Description
What is Soma?
Soma is a muscle relaxer that blocks pain sensations between the nerves and the brain.
Soma is used together with rest and physical therapy to treat skeletal muscle conditions such as pain or injury.
Soma should only be used for short periods (up to two or three weeks) because there is no evidence of its effectiveness in long term use and most skeletal muscle injuries are generally of short duration.
Warnings
You should not take Soma if you have porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that causes symptoms affecting the skin or nervous system) or are allergic to carisoprodol or meprobamate.
Carisoprodol may be habit-forming. Never share this medicine with another person. Misuse of habit-forming medicine can cause addiction, overdose, or death.
Carisoprodol can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase drowsiness and dizziness caused by this medicine.
You may have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using Soma after using it over a long period of time. Do not stop using this medication suddenly without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.
Before taking this medicine
You should not use Soma if you are allergic to carisoprodol or meprobamate, or if you have:
- porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that causes symptoms affecting the skin or nervous system).
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- liver disease;
- kidney disease; or
- a seizure.
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant.
Carisoprodol can pass into breast milk and may cause drowsiness in a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
Soma is not approved for use by anyone younger than 16 years old.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine.
How should I take Soma?
Take Soma exactly as it was prescribed for you. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets.
Carisoprodol may be habit-forming. Misuse can cause addiction, overdose, or death. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
Soma is usually taken 3 times per day and at bedtime. Follow your doctor’s dosing instructions very carefully.
Soma should be taken only 2 or 3 weeks. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, or if they get worse.
Do not stop using carisoprodol suddenly after long-term use, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using this medicine.
Soma is only part of a complete program of treatment that may also include rest, physical therapy, or other pain relief measures. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
