I've been prescribed extended (slow) release tramadol, 100mg dose twice a day. The doctor said to the them 12 hours apart. The problem is I'm not sleeping... literally 4 hours a night, and by 8am I'm shattered and having to nap for an hour. Can I take them 6-8 hours apart instead or will this mess up how they will work in my system? Ive only had 4 hours sleep for the last 5 nights in a row and im desperate! Thank you.
Extended release tramadol - I can't sleep!!?
Question posted by Ericauk on 22 Aug 2015
Last updated on 5 September 2015
3 Answers
Hi, as Kaismama has rightly stated, Tramadol XR should be administered once daily, ideally in the morning. I used to take it and found it very successful. Over time i did notice that i needed less sleep, rather than an inability to sleep. If you take the medication the way it is intended your sleep should improve dramatically.
Thank you. Yesterday I took them 8 hours apart and I did sleep for 7 hours, but didn't fall asleep until the early hours. Today I will do as suggested and take them together.
I gave up, I'm sorry. Same dosage as you, but I sleep in my recliner 2-3 hours at a time. After 3 years, I prefer the lack of pain to the lack of sleep. Chronic pain is a lousy alarm clock.
It's so frustrating isn't it!! They are brilliant at stopping the pain so I will just have to find a solution to the sleep problem somehow. The problem is I'm back to uni soon so will have to be 'with it' enough to write essays!!
I had the same trouble with Tramadol, kept me awake all night. Doc switched me to Fentanyl patches with Oxycodone for breakthrough pain. I have horrible insomnia anyway and take Trazadone for sleep and the Tramadol trumped the Trazadone. I couldn't take the lack of sleep any longer! Good luck, my husband takes tramadol but not after 2-3 in the afternoon.
It is a once a day medication and take it in the am. The problem is your dr doesn't know how to use it. You're taking 200 mg a day and that should be one dose in the am.
I knew it wasn't right! Well today I took one at 7am and another at 2pm. Will see how the sleeping goes tonight and if it still doesn't work then I will take them both together. Thank you for getting back to me.
Related topics
sleep disorders, tramadol, chronic pain, sleep, dosage, doctor, prescription, sleeping, sleep disorder
Further information
- Tramadol uses and safety info
- Tramadol prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Tramadol (detailed)
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