Tapentadol
Description
Tapentadol is a pain-relieving medication that is used to treat moderate to severe pain. Tapentadol used to treat moderate to severe pain. It provides relief from headache, muscular pain, menstrual pain, joint pain, backache, toothache and throat pain. Tapentadol works by blocking the conduction of pain signals to the brain. Tapentadol is used alone or in combination with other medications to relieve pain.
Tapentadol may cause certain side effects like vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, dizziness and nausea. Contact your doctor if any of these effects persist for a long time. Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to it. Never use Tapentadol in children below 18 years of age.
Tapentadol is an oral medication available as a tablet, tablet ER and capsule. You can take Tapentadol with or without food. Follow the instructions given on the label. For the ease of remembering, take it at the same time every day. Do not take this medicine if you have any gastrointestinal or lung problems.
Tapentadol is not recommended if you are a pregnant or breastfeeding woman. Avoid driving vehicles or consuming alcohol during the treatment, as this medicine can make you drowsy. Never take Tapentadol more than the prescribed dose, as it has a high potential for addiction and abuse even at recommended doses, especially with long term use.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Tapentadol
- Unusual tiredness and weakness
- Headache
- Difficulty in breathing
- Drowsiness
- Itching or rash
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Decreased appetite
- Increased sweating
- Stomach discomfort and pain
- Changes in vision
Uses of Tapentadol
What is it prescribed for?
- Moderate to severe pain
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe effect of Tapentadol can be observed as follows : Immediate-release tablet: 60 minutes Extended-release tablet: 3 to 6 hours.
- Duration of effectThe duration of action of Tapentadol is 24 hours for immediate-release dosage forms. And it is 15-18 hours for extended-release forms.
- Safe with alcohol?Avoid consumption of alcohol when taking Tapentadol as it may worsen dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting.
- Is it habit forming?Tapentadol has habit forming tendency.
- Usage in pregnancy?Tapentadol is not recommended for use during pregnancy due to the risk of serious side effects. Hence, avoid using it if you are pregnant. Your doctor may advise an alternative with the same therapeutic effect.
- Usage while breast-feeding?It is not known whether Tapentadol passes into breast milk or not. Hence use it only if your doctor has prescribed it.
Allergy
Avoid taking Tapentadol if you are allergic to it. Inform your doctor if you have a history of allergy to Tapentadol. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of allergic reactions such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Lung disease
Do not take Tapentadol if you have any respiratory conditions such as asthma and other breathing difficulties, as it may increase the airway resistance resulting in the worsening of your health condition.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) are medications that are used as anti-depressants. Using MAOIs along with Tapentadol may increase the risk of serious side effects. Hence, avoid taking these medicines together. A time gap of at least 14 days should be maintained between stopping therapy with MAOIs and starting therapy with Tapentadol.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Tapentadol is not recommended for use during pregnancy due to the risk of serious side effects. Hence, avoid using it if you are pregnant. Your doctor may advise an alternative with the same therapeutic effect.
Breast-feeding
It is not known whether Tapentadol passes into breast milk or not. Hence use it only if your doctor has prescribed it.
General warnings
Addiction
Tapentadol has a high potential of addiction and abuse even at recommended doses, especially with prolonged use. It is advised to take this medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Low blood pressure
The use of Tapentadol may cause a sudden drop in your blood pressure, especially when you rise from a sitting or a lying position. Therefore, you are advised to get up slowly from a sitting or a lying position to avoid the risk of fainting, dizziness, and falling.
Patients with head injury
Maintain caution while using Tapentadol if you had a head injury as it may increase the risk of intracranial pressure and coma.
Withdrawal symptoms
Sudden discontinuation of Tapentadol may cause withdrawal symptoms like tremors, nausea and vomiting, chills, fever and diarrhoea, etc. Do not stop taking this medicine without consulting your doctor.
Use in children
Tapentadol use should be avoided in children below 18 years of age due to the lack of safety and efficacy data.
Elderly population
Tapentadol should be administered with caution in elderly people since the risk of severe side effects is significantly high.
Missed Dose
For immediate release dosage forms: Do not skip the dose of Tapentadol. In case the scheduled dose of Tapentadol is forgotten, take it as soon as you remember. If it is delayed for more than 12 hours, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time. Do not double the dose to compensate for the missed one.
For extended-release dosage forms: If you forget to take a dose, take your next dose at the scheduled time. Do not take two doses at a time to compensate for the missed one
Overdose
Never take Tapentadol more than the prescribed dose. If you suspect that you might have taken an overdose of this medicine, inform your doctor and seek immediate medical help.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
N/A
Instructions
Avoid consumption of alcohol when taking Tapentadol as it may worsen dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting.
Interaction with Medicine
Alprazolam
Phenytoin
Codeine
Salmeterol
Disease interactions
Impaired gastrointestinal function
Use Tapentadol with caution if you have any gastrointestinal problems. Inform your doctor if you experience symptoms like constipation, irregular bowel movements, etc. This medicine is not recommended in people with a known case of infectious diarrhoea.
Seizures
Avoid taking Tapentadol if you have any seizure episodes (fits), as it may trigger a fresh attack. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Tapentadol with or without food as instructed by the doctor. Your dose is likely to be changed by the doctor during the course of treatment, hence follow the instructions given by your doctor. Do not take this medicine in larger quantities than prescribed.
You may experience some side effects whenever there is a change in dose or timings. Do not stop using this medicine without consulting your doctor.
Avoid driving and drinking alcohol after taking this medicine as it can make you drowsy or dizzy. Inform your doctor if you have kidney, lung or gastrointestinal problems before using Tapentadol.
Keep the medicine out of reach of children. Ensure that unused strip is disposed of properly.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Tapentadol mainly works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. It blocks the conduction of pain signals to your brain, thus relieves pain.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Narcotic analgesics
Schedule
Schedule H
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Palexia 75 mg film-coated tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 9 August 2021].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - NUCYNTA- tapentadol hydrochloride tablet, film coated. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 9 August 2021].
Drugs, H., 2021. Tapentadol: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: < [Accessed 9 August 2021].
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 9 August 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 14 Sep 2021
Disclaimer
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