Methocarbamol

What is this methocarbamol?

Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant. It is a medicine used to relax muscles or relieve muscle spasms after surgery.

You may hear methocarbamol called by its brand name, Robaxin. Methocarbamol comes in a tablet form.

Methocarbamol may be combined with other medicines to treat pain. When combined with ibuprofen (a pain medicine), you may hear it called Robax Platinum. When combined with acetaminophen (another pain medicine), you may hear it called Robaxacet or Methoxacet. When combined with aspirin (another pain medicine), you may hear it called Robaxisal or Methoxisal.

Before giving methocarbamol to your child?

Tell your child's doctor if your child has a history of allergic reaction or hypersensitivity to methocarbamol

Talk with your child's doctor or pharmacist if your child has any of the following conditions. Precautions may need to be taken with this medicine if your child has:

• kidney disease

• liver disease

How should you give your child this methocarbamol?

Give your child methocarbamol exactly as your doctor or pharmacist tells you.

Give your child only as much methocarbamol as your doctor or pharmacist tells you, or what is written on the package label.

Your child may take methocarbamol with or without food. Give methocarbamol with food if it upsets the stomach.

Tablets may be crushed and mixed with food or liquid if needed.

How long does methocarbamol take to work?

Your child may start feeling better soon (about half an hour) after starting this medicine.

What are the possible side effects of this methocarbamol?

Your child may have some of these side effects while she takes methocarbamol. Check with your child's doctor if your child continues to have any of these side effects, if they do not go away, or if they bother your child:

• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Blurry vision
• Nausea or upset stomach
• Urine may change colour to black, brown or green

Most of the following side effects are not common, but they may be a sign of a serious problem. Call your child's doctor right away or take your child to Emergency if your child has any of these side effects:

• skin rash or any other sign of allergic reaction (wheezing, chest tightness, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat)
• severe drowsiness
• severe weakness
• trouble breathing
• shakiness
• shortness of breath

What safety measures should you take when your child is taking methocarbamol?

There are some medicines that should not be taken together with methocarbamol or in some cases the dose of methocarbamol or the other medicine may need to be adjusted. It is important that you tell your doctor and pharmacist if your child takes any other medications (prescription, over-the-counter or herbal).

Some medications can cause added side effects when taken with methocarbamol. These include:

• strong pain medicine, such as morphine
• medicine for depression, such as citalopram
• medications for seizures, such as phenobarbital
• medications for nausea, such as Gravol
  
• lorazepam or diazepam

Methocarbamol may make your child dizzy, drowsy, and less alert than normal. Watch carefully when your child is doing something that she needs to be alert for, such as climbing stairs or riding a bike. Sometimes drowsiness may be preferred if the muscle pain is causing difficulty sleeping at night. In this case, you can give methocarbamol at nighttime.

Methocarbamol may also affect the results of some urine tests. If your child is getting a urine test done, tell your doctor about the medications she is taking.

What other important information should you know?

• Keep a list of all medications your child is on and show the list to the doctor or pharmacist.
• Methocarbamol can be purchased at your pharmacy without a prescription. Since methocarbamol may come in combination with medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist to choose the best product for your child.
• If using a combination product (methocarbamol combined with a pain medicine), talk to your pharmacist before giving your child any other pain medicine. Too much of certain pain medicines may cause harm to your child.
• Do not share your child's medicine with others and do not give anyone else's medicine to your child.
• Keep methocarbamol at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Do NOT store it in the bathroom or kitchen.
• Do not keep any medicines that are out of date. Check with your pharmacist about the best way to throw away outdated or leftover medicines.
  

Keep methocarbamol out of your child's sight and reach and locked up in a safe place. If your child takes too much methocarbamol, call the Ontario Poison Centre at one of these numbers. These calls are free.

• Call 416-813-5900 if you live in Toronto.
• Call 1-800-268-9017 if you live somewhere else in Ontario.
• If you live outside of Ontario, call your local Poison Information Centre.