Flexeril Cyclobenzaprine Hcl: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Interactions, Warning
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Cyclobenzaprine and cost: Generics vs. brand name – Medical News Today
Cyclobenzaprine and cost: Generics vs. brand name.
Posted: Fri, 21 Apr 2023 21:53:11 GMT [source]
Rinse the mouth to make sure all of the medicine have been swallowed. Do not take more of it and do not take it more often than your doctor ordered. Brittany Tackett is a transformational life coach, writer, and speaker in the mental health field. She holds a Master’s in Psychology with specialization in Transformational Life Coaching and also has an International Certificate in Behavioral Studies.
The extended-release form typically has a half-life of hours. How cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) works is not well understood, but it helps alleviate stiffness, pain, and discomfort due to sprains, strains, or injuries to muscles. It is also sometimes prescribed off-label to treat fibromyalgia pain. Call your doctor or local poison control center if you think you’ve taken too much of this drug. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately if your symptoms are severe. Examples of drugs that can cause interactions with cyclobenzaprine are listed below.
Other drugs using cyclobenzaprine are also being tested to treat fibromyalgia, though. The current form of cyclobenzaprine is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Cyclobenzaprine may enhance the effects of other central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol, barbiturates, flexeril.live benzodiazepines and narcotics. According to the DEA, abusers often combine cyclobenzaprine with these depressants to produce or enhance psychoactive effects. Though it is not a controlled substance, the DEA has recorded anecdotal reports of use to induce euphoria and relaxation.
Muscle Relaxer Abuse
Polydrug abuse can cause serious harm, especially when the combination includes CNS depressing substances such as benzodiazepines and alcohol. Cyclobenzaprine’s plasma concentrations average 40% higher in the elderly, making these patients more at risk of the drug’s harmful effects. The drug is also eliminated more slowly in this age group. Call your doctor or local poison control center immediately if you have an allergic reaction. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if your symptoms are severe. Do not take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it.
Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children. If you are not able to swallow the extended-release capsule whole, mix the contents of the capsule with applesauce. After you eat the mixture, take a drink, and swish and swallow to make sure that you have received all the medication.
High fever, convulsions, and even death can occur when these drugs are used together. Your dose will depend on the severity of your pain and the formulation of cyclobenzaprine you’re using. Cyclobenzaprine is usually taken once daily for only 2 or 3 weeks.
Medical Professionals
The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how cyclobenzaprine will affect you.
- One study compared FLEXERIL 5 mg and 10 mg t.i.d. to placebo; and a second study compared FLEXERIL 5 mg and 2.5 mg t.i.d. to placebo.
- Do not take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it.
- Cyclobenzaprine usually begins working about one hour after it is ingested, relaxing muscles and relieving muscle spasms.
- Muscle spasm, local pain and tenderness, limitation of motion, and restriction in activities of daily living were evaluated.
- Serious side effects of Flexeril include seizures, abnormal heartbeats, stroke, heart attacks, and heatstroke.
It differs from the TCA amitriptyline by only one double bond. It is generally used for musculoskeletal conditions, including fibromyalgia and low back pain. Cyclobenzaprine is best used in short-term treatment but may be used intermittently or long-term for chronic pain. Many treatment programs offer medical detoxification to address physical dependence in a safe environment with caring physicians and nurses who will work to alleviate symptoms and increase your comfort. There are options available across the full continuum of care to help with substance abuse. Cyclobenzaprine usually begins working about one hour after it is ingested, relaxing muscles and relieving muscle spasms.
In some cases, Flexeril can be used in order to treat pain from certain musculoskeletal disorders like fibromyalgia. Flexeril works by acting on the central nervous system, blocking pain sensations that would otherwise travel from sore and spasming muscles to the brain. This pain-blocking mechanism can contribute to abuse of the medication and may result in Flexeril addiction. Clinicians should monitor for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome if the patient is taking other serotonergic drugs. In two case reports, the authors described patients who quickly developed serotonin syndrome after initiating cyclobenzaprine in the short term.