Carisoprodol is used to relax muscles and relieve pain and discomfort brought on by sprains, strains, and other muscle injuries. It is also used in conjunction with rest, physical therapy, and other treatments. Carisoprodol belongs to the group of drugs known as skeletal muscle relaxants. It functions by having an effect on the nerve system and brain, enabling the muscles to relax.

Carisoprodol is available as an oral tablet. Three times a day, with or without breakfast, and at bedtime are typical administration timings. Without consulting your doctor, do not take this medication for longer than three weeks. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Carisoprodol should be taken as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

A dependence on carisoprodol is possible. Never exceed the recommended dosage, frequency, or duration. Always take the medication as directed by your doctor.

Before taking carisoprodol,

• If you have any allergies, including to meprobamate, other drugs, or any of the substances in carisoprodol tablets, notify your doctor and pharmacist right away. Get an ingredient list from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements that you now take or intend to take. Make certain to bring up any of the following: aspirin, omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegrid), diazepam (Diastat, Valium, Valtoco), estazolam, flurazepam, lorazepam (Ativan), triazolam (Halcion), and other benzodiazepines including alprazolam (Xanax), fluvoxamine (Luvox), as well as other cold, allergy, and cough medicines, opioid (narcotic) painkillers like hydrocodone (Hysingla, in Anexsia), meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Methadose), morphine, oxycodone (Oxaydo, Xtampza, in Percocet, among others), and tramadol (Conzip, Qdolo, Ultram, in Ultracet, among others); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); tranquillizers, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), such as amitriptyline, amoxapine, clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Silenor), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline, and trimipramine. Your doctor might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Please let your doctor know if you are taking any herbal supplements, especially St. John’s wort.
• If you have or have ever had porphyria, let your doctor know (an inherited blood disease that may cause skin or nervous system problems). Most likely, your doctor will advise against taking carisoprodol.
• Inform your physician if you currently use or have previously used excessive amounts of street drugs, alcohol, or prescription medications. Moreover, let your doctor know if you suffer from renal or liver illness or have ever had seizures.
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking carisoprodol.
• If you are 65 years of age or older, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of taking carisoprodol with your doctor. Carisoprodol is often not recommended for usage by older adults since it is less reliable and less efficient than alternative drugs that can be used to treat the same condition.
• You should be aware that this medication might make you sleepy. Until you are aware of how carisoprodol affects you, avoid operating machinery or driving a car.
• Inquire with your doctor if drinking alcohol is okay for you to do while taking carisoprodol. Carisoprodol adverse effects can be exacerbated by alcohol.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Carisoprodol’s negative effects could occur. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Clumsiness
• Headache
• Rapid heartbeat
• Uneasy stomach
• Vomiting
• Skin rash

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Seizures
• Having trouble breathing

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it at room temperature, away from heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose symptoms could include:

• Muscle twitching or stiffness, significant muscle atrophy, or hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist)
• Having trouble breathing
• Shallow or slowly paced breathing
• Seizures
• Alterations to vision
• Increase in pupil size (the black circle in the centre of the eye)
• Headache

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

No one else should take your medication. Carisoprodol is an illegal drug. Only a limited amount of refills are permitted for prescriptions; if you have any doubts, speak with your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.