Metaxalone (By mouth)
me-TAX-a-lone
Relaxes certain muscles and relieves pain caused by muscle injuries, sprains, and strains. Belongs to the group of drugs called muscle relaxants.
Drug classes
Skeletal Muscle Relaxant, Centrally Acting (About this – PubMed Health)
Uses
Uses of This Medicine
Metaxalone is used to relax certain muscles in your body and relieve the discomfort caused by acute (short-term), painful muscle or bone conditions. However, this medicine does not take the place of rest, exercise, physical therapy, or other treatments that your doctor may recommend for your medical condition.
Metaxalone is a skeletal muscle relaxant. It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to relax muscles.
This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.
Other uses (PubMed Health)
How To Use
Tablet
Take this medicine exactly as your doctor ordered.
May be taken with or without food.
If a dose is missed:
Take the missed dose as soon as possible if it is within 1 hour of your regular dosing time.
If it is almost time for your next regular dose, skip the missed dose and take your medicine at your usual times.
You should not use two doses at the same time.
How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine:
Store at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children.
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Make sure your doctor knows if you are taking other drugs that could make you sleepy such as sleeping pills, cold or allergy medicine, other muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, narcotic pain killers or antidepressants.
Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine.
When Not To Use
You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to metaxalone.
Warnings
Check with your doctor before taking this medicine if you have blood, kidney, or liver disease, or seizures.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk with your doctor before taking this medicine.
This medicine may make you drowsy or dizzy. Be careful if you are driving a car or using machinery.
Metaxalone may affect the results tests that checks for sugar in the urine of patients with diabetes. If you have diabetes don’t make any changes in your medicine or diet unless you have checked with your doctor.
Possible side effects
Summary More details
Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:
Fast or irregular heartbeat
Wheezing or trouble breathing
Skin rash, severe itching or hives
Swelling of the face, eyelids, mouth, or lips
Unusual bruising or bleeding
Unexplained fever or sore throat
Yellowing of the skin or eyes
If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:
Dizziness, drowsiness, or confusion
Headache, nervousness, or irritability
Stomach upset or heartburn
Blurred vision
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More side effects of this drug
Brand names include
Metaxall, Skelaxin
There may be other brand names for this medicine.
