Skelaxin (Metaxalone)

SKELAXIN tablets are best taken on an empty stomach or with a small snack. Taking SKELAXIN with food can increase the effects of this drug.

Children, Older People and SKELAXIN

Older people may be more susceptible to drowsiness and dizziness when taking SKELAXIN. Since the safety of SKELAXIN in children under 12 has not been studied, they should not take the drug.

SKELAXIN Overdose

There have been some cases of death when SKELAXIN is combined with alcohol or drugs that affect the nervous system.

You should not drink alcohol while taking SKELAXIN, and you must be sure to tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other muscle relaxants, painkillers, sleep medications, or drugs for mood, anxiety, depression, or other psychological conditions.

If you suspect an overdose, you should contact a poison-control center or emergency room immediately.

Missed Dose of SKELAXIN

If you miss a dose of SKELAXIN, try to take it as soon as you remember.

If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next scheduled dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of the medication at the same time.

Common Side Effects of SKELAXIN

If you have any of the following more common side effects of SKELAXIN, and they do not go away or they become severe, call your doctor or get emergency medical help:

• Minor sleepiness
• Mild dizziness
• Headache
• Indigestion
• Nervousness

Serious Side Effects and Reactions

SKELAXIN may cause serious side effects. You should tell your doctor right away or get emergency medical help if you experience any of the following:

• Any breathing problems
• Nausea or throwing up
• Severe headache
• Extreme sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Irregular heartbeats
• Any severe allergic reaction

Before taking SKELAXIN, you should tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease.

If you are older, your doctor may also want to check your kidney or liver function, or discuss whether you should eat or fast when taking SKELAXIN. Also tell your doctor if you have anemia or if other drugs have caused you to have anemia.

Your doctor may monitor your liver function and your infection-fighting white blood cells while you are taking SKELAXIN.

You should tell your doctor immediately or get emergency medical help if you experience any of the following while taking SKELAXIN:

• Extra drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nervousness
• Upset stomach
• Serious rash or other skin problems
• Yellowing of the skin, eyes, or nails (jaundice)
• Any new infections

In rare cases, some people may have a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. Get emergency medical help right away if you experience what is known as anaphylaxis. Symptoms include:

• throat closing up or swollen tongue
• a severe rash (hives)
• red and swollen eyes
• trouble breathing

SKELAXIN should either be avoided or used very carefully if you have heart failure, angina (chest pain), are having a heart attack, have an overactive thyroid, have bad kidney disease, or have moderate-to-severe liver disease.

You should not stop taking SKELAXIN all at once. To avoid a withdrawal reaction, you need to lower the dose of the SKELAXIN little by little over a two-week period, under the guidance of your doctor.

Pregnancy and SKELAXIN

You should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before taking this medication.

You should tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. While we don’t know if SKELAXIN crosses into human breast milk, it has been found in the breast milk of laboratory rats.

It’s always important to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your treatments, including over-the-counter (OTC) medications; vitamins, nutritional shakes, protein powders, and other supplements; herbal treatments or other alternative medicines; and any illegal or recreational drugs.

You should never take the following drugs while taking SKELAXIN:

• Antihistamines that contain carbinoxamine (such as Arbinoxa and Palgic)
• Doxylamine-containing drugs, such as Unisom or combination medicines
• Sodium oxybate (Xyrem), used to treat daytime sleepiness and some kinds of muscle problems

You should talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of the following medications, which are known to interact with SKELAXIN:

• Allergy medicines, such as the antihistamines diphenhydramine (Benadryl), cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), or others
• Anxiety medications, including alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam, diazepam (Valium), and others
• Seizure, convulsion, or epilepsy medicines
• Any sleep medicines
• Other muscle relaxants, such as carisoprodol (Soma) or cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
• Pain relievers that act through your nervous system, such as hydrocodone-containing products (like Lortab or Vicodon), morphine (Avinza), codeine-containing drugs (such as Tylenol #3), or others
• Medications that treat anxiety, depression, or other psychological states

SKELAXIN and Alcohol

You should not consume alcohol or use any medication that dulls the nervous system while taking SKELAXIN, because it can be dangerous and make the effects of SKELAXIN too strong.

The FDA has a special warning against drinking alcohol while taking SKELAXIN — alcohol can increase the effects of the medicine, and it has contributed to deaths in overdose cases.

SKELAXIN and Grapefruit Juice

SKELAXIN is broken down by the liver, but its exact process is unknown.

Therefore, is it not clear if grapefruit juice affects how SKELAXIN works. To be on the safe side, avoid or limit your intake of grapefruit juice while taking the medicine.

SKELAXIN and Other Interactions

Ask your pharmacist about the ingredients of cough and cold medicines before using them while you are taking SKELAXIN.

Some cough and cold drugs contain antihistamines or cause drowsiness, and should be taken with caution (or not at all) while you are on SKELAXIN.