Methocarbamol

Methocarbamol is a prescription medication used with rest, physical therapy, and other measures to relax muscles and relieve pain and discomfort caused by strains, sprains, and other muscle injuries. Methocarbamol belongs to a group of drugs called muscle relaxants. The exact way it works is unknown, but it seems to exert its effects by acting on the central nervous system, rather than directly relaxing muscle.

This medication comes in tablet form. It is usually taken 3 or 4 times daily. There is also an injectable form of methocarbamol to be given directly into a vein (IV) or muscle (IM) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, and headache. Methocarbamol can also cause dizziness, drowsiness and blurred vision. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.

Methocarbamol is a prescription medication used with rest, physical therapy, and other measures to relax muscles and relieve pain and discomfort caused by acute (short-term) muscle injuries. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Methocarbamol may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Carbacot

• Robaxin

• Robaxisal

• Skelex

Common side effects include:

• drowsiness
• dizziness
• headache
• nausea
• vomiting
• blurred vision
• fever
• changes in urine color

​This is not a complete list of methocarbamol side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• alcohol
• benzodiazepines (drugs used to treat anxiety, panic attacks and other conditions) such as alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clobazam (Onfi), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), temazepam (Restoril) and others
• opioids (narcotic pain medicines) such as hydrocodone (in Lortab, in Vicodin), morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, others), oxycodone (Oxycontin)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, amoxapine, desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin, imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil)
• sleep medicines such as eszopiclone (Lunesta), ramelteon (Rozerem), zaleplon (Sonata), zolpidem (Ambien)
• other medicines that cause sedation

This is not a complete list of methocarbamol drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Methocarbamol may increase your risk for seizures, including grand mal seizures. Tell your doctor if you have epilepsy or have had seizures in the past.
• This medication may cause dizziness and drowsiness. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.
• Alcohol should be avoided as it can increase drowsiness when taken with methocarbamol.

Do not take methocarbamol if you are allergic to any ingredient in methocarbamol.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of methocarbamol, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking methocarbamol, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to any ingredient in methocarbamol
• have kidney or liver disease
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Methocarbamol falls into category C. No studies have been done in animals, and no well-controlled studies have been done in pregnant women. Methocarbamol should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if methocarbamol crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using methocarbamol.

Methocarbamol comes in tablet form amd in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) or muscle (IM).

Take methocarbamol exactly as prescribed.

Oral:

• Methocarbamol comes in tablet form.
• It is usually taken 3 or 4 times daily. However, sometimes it is taken just twice daily or up to 6 times a day.
• Methocarbamol can be taken with or without food.
• If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of methocarbamol at the same time.

Take methocarbamol exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends will be based on the severity of your condition as well as other conditions you may have.

If you take too much methocarbamol, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store tablets at room temperature between 20°C and 25°C (68°F and 77°F).
• Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.