Carisoprodol

About Carisoprodol

The label says how carisoprodol relieves this discomfort has not been clearly identified; in animal studies, its muscle relaxation is linked to altered nerve activity in the spinal cord and the descending reticular formation of the brain. One of its breakdown products, meprobamate, has anti-anxiety and sedative effects. It is labeled for adults, at 250 to 350 mg three times a day and at bedtime, for up to two or three weeks, because adequate evidence of effectiveness with longer use has not been established and acute musculoskeletal conditions are generally short. Its safety and effectiveness have not been established under age 16 or over 65, and MedlinePlus says older adults should not usually take it because it is not as safe or effective as other medicines for the same condition.

There is no boxed warning. Carisoprodol is sedating and can impair driving or operating machinery, and its sedation adds to that of alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids and tricyclic antidepressants. It can cause dependence, as can meprobamate, and stopping abruptly after prolonged use has brought on withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, tremors, muscle twitching, anxiety, unsteadiness, hallucinations and psychosis, so people who have taken large doses or taken it for a long time should not stop suddenly. Seizures have been reported since it came to market, mostly in overdoses involving several drugs. It must not be taken by people with acute intermittent porphyria or a past allergic reaction to a carbamate such as meprobamate. Drowsiness, dizziness and headache are the most common side effects.

As a Schedule IV drug, a prescription can carry up to five refills within six months of the date written, and refill information can be transferred to another pharmacy only once unless the two share a real-time online database. The liver enzyme CYP2C19 clears carisoprodol: people with reduced CYP2C19 activity have higher carisoprodol levels, drugs that inhibit it, such as omeprazole and fluvoxamine, can raise carisoprodol and lower meprobamate, and inducers such as rifampin and St. John’s wort do the reverse. Kidney or liver impairment calls for caution. In pregnancy, available data have not identified a drug-associated risk of major birth defects or miscarriage, and a breastfed baby should be watched for sedation.

Taking Carisoprodol

How to take it

Three times a day and at bedtime, with or without food, for no longer than your prescriber directs, which is usually two or three weeks at most. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.

If you miss a dose

Take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for the next dose; then skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose.

Storage

At room temperature in the original container, tightly closed, away from heat and moisture, up and away and out of children’s sight and reach. Use a take-back program rather than flushing it.

Interactions to know about

Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants and other sedating medicines add to drowsiness. Taking it with meprobamate is not recommended. Omeprazole and fluvoxamine can raise carisoprodol levels, while rifampin and St. John’s wort can lower them and raise meprobamate.

This summarizes the official prescribing information. Your prescriber’s and pharmacist’s instructions, and the leaflet that comes with your medicine, take priority.

Why the cash price for Carisoprodol differs from pharmacy to pharmacy

Generic 350 mg carisoprodol has been approved since the early 1980s and comes from many makers, so it costs pharmacies little and a short course is priced mostly on the dispensing fee and markup. The 250 mg tablet has fewer generic makers, so a pharmacy may need to order it and quotes for it can vary more, and a prescription that names Soma and blocks substitution is filled with the brand.

Four doses a day add up where a pharmacy prices per tablet. For a Schedule IV prescription, refill information can be transferred between pharmacies only once unless they share a real-time database, so it is worth choosing the pharmacy before the first fill if refills are written.

Ways to pay less for Carisoprodol without insurance

• Ask for generic substitution, and ask whether carisoprodol is on the pharmacy’s flat-price generic list.
• Compare more than one pharmacy before the first fill, since refill information can be transferred only once.
• Ask the prescriber how many days you need it, so the quantity matches a short course.
• If it is quoted high or hard to find, ask the prescriber whether another muscle relaxant, such as methocarbamol, would suit you.
• Upload the prescription to Script Unlock so licensed pharmacies can quote their cash price. You pay the pharmacy directly.

Questions to ask your pharmacist about Carisoprodol

1. 1.How many days should I take it, and what should I do if my pain lasts longer?
2. 2.Is it safe with my pain, sleep or anxiety medicines, or with alcohol?
3. 3.Do any of my medicines, such as omeprazole, change how it works?
4. 4.How should I stop it if I have taken it for a while?

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