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by tramadol. Tell your
doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines.
Acetaminophen and tramadol can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or
reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Do not use any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication without first asking your
doctor or pharmacist. Acetaminophen (sometimes abbreviated as "APAP") is contained in many
combination medicines. If you use certain products together you may accidentally use too much
acetaminophen. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains acetaminophen
or APAP.
What other drugs will affect acetaminophen and tramadol?
Before taking acetaminophen and tramadol, tell your doctor if you also use:
-
carbamazepine (Tegretol);
-
warfarin (Coumadin);
-
digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);
-
ketoconazole (Nizoral);
-
erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab);
-
rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater);
-
St. John's wort;
-
quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex, Cardioquin, Quinora); or
-
an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil), citalopram
(Celexa), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), escitalopram (Lexapro),
fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline
(Pamelor); paroxetine (Paxil), or sertraline (Zoloft).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
acetaminophen and tramadol. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter
medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other
doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of acetaminophen and tramadol?
