Tramadol and acetaminophen and Tricode AR

• Generic Name: acetaminophen / tramadol
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Ultracet

Tramadol and acetaminophen combination is used to relieve acute pain severe enough to require an opioid treatment and when other pain medicines did not work well enough or cannot be tolerated. When used together, the combination provides better pain relief than either medicine used alone. In some cases, you may get relief with lower doses of each medicine.

Tramadol belongs to the group of medicines called opioid analgesics (narcotics). It acts in the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain. When tramadol is used for a long time, it may become habit-forming (causing mental or physical dependence). Mental dependence (addiction) is not likely to occur when narcotics are used for this purpose. Physical dependence may lead to side effects when you suddenly stop taking the medicine. Since tramadol and acetaminophen is only used for short-term relief of pain, mental and physical dependence will probably not occur.

Acetaminophen is used to relieve pain and reduce fever in patients. It does not become habit-forming when taken for a long time. But acetaminophen may cause other unwanted effects when taken in large doses, including liver damage. Although rare, use of acetaminophen has been reported to lead to liver transplantation and death, usually at high doses and when multiple acetaminophen-containing products have been used.

Tramadol and acetaminophen is available only under a restricted distribution program called the Opioid Analgesic REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) program.

• Generic Name: chlorpheniramine / codeine / pseudoephedrine
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Phenylhistine DH Expectorant, Tricode AR, Novahistine DH, Phenylhistine DH, Dihistine DH, Decohistine DH, Codehist DH, Novadyne DH, Co-Histine DH, Ryna-C, Codahistine-DH Elixir, Zodryl DAC

Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Codeine is a narcotic cough suppressant. It affects the signals in the brain that trigger cough reflex.

Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

Tricode AR is a combination medicine used to treat runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, cough, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.

Tricode AR will not treat a cough that is caused by smoking, asthma, or emphysema.

Tricode AR may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.