Is cyclobenzaprine a controlled substance or addictive?

Schedule III drugs may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence. Examples include anabolic steroids, codeine products with aspirin or Tylenol®, and certain pregabalin and flexeril barbiturates. Since 1970 the United States has maintained theControlled Substance Act in an effort to protect the general public from potentially dangerous and addictive drugs.

If a person has an overactive thyroid, heart issues or problems with the liver, Flexeril can be risky and should not be taken. Prescription muscle relaxers can be effective in treating spasticity, muscle spasms and muscle-related pain. But it’s important to weigh the possible risks of these medications, including their side effects and addiction potential. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about all the options available to treat your symptoms.

• Cyclical antidepressants block the cardiac sodium channel and cause prolongation of cardiac depolarization, which manifests as QRS widening on electrocardiograms.
• It’s also be effective in treating low back pain, neck pain, and fibromyalgia.
• Cyclobenzaprine is believed to act on gamma and alpha neurons and their firing, to reduce muscle tension or spasms.
• Although it produces similar effects to opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin, the truth is that Flexeril is a muscle relaxant that belongs in a different class than other painkillers.
• There have been a number of fatalities reported as a result of the Flexeril and alcohol combination that occurred from physical harm caused by over-intoxication.

This is because cyclobenzaprine has a chemical structure like a tricyclic antidepressant. It has a half-life of 18 hours so it will stay in the body for about 90 hours. If a person has liver or kidney problems, the drug may remain in the body for longer.

Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) published that in 2011, more than 11,000 people sought emergency department (ED) treatment for abuse of cyclobenzaprine. The DEA reports that there were more than 25 million prescriptions written for cyclobenzaprine in 2011, which may be a common medication prescribed for back pain. Flexeril comes in tablet form in both immediate- and extended-release formations to be swallowed. To find a treatment program, browse the top-rated addiction treatment facilities in each state by visiting our homepage, or by viewing the SAMHSA Treatment Services Locator. The helpline at AddictionResource.net is available 24/7 to discuss the treatment needs of yourself or a loved one.

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If you use any other drugs it may be necessary to have a medically-assisted detox. Going through substance addiction is an extremely difficult experience. In order to have a chance to fully recover, it’s imperative to understand the disease and how it manifests in you personally. It is available in immediate-release tabletsof 5 milligrams, 7.5 milligrams, and 10 milligrams and extended-release capsules of 15 milligrams and 30 milligrams and is usually given three times daily. The extended-release formulation should be administered at the same time each day. The capsule may be swallowed whole, but its contents also may be sprinkled onto a tablespoon of applesauce for immediate consumption without chewing the granules.

How Flexeril Use Can Lead To Misuse

Although cyclobenzaprine withdrawal symptoms are not extremely harmful or deadly on their own, they can increase the severity of withdrawal from other substances. In case of acute cyclobenzaprine overdose, emergency medicine physicians and triage nurses should stabilize the patient. If EKG demonstrates QRS prolongation, the clinician should initiate sodium bicarbonate therapy. In severe overdose, ventricular arrhythmias and seizures may require MICU-level of care under the supervision of a critical care physician. As discussed above, the clinician should consider contacting the poison control center in refractory cases.

A Flexeril overdose can result in cardiac arrest, dangerously low blood pressure, central nervous system depression, or seizures. Don’t delay seeking support if you suspect somebody has taken a large quantity of the drug. Medical detox also introduces cyclobenzaprine treatment like individual or group counseling and prepares clients for entry into a drug rehab program. Not only is cyclobenzaprine detox great preparation for ongoing addiction treatment, but it also reduces the risk of relapse by providing professional assistance throughout the process. Clinicians should monitor for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome if the patient is taking other serotonergic drugs.

Smooth muscles are the muscles that you don’t have control over, like the muscles in your intestine, stomach and blood vessels. Although cyclobenzaprine was found to have limited efficacy as an antidepressant, it proved very effective as a muscle relaxant. In 1977, it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of muscle spasms. It is still manufactured by Merck & Company under the brand name Flexeril and is distributed by McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Flexeril is not a narcotic and will therefore not show up on a drug screen test.

If you are addicted to cyclobenzaprine, a cyclobenzaprine rehab program is an excellent way to overcome your addiction. Although cyclobenzaprine detox will provide treatment for physical addiction, ongoing cyclobenzaprine treatment will address the social, psychological, and behavioral aspects of addiction. Although cyclobenzaprine is not currently a controlled substance in the United States, it does have the potential for abuse, tolerance, and addiction.

This prescription drug is intended for short-term use, but it is frequently abused for its narcotic-like high, and the feelings of euphoria and relaxation it creates. When it is used with other central nervous system depressants like alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and narcotics, its effects are intensified. Cyclobenzaprine is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant structurally related to tricyclic antidepressants. Cyclobenzaprine is a tricyclic amine salt that works in the central nervous system (CNS) as a depressant that reduces muscle hyperactivity.