Individuals with pre-existing liver conditions should be especially cautious. One of the main reasons it’s best to avoid the combo has to do with some gnarly side effects we can end up with as a result. According to NIH, cyclobenzaprine comes with some fairly typical ones, as well as potentially dangerous ones. If you must have an alcoholic beverage, it is best to wait 24 hours or longer after taking your last dose of the muscle relaxer to avoid any potentially harmful effects. Most often, drug users would experiment on a controlled substance and would be even caught mixing Flexeril with other substances.
There may come a time in your life when you require a prescription for a muscle relaxer. If you drink, you may wonder whether it’s safe to mix alcohol with your muscle relaxers. Additionally, alcohol misuse is more likely to cause physiological dependence than Flexeril. However, when the two substances are used together, the likelihood of developing a dependence increases.
The side effects of this drug should make it clear why someone should not mix alcohol and muscle relaxers. On their own, this drug produces many side effects that affect a person’s ability to function. When alcohol is added to the mix, these side effects become even more pronounced, potentially leading to serious health problems. Mixing Flexeril with alcohol can intensify side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired coordination.
Mixing the two can increase the effects of both drugs and lead to serious consequences. 25.8% of people aged 18 years and older report binge drinking in the past 30 days. Every day, 261 Americans die as a result of excessive alcohol use, and 80% of these deaths involve adults aged 35 or older. Depressants are substances that slow down the central nervous system, which both of these substances do. When alcohol and muscle relaxers are combined, they magnify each other’s effects.
Nourish Your Muscle Memory
Mixing prescription drugs and alcohol causes major damage to the liver and kidneys, which are essential for ridding the body of toxins. As toxins build up in the kidney and over, which normally filter them out, damage and eventual failure can occur. After being prescribed muscle relaxers, the side effects can be difficult to deal with.
Addiction occurs when the substance begins to overtake your life and your thoughts. If you cannot go a day without using alcohol or Flexeril, you likely have an addiction. People who become severely agitated when they no longer have access to either substance are likely addicts.
However, treating the presenting substance abuse case can be magnitudes easier once properly diagnosed and treated. Only a properly trained medical professional can diagnose these underlying conditions. If you believe you are suffering from a disorder alongside addiction, we urge you to seek a qualified treatment center to begin your journey to recovery. Furthermore, combining cyclobenzaprine and alcohol can cause respiratory depression, a potentially life-threatening condition where breathing becomes slow and shallow.
They may be used to relieve symptoms such as muscle spasms and pain, and to reduce muscle contractions in a variety of neurological conditions. They can help a person achieve greater mobility and, for some, provide relief from insomnia that flexeril and drinking results from these disorders. Of course, mixing alcohol and Flexeril is just one example of a dangerous drug combination. Unfortunately, there are many other drug interactions that are harmful when mixed with alcohol.
Flexeril drug interactions
This is done to amplify the same effects they get or to prolong the high they experience. Taking Flexeril in itself shouldn’t be a cause of concern for people, especially if it was prescribed by an attending licensed medical professional. However, there are instances when people develop a physical dependence on the drug for many reasons.
The Effects of Alcohol
It is best to avoid drinking alcohol, including wine or beer, while taking Flexeril. Even a small amount of alcohol can intensify the effects of Flexeril and increase the risk of harmful interactions. However, if you must drink alcohol, it is recommended to wait at least 24 hours after your last dose of Flexeril to reduce the risk of harmful interactions.
It can also increase the risk of experiencing serious side effects such as respiratory depression, coma, and death. Muscle relaxers can make it challenging for a person to stay alert and think coherently, resulting in impairments to thought processes and decision-making capabilities. When used as directed by a physician, muscle relaxers are generally considered safe. However, when used in combination with alcohol or other drugs, they can have hazardous and sometimes life-threatening effects. Muscle relaxers (spasmolytics) are prescription medications that affect muscle function and decrease muscle tone.
- It’s important to treat them simultaneously because they influence each other in a recovering person’s journey.
- This medication acts on the central nervous system (CNS) through the brain to provide relaxation to the muscles.
- A range of techniques and strategies are employed to manage alcoholism, to help individuals to overcome the disorder and break the cycle of harmful drinking.
- Withdrawal from Flexeril can be moderately unpleasant, though Flexeril withdrawal is considered mild.
- If you cannot go a day without using alcohol or Flexeril, you likely have an addiction.
To address addiction symptoms, there are many treatment options available you can pursue, especially if it involves Flexeril with alcohol use. Similar to how other combinations of substances like Bactrim & alcohol, Flexeril and alcohol pose many risks to the individual involved. Here are some of the most common side effects you may encounter when mixing alcohol with Flexeril. Inpatient treatment is a higher level of care than outpatient treatment. It is typically recommended for people who have been using alcohol or drugs for a long period of time, or for those who have relapsed after completing an outpatient program. At New Directions for Women, we offer comprehensive care in a gender-specific environment.
Treatment for Cyclobenzaprine and Alcohol Addiction
While alcohol is widely abused and can lead to physiological dependence, combining it with Flexeril increases the likelihood of dependence and addiction. This is due to the enhanced effects of both substances when taken together, which can lead to a higher incidence of misuse. Drinking beer with Flexeril can have several side effects and is not recommended. Flexeril, or cyclobenzaprine, is a muscle relaxant used to treat muscle spasms and musculoskeletal pain. It is a central nervous system depressant that acts on the brain to achieve its effects.
- The rigidity caused by muscle spasticity can even make it hard for some people to walk.
- Women are 11% more likely than men to be prescribed medication, but men are 22.9% more likely to misuse prescriptions.
- Both alcohol and muscle relaxers can impair cognitive and motor functions, increasing the risk of accidents.
- Alcohol is also a central nervous system depressant, and when mixed with Flexeril, it can lead to a range of adverse effects.
- They can provide specific instructions on safely taking the medication and avoiding potential harm.
The combination of Flexeril and alcohol can be hazardous or even deadly. Alcohol and Flexeril both suppress the central nervous system, and mixing them can enhance one another’s outcomes. This can result in severe sedation or drowsiness, increasing the chance of an accident. Yes, consuming alcohol while taking Flexeril can increase the risk of an overdose due to the combined effects on the central nervous system. Symptoms of an overdose may include extreme drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, and difficulty breathing. This last set of effects is the main reason mixing the two is not recommended, since it increases the chances of having a dangerous fall or another accident.
If not treated promptly, this can lead to severe, life-threatening liver failure. Moreover, taking cyclobenzaprine and alcohol together can increase the risk of liver damage and toxicity, especially with long-term or high-dose use. If not treated promptly, this can result in liver failure, a serious, life-threatening condition. All prescription drugs have potentially dangerous and minor side effects. Be sure to tell your doctor or PA about all other medications you are taking, as Flexeril can have lethal reactions to other prescriptions. Also, be sure to tell your doctor if you drink more than a moderate amount each day or week and if you use tobacco products.
What are the potential side effects of mixing Flexeril with alcohol?
Transcend Recovery Community has collated useful information to help you or someone you know the deal with substance abuse better. It’s best to wait until the effects of the muscle relaxer have worn off completely before consuming alcohol. This could take several hours depending on the specific medication and individual metabolism. If you or a loved one have mixed muscle relaxers and alcohol, follow these steps immediately to ensure the safety and well-being of the affected individual.