Wanda asked
I took a Norco 7.5 (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) four hours ago. Can I take a tramadol 50 mg now?
Answer
Tramadol and Norco (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) should not be taken at the same time but generally can be taken in the same day as long as they are separated by at least four to six hours.
Why To Avoid Taking Norco And Tramadol Together
Tramadol may cause additive sedative, CNS, and/or respiratory-depressant effects with combined with Hydrocodone. In addition, concomitant use of tramadol increases the seizure risk in patients taking other opiate agonists, like hydrocodone. Also, tramadol can cause additive CNS depression and respiratory depression when used with opiate agonists. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid concurrent use whenever possible. If used together, extreme caution is needed, and a reduced tramadol dose may be needed.
Taking Norco And Tramadol The Same Day
As mentioned above it generally is okay to take Norco and tramadol the same day, as long as they are separated by an appropriate amount of time (~4-6 hours). In fact, your doctor may prescribe both to you and recommend to take tramadol for more moderate pain symptoms, and reserve Norco for times when your pain symptoms are more severe as Norco is considered a stronger pain medication.
In your case, 7.5 hours hours between doses of Norco and tramadol should be safe, however, you should discuss with your doctor a specific dosing schedule. There may be a small number of individuals susceptible to uncommon side effects like respiratory depression, even when doses are separated by more than 6 hours.
