26 Dec 2022
Metaxalone, also known as Skelaxin, is a muscle relaxant drug. This drug is used to relieve pain, muscle spasms, pain caused by injury, wrench, or any other musculoskeletal condition. The mechanism of action of metaxalone is to block nerve impulses (nerve impulses that cause pain) in the brain and release relaxing chemicals, which help to recover from acute pain. It is better to rest and do physical therapy and medication for better results.
At the same time, it is also a fact that many muscle relaxants and painkillers are narcotics that eventually lead to drug addiction. That's why it is always better to research before taking any muscle relaxer. Now the real question is whether metaxalone has nicotine or not. If it is, what precautionary steps should you take to prevent addiction?
Is Metaxalone A Narcotic?
Yes, metaxalone is probably a narcotic because it belongs to the opioids group (opioids are the substances that produce morphine-like effects to reduce pain which can be addictive).
However, metaxalone treats short-term pain and has less strength than Flexeril. But the addictive effect of this medicine is not entirely and exactly known.
On the other hand, Flexeril treats long-term pain and can be highly addictive due to its narcotic substances. This medicine can be abusive if you take it after dissolving in alcohol or snorting Skelaxin.
P.S.: Metaxalone and Flexeril are almost the same things. They share strength and longevity differences.
Recommended Dose and Form for Preventing Addiction
Taking the recommended dose and form of medicine is very important to prevent addiction. Children above the age of 12 and adults are prescribed to take a dose of 800mg with a gap of 6-8 hours. Whereas children below age are not recommended to take metaxalone for relaxing muscles.
Metaxalone comes in capsules and tablets, but you must take medicine in capsule form to prevent addiction. In capsule form, the narcotic substance in the drug doesn't affect much compared to tablet form.
Side Effects of Metaxalone
Because of narcotic elements, any muscle relaxant can show adverse effects besides getting addicted to it. Similarly, metaxalone can cause side effects if you take it in bulk quantity without considering the time and dose of taking it. Some of the common side effects may include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Feeling lethargic
- Dizziness? Can Make You Sleepy
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Grumpiness
- Skin rash
- Low blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Other serious side effects are also mentioned below:
- Upset stomach and severe pain
- Loss of appetite
- Low fever
- Urinary problems
- Sweating
- Bleeding from nose
On facing any serious side effects, you just need to call your doctor and stop taking medicine. These side effects may lead to other health issues that may take much time to recover.
Interaction of Metaxalone with Other Drugs
If you don't want to be in an unconscious state all the time, do not take metaxalone with any other muscle relaxant, cough reliever, drugs for sleep, or opioid pain reliever. When metaxalone interacts with other drowsiness-causing drugs, it increases the sedation effect as you have drunk alcohol or consumed any morphine substance.
In this way, it is highly addictive. One taking metaxalone and other drugs such as lorazepam, alprazolam, zolpidem, etc., may get so obsessed with the medicine that it will be difficult to stop taking them.
So it is better not to take this medicine with any other drug, and if you are taking a single drug (metaxalone), do not take it every day. It will help you in preventing yourself from getting addicted.
What Are The Other Things You Should Do While Taking Metaxalone?
Here are several things you can do while consuming metaxalone. These will help you recover from your disease far better without getting any side effects.
- Take medicine with water, and do not take more than one pill simultaneously.
- Take your dose with food and not with an empty stomach, as with food, the drug shows its effects appropriately.
- While taking this medication, avoid driving a car or doing other physical activities that need more attention, as the drug causes drowsiness.
- If you are pregnant or about to become one, tell your doctor before taking medicine. It is not known if pregnant women can take metaxalone or not.
- If you drink alcohol, stop drinking it while getting the treatment done with this medicine because it can increase sedation effects.
Lastly, ask your doctor about the ingredients in metaxalone; if you are allergic to any ingredient, do not take this medicine.
Conclusion
To live a healthy life and recover from your disease, you need to follow your doctor's instructions and not do what other patients with similar diseases tell you to do because every case differs. Go for regular check-ups and briefly describe your health practitioner's health history and if you were taking any other supplements before including metaxalone in your treatment.
