Methocarbamol Oral Tablet

Methocarbamol oral tablet is a prescription drug that’s available as the brand-name drug Robaxin. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less. In some cases, they may not be available in every strength or form as the brand-named version.

Methocarbamol is available as an injectable solution. However, that form is only given by a healthcare provider.

Why it's used

Methocarbamol is used with rest and physical therapy for the treatment of muscle pain and stiffness.

How it works

Methocarbamol belongs to a class of drugs called muscle relaxers. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.

It’s thought that this drug decreases your body’s messages of pain and slows down your nervous system. This relaxes your muscles and provides pain relief.

Methocarbamol oral tablet may cause drowsiness. It may also cause other side effects.

More common side effects

The more common side effects of methocarbamol can include:

• headaches
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• drowsiness
• sedation

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:

• Allergic reaction. Symptoms can include:
  • rash
  • itching
  • hives
  • swelling of your face, eyes, throat, and tongue
  • chest tightness
  • difficulty breathing
• Angioneurotic edema. Symptoms can include:
  • swollen tissues
  • pain in your abdomen
  • swelling of your voice box
• Slowed heart rate
• Flushing
• Low blood pressure
• Injection site reactions. Symptoms can include:
  • swelling of the vein at the injection site
  • pain at the injection site
  • peeling of skin at the injection site
  • redness at the injection site
• Jaundice. Symptoms can include:
  • yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes
• Low white blood cell counts
• Loss of memory
• Confusion
• Side effects that affect vision, including:
  • double vision
  • blurred vision
  • uncontrolled eye movement
• Pink eye. Symptoms can include:
  • red eyes
  • watery eyes
  • itchy eyes
• Lack of coordination
• Sleeplessness
• Seizures
• Vertigo

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.

Methocarbamol oral tablet comes with several warnings.

Allergy warning

Methocarbamol can cause a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms can include:

• rash
• hives
• trouble breathing
• swelling of your throat or tongue or both

If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could be fatal (cause death).

Alcohol interaction

Drinking alcohol can increase the sedating effect of this drug. If you drink alcohol, talk to your doctor.

Warnings for people with certain health conditions

For people with liver disease: Methocarbamol is broken down in your body by your liver. If you have liver disease, this drug may build up in your body. This can increase your risk of side effects. Your doctor may start you on a lower dose or put you on a different schedule.

Warnings for other groups

For pregnant women: Methocarbamol is a category C pregnancy drug. That means two things:

1. Research in animals has shown adverse effects to the fetus when the mother takes the drug.
2. There haven’t been enough studies done in humans to be certain how the drug might affect the fetus.

Talk to your doctor if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant. This drug should be used only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

For women who are breastfeeding: Methocarbamol may pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication.

For seniors: The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects. Your doctor may start you on a lower dose or a different dosing schedule. This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body.

For children: This medication should not be used in people younger than 16 years of age.

Methocarbamol oral tablet is used for short-term treatment. It comes with serious risks if you don’t take it as prescribed.

If you stop taking the drug or don’t take it at all: Your muscle pain will remain uncontrolled. You will continue to experience pain and spasms.

If you miss doses or don’t take the drug on schedule: Your medication may not work as well or may stop working completely. For this drug to work well, a certain amount needs to be in your body at all times.

If you take too much: You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body. Symptoms of an overdose of this drug can include:

• nausea
• drowsiness
• blurry vision
• seizures
• coma

If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor or local poison control center. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

What to do if you miss a dose: Take your dose as soon as you remember. But if you remember just a few hours before your next scheduled dose, take only one dose. Never try to catch up by taking two doses at once. This could result in dangerous side effects.

How to tell if the drug is working: You should have decreased pain and stiffness.