Flexeril Side Effects: Common, Severe, Long Term

Flexeril Side Effects: Common, Severe, Long Term

I did drink some alcohol when it was offered to me, and the strangest thing happened. I was sitting on the sofa in the living room, and after some time, I couldn’t move my legs. They didn’t hurt at all, but it was like the connection between my legs and my brain had been severed. I slept there until the morning, at which point, I was still groggy, but at least I could move my legs. Getting high on Flexeril is kind of like being on a vacation.

Muscle spasm, local pain and tenderness, limitation of motion, and restriction in activities of daily living were evaluated. In three of these studies there was a significantly greater improvement with FLEXERIL than with diazepam, while in the other studies the improvement following both treatments was comparable. Cyclobenzaprine caused slight to moderate increase in heart rate in animals. Cyclobenzaprine reduced or abolished skeletal muscle hyperactivity in several animal models. Animal studies indicate that cyclobenzaprine does not act at the neuromuscular junction or directly on skeletal muscle.

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The overall incidence of adverse reactions among patients in the surveillance program was less than the incidence in the controlled clinical studies. Flexeril addiction can lead to a variety of harmful side effects that can impact one’s daily quality of life. However, addiction can be treated, helping to reduce or even undo the negative side effects that may have occurred with substance abuse.

However, consult your healthcare provider if you experience severe or persistent side effects. Professionals generally consider Flexeril to be nonaddictive; however, there is evidence that Flexeril addiction is possible. Flexeril depresses the central nervous system, an effect some find desirable, which can lead to misuse. An individual might abuse Flexeril in order to feel relaxed, mildly euphoric, or sedated. Flexeril produces a variety of anticholinergic effects in high doses, altering the activity of brain neurotransmitters. Additionally, Flexeril users may experience mild withdrawal symptoms if the drug is used chronically in high doses.

Flexeril in Blood

The PAC Program offers several Flexeril addiction treatment options, including these listed below. Soma withdrawal is usually more severe and can include symptoms like hallucinations and seizures. For your safety and comfort, the best inpatient drug rehab center facility may include a detox program to manage withdrawal symptoms. After detox patients can transition into the actual treatment phase of the program. Some people may not require a supervised detox program and will be able to undergo treatment on an outpatient basis.

  • The immediate-release formulation generally remains effective for about four to six hours, while the extended-release can work for about 12 hours on pain and muscle spasms.
  • The dosage and frequency of use of the medication will depend on several factors, such as the medical condition being treated, age, medical history, and other prescription medication regimens.
  • Modifying the drug dose without consulting a physician to amplify its impact is also not recommended.
  • The expiration date indicates the date until the manufacturer guarantees the full potency and safety of the medication when stored properly.

This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval. Dogs can take muscle relaxers such as Flexeril for pain relief. Veterinarians suggest short-term treatments with Flexeril for dogs and cats with acute muscle spasms. However, the dosage strength differs for humans and dogs, and dogs are at risk for addiction.

Statistics on Flexeril Use

However, the half-life of immediate-release cyclobenzaprine is 18 hours on average, with a range of 8-37 hours. 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.

Misuse of Flexeril or combining it with other drugs or alcohol can amplify the potential side effects as well as the risk for fatal overdose. A cyclobenzaprine overdose can come on suddenly and rapidly. The most common side effects are arrhythmia (irregular heart rate) and drowsiness. The immediate-release formulation generally remains effective for about four to six hours, while the extended-release can work for about 12 hours on pain and muscle spasms. Flexeril is an effective treatment for pain and muscle spasms for a relatively short period of time. Flexeril is a pain reliever that is widely taken to relieve muscle spasms and improve motor abilities, sleep, and energy levels.

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Central nervous system depression, seizures, heart attack, and even death can occur. Abuse of muscle relaxants alone is uncommon; https://flexeril.live often, it involves other substances. Yes, you can overdose on Flexeril — including cyclobenzaprine 10 mg dose.

What is Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)?

Some people’s metabolism is faster than others; this allows their bodies to detox quickly and metabolize the drug. Metabolic speed is determined by weight, age, health, and genetics. Flexeril usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour to work after being ingested to show relaxation activity. It peaks at around 3 to 4 hours, and then the effects begin to wear off. This timeline is appropriate for an immediate-release formulation. In the case of an extended-release formulation, the effects last for up to 24 hours.

Cyclobenzaprine StatPearls NCBI Bookshelf

Cyclobenzaprine StatPearls NCBI Bookshelf

If there are tender spots over the muscle or trigger points on physical examination, a skeletal muscle relaxant is a reasonable adjunct to analgesic treatment of low back pain. Skeletal muscle relaxants may also be used as an alternative to NSAIDs in patients who are at risk of gastrointestinal or renal complications. Cyclobenzaprine is used to help relax certain muscles in your body. It helps relieve pain, stiffness, and discomfort caused by strains, sprains, or injuries to your muscles. However, this medicine does not take the place of rest, exercise or physical therapy, or other treatment that your doctor may recommend for your medical problem. Cyclobenzaprine acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to produce its muscle relaxant effects.

Cyclobenzaprine belongs to a class of drugs called muscle relaxants. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. Professionals generally consider Flexeril to be nonaddictive; however, there is evidence that Flexeril addiction is possible. Flexeril depresses the central nervous system, an effect some find desirable, which can lead to misuse.

All patients suspected of an overdose with FLEXERIL should receive gastrointestinal decontamination. This should include large volume gastric lavage followed by activated charcoal. If consciousness is impaired, the airway should be secured prior to lavage and emesis is contraindicated. Other potential effects of overdosage include any of the symptoms listed under ADVERSE REACTIONS. This medication is not recommended for use in older adults because they may be at greater risk for side effects while using this drug. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.

Cyclobenzaprine may interact with other medications

Cyclobenzaprine is not a narcotic or an opioid, and is not scheduled by the DEA. That being said, dependency can develop if directions and dosage aren’t followed, so be careful to use this drug only as directed by your doctor. Cyclobenzaprine – including Flexeril and Amrixz – is not a narcotic drug or scheduled by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. Alcohol may intensify some of the side effects of this medication.

  • Each type of prescription muscle relaxer has different possible side effects.
  • Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 3 Sep 2023), Cerner Multum™ (updated 28 Aug 2023), ASHP (updated 10 Aug 2023) and others.
  • Flexeril is used together with rest and physical therapy to treat skeletal muscle conditions such as pain, injury, or spasms.
  • Overdose symptoms may include severe drowsiness, vomiting, fast heartbeats, tremors, agitation, or hallucinations.
  • This is more likely to happen in the few hours after you take it.

The medication helps control the muscle spasms that result in pain. Typically, a doctor will prescribe Flexeril as part of a treatment plan that also includes rest and physical therapy. 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 does flexeril lower blood pressure 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. The plasma concentration of cyclobenzaprine is increased in patients with hepatic impairment (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Pharmacokinetics,Hepatic Impairment).

Hepatic Impairment

Signs of Flexeril overdose include agitation, trouble speaking or moving, and hallucinations (15). If you’re experienced severe musculoskeletal pain that hasn’t responded to physical therapy and over-the-counter medications, your doctor may consider prescribing stronger drugs. Muscle relaxants are one such class of second-line pain medications that are particularly useful for acute pain.

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Talk to your provider if you experience any bothersome side effects. Depending on the type of muscle relaxer, there are different forms in which you can take them, such as tablets, capsules, solutions or injections. Baclofen is considered the first-line treatment for spasticity, especially for adults who have spinal cord injuries.

McGraw Hill Medical

The drug will need to build up in your system in order to have maximum effect. If an antidepressant helps to some degree but you still have pain, talk to a healthcare provider about incorporating a medication from another drug class into your treatment plan. In patients with CNS depression, early intubation is advised because of the potential for abrupt deterioration. Seizures should be controlled with benzodiazepines or, if these are ineffective, other anticonvulsants (e.g. phenobarbital, phenytoin). Physostigmine is not recommended except to treat life-threatening symptoms that have been unresponsive to other therapies, and then only in close consultation with a poison control center.

In patients with CNS depression, early intubation is advised because of the potential for abrupt deterioration. Seizures should be controlled with benzodiazepines or, if these are ineffective, other anticonvulsants (e.g. phenobarbital, phenytoin). Physostigmine is not recommended except to treat life-threatening symptoms that have been unresponsive to other therapies, and then only in close consultation with a poison control center. The plasma concentration of cyclobenzaprine is increased in patients with hepatic impairment (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Pharmacokinetics, Hepatic Impairment). Cyclobenzaprine is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant structurally related to tricyclic antidepressants.

If you feel that you’re dependent on carisoprodol or diazepam or your prescribed dosage isn’t helping to manage your symptoms, don’t take more than your recommended dosage. Yes, prescription muscle relaxers can make you sleepy due to how they affect your central nervous system. Because of this, you should be cautious about operating heavy machinery, such as driving a car, or making important decisions while taking these medications.