Taking Your Drug The Right Way

By Author: Steven Johnson
Total Articles: 494
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Before using Carisoprodol you should check with your pharmacist or doctor to make sure you will not be harmed by any allergies you might have to the drug itself, to any other drugs, to meprobamate (Miltown or Equanil), or if you suffer from porphyria. You should also seek your doctor's advice if you have one of the following conditions:

* Liver disease
* Kidney disease
* Epilepsy or any other seizure condition

If any of the above applies to you, your dose may need to be adjusted or you may need to do some tests to make sure this drug is safe for you.

This medication may be habit-forming. It is thus suggested to seek doctor's approval to take it and not give it to anyone else, especially to persons who have a history of drug addiction.

Administration of this medication should not be discontinued and the dosage should not be changed without doctor's advice as you may experience withdrawal symptoms. These may include sleeping problems, stomachache, headache, nausea and convulsions (seizure). Never stop taking this medication suddenly. You may need to wind off the dosage slowly ...
... before you completely stop using it.

This medication may harm a fetus and possibly a nursing infant, although it has not been explicitly shown that this medication passes on to breast milk. Please consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or have just had a baby.

Interactions

Before taking Carisoprodol you should be aware of its interactions with several drugs, including:
CNS Depressants - combined with other depressants like alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants, this medication can have an additive sedative effect. Using this medication concomitantly with meprobamate is also not recommended.

CYP2C19 Inhibitors and inducers - because this medication is metabolized in the liver through CYP2C19 and forms a meprobamate, a simultaneous administration of CYP2C19 inhibitors (fluvoxamine or omeprazole) can lead to a reduced exposure of meprobamate and an enhanced exposure of Carisoprodol. Aspirin in low dosage has also showed some induction effect on CYP2C19, although the pharmacological effect of these has not been fully studied.

Other drugs can interact with Carisoprodol as well. It is best to talk to your doctor and mention all the medication you are taking before taking this drug. Interactions with herbal products, minerals and vitamins, and any other drugs may be possible.

Overdose

The most common overdose effect from this medication is a CNS depression. Other problems, such as hypotension, respiratory depression, seizures, hallucinations, delirium, nystagmus, dystonic reactions, mydriasis, blurred vision, poor muscular coordination, headaches, coma and death have been reported as a result of overdose. Many cases of overdose were related to multiple drug overdose, when Carisoprodol has been used in excess dosage together with illegal drugs or alcohol. Because of its interaction with other CNS depressants, a simultaneous use of these with an excessive dose of Carisoprodol can lead to overdose.

If you miss a dose

If you happen to miss a dose you should take it as soon as you can. However, if you remember about it close to the time when your next dose is due, you should skip the missed dose and only take the one due. You should not double the dose in order to catch up.