This is probably irrelevant to your situation but I have polyneuropathy and I take 600 mg gabapentin 3 times a day. If that does not control the pain or if I have break through pain I take 1/2 of a 25 mg tramadol. I don't like taking an opioid. I used to depend on tramadol exclusively for pain. Then under the supervision of my pain specialist I tapered off almost all of the tramadol and the gabapentin controlled the pain almost completely. But I gradually had to take some tramadol as needed, usually at bedtime or if I overdid exercise. It turns out I usually take 1/2 25 mg tablet once or twice a day. Everyone's experience is different and I am late to this blog so I know very little and understand less.