Uses of AN 627 Round, White Pill
This white and round pill that is imprinted with AN 627 is actually Tramadol 50 mg, a synthetic (created in laboratories) opioid pain medication commonly used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain.
It works in the brain in order to change how your body responds and feels pain.
In a similar way to morphine, this medicine binds to receptors in the brain (opioid or narcotic receptors) which are crucial for transmitting the sensation of pain throughout the physical body to the brain.
In addition to pain relief, this synthetic opioid can create a feeling of well-being.
Also, giving this medicine to patients before surgery can help ease post-anesthesia shivering (which develops in 40 percent of people), a complication which occurs in patients recovering from general anesthesia, according to a 2014 study.
This opioid is available only with your health care specialist’s prescription. More importantly, when it is used for a long time, this drug may become habit-forming (frequently causing physical or mental dependence).
Physical dependence can be addressed (with the help of the patient’s strong will) as well as mental dependence (which usually takes a lot longer).
FDA Approval
It was approved in 1995 by the Food and Drug Administration for the drug company Janssen Pharmaceuticals (part of the Johnson & Johnson) under the brand name Ultram in the US, and as Dromodol, Ralivia, and other names elsewhere.
Also, this drug is classified as a schedule IV drug. This means that it is a controlled substance.
According to a 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 3.2 million people in the United States had used this opioid for nonmedical purposes at some time in their lives.
There are over 50 million prescriptions dispensed for this opioid in the US every year.
Street Value
The cost of this round, white pill varies from location to location, however, it usually costs between $1 to $5 per pill on the street.
Dosage
The dose of this prescription drug will be different from patient to patient. Also, the dose may need to be changed a few times to find what works best for the patient.
Therefore, for an immediate-release, it can be used 50 to 100 mg orally every four to 6 hours as required for pain. However, the lowest effective dose for analgesia should commonly be selected.
More importantly, for individuals who have experienced more exposure to this opioid, safe doses may be as high as 450 mg per day.
It can be administrated intramuscularly or intravenously in the same doses. In addition, when used intravenously, this medicine should be injected very slowly.
To lower the risk of dependency, it is commonly advised for use for 7 or 14 days. Furthermore, the body develops a tolerance for this prescription medicine quite quickly, making the dose less effective over a short amount of time.
Also, if the patient has kidney problems, it is recommended that he doesn’t take more than 200 mg per day and take this medicine at 12-hour intervals.
Side Effects of Tramadol 50 mg
Note – the Food and Drug Administration is restricting the use of this drug in children since it can cause serious risks, such as – difficulty or slowed breathing and even death.
Addiction
It can lead to addiction and the patient may experience symptoms of withdrawal if he stops taking this opioid.
Physical side effects include – dehydration, pupil dilation, constipation, chills and goosebumps, difficulty urinating, cough suppression, sedation, nausea, sweating, vomiting, racing heart rate, high blood pressure, decreased libido, pupil constriction, muscle and body aches, diarrhea, orgasm suppression, stomach pain, appetite suppression, difficulties concentrating, fast breathing or seizures.
Note – while a seizure can develop while taking the recommended dose of this medicine, seizures are more likely to occur to the people who have taken high doses of this drug or combined it with other prescription medications.
Psychological side effects include:
- restlessness;
- thought acceleration;
- agitation;
- irritability;
- anxiety suppression;
- depression;
- compulsive redosing;
- increased music appreciation;
- difficulty thinking clearly;
- dream potentiation;
- trouble sleeping;
- depersonalization;
- drug cravings;
- wakefulness.
Note – people who abuse opioid for an extended period and develop psychological and physical dependence may start to experience compulsive cravings to take this prescription drug as well as they begin to feel that they need it to manage with everyday problems.
Precautions And Warnings
Stop using the drug and call your health care specialist at once if you have any of these adverse effects:
- hallucinations;
- seizure (convulsions);
- agitation;
- fast heart rate;
- fever;
- nausea;
- shallow breathing;
- overactive reflexes;
- diarrhea;
- weak pulse;
- vomiting;
- fainting;
- loss of coordination;
- a red, blistering, peeling skin rash.
You should not take this opioid if you have a blockage in your stomach or intestines, severe breathing problems, a problem with your bile duct if you have recently used sedatives, alcohol, narcotic medication, tranquilizers, or an MAO inhibitor (a chemical which inhibits the activity of the monoamine oxidase enzyme family).
Also, never crush this drug and inhale it, or dilute it with some type of liquid and inject it, since using this medicine in this method may result in life-threatening adverse effects, such as – overdose or even death.
Alcohol
Mixing alcohol with Tramadol can cause a slowed heart, dizziness, and shallow breathing. Do not consume alcoholic beverages while taking this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Like all opioids, you should not use it when you are pregnant because the baby can become dependent on this synthetic opioid and have physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms after birth.
Babies born to pregnant women who have taken this drug in late pregnancy should be closely monitored after birth by medical personnel to ensure that they are not experiencing any withdrawal symptoms.
Moreover, it should not be used during breastfeeding since the infant could ingest 0.1 percent of the dose given to the mother.
Natural Cures For Pain
There are natural alternatives for pain relief, with little to no adverse effects. These include:
- essential oils (lavender oil, chamomile oil, peppermint oil, or arnica oil);
- turmeric;
- cloves;
- willow bark;
- capsaicin (found in cayenne pepper);
- valerian root;
- cats claw;
- Epsom salt;
- meditation;
- acupuncture.
Image credit – Shutterstock
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References https://www.drugs.com/dosage/tramadol.html http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-4398-5239/tramadol-oral/tramadol-oral/details
Can i take 4 / 50 mg trimdols at one time