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What is the most important information I should know about metaxalone?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to metaxalone, or if you have anemia (a lack of red blood cells), or severe kidney or liver disease.

Before using metaxalone, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have liver or kidney disease. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take metaxalone.

Metaxalone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of metaxalone.

Warning

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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What is metaxalone?

Metaxalone is a muscle relaxant. It works by blocking nerve impulses (or pain sensations) in the brain.

Metaxalone is used together with rest and physical therapy to treat skeletal muscle conditions such as pain or injury.

Metaxalone may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.


Precautions

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to metaxalone, or if you have:

  • anemia (a lack of red blood cells);
  • severe kidney disease; or
  • severe liver disease.

Before using metaxalone, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have liver or kidney disease. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take metaxalone.

This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether metaxalone passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Metaxalone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of metaxalone.

Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by metaxolone. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines, or any other muscle relaxer.

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Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of metaxolone can be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, slow or shallow breathing, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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Side-effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using metaxalone and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

  • nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite;
  • low fever;
  • dark urine, clay-colored stools; or
  • jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

  • drowsiness, dizziness;
  • feeling nervous or irritable;
  • headache;
  • mild nausea, vomiting, upset stomach; or
  • skin rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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Interactions

There may be other drugs that can interact with metaxalone. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

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Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04

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