Which Tramadol Should You Buy: Regular Or Extended Release?
June 2, 2010
Tramadol tablets and capsules
usually come in two forms with regards to content: the regular Tramadol 50mg pills and the 100mg or 200mg or 300mg/day extended release forms. But first let us see why there was ever a need for the extended release pills.
The main reason drugs are formulated as extended release is to reduce the number of times daily that you have to take the drugs. This is so to help you comply closer to your dosage regimen especially for people who forget to carry along their drugs when they leave home in the morning. Extended release tramadol pills contain more of the tramadol than regular pills but this excess is not all released at once.
Depending on the technology each brand of Tramadol employs
one of the reasons brand-name tramadol pills are more expensive than generic tramadol pills, the tramadol in the extended release pill can be released and absorbed evenly and gradually or unevenly to provide immediate then long-lasting pain relief.
The other reason tramadol pills are formulated
as extended release is to deter abuse now that you only take fewer pills while still getting the same amount of tramadol. However, some studies have shown some interesting results with this. The first metabolite (the compound the liver turns tramadol into after metabolism) stays around longer and provides a longer opioid effect enhancing the desirable effects but possessing a higher abuse liability while at the same time drastically reducing certain side-effects.
Therefore determining which formulation of tramadol is appropriate for you depend on the severity of your pain and how long your physician thinks you’ll be on tramadol. Long-term therapy will probably do well with regular tramadol with lower addictive potential while a short medication will work well with extended release tramadol with reduced side-effects.
Filed under: Frequently Asked Questions About Tramadol