It is possible to take too much Tramadol, especially for people who are taking the medication without the guidance of a physician. It is a potent painkiller and should only be used to treat moderate to severe pain.

Following a doctor's orders exactly when taking Tramadol or any other drug. A physician has in-depth knowledge of proper dosages. Furthermore, he or she is aware that some people should not take this medication.

Over time, the human body will build up a tolerance for certain drugs, especially painkillers. Only your doctor should prescribe higher dosages to help control your pain. Tramadol is habit-forming and should not be used for long periods of time without consulting with your physician.

People who should not take Tramadol include those who:

Have epilepsy or other seizure disorders
Have a metabolic condition such as diabetes
Abuse alcohol or other drugs
Have had a head injury
Are taking antidepressants or muscle relaxers
Are taking drugs to control nausea and vomiting

If you have liver, kidney, or stomach disease, your doctor may need to adjust your Tramadol dosages because these conditions affect the way your body absorbs the drug.

Your doctor also needs to know if you're depressed, have considered suicide, or have a mental illness.

After taking all these factors into consideration, your doctor will prescribe the right dose for you. The average dose is 25 to 100 milligrams every 4 to 6 hours for people 16 years of age and older. No more than 400 milligrams should be taken in a 24-hour period. The right dose for you might be at the lower or higher end, depending on your body weight. Determining dosage based on body weight is the safest means of administering Tramadol to children if necessary.

To avoid an upset stomach, take Tramadol after you've eaten. You don't have to take it at mealtime, but be sure to drink a lot of water and other nonalcoholic fluids.

There are some patients who cannot tolerate Tramadol well, so their doctors are likely to adjust their dosages, starting with 25 mg per day. If that dose is tolerated, the doctor can increase the amount to 50 mg for three days, to 75 mg in another three days, and so on until 100 mg a day is tolerated in four doses of 25 mg. Once the 100 mg per day level is reached and the patient requires more Tramadol to control his or her pain, a physician may increase the dose gradually by 50 mg every three days to the 200 mg daily level with 50 mg doses four times a day.

Take Tramadol as your doctor prescribes. It is an oral medication and Tramadol tablets should never be chewed, crushed, or dissolved for injecting yourself. Doing so could result in an overdose.

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is too close to your next scheduled dose.
Store Tramadol out of the reach of children.

Tramadol is addictive and people who have been using it for a prolonged period of time may increase their own dosages without talking with their doctors. Those who become dependent on it may make appointments with other physicians in order to acquire more of the drug. They often use up to 400 mg a day, far beyond the recommended maximum daily dose.

If it seems Tramadol is not working as well at controlling your pain, talk to your doctor first. He may prescribe other drugs or methods rather than increasing your dose. A higher dose might not be in your best interest because more Tramadol can result in seizures. Don't drink alcohol or take antidepressant or stimulant drugs while you're on Tramadol.

A Tramadol overdose is marked by extreme sleepiness, a slow heartbeat, clammy skin, shallow or difficult respiration, fainting, light-headedness, extreme weakness, a heart attack, or a coma.