Cyclobenzaprine: MedlinePlus Drug Information

If you have these symptoms, stop taking your medication and seek immediate medical help. There is also a slight risk that abuse of Cyclobenzaprine or Flexeril can lead to serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome occurs when you take medications that cause an excess of serotonin in your system. Whether cyclobenzaprine is superior to other drugs for the management of acute myofascial strain is unclear and it usually adds more side effects with little therapeutic gain (Turturro et al 2003). For neck pain, however, mixed results are obtained (Peloso et al 2005).

• There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding.
• Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur.
• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur.
• Taking MAO inhibitors with this medication may cause a serious (possibly fatal) drug interaction.
• Abuse of cyclobenzaprine is relatively rare but most often occurs in the context of other substance use.

A formulation of cyclobenzaprine is now being tested to treat combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Currently, it is in its third trial of drug testing and is being studied on military personnel. Research has found, so far, that the drug can help those with PTDS sleep better and have fewer nightmares.

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Drowsiness is the most commonly reported side effect in studies, occurring in up to 38% (38 out of 100) of people. Avoid or limit the use of alcohol or other sedating medicines while being treated with cyclobenzaprine. Also avoid driving, operating machinery, or other hazardous activities until you know how cyclobenzaprine affects you.

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We may be paid a fee for marketing or advertising by organizations that can assist with treating people with substance use disorders. However, it should be noted that Flexeril can cause peripheral vasodilation leading to hypotension as an adverse reaction, but this is only transient. Furthermore, some which are used for the treatment of blood pressure, like guanethidine, can have their efficacies lowered when used concomitantly with Flexeril.

In some cases, medications may be administered to help make the process more comfortable and decrease the likelihood of immediate relapse. Cyclobenzaprine is not designed for long-term use, and patients should follow the regimen provided by their physician, said Dr. Kiran Patel, pain management specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital. “It’s a muscle relaxant that can help with a muscle spam or the sensation of tightness,” Patel told Live Science. He has a particular interest in psychopharmacology, nutritional psychiatry, and alternative treatment options involving particular vitamins, dietary supplements, and administering auricular acupuncture. As previously mentioned, one of the most commonly encountered adverse drug reactions of therapeutic Cyclobenzaprine use seen in ≥3% of the patients is drowsiness. Drowsiness manifests as feelings of tiredness, sluggishness, and lessened reaction time.

Muscle Cramps (Charley Horse) and Muscle Spasms

The elderly may also be more at risk for CNS adverse events such as hallucinations and confusion, cardiac events resulting in falls or other sequelae, drug-drug and drug-disease interactions. For these reasons, in the elderly, cyclobenzaprine should be used only if clearly needed. In such patients FLEXERIL should be initiated with a 5 mg dose and titrated slowly upward.

This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body. To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases.

Do not use cyclobenzaprine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine. Secondary endpoints included a physician’s https://flexeril.live evaluation of the presence and extent of palpable muscle spasm. In light of these findings, therapy with FLEXERIL in the elderly should be initiated with a 5 mg dose and titrated slowly upward.

In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Cyclobenzaprine is used to help relax certain muscles in your body.